I’ve decided my “resort” town needs a grand hotel for the traveling guests to stay at. Here is a picture progress report:
First the Plan
Next the Foundation
Then the Decking
And that was two days - more to follow
Do you have a vision of the final design, or is this a design as you go?
Good looking start, keep the pictures coming
Rex, Looks like a “Grand” project as well as very interresting. will be looking forward to seeing future progress reports. Jack
Yes the plan does give a vision of what this two and a half story hotel is to look like. The truth is that it will probably morph as the project progresses. I’ll keep you posted. Today the task is to build the floor for the second story so that it matches the first floor where it is suppose to and allows for the creation of the walls.
Rex
Here are today’s results. The second floor is roughed in and decked. I’ve set it on temporary posts so I can start on the first floor walls. Here are the pics:
Rex
Rex:
If you’re going for the GRAND in “grand hotel”, you will need some outstanding feature like the turrets in the Hotel Del Coronado.
What kind of unique feature do you have designed? From your pix, I can see a concave front with overhanging protico? If so, will this be for rubber tired vehicles or iron rails?
Tom,
Actually I do have a turret planned for my Grand Hotel. It doesn’t compare to the Hotel Del Coronada. I plan to do it in stone along with a massive fireplace. The unique feature is at the front where the rubber tired vehicles can pull up. The main dining room is above. The back of the Grand Hotel faces the rails. More pics to follow.
Rex
I got started on the walls Friday after doing some painting. Here is a pictorial progress report:
Rex
Rex:
Since the overhead portico is for rubber tired vehicles, how about the deck out back? Looks like that might make a nice little “trolley stop” since it backs up to the rails? (just putzing with ya.) Looking good my friend, eagerly awaiting pix of the turret.
The depot is next to the Grand Hotel so passengers can disembark at the depot platform and walk over to the hotel. The back deck overlooks the waterwheel of the city power station/grist mill on the right and then out over the lake with the rail and auto bridges with all that activity. The front of the hotel faces the road that goes around the city park. It sounds crowded but it should work or at least it does in my mind for now. Things will probably change once the weather thaws and we can go back up to the mountains in the spring.
I do have some reports that some trees in my forest didn’t make it through the winter so that may mean I’ll have to reconsider keeping them in their pots. It’s tough building a whole miniture economy remotely especially with the real economy in such a mess.
Rex
I second that motion, and my forest is just outside the patio door. I guess I’m going to have to find something else for my “Ponderosa Pines”, “little Jammies” seem to only live two years in my yard, the just fail to thrive.
Wow Rex, looking great. I may need to watch this closer so someday I could actually have something besides track on bare plywood! Joe
Another update picture. I got a little ahead of myself and put the walls together before I framed the windows and doors. Framming takes a little more effort than fitting up a plastic window as you have to cut and glue each piece to fit. Here’s the pic
The sidding is kind of interesting to. What I do is rip a piece of cedar to 1/4" by 1/8" and then bevel the top edges with a hand bar sander. When you glue them down you get the nice grove between the boards for a nice sidding look.
Rex
Rex, Know what you mean about getting ahead of your self. I guess thats something that comes naturally when you build with a “rough idea in your head”. I treat my siding about the same, except I lightly round both top and bottom edges. It looks as if your hotel will be a really great addition to your city. Looking forward to its completion. Jack
Here is another progress report. I’ve got the wing walls done and added to the first floor. I also built the outside staircases from the GR article. Still need to do the hand rails but I’ll do that when I build the rest of the railing. Also I stained/preserved the work to date so I don’t have to go back afterwards and try and get into impossible places. You can tell the stained walls by comparing them to the one section on front wall I just finished.
Rex
Nice work
Are you going to post a copy of your plans, or will you make us “freelance” copy/build our own variations?
My sketches/plans are what you see on my board. I have some ideas that just sort of come together as the project goes on. That’s not the way I do full scale for sure but for models its more fun to just ad-lib.
Since this project is in the pines I’m envisioning a heavy timber structure for the roof. I’m also going to try to cast a river rock fireplace and … well we’ll see.
Rex
Another progress report - The first floor walls are done and stained. I’m starting on the second floor. Pictures include a front and back view. Now the fun part begins of designing the roof structure.
Don’t worry the second story isn’t fully attached yet so I can still glaze the windows and add the doors without going through too many contortions. The river rock fireplace has to wait until I get the roof structure done. Looking at the back view it will be centered between the windows and is about 9’ wide and 30 to 36’ tall - scale feet that is.
Rex
OK! I’ve said it before, but it is looking good my friend. Guess I will need to make a “night trip” to the pines. 
Tom,
I’m still down in the desert doing my building. It’s too cold up in the pines this time of year plus my chief-of-staff is still working. It’s not safe here in the Phoenix area to leave her home alone at night. Too many illegals doing home breakins and all that stuff. Anyway she plans to retire in July so we’ll move up there then.
Here is the latest progress report. The second story walls are just about done so I can finally start on the roof design.
Rex