VERY Basic Detailing for Cash-Strapped Modellers

[Londontram]

On 23/04/2019 at 02:47, LNWR18901910 said:

 I even converted a Tri-ang/Hornby China B12 4-6-0 into an LNWR 19" Goods 4-6-0 and it's nearly done.

Wouldn't mind seeing a photo of that if it's possible.

[cypherman]

On 30/07/2020 at 17:54, Northmoor said:

Also posted elsewhere, as the layout was just getting in the way I've been progressing some of the aircraft kits recently.  The good weather allows for plenty of "outdoor workshop" activity.  Note the essential modeller's tools of mug of tea, radio and glass of wine.

 

The Wildcat is as near finished as any model aircraft I've ever built.  The cockpit interior is unpainted as I couldn't prise off the canopy without damaging it; the prop blades should have yellow tips and the tail wheel is missing, but I have never painted, added transfers and finally varnished a model before.  I'm actually quite pleased with my brush painting.  It looks nice and "clean" without the under-wing fuel tanks and rockets, so they can remain in the spares box.

 

The Scout helicopter has a few bits lost for ever, so am deciding if it could become a static/preserved and partly under a tarpaulin, or perhaps in a scrapyard scene.  Still to come, I have started painting the Tempest (missing parts still to be added) and last night fully re-assembled and sprayed the Sea Harrier with undercoat.  I must have a thing for Harriers which dates back to a fascination with watching them in news from the Falklands conflict as a youngster; a nearly complete P1127 needs varnishing and after that, an Airfix GR3 remains unstarted.....

 

Hi Northmoor,

I know that this is somewhat off topic but if you do want the bits missing from your Wildcat and Tempest Airfix do sell spare parts at a reasonable price. I stopped making plastic kits many years ago, But now collect metal diecast model aircraft. I quite often pick up damaged second hand models and get the spare parts needed from Airfix. Ok they usually need a little fettling but that is no big problem. So if anything that has been in it's range in the past they should have the spares for it. Last one I did was a Oxford P40 Warhawk that needed propeller blades. nose boss and rear tail planes. Managed to get them all from Airfix. I believe that other plastic kit makers offer a similar service. Anyway here is a picture of the fixed P40. Can you spot the difference between the Oxford model and the Airfix spares ...........   I have somewhere just over 400 aircraft in my collection. Many like my train collection bought as damaged but repairable. Unfortunately my train collection is no where as big as my aircraft collection. A train collection that size would be something to see. 

Edited August 1, 2020 by cypherman

[Northmoor]

Well after a pretty unproductive 2020 modelling-wise, Merry Christmas to all modellers - bodgers and experts alike - and here's to a better, healthier and more relaxed 2021.  Hopefully I might even be able to set up some sort of at least semi-permanent workshop, which will greatly assist with productivity.  I will no longer have to look at my pile of projects in the loft and sigh!

[Dodgydruid]

Taking notes here as I got a Triang 101 R157, paint in surprisingly good order but the transfers are pretty knackered, trying to date it as it has the through axles but also has some basic interior like a cab desk and basic seats in a pale plastic.   Has the half open couplers on it too, like a D with the top chopped off but connects to my later D Hook types.

 

Would adding the correct exhausts be a thing as the real thing had quite extant exhausts and I dislike the drive a lorry through coach end gaps so that will be the first thing to get sorted lol

 

Was running quite slowly til I gave the motor a good dousing with circuitboard cleaner, a lot of black crud came out and with a dab o' oil its running quite smoothly, I have some black grease I might do the axle ends with as the bright metal going on there is quite noticeable

 

Already made the original newb mistake... bought a HO Lima class 33, wondered why it was so cheap... different coupling and different scale but I do have three HO coaches so as long as people don't turn up with a tape measure, it will do service as an Oxted line rake, well a short Oxted line rake which used MK1s and a 33 before going over to 206 DEMU's (Was why until recently a tiny headshunt at end of platform 7 and 7a at London Bridge so the 33's could top and tail, spent all that money in putting it in and six months later just used thumpers so never used again hehe

[Northmoor]

Really pleased to see someone is reading my thread, even though it's idle (while I have no space to set up a workbench, let alone a model railway).

