sleeper

Looking back at this blog it didn't get finished for some reason so here are some later photos of the finished model, every part is made from cardboard including the wheels the only parts not card are the axles , prop shaft, and windows of course

yes at the time of starting this model I only had the 12" cutting mat hence the two halves I've since purchased a 24" x 12" mat

Thank for the info guys, I've made a start on designing the model in Inkscape and cut out some parts. I'm using a Portrait Cameo 4 now whereas previously I used a portrait 1 which hasn't been used for a few years and I can't find my usb disc player so I'm unable to download the program from the CD disc I have. The cutting mat that came with the machine is 12x12 and so I've had to split the sides into two halves and join them by staggering the joins, not an ideal setup but needs must, I see Cricut make an A3 cutting mat so I'll invest in one of those for future use in the meantime I've cut the parts and assembled them into the basic carriage. I have taken an idea from the 4mm coach by Stephen Williams and built the interior as a separate unit so that it can be inserted into the coach once finished. I got a bit carried away and forgot to take more progress photos but here's a few to be going on with.

I'm really interested in your post. I have in the past made quite convincing 4mm models out of the grey card you mentioned earlier, I particularly like your idea for the roof, I laminated several layers of card reducing gradually in size and then sanded these to shape, it's surprising how resilient this material is when it comes to sanding the roof. I sprayed mine using acrylic model paints with a coating of plastic bumper primer from Halfords to seal the card first. This was some years ago and I'm just getting back in to this with an SR droplight coach in 7mm scale so good luck with this particular medium.

Hi, I haven't been doing any modelling for some time but I'm just getting back in to it. My first project is going to be an O gauge SR 3rd open carriage, the parts of which I will cut out in cardboard using a Silhouette cutter. I have had considerable success with this method previously, so just need to brush up on my skills. I am at present just researching the model and my question is;- what height is an O gauge carriage sides from base to the underside of the roof 'eaves' . The overall height from the top of the roof to rails was 12' 4" or 86.8 mm in 7mm scale. O gauge carriage wheels are 19mm in diameter? is that correct? and 59 feet length is 413 mm in 7mm scale including the corridor connections is that that correct for an O gauge carriage? I would be very grateful if someone could impart their knowledge on me please Thanks in anticipation

Now I'm back from the UK and have some time to spare here is the update on the van. I'm limiting this to pictures only. wheel parts chassis parts and technical plans 1 assembled chassis 2 wheel silicon mould 3 tyre parts etc with one wheel completed van body painted van body from different angles, windows are blanked out for painting but are clear plastic underneath cheers

yes I've got a copy but unfortunately it doesn't explain how to make the roof out of cardboard

The last entry I made some time ago was the CC1 'booster' loco. Unfortunately I ran into problems with designing and cutting the roof successfully and it lay abandoned and subsequently trodden underfoot in the everyday bid for survival. I've been pre-occupied with trying to get the house up together and ready for sale so haven't had much time to think about railways. However I did find time to buy a book about British Railways' road vehicles in particular the Commer Q25 van which first came into service in around 1946. It was used extensively by BR for its parcels operation. Due to its boxy shape I thought this might provide a relatively simple model to make in card, using my silhouette cutter. Having no direct side view of the van it was left to me to sort out the general profile so the shape may not be true to the original but will be a representation of the original. ( he adds hastily in an attempt at warding off the rivet counters). I drew up the design in Inkscape, cutting the parts as they were drawn up and trial fitting them dry, with necessary adjustments until they fitted ok. The part on the left is the outer side and the one on the right is the inner side, 5 of these were laminated to form a sanwich in which would run the sliding doors, unfortunately this hasn't worked as the build has progressed due to my making the doors too thick, not allowing for the glazing. next came the base which was fixed at right angles to one side. then a partition behind the cab to add rigidity The other side fixed made the thing seem stronger, after which I fixed a support for the roof which unfortunately had to be in two halves due to its length being too long to get on to A4 size card, then I made up the contents of the cab, dash, steering wheel, seats, engine block ( both from balsa ) etc. I glazed the windows using a plastic croissants box. The back was then attached; after sizing the back doors. I had thought about hinging these but due to the fairly fragile nature of the card it might prove difficult to attach hinges made up from scrap brass, so for now they only have a single layer of card sandwiched into the layers which I think be vulnerable to damage. When I came to making the front mudguards I found my first mistake. I hadn't really thought about the shape of the front too well, I had thought of the whole thing as a box and made the base rectangular. When offered up, the mudguards looked wrong, for the wheels front and rear to be inline the front wheels needed to be on the same plane as the inside of the wheel arches I'd fitted so nothing for it but to get the razor saw out and cut a wedge out of the base/wheel arches and then fold the lower sides in and refix them to the adapted base. I tapered the front panel from the bottom of the windscreen downwards, it now looks much better. I've made up one wheel, I designed this as a series of 3 rings all sitting inside each other, which when laminated formed the hub, wheel rim and tyre. So that's it for now, I'm going back to the UK so there'll be a break, but when I come back I hope to show you the conclusion. bye for now, Roly

you have many projects on the go Rob so forgive me for getting confused, being easily achieved now in my advanced years. This I believe is your self designed model, cut with the silhouette machine. I love the detail you always seem to get into your models, this one is no exception, looking at the second photo down. Well done mate, hope the cold gets better soon. Roly

Thanks Jason and Mike for the info, the video explained it wery well I thought

I seem to remember way back in this thread someone mentioned printing an image on to card and then using the silhouette software to cut round the image. As this thread now has 56 pages it will be hard to find that post. I want to print some logos on decal paper and cut them out. In short is this possible using the silhouette software? regards Roly

Pete, my condolences about the Mother in Law, You don't do things by half do you, you certainly caste a long shadow! To have made the decision to move to Brazil in the first place and to apply for an adopted child both take a lot of bottle. Good luck to you all with everything.

Rob, excellent work again, it amazes me how you seem to be able to include all the little plates and brackets, hinges etc that go to make such detailed models, well done

David, I'm glad you seem to be coming to the end of your myriad of problems with your software (s), it sort of reminded me of a bees nest! As my recent work has been of cardboard construction too, (see my blogs) I look forward to seeing your results, because your methods appear to be very different from mine, how you will achieve compound curves for example. Don't forget to post up some progress photos, good luck with it.

I have made a start on this model but to date I haven't got very far with it due to other commitments. The model will be in O gauge either cardboard or plastic card possibly a mixture of both. I have drawn up the experimental parts for the roof,seen here I also took a couple of photos of the assembled parts. This photo best illustrates the curves of the roof so this was my guide for producing the drawing in inkscape. After much adjustment I finally got the curves right. The end panel was basically a triangle with a very slightly curved base line and sides with slightly more pronounced curves. The roof section had to be supported and I achieved this using sections with a straight base line and curved top, all this mounted on an oblong sub base. I then cut these on my silhouette cutter and glued it all up, as seen below. I wasn't happy with the quality of these sections, they certainly wouldn't be good enough to use, so more experimentation is required when I have more time. I'll post up the progress as and when. cheers for now Roly