Exhibition Layouts - Modeling Hints - Large Scale and Other Reviews

Search This Blog

Project - Good Enough Vehicles

on April 14, 2020

Get link
Facebook
X
Pinterest
Email
Other Apps

Project

Published in an NMRA publication

Get link
Facebook
X
Pinterest
Email
Other Apps

Comments

Essay - Three Rules for Model Building Success

Photo by Nicholas Kalis Three Rules for Successful Model Building Rule 1 - Your eye is more critical than that of your visitors or viewers. So? Don't be too quick to criticize your own modeling or to give up on a model. Push through - the model you thought was subpar may just elicit admiring questions from friends and visitors about how you did something. Of course, this is not a paean to sloppy modeling - do your best, don't accept mediocrity. Rule 2 - It has become well-worn advice to just take your time when modeling - true enough but considered by another angle - be sure to budget time for do-overs. Don't get dejected when an element in a model does not result well - budget in your mind extra time for this - do not beat yourself up when you must take the time to do something over again. Rule 3 - Have some accountability partners with your modeling. Some bible study groups foster this - it is applicable as well o model railroading. Send photos and progress reports to ...

Project - LED Installation

Project When one is modeling the Hawaiian island of Oahu, a layout cannot have too much light particularly as I model mid-day, good weather. I already have strips of LEDS it seems everywhere; I even have what I call LED pucks to light up my O scale Town of Waipahu (mostly false fronts). I noticed that guests are impressed with the bright lighting I have used on my Fn3 layout located in my basement (a basement with no windows). I attached this strip of three LED fixtures to a piece of wood I had on hand. While I was a bit worried about using a hot glue gun to attach the fixtures, I felt I had no other choice. Without this wood strip, these fixtures will just dangle and cause problems (get snagged on one's clothing as one reaches in to make various adjustments). The hot glue seemed to work and did not damage the fixtures - they work. I have installed this on my layout. No need to paint the wood black as my valance hides the fixture. I rested this unit on shelving in place on my fini...

Helpful Hint - Applying Wood Grain to a Trackside Details TD-39 Toolbox

Nicholas Kalis May 2024 Helpful Hint This nicely detailed brass toolbox is meant for attachment to my Fn3 tender on my Oahu Sugar Company. I particularly liked the hinge detail on this casting - even its modeled bolts are carefully rendered by its manufacturer. My 1:20.3 plastic tender was more than a kit bashed but less than a technically scratch built project (article in the works). Indeed, this toolbox was a good enough project - I used only one color of inexpensive acrylic craft paint to replicate the prototype wood. I used black acrylic paint to render the hinges a realistic color (I possibly used a marker, my record keeping on this detail leaves a bit to be desired). I had handy a package of leads for some special type of writing instrument, so I decided to take a greyish lead and draw wood grain on this toolbox; this free-hand graining came out looking good to me. I then gave this painted casting a protective coat with a rattle can of Testors Dullcote to preserve my drawing....

Powered by Blogger

Project - Good Enough Vehicles

Project

Comments

Post a Comment