 

The inner end exhausts still need to be done on mine too, they are distinctive and show that the model isn't straight from the box.  I need to find them first though.......

[Northmoor]

As my daughter was getting rid of a small cheap desk and the weather's improving, I was out of excuses for not getting on with a couple of things on the Round Tuit pile.  These are all items that I've acquired over the years in job lots (selling on what I didn't want, usually making all the original price back).  It was easy to sell a job lot of Hornby tanks or vans, but not so easy with half-a-dozen brake vans, especially as these are old models with unpainted body, moulded detail and coarse wheels.  The idea is to sell them on as some sort of enthusiasts brake van special, so might need a bunch of assorted anorak wearers with cameras etc.

 

I've started with some Halfords rattle can undercoat but then found that memory was playing tricks and I DIDN'T have any BR Bauxite paint.  Considered just making up something about right from assorted browns - the colours of the real things vary even on the same vehicle - but would hate to be disappointed and have to strip it off again.  So I'm going to be making a list of Precision paints....

 

Next has been to experiment with some paint strippers on some weird and wonderful repaints.  An DB Uerdingen railbus pair has a strange dark blue repaint with the remains of British Railways emblems, but about twenty minutes with Precision Paints Superstrip and an old toothbrush got it back to the base colour.  I had hoped I could get one layer off at a time, but no........

 

I fancied a Hornby Class 142 and one came up at a reasonable price, although it has a "unique" Great Western Railway Choc & Cream livery (yes, really) is going to take some removing, since the glossy GWR brown on the Pacer seems much more resistant.  I'd hoped that the base livery was original Provincial 2-tone blue, although it is starting to look like Arriva Wales Turquoise.... Eventually it'll probably be GM Orange and Brown anyway.  I'll be experimenting with Modelstrip which I've used years ago with some success.  Another update when one vehicle is done for a "before and after".

Edited February 19, 2023 by Northmoor
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[cypherman]

9 hours ago, Northmoor said:

As my daughter was getting rid of a small cheap desk and the weather's improving, I was out of excuses for not getting on with a couple of things on the Round Tuit pile.  These are all items that I've acquired over the years in job lots (selling on what I didn't want, usually making all the original price back).  It was easy to sell a job lot of Hornby tanks or vans, but not so easy with half-a-dozen brake vans, especially as these are old models with unpainted body, moulded detail and coarse wheels.  The idea is to sell them on as some sort of enthusiasts brake van special, so might need a bunch of assorted anorak wearers with cameras etc.

 

I've started with some Halfords rattle can undercoat but then found that memory was playing tricks and I DIDN'T have any BR Bauxite paint.  Considered just making up something about right from assorted browns - the colours of the real things vary even on the same vehicle - but would hate to be disappointed and have to strip it off again.  So I'm going to be making a list of Precision paints....

 

Next has been to experiment with some paint strippers on some weird and wonderful repaints.  An DB Uerdingen railbus pair has a strange dark blue repaint with the remains of British Railways emblems, but about twenty minutes with Precision Paints Superstrip and an old toothbrush got it back to the base colour.  I had hoped I could get one layer off at a time, but no........

 

I fancied a Hornby Class 142 and one came up at a reasonable price, although it has a "unique" Great Western Railway Choc & Cream livery (yes, really) is going to take some removing, since the glossy GWR brown on the Pacer seems much more resistant.  I'd hoped that the base livery was original Provincial 2-tone blue, although it is starting to look like Arriva Wales Turquoise.... Eventually it'll probably be GM Orange and Brown anyway.  I'll be experimenting with Modelstrip which I've used years ago with some success.  Another update when one vehicle is done for a "before and after".

Hi Northmoor,

You could paint the brake vans in grey. That's the colour I believe they ran in the old LNER routes when in BR steam days.

[Northmoor]

14 minutes ago, cypherman said:

Hi Northmoor,

You could paint the brake vans in grey. That's the colour I believe they ran in the old LNER routes when in BR steam days.

