Pill bottle caps.
Solar l.e.d. lamps for garden and walkways.
Back at you, up a creek with a new aluminum Coast Guard paddle.
( Slowpokes, it might be shocking or really slow, with ins and outs of pedals and wheels, you just might reap from what you sew)
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After toilet seat nuts I'm not biting this time! 
Great guesses everyone.......
These are indeed bottle caps......from Listerine flouride treatment.......just think of it: fresh breath, fewer cavities, and, a great gondola load.
Peter 
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No more sweaty tooth odor!
No guesses on the paddle origin? There were clues....darn it, that sox. I'll sew up mysterys loose threads tomorrow I guess.
pennytrains posted:After toilet seat nuts I'm not biting this time!
That was actually pretty close; "biting" 
Adriatic posted:No more sweaty tooth odor!
No guesses on the paddle origin? There were clues....darn it, that sox. I'll sew up mysterys loose threads tomorrow I guess.
Are you going to keep needling us in this thread? What a yarn! Woof! Guess we're all knitwits...
Mitch
I got nothing...Mitch used up the rest of my bad jokes. (Oh, and devils night was no yarn, surprise guests to run the layout!! Halloween was even stranger, but no trains got involved, except crossing the tracks at 4am as after 5 hours of "walking" I ATTEMPTED to walk the LAST 4 miles home. Too dark for pics of the DT&I catenary arches, I tried though. Blisters are healing fine since I actually caught a ride. Thank God I'm not the only sober person in town.(no offense )
I just found the "oar" a few days ago, and I actually don't know exactly what it does either, lol.,But it was in the little drawer on Grandmas fancy sewing machine for about 30 years before I found it. I initially thought it was a leather or pattern punch, but a crochet/knitting tool was another possibility as she did all of the above regularly and proffesionally when it suited her. But it definitely belonged there; "everything in its place". I don't think I'll get paddled for re-purposing it and she has something on the layout now too. I think she'd approve 
and is likely ribbing Gramps right now for not swiping himself for on a submarine car or Evans boat-loader lol.
(now EXACTLY what does it do? Does anybody know? or do I have to read the sewing machine manual now?.)
It really does look just like a scale aluminum oar up close. It even has a rounded ridge up the blades center, just like the air pocket that keeps them afloat. The only thing missing are rivets to count and maybe a red handle. I will dip it in red paint tonight, but wanted it" as is "for the photos here.Next....this American Flyer Talking Station was salvaged off a vintage layout. I had my doubts on anything working but the electric internals were fine, record like new timer for auto stops ok. It was just missing anything not permanently attached. No doors/steps/roof/needle/cone etc.. The greenish tint to the windows reminded me of old factories around here when I was young, so that's what it became. Hardboard paneling and a chunk of inner tube from a semi truck started its transformation. Old PVC scrap became stacks. Thick but soft floral wire from the sewing room keeps them upright (that sewing room actually yeilds lots of goodies, thanks Grandma) Gloss paint for an oily look.(needs a light flat black wash though) Pinstripe for seaming. Nothing is glued down here either. The roof lifts off by the stacks and wire, and I get to relocate everything as I replace it.
The soon to be mushroom vent, a dresser knob. The dust is prototypical,lol. Too near a window with a fan this summer.
I love the imperfection of the wire....ever see a Tool video? (A band)
Drill, poke, bend. All done!
The conical screen washer closely resembles the screens often put over rooftop drains which are in the center of flat roofs. They keep stuff out of those hard to access pipes.
The fan housings are some kind of a flower pot. I found these, the conical washer, and the PVC walking a short cut behind the strip malls hydroponics shop thats close by. I bent down once. There are often hundreds of these things laying in the alley. They cut the bottoms off for some reason and they bounce and fly all over when dumped by truck on garbage day.
More unfinished business: Godzilla Jr and his train , I think the train might be a cracker jack toy. I thought he would one day make a good rooftop advertising sculpture with a sign near him. I'm waiting for a final inspiration and good business name to strike me (input welcome).
