Dwaine46
May 2025 in O Scale Builds
Although I have finished, not sure about that word, are we ever really finished with any of our projects.
Giving some insights on challenges and regrets.
Constructing the base was my first challenge, I looked everywhere, Home Depot, Lowes, and several other hardware stores, could not fine ¾” foam insulation anywhere. So had to settle for 1”. As always started with the foundation framework having to add a ¼” to the legs and trying to think ahead to make sure that I add ¼” to everything else that had contact with the base, which as it turns out wasn’t that difficult. Using one of Brett’s favorite sayings, “Don’t over think it”, something that I am verrrry guilty of.
After getting the flooring lade it started to look like something. I felt like in my mind that I was accomplishing something.
So adding other structural details just add to the fun.
Comments
Dwaine46
May 2025
Next came the framework which didn’t seem to be that hard.
Dwaine46
May 2025
And my next challenge, apparently I got some of my Drive belt wheels mixed up, so with Brett’s help and extreme patience, got that all straighten out. Working with the gears and drive belts, I think the outcome really makes the sawmill come alive.
Dwaine46
May 2025
Next came adding some internal walls, with of course some details.
Dwaine46
May 2025
Dwaine46
May 2025
Dwaine46
May 2025
Dwaine46
May 2025
Notice the blank spot on the diorama. Will address later…
Dwaine46
May 2025
Rafters, lets talk about those. Being smarter than the average bear, I constructed the rafters. Then trudging on I glued them onto the wall studs. That was great until a week or so later I tried to put on the roof …. Didn’t fit days went by trying to figure out what was going on. At the point that I was about to call Brett, I was going over the plans again, I noticed some marks where the rafters were supposed to sit on the walls. I broke off the rafters from the studs marked them and re-glued them. Hocus Pocus the roof fit.. Not so smart are we Mr. Bear…
KKarns
May 2025
Fantastic work Dwaine! Such a masterful example of a backwoods sawmill. You’re killing it here my friend. Wonderfully done. Remember, a sign of a great modeler is not that they don’t make mistakes it’s how well they fix them!!
Dwaine46
May 2025
Dwaine46
May 2025
Dwaine46
May 2025
Now let’s address regrets, the nbw details, tried several times to add these. But with my hands, just couldn’t pull it off. I sanded and re-stained several times, but just wasn’t worth it for me. And I think my biggest regret however was not making the diorama bigger. Am not planning on adding it to a layout, but did add extra space on the loading side of the Sawmill. Wish I had thought far enough ahead and add more space to the dock side. Then I would have been able to maybe add a small road to load trucks.
But you know, putting the Sawmill together has been great for me. I got this from Brett at a time that I really needed a long-term project, and has worked out great for me. So, thank you Brett and thank all of you that post your work on the forum, showing and explaining how you do certain things, just making me want to do better at what I work on.
Karl.A
May 2025 edited May 2025
Such a fantastic job of building this amazing kit, your result is something to be very proud of, it is a beautiful build.
Thank you for all of your comments and narrative along the way, they show how amazing this kit is and what an incredible result can be achieved.
The pictures I will have to enjoy for some time to come.
A wonderful build and a joy to see. Fantastic job.
vietnamseabee
May 2025
Dwaine…fantastic build you have there…well done!!!
Mine has been sitting on the orphan shelf for about 8 months…can’t seem to get going on it again
terry
Kevin L
May 2025
Great work it looks fantastic. Like you made a couple of blunders during my build but was able, the same as you, was able to fix them.
Dwaine46
May 2025
Ken, Karl, Kevin, Terry, coming from you guys,Thank you so very much. your the ones that set the bar so high.
And Terry, was in the Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club '72-'73
Robert.G
May 2025
Dwaine, this is still my all time favorite, ( it’s in the Gallery) , SW magnum opus. You did a great job on this sawmill. You can be proud !!!
ALCO
May 2025
Looks like a b@ll buster of a kit but you’ve produced a dio to be very proud of!
Jim M
May 2025
This is just fantastic. Great job. I love looking at all the details. What a great kit.
sdrees
May 2025
This is really a nice job.
Joel
May 2025
Beautiful build. I love all the little details and scenes.
Dwaine46
May 2025
Thank you, Thank you for all the positive comments. And yes this is a fantastic kit, and a B*&# Buster at the same time, but as you proceed and it starts to come together, you start to see the vision that Brett has put before you and you want to finish.
MuddyCreekRR
May 2025
Excellent work…makes me want o pull out my 1/2 finished one…and get it done
Robert.G
May 2025
Right Muddy, GET IT DONE !!! 
TomMich
May 2025
Wonderful job on a great kit. The coloring, weathering and detail work are superb.
Dwaine46
May 2025
Thank you again gentlemen.
Muddy, Terry, Robert is right, Finish your Sawmill. Between a move and just putting it up for a while, I worked on mine for over a year, but I kept looking at the work of everyone on the Forum and I knew that I had to finish.
Now on to other matters.
I added the Disconnected Log Trucks, just added to the Sawmill. And as I mentioned earlier I left an area open in front of the log roll to put something.
I had ordered the Tool Shed thinking that I had left enough room to place it across from the log roll deck, but after receiving it and checking out the dimensions, I realized that it just wouldn’t work. O, the shed would fit, but all the extras that make up the scene wouldn’t look right, it would have been crowded. The kit diffidently deserves better.
Then I remembered the welding shed from O’Neill’s. I dug out the plans and modified them to build a small warehouse. I constructed the roof to match the Sawmill, and added appropriate items to fill out around it.
Robert.G
May 2025
Great combination !! Let’s hope the log doesn’t go the wrong way.. 
Dwaine46
May 2025
Wow, Robert, you’re right. Guess it would’ve been better if I just stack some logs.. like I said, wish that I had made it bigger…thanks
Jerry
May 2025
A wonderful build!!
Jerry
TomMich
May 2025
The little warehouse turned out great! I especially like the storage shelf on the side with all the “spare” parts!
Jeroen
May 2025
Super impressive work!
Karl.A
May 2025
The warehouse/storage shed fits in so well with the scene, scenery is blending everything together very nicely indeed.