Moonson posted:MattR posted:Moonson posted:My main source for trees and foliage has been Scenic Express. Jim Elster's products are nearly endless in their variety and usefulness....When I decided to try modeling a logging "block," I researched logging via the Internet, books, and a personal visit to Upstate NY where a forest was being cleared. I realized I had no practical idea of what actually shared a forest floor with the trees. So, I went into several tracts and immersed myself.
Also, I visited several John Deere dealerships and talked to the men there to find out what the various equipment did as parts of the logging operation. Fortunately, those storefront dealerships also carried a line of 1/48 toy models of the equipment, such as Front Loaders, Skidders, Forwarders, Harvesters, etc.
When I had several finished "Logging Block" vignettes completed, I took a carload of them back to the John Deere dealerships for their appraisal, approval, or disapproval.
Nice job. I'm a logger in Upper Michigan and you did great.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, MattR !!! I really appreciate getting your approval, given your profession, of course. I imagine I have some of the equipment much closer to each other than would be normal for such a site, but I have a feeling you knew that was due to the space considerations when I was modeling such scenes for a train layout. If you look closely at the bottom photo , the one with the Skidder, you can see the white edge to the acrylic baseplate for the vignette peeking put at the lower right hand corner. I tried to fit as much authenticity in each scene as I could, so for you to tell me I managed to do well, well, that is great to learn from you!
Thanks again.
FrankM
Yes, I had the space restraint thing figured out. It looks more real than the pics you have of the actual machines. The real units you have pictures of are fresh off the factory floor I guarantee. Very few hours on them, but they'll have lots in a hurry trying to pay for those new machines. Most crews with new iron like that run around the clock. I was that way once with $22,000 in monthly payments (yes $22,000 per month, and that doesn't include fuel, wages, insurance, parts, etc) and had 11 men. Not worth it.... but anyway. The ones you weathered look a heck of alot closer to the real deal after they've been working. Real logging is dirty and nasty (usually).
