Jump to content
 

Caley Jim

Members
  • Posts

    4,627
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by Caley Jim

  1. I hope I'm not being cheeky here, Mike, but what paint do you use for your lettering and do you use it neat?

     

    I vary between enamel and acrylics, both slightly thinned to make them flow off the brush easier.  I moisten the brush first with either thinner or water (depending on the paint I'm using) and blot it on a tissue so that it's just 'damp'.   I then pick up just a spot of paint on the tip of the brush, how much depends on whether I'm doing the main lettering or the smaller bits.  For the latter there may only be enough paint on the brush to do one vertical stroke.  I clean the brush in thinners (or water) after perhaps every 2 or 3 dips in the paint so that the paint doesn't clog on the brush.

     

    Apologies if this is teaching you to suck eggs.

     

    Jim

    • Like 5
    • Informative/Useful 1
  2. I'm currently using brushes bought from the 'Brushes 4 Models' stand at Model Rail 2 years ago.  A mixed pack of 10, ranging in size down to 10/0, for £5.00 seemed a bargain worth trying out, even if they didn't last long.  Truth is they are the best brushes I've used for keeping their shape, especially remaining pointed, and that includes Windsor and Newtons.   They are branded 'Artmaster Allmedia series 10' and 'Artmaster Micro detail series 25'.  The latter are particularly fine and good for lettering and small details.  They don't seem to have a website, but do turn up at some of the shows.   I had to apologise to him last year for not buying any more as the original ones were still going strong and there are some I haven't used yet.

     

    Usual disclaimer.

     

    Jim

    • Like 3
    • Informative/Useful 3
  3. 2 hours ago, ChrisN said:

    Do you have somewhere where you explain how to do roads with DAS?  I have a road that I need to do, Macadam but no tar, and gardens, and am thinking about ways to do them.

    I create the surface with card and then simply apply the thinned DAS (which has had black and/or brown powder paint added to it - you can also use acrylics) with a soft brush or palette knife then smooth it as it dries.  Be aware that the mix can look far too black when mixed, but will dramatically lighten when dried.  The coating of both the road and yard surface in this photo was pretty well black when I applied it.  Working in 2mm scale the texture is pretty much OK as laid, but in larger scales you could dust fine sand on the surface for texture.

     

    goodsyard33.JPG.55ca2279f2f7eca3e4b021085d6cebf7.JPG

     

    You can create ruts using the edge of the palette knife and make dips for puddles which you then 'fill' with some varnish or PVA.

     

    The areas of whin setts in the yard were created by dampening the surface and indenting it with a tool made from scrap etch, one sett at a time - a rather laborious job!  The setts were then given a very thin wash of black.

     

    I make up the mix(es) in recycled tubs with lids which sandwich fillings come in.  If the mix dries out, simply add some water, stir it about as it softens, and you can continue using it.

     

    See my layout thread below for other ways I use this.

     

    Jim

    • Like 3
    • Thanks 1
    • Informative/Useful 6
    • Craftsmanship/clever 1
  4. 6 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

    On the Midland (and I think elsewhere), front steps were fitted from 1903 onwards.

    From the Connor era (post-1856) onwards CR locos had front steps.  On the 'Crewe type' 2-2-2s and 2-4-0s they were over the axlebox of the leading wheels, while on the 0-4-2s they were incorporated into the slidebar supports at the cylinder end.   Drummond designs weren't fitted with them at first, but they were added later in most cases.

     

    Jim

    • Informative/Useful 2
  5. To glue plasticard to mountboard, try Easitrac glue.  It will securely glue plastic and paper to metal and plastic to wood and I've also used it to pre-coat plasticard before attaching printed brick/stone paper with Pritt.

     

    Jim

    • Like 1
  6. 42 minutes ago, martin580120 said:

     I've not, to my knowledge at least, encountered Powder paint - is this like weathering poweder or another thing entirely?

    Powder paint is mostly used in schools and nurseries these days and seems to be mostly supplied in fairly large quantities and rather lurid colours.  https://www.amazon.co.uk/powder-paint/s?k=powder+paint

     

    I have several small tins of Rowney make, which I think I inherited from my father (a primary school headmaster) but they don't seem to do it any more, although it seems there is still some around.    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225756034930

     

    I believe you can create it by scraping chalk or pastels to form a powder.  I've found that dusting it lightly over painted stonework helps to give it a more 'stony' finish, for want of a better description!

     

    I would guess that weathering powders are pretty much the same stuff.  I use black to 'weather' coal wagons, though you have to be very sparing with it!

     

    Jim

     

     

    • Thanks 1
  7. 1 hour ago, airnimal said:

    And the thought of emptying the loft fills me with horror.  

    Took me a year of lunch hours plus several weekends to clear the loft in my parents house when my father died. And there was a loft in the garage! Filled two skips in all!  (and that's not counting the stuff I held onto 'because it might come in useful') Most of the latter has undergone two house moves since then! 

     

    Jim 

    • Like 1
    • Friendly/supportive 7
  8. Can't talk about other companies, but CR fish wagons, some of which were basically 8T dropsides on passenger rated underframes, were painted in NPCS livery of dark purple brown with yellow lettering.

     

    Jim

    • Like 1
    • Agree 1
    • Informative/Useful 1
  9. 44 minutes ago, Edwardian said:

    Now arrived at Aching Constable carriage works....

     

    20240229_231531.jpg.760b8dd9cab80f6edcebc62e1bfd470f.jpg

     

    Of course, having viewed the photograph I was horrified to see the ghostly reflected image of a malignant entity from Beyond towering menancingly over my carriage prints. It was chilling to think it was in there, with me, invisible to the naked eye!

     

    Then I realised it was bird sh1t on the window pane.

     

    Panic over.

     

    These will keep you out of mischief for a wee while (or perhaps not!).  That is after you've washed the windows of course!😉

     

    Jim

    • Like 2
    • Funny 2
×
×
  • Create New...