O'Malley's Triangle Bar
O'Malley's Triangle Bar oddly began with a sign, as opposed to a building. In order to carry the big, bulky Light Works USA animated sign believably, a three-story building was needed at minimum, one with sufficient mass and presence to balance an object measuring six feet wide by eighteen feet tall in Z scale. The Micro Structures Triangle Hotel & Bar had what it took. As a bonus, it also had a ground floor surrounded by large, open windows—a great opportunity for bright, colorful interior detailing.
Light Works signs are impressively thin; however, mounting the two signs directly back-to-back would have made it impossible to attach the electrical connectors. Also, the signs are made of clear plastic sandwiches, which pretty much defeats the illusion of free-standing letters the manufacturer was attempting, and the backs of the signs are a bit unsightly.
To address all of these problems, I assembled the signs into a single, solid structure made to look like a boxy, internally-lighted sign, in keeping with many such signs in real life. After painting the backs of the signs with black acrylic paint, I laminated them together with a chunk of 1/16-inch thick double-sided foam tape.
Cautionary note: As I learned first-hand, these signs are extremely easy to damage with sharp tools like knives, as well as with chemicals like CA and solvent-based paints. Every effort must be made to handle them with great care and avoid exposure to harmful objects or substances. If it wasn't for Chris Miller's kind generosity, this project would have been a costly lesson for me to learn.
The sign fits into a slot created by joining the two upper window openings on the narrow end of the building. After soldering the main building joint together, I used a Dremel tool with a diamond disc to remove the web of brass between the windows, and needle files to clean up the finished opening, frequently test-fitting the sign as I went.
As of 6 October 2008, this is where the project stands. More as it happens.
This is the original Miller Engineering Triangle Hotel & Bar kit.
The structure's walls are clamped with two clamps and tack-soldered.
The soldering is finished after the clamps are removed.
The two end windows are joined to make a single opening for the sign.
The clear plastic is obvious and requires a different approach.
The backs of the signs are painted black and then laminated together.
The sign's edges will be covered with a trim strip later.
The signs are tested after being laminated together.
The assembled sign is test-fit in the enlarged opening.
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Miller Engineering product photo used with permission.