FALL SCHEDULES

Text with strikethrough means that the remake was completed.

August 8-October 4: Episode 11: Percy Takes A Plunge

October 4-5: BEHIND THE SCENES: "THE MAKING OF: KNAPFORD HARBOR"

August 8-October 5: Episode 12: Pop Goes the Diesel

October 6-16: Episode 13: Diesel's Devious Deed

October 17-31: Episode 14: A Close Shave for Duck

BEHIND THE SCENES: "THE WATERMILL"

Ever wonder how I pulled off the Watermill, a scene that I can't find any other Tomy remaker doing? Here's how in this new "Behind the Scenes" post!

Supplies: 

• fishing line
• brown paper
• black Sharpie marker
• wooden skewer
• building (for me, I used a porcelain "Christmas Village" house) 
• blue tablecloth
• green tablecloth
• clear plastic wrap
• blue paper
• Spanish moss/peat moss (for effect) 
• trees (for effect) 
• fence (optional)
• something to elevate your track (for me it was Legos)
• hot glue gun (or some type of adhesive) 

The Process: 

1. I staged the scene by putting a green table cloth on the floor and hung a blue tablecloth for the backdrop. 

2. I elevated the green tablecloth with Lego Duplos. I made towers, each seven legos high. 

3. I made the waterwheel/mill and placed it on the set.  

      a. I cut a strip of brown paper that was 12" by 1.5." Then, I cut two identical circles, 5 inches in diameter. I hot glued the strip in a circular shape to one of the circles, and glued the other circle on top.

      b. I poked a wooden skewer through the middle of it. This became the "axle" for the waterwheel to turn on.

       c. With a black marker, I made black rectangles on the strip of paper to make it look like it had paddles on it. I might add paddles on the wheel, eventually, though. 

      d. I attached the wooden skewer with tape to the porcelain house. I made the skewer stick out of the ends of the waterwheel about 2 inches on each side, and when I put the mill on the set, I hid 3 blocks beside the wheel under the green tablecloth and put the excess skewer on them, to elevate it off the tablecloth to ensure smooth revolving.

     

      e. I placed the mill on the set. 

4. I already had a brown arch made, but you will need to make a simple arch out of brown paper and place it beside the mill. 

5. Next, I put track on my elevation. I elevated the track that wasn't in the scene, so that there was some track for the engine to go on while its cars passed through the scene. It would be a shame for an engine to get to the end of the scene and watch the cars zoom off the set as the engine falls off the elevation.

6. I wound fishing line clockwise around the wheel, and taped the end of the line to the wheel.

7. I put light blue paper wrapped in a clear plastic wrap giving the glimmering water look down right around the mill.

8. I put Spanish moss and trees around the pond and the track in the upper right.

   

 9. I filmed the scene, and while doing so, I was able to pull the fishing line slowly, causing nice turn on the wheel while Percy puffs by in Season 2, Episode 9: Percy Proves a Point; and when Duck and Thomas chuff through in Season 2, Episode 10: The Runaway.

Duck in "The Runaway" S2 E10

Percy in "Percy Proves a Point" S2 E9

Thomas in "The Runaway" S2 E10

Watch the full episodes: 

 Percy Proves a Point

The Runaway

Don't "Runaway" from "The Runaway!"

"The Runaway," which is episode 10, is here! 

Here's my point: Watch "Percy Proves a Point" now!

Episode 9, Percy Proves a Point, is ready to be watched!

"DUCK TAKES CHARGE" is here!!!

2. "Duck Takes Charge" is here! Watch it now above!!! 

PERCY AND THE SIGNAL is here!

Now, you can enjoy episode seven of season two. 

Look! There is "A New Friend For Thomas!"

Here is Episode 6 of Season 2, "A New Friend for Thomas." 

Enjoy! Next week will yield Episode 7.