Big Thunder Mine Part 1: The Shaft House

Time for another big structure build and this time it's the Big Thunder Mine! In the first of this series, I use an O scale Wild West Scale Models Atlantic Cable Mine kit as the jumping off point for the entire Big Thunder Mine complex. This video focuses on the shaft house or head frame, the structure used for lowering men and equipment down into the mine and hoisting the valuable ore out. This build draws inspiration from Big Thunder Mine buildings at Anaheim, Orlando, and Disneyland Paris, but is not a direct copy of any of them. Lots of wood finishing and corrugated iron modeling tips in this one!
Thanks for watching, amigos!
Dave
Wild West Scale Models Atlantic Cable Mine: www.wildwestmo...
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Al music courtesy KZbin Audio Library, attribution given where available.
"Country Cue 1" courtesy of Audionautix, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommon....
Artist: audionautix.com/
"Take Your Time" and "Hickory Hollow" - Dan Lebowitz, KZbin Audio Library
"Covid Come Not Near" - Nat Keefe & Hot Buttered Rum, KZbin Audio Library
"Juneberry Junction" - Chris Haugen, KZbin Audio Library
"Empty Hearted Man" - KZbin Audio Libray

[@easttexastramps]

i like how you solved the flooring error. well played.

[@stevemellin5806]

Very cool Have a great weekend

[@samshoes1]

I love what you did to this kit. Mike at Wild West Scale Models always does a great job with his kits, but your additions really add a extra dimension to it.

[@Hellonwheels66]

When(ever) I grow up I want to model just like you!

[@PaulsinMo]

Beautiful and inspiring work. Carter suggested to watch your videos and he wasn't kidding! Love your work🙂👍

[@TexasRailfan21-RailfanRyan]

Great job on the mine I look forward to seeing the working elevator in animation hopefully with the two pulley wheels at the top of the mine animated as well

[@dbottita]

Outstanding. Not only is it entertaining to watch, but I learn techniques too!

[@tomphillips8565]

Another outstanding job!!

[@pbyfr]

Awesome model. It remembered me when I animated the old Faller mine shaft. It was working, but the whole layout was put to the side, in favor of a O16.5 layout.

[@stanleydomalewski8497]

Great Video !

[@lifeisagift.cherisheverymoment]

Absolutely beautiful modeling, Dave! Makes me wish I were thirty years younger and had my visual acuity back. :) Awesome video, I really enjoyed watching you assemble a beautiful Kit by Wild West Scale Models.

[@tomeasley5979]

Dave, what a great build! That looks like a really nice kit.

[@ordoarchitectumhobbyworksh9738]

Excelente Video and Beautiful Work Mate !!!

[@dennisfillhart88]

This is a wonderful project. I have done many small craftsman-type buildings & I was looking at this mine to build. Thank you for doing this here. Now I am convinced that this is NOT the building for me. LOL As always, great work.

[@sru1436]

Looks great, I love your layout.

[@FenixCreations]

I really love your video's Dave!! Your work is astonishing and i'm hooked on your video's ;-). Thank your for the tip of that Japanese razor blade saw and little miter 🙏. I started building miniature's little over a year ago, but mostly diorama's in 1/24 scale and book nooks, but seeing your amazing train landscape 😃😍🤩makes me think I should try it out aswel 😉. Warm greetz, all the way from little Belgium ♥

[@ThunderMesaStudio]

Thank you so much

[@MarchWestJunctionTMD]

Fantastic modelling 👍 reading enjoyable to watch. Keep safe and well Andy

[@lynnmccurdythehdmmrc2561]

Really love your work. What I'm really looking forward to, is how you animate the Hoist. I'm working toward an HO Module with something similar, not like yours, but what might be found out in the Death Valley area.

[@ThunderMesaStudio]

I've got a plan for that!

[@OtterCreek]

Great build Dave, love the additions that make it unique to Thunder Mesa! I'm looking at doing something very similar on my layout in the future! Can't wait to see the upcoming installments!

[@wolfgangpfeilergartenbahnd6530]

A phenomenal video, great work and a top model.👍👍👍

[@ThunderMesaStudio]

Thank you!

[@eugeniomarins2936]

Dear Sir, Great video and beautiful building! I'm ok with all your professional equipment, laser cutting machines and all that wonderful stuff. But, what i really envy is that cute micro saw and the jig for cutting in angles. That would be hard to acquire here in Brazil, and buying from abroad would cost me an arm and a leg... Cheers from tool envyous and modeling unfriendly Brazil!

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Well done. I might have missed it, but did the cow skull come with the kit?

[@ThunderMesaStudio]

Thanks. The cow skull is from Wiseman Model Service and did not come with the kit.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

@@ThunderMesaStudio Info appreciated!

[@caesarillion]

Right now I"m doing a couple of ore bins in HOn3 from coffee stirrers (thank you Starbucks et al) and food sticks from Bangkok where I live. My goal is to see how many loading ramps, head frames and bins etc I can do, hahahhahah. Meanwhile I see you are hiding a really nice ore bin near your work bench. What is that please? Thanks, Bangkok Paul Venne Agent D&RG Ry/ Ton Ry etc....PS Any news on Z scale used for HO narrow gauge???

[@ThunderMesaStudio]

Z for Ho narrow gauge !? Not something I've tried - yet.

[@scottbaker5975]

Hey Dave, nice job personalizing a kit, it looks great! Curious what fixative you are using to seal the chalks? Seems like I've tried most hobby specific and hardware store rattle can flat finish and they all seem to "erase" the chalk work. I recently noticed Krylon makes a specific clear coat called "Artist Fixative" that seals but also allows reworking of the piece. I have not tried it yet, but I assume if it is made for artist chalk work, it wouldn't "erase" the subtle chalk work. Have you tried it?

[@ThunderMesaStudio]

Yup, that's what I use. Krylon Workable Artists Fix, matte finish.www.amazon.com/dp/B007SQYXAM?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_344HE5DD0V8AV3CQYES6

[@scottbaker5975]

@@ThunderMesaStudio Thanks for the reply. I was a little reluctant to spend yet another $8 for the same results.

[@politicsandtrains]

Where did you get that micro square?