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Building 1:87 Scale Rusty Old Mattress Springs
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 Posted: Sun Jul 5th, 2015 04:46 am
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Sean W
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 Hey guys,


I'm working on a project that I wanted to include an old rusty mattress spring in.

So knowing that they aren't manufactured, I knew I was going to have to scratch build it.


The first thing I did was to figure out what to make the spring out of.

I decided to use the inside of very small gauge wire.

So I stripped the insulation and got to the actual wire part.

Cut the insulation long ways for about 6"





and separate the wire from the insulation.





we are left with looks to be about 9 pieces of very small, workable wire.





Then I made a to scale HO queen size mattress template out of the sticky part of a sticky note.

That can be seen in the top right of this picture.

Then I started on the frame and cross members.

Make the cross members longer than they need to be, then trim them later after they dry.





Here's the trimmed frame.





Then we have to make the actual springs.

I used a needle and wrapped the wire around it then bunched it up and pulled it off.










Then cut that into small springs.





Start gluing the springs onto the frame.

I used CA Medium glue.





After a long time and crossed eyes, you end up with something that looks kinda like this.





Give it a quick shot of black paint, and you're done!





A close up of the finished weathered model.

I think I'm going to use some paper towel and glue small sections of it to it,
to simulate old cloth that is still hanging onto the frame after 15 years of sitting in the desert.

Lemme know what you think!
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 Posted: Sun Jul 5th, 2015 05:32 am
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Ray Dunakin
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 Wow!

Cool idea, and very well executed considering the small scale!






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 Posted: Sun Jul 5th, 2015 05:55 am
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Sean W
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 I've never wanted to be in O scale more in my life!

haha

I would have given my left arm to have this project be twice as big!
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 Posted: Sun Jul 5th, 2015 02:05 pm
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Herb Kephart
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 Sean-

Way to go!!

I take my hat off to you--

We wouldn't mind at all if you converted to O scale!


Herb



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 Posted: Tue Jul 7th, 2015 07:50 am
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iandrewmartin
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 Sean;

That mattress is magic.
Great work sir.
Any chance of a shot of it in the desert when you are done?

I've featured your build on my blog for tomorrow (July 8)
as I thought it was a great idea and easy to make happen,
with simple parts, tools, and with a lot of patience.

A great result.

PS - I linked to the finished image for the post.
Let me know if you'd prefer that not to be linked on my blog.
On click it comes back to the topic, and not the image.

Regards
Andrew




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 Posted: Tue Jul 7th, 2015 03:25 pm
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Lee B
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 Wow...

I model the WW2 era, where you wouldn't see something like this lying around as it'd been snatched up for scrap drives.

I really wish I had an excuse to make something like this, though!





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Commanding Officer, 796th Railway Operating Battalion (in On30 gauge)
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 Posted: Thu Jul 9th, 2015 06:39 pm
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Sean W
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 Herb:

I appreciate the kind words.
It was a fun, but very tedious build.
I doubt I'll ever build another one.


Andrew:

Thanks so much for featuring my build in your blog!


Lee:

I'm proud to have wow'ed a modeler of your stature!
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 Posted: Tue Mar 5th, 2019 03:33 pm
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Si.
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 Hi Sean  :wave:



HOLY COW !  :shocked:


Where have you been Sean ?  :old dude:


I remember some of your builds from awhile back ...

... I guess maybe you have been busy on other 'life things' for a bit ?  ???





I didn't Post about your great ^^ rusty ol' mattress spring at the time, so I see ...

... So to make up for that now .  .   .



:moose: :moose: :moose: :moose: :moose:



Si.



ACE !  wire work !!  :shocked:




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 Posted: Tue Mar 5th, 2019 09:10 pm
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Rod Hutchinson
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Jasus









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 Posted: Wed Mar 6th, 2019 05:36 am
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Michael M
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 Sean,

What a great idea! 

I think you might be right that it would have been easier in a larger scale.





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