And finally, I bet Mitch guesses this unfinished beast in about 2 seconds, within 2 guesses. If he has no clue, I want a Monkeys mix CD with a hand drawn gi-raffe and purple monkey face on the label out of him.
Shhh, no speedy guesses, A bit small too, so maybe use a magnafying glass to guess this alfa simbal by name 
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Your stacks look like scale versions of the stacks I made using STS solid rocket boosters on this building:
I made it as a power station for my permanent layout in the 90's but turned it into a peanut factory when I found a pair of salt and pepper shakers in the attic. I was even drilling for peanut oil!
Adriatic posted:And finally, I bet Mitch guesses this unfinished beast in about 2 seconds, within 2 guesses. If he has no clue, I want a Monkeys mix CD with a hand drawn gi-raffe and purple monkey face on the label out of him.
Shhh, no speedy guesses, A bit small too, so maybe use a magnafying glass to guess this alfa simbal by name
Mitch
Looks like I'll still be burning my own music.
Some insite if your unfamiliar.
Magna is the style of Japanese animation in these cartoons, Astro Boy, Speed Racer(called Speedy by boy Spritle), Kimba etc. Simba ("simbal") was his father, a great king killed by man, who Kimba wished to emulate in achievements of honesty and good will. The purple monkey face, a reference to a baboon freind Daniel, always there to help him.
The ears arent right for Kimba, so its Simba who was often shown on high ground, overlooking his domain (and killed near a factory if I recall). If I don't find a cub, I'll one day add those signature rounded ears and chest tuft with modeling putty. Watching this then Lionking, I can't see how the plagiarism case failed IAH.
Becky, Are you trying to say I'm nuts? 
Could be, but I'm having fun being that way 
Or just that we both built our stacks for peanuts?
You know, you said you weren't an artist, but everything you post says otherwise. The colors and placements of them are always stunning to these eyes.
Oh great...now I want a sandwich...no jelly, that would ruin it. No jelly, no palm oil, no "hydroelectric additives" just crushed goodness. Man I wish the new Velvet still only had the toasted red skin flakes and salt in it. I kept the last jar of the original I opened. I'm a peanutbutter snob and connoisseur .Looks like I'll be needing the Listerine and "the Sonic" soon.
And thank you all for allowing me to mess with Mitch. I'm sure some others out there bit their tounges hard. (Apply antiseptic..Listerine )
I'd mention seeing Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion, Speed Racer, Marine Boy and Eighth Man in their original runs in the 1960s, but that would reveal my old coot nature... ;-)
Instead, here's Nova from Star Blazers (or if you prefer, Yuki from Space Cruiser Yamato) waiting to catch a trolley at the Clarksville station to burnish my anime fan street creds...
Mitch
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2010 pre-Disneyland layout. Shinji Ikari and Kouaru Nagisa play with Lionel Blue Comet set at train station as blue #8 passes. By the big red villa, Bateau and ceo Jameson get in some sort of argument. Then there's that blue box on the edge of town... I have a number of Neon Genesis Evangelion, Ghost in the Shell and Appleseed figures I used all the time with the big trains. I grew up on Starbazers/Yamato, G-Force and Robotech/Macross.
Hi Peter, the silos are actually a great idea. But, emptying the Harvey's Bristol Cream sounds like a lot more fun! 
gg1man posted:Hi Peter, the silos are actually a great idea. But, emptying the Harvey's Bristol Cream sounds like a lot more fun!
Mario.....I gotta chuckle....my wife and I finished those off probably in the late 80s....in our 30s....Now, in our 60s, a bottle lasts for years. Now, it would be the slowest silo project ever!
Peter
I know what you mean Peter, we have open bottles that are older then our twenty-two year old son.
It's like my friend of sixty plus years said when I laughed at us checking out the girls down town.
I said we are just a couple of silly old men and Joe replied, "just because were tied to the junk yard fence that doesn't mean we can't have fun barking at the cars"!
RichO posted:Tropical spot Dora and friend. Palm trees made from dollar store flowers leaves and pine cone cores.
My King says to " see your pinecone " with an older one....
