Bluford news in N & HO!

[Bluford Craig]

First of all, big news on the N scale cornfield project:  http://www.bluford-shops.com/

Also, the next group of N scale chip hoppers should be shipping to dealers within the next two weeks:  http://www.bluford-shops.com/bluford_93_040.htm

And last but not least, the following HO scale caboose runs have shipped to dealers:  http://www.bluford-shops.com/bluford_93_023.htm

Busy week!

Craig
Bluford Shops LLC.

[cfritschle]

Craig,

Is this correct?  "The cornstalks, as in the 3D design seen here, are each less than half an inch tall!"

A mature corn field, except for some varieties of sweet corn, would have stalks at least 10 to 12 feet tall.  At less than half inch tall, the roughly 6-foot tall stalks would not be appropriate for "Autumn Harvest."

I really like the idea of what you are attempting to accomplish, but unless the corn is as tall as my tractor, it probably is not ready to harvest.   

Carter

[Hyperion]

An approximate actual half-inch isn't out of line for sweet corn varieties at their maximum height, but is on the shorter end for field corn at their harvest time, yes.

But a 12' stalk would only apply to field corn and only for harvest time (which, I'd estimate, Oct-Nov field corn harvest is not the most modeled season either).  Whereas a shorter stalk could indicate either sweet or field corn and for a wider potential timescale (but not feed corn harvest time), therefore encompassing a wider market.

And then there's the usual scale effect that comes into play.  Most people's grain buildings, which are inevitably shorter than they really 'should' be, would look pretty bad against a 12' corn stalk.    The same reason why virtually all layouts have trees that are far too small.

The flip side of the argument is that, depending on how the product was designed, it's possible that one could just trim down the stalks if they were too tall to whatever height one wanted, whereas it's impossible to make them taller.

[Kisatchie]

I live in a very small town in Louisiana, and we're surrounded by cotton and corn fields. The corn down here doesn't appear to be much taller than 6 or 7' when it's harvested. But then, I'm judging by how it looks when I drive by a field of corn.


Hmm... just think of the
6' high corn stalks as
selective compression...

[Bluford Craig]

An approximate actual half-inch isn't out of line for sweet corn varieties at their maximum height, but is on the shorter end for field corn at their harvest time, yes.

But a 12' stalk would only apply to field corn and only for harvest time (which, I'd estimate, Oct-Nov field corn harvest is not the most modeled season either).  Whereas a shorter stalk could indicate either sweet or field corn and for a wider potential timescale (but not feed corn harvest time), therefore encompassing a wider market.

And then there's the usual scale effect that comes into play.  Most people's grain buildings, which are inevitably shorter than they really 'should' be, would look pretty bad against a 12' corn stalk.    The same reason why virtually all layouts have trees that are far too small.

The flip side of the argument is that, depending on how the product was designed, it's possible that one could just trim down the stalks if they were too tall to whatever height one wanted, whereas it's impossible to make them taller.

Mark pretty much nailed our thoughts on the matter. We are in Southern Illinois and the cornfield across the road (which is already halfway turned) is only 6 to 7 feet high. But there is one more important issue: Getting the damn things out of the mold in one piece! We are right on the edge in that regard.

Craig
Bluford Shops

[ski]

Are the next run of N scale Mopac cabooses being released soon? I have had a preorder in for months!!!

[Bluford Craig]

Are the next run of N scale Mopac cabooses being released soon? I have had a preorder in for months!!!

They are in production now but we don't have a ship date from the factory yet.  We do announce new runs very early in the process and leave the pre-order period open longer than other manufacturers...

Craig
Bluford Shops

[ski]

They are in production now but we don't have a ship date from the factory yet.  We do announce new runs very early in the process and leave the pre-order period open longer than other manufacturers...

Craig
Bluford Shops

Roger that. Thanks, Craig!

[cfritschle]

Mark pretty much nailed our thoughts on the matter. We are in Southern Illinois and the cornfield across the road (which is already halfway turned) is only 6 to 7 feet high. But there is one more important issue: Getting the damn things out of the mold in one piece! We are right on the edge in that regard.

Craig
Bluford Shops

Craig,

I guess they grow shorter varieties of corn in Illinois than we do in Idaho. 

I have grown Jubilee sweet corn, and those stocks were in the 8 to 10 feet tall range by late July/early August, while my field corn was always at least 2 feet taller than the sweet corn.  (unless it was in an area of bad soil)  I also grew corn for silage one year, and those stalks were around 13 to 14 feet tall.

However, I understand the issue of getting it out of the mold, so maybe I will figure out a way to use it for a hybrid sweet corn field with its 4 cow rows separated by 1 bull row in a pattern across the field.

Carter

[glakedylan]

here in PA
the saying has always been,
"knee-high by the 4th of July"
seldom more than 6 ft. even
now as fields are harvesting
and mazes for the autumn
are being built.

kindest regards
Gary

[wm-webb]

Craig,

I guess they grow shorter varieties of corn in Illinois than we do in Idaho. 

Carter

Not really, darn, so close.

[nkalanaga]

Many fields have shorter rows along the edges.  It may be possible to model the taller varieties by raising the inner rows, with the sloping ground hidden by the outside rows.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Any word yet on a Conrail caboose rerun? I missed the first run 

[cfritschle]

Here is what Idaho field corn looks like when it is ready for harvest.  https://www.flickr.com/photos/thejesse/417202689/?rb=1   

But David makes a good point about the outside rows being shorter, so one could create the look of taller rows by "elevating" the base as you move away from the edges of the field.

This is definitely a very desirable product to have, and I want to thank Craig for pushing the envelope to develop it!

Carter

Edit:  Even in a bad year, the Wisconsin corn is well over 6 feet tall.  http://wisconsindairyfarmer.com/2013/09/23/chopping-corn-2/   

[Bluford Craig]

I wonder of latitude might have something to do with it. Summer days are longer in Idaho and Wisconsin than they are in Southern Illinois or Louisiana...

Daniel, we will have to re-run Conrail cabooses at some point (with new numbers of course) but haven't announced anything yet.

Craig
Bluford Shops