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How to Build a Scale Model of a Hydroelectric Mill

Hydroelectric mills vary in design and material. Most hydroelectric mills are composed of stone, brick or concrete, and they are always placed between two elevations, providing an elevation change to create water pressure to drive the turbines. To build a scale model of a hydroelectric mill, you will need to build a model of not only the mill but the context as well. Although the architectural ornamentation of mills varies, almost all mills have very spare, functional facades, which are easy to model with basswood.

Things You'll Need

1/16-inch to 3/32-inch thick basswood sheets
Architectural or engineering scale
Pencil
Craft knife
Sandpaper
Wood glue
Model trees
Wood or model paint

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the dimensions of an existing hydroelectric mill. Gather heights, horizontal dimensions, locations of architectural elements such as windows, doors and roof planes and elevation changes of the river or lake immediately around the location the mill is constructed.
- 2
  Determine the scale you would like to use. Common scales are 1/8 inch equals 1 foot, 1/4 inch equals 1 foot, 1/2 inch equals 1 foot and 1 inch equals 1 foot, although there are many other scales, including model railroad scales.
- 3
  Measure, draw and cut the model pieces from the basswood sheet using a pencil, craft knife and scale. The architectural or engineering scale provides the model scale on either end of the ruled tool as a fraction or whole number, such as "1/4" for the 1/4 inch equals 1 foot scale or "10" for the 1/10 inch equals 1 foot scale.
- 4
  Build the landscape around the mill to scale, using basswood sheets fastened perpendicularly to one another with wood glue. Provide support for the sheets with additional basswood sheets buttressing the horizontal and vertical planes of the basswood. Construct the vertical wall of the landscape's elevation change on the high side of the mill's footprint, or foundation. This will hide the vertical face of the elevation change with the hydroelectric mill's facade.
- 5
  Build the mass of the hydroelectric mill as simple boxes composed of glued basswood sheets. Do not add detail to the boxes; instead the boxes will be overlaid with additional, detailed sheets for the facades. Glue the box to the landscape.
- 6
  Cut each of the facade's faces to scale, adding appropriate width and height to mask the basswood massing boxes. Cut out door and window apertures, as well as any other openings. Glue these on the massing boxes with wood glue.
- 7
  Cut and glue details to the facade, such as lintels, quoins, friezes or buttresses. The layered facade provides realistic depth to the scale hydroelectric mill model.
- 8
  Cut and glue sloping planes to the top of the model for the mill roof. Cut and glue any ornamental or architectural elements, such as gutters, smoke stacks or statuary.
- 9
  Add realism to your model with model trees, paint or a thin layer of dried glue along the river or lake's edge to represent water.

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