And raise you by a wasp nest boulder. 
The paths and roadbed is gasket cork, the well a random cap, matches, and tin can roof. The pond a clear plastic q-tip box with the bottom painted, the stone bank salvaged from around a stations now vacant lot on a scrapped, vintage layout.
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Adriatic posted:RichO posted:Tropical spot Dora and friend. Palm trees made from dollar store flowers leaves and pine cone cores.
My King says to " see your pinecone " with an older one....
And raise you by a wasp nest boulder.
The paths and roadbed is gasket cork, the well a random cap, matches, and tin can roof. The pond a clear plastic q-tip box with the bottom painted, the stone bank salvaged from around a stations now vacant lot on a scrapped, vintage layout.
The inspiration is the same! The Zebra is pointing the way home. (The other animals will be getting more company.) The billboard was lit Saturday.
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Actually, that whole layout belongs here. I've got less than 20 bucks in the transformer, train, and a few trees, the rest was "excess." The cabinet was a cast off. And most of the supplies bound for the can at the next closet cleaning. Even the speaker grill is the preferated back off a discarded cabinet type big screen TV. The switch knobs from a stove. The left knob is on a timer from a toaster oven; it controls the Marx 50w output. The right knob controls the "sun"; a small microwave bulb; super long life, its doesn't even remove from its molded on base.
I tried a cloth green backdrop, then a gift paper one, a light blue, but I wanted to be able.to pull off a night scene by shutting off the sun switch. There was no dark blue or green gift wrap, but there was black. Someday I might add a photo of a mountain to each corner to lighten it up more, but it's brighter than the photos let on to.
The raised edge "rock" and rock formation behind the caboose are scrap package foam and are "filler" over the main postwar green base which is an old holiday end tables tablecloth, stapled over 1/2" plywood.
The tunnel is the real scrounge star though. It's old aluminum screen scrap fresh from re-screening my screen door. On it are layers of literally everything from the paint closet that would harden. It started with plaster from the 50s in a bag, then plaster of paris repair in a 60s box, then sears powdered joint compound from the 70s, then laytex joint compound and laytex wood putty from the.80s or 90s. Some laytex caulk was used for a final blending coat and its ability for some simple texturing variations. It has an open back and you can rail trains in the tunnel via a door or just reach over, while leaning on this very strong, heavy little tunnel. It's like stone or pottery.
The shack is just cardboard from a shoebox, matchsticks, popsicle stick, or skewer.. The pink tree, a weed. The ground cover from a "sandpainting in a jar"
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The TV cabinet is cool. I have my parents cherrywood unit from the 50's, glass top and all. I gutted it and mounted my component stereo units in it and put my TV on the top of it. Too late to put a train in it now.
That layout cracks me up! It's just too awesome! I wish I had an old Admiral or a Dumont then I'd do the same thing!
I showed my wife the pics when Adriatic first posted the Train in the TV a while back. I think its cool. My wife who I love dearly said not In the house. Then she said where would you put it. I said the bedroom and she rolled her eyes. Funny part was when she saw the pics she thought I was buying it. The joke was on her.
Thanks. It spent years showcasing VW toys too. I had intended on putting modern guts in it until wide screens took over. One day I got inspired by total crap being on every TV channel. Cable tv no less. So the toys hit the floor and this emerged "for my viewing pleasure".
Some more "scrounged" objects"
The roof vent anyone? Be specific of the origin....
The origin of the HVAC unit on the roof of the apartment building?
The answers will be posted Sunday.
Peter
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They look like leftover bits from metal shelf kits...
The roof vent looks like one of the rubber feet from a Lionel Powermaster.
Old typewriter keys?
GregM posted:The roof vent looks like one of the rubber feet from a Lionel Powermaster.
You nailed it!
I should have been more specific.....the roof vents came with the kit. The HVAC unit is an empty HP Inkjet cartridge.
Peter
I looked out my office window and see this, JACKPOT! My mountain that I need to build
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JD2035RR posted:I looked out my office window and see this, JACKPOT! My mountain that I need to build
Free is the best price, have Fun!