Thanks for the suggestion, at least one will be (unbraked vans were grey, fitted vans were brown) and the plan is for them all to be obviously weathered differently.  The old Hornby model does appear to be based on the LNER-built vans so misses some features of the BR-built ones and I have some leftover decals for ex-LNER brake vans, which helps keep to my Cheapskate principles.  Obviously I'm not going to be obsessive about detailing on such old models when someone can buy new, better ones off the shelf, so I will pick out handrails with paint rather than adding wire rails and lamp irons etc.  This is really just painting practice. 

[Moxy]

Regarding stripping old paint, if the Modelstrip or Superstrip don't work, try Dettol disinfectant.

 

I have successfully used it to remove all sorts of repaints & most manufacturer's paint jobs as well.

 

Triang crane runner, bought secondhand with a thick coat of green paint, followed by a thick coat of grey paint

 

 

Same wagon after soaking in Dettol, returned to the bare red plastic

 

 

 

 

Edited June 6, 2021 by Moxy
Wrong picture

[Northmoor]

The Modelstrip turned out even better than I remembered.  It took all the "added" paint off with hardly anything left behind - I just had to re-apply where one set of doors had been blanked off and I forgot to remove these first - and didn't touch the original printed livery. 

 

It turns out the unit was originally in Northern Spirit livery:

 

 

 

 

It may have stripped a little of the orange cantrail line off but this isn't a problem; when I eventually repaint this unit it will be in GM Orange livery anyway.

Edited February 19, 2023 by Northmoor
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[Northmoor]

After missing an opportunity to call at a Precision Paints seller in person, I went with the browns and greys i already had (remember: Cheapskate principles).  Mixing the colours a little, or just overpainting a too-dark brown with a thin coat of lighter shade (or vice versa), seems to work OK, especially with a wash of brown weathering over the top.  I still need to do the dirty white handrails, add the transfers (which may ALL be wrong!) and weather the underframes....  I keep switching between doing these and some 1/76 aircraft from my youth, which I've been repairing and finishing off.  

This was last week, I'll put up another photo or two once the above work is done.

 

Edited February 19, 2023 by Northmoor
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[Northmoor]

No photos yet of the brake vans but an nice bit of side-tracking to the Bluebell Railway for the Model Railway weekend.  Ashamed to say I actually rushed round the model railway exhibits but did trawl the traders to find some bargains between getting in a round trip on the railway (it's the first time I've ridden North of East Grinstead).

 

As if I don't have enough "projects".  Two Peco railway offices nicely built for £2 each, two Airfix wagons not needing much work (Prestwins hardly ever seem to come up, they must have made far fewer of them) at £4 each, the Slaters lettering (£1), an as-new book for £2 and the motorised Airfix Std4 2-6-0 for £10.  It's a bit of modelling history/nostalgia as this is what everybody used to build in the 1960s, on a Tri-ang chassis. The motor is not engaged properly as the wheels turn but it looks like a bit of fun to get it going and I'll say it again.....a TENNER!

Edited February 19, 2023 by Northmoor
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[Sandhole]

17 hours ago, Northmoor said:

No photos yet of the brake vans but an nice bit of side-tracking to the Bluebell Railway for the Model Railway weekend.  Ashamed to say I actually rushed round the model railway exhibits but did trawl the traders to find some bargains between getting in a round trip on the railway (it's the first time I've ridden North of East Grinstead).

 

As if I don't have enough "projects".  Two Peco railway offices nicely built for £2 each, two Airfix wagons not needing much work (Prestwins hardly ever seem to come up, they must have made far fewer of them) at £4 each, the Slaters lettering (£1), an as-new book for £2 and the motorised Airfix Std4 2-6-0 for £10.  It's a bit of modelling history/nostalgia as this is what everybody used to build in the 1960s, on a Tri-ang chassis. The motor is not engaged properly as the wheels turn but it looks like a bit of fun to get it going and I'll say it again.....a TENNER!

You've got some tidy stuff there.
Chris.

 

[Northmoor]

Two completed aircraft completed today; photos on the Non-railway modelling thread.

 

The next three for restoration are these three from the 1983 Airfix catalogue:

 

The Hurricane actually pre-dates the others as my Dad built this for me, it's actually complete except for a couple of (lost) prop blades.  The Junkers Ju87 is complete too, I think all the parts are in the spares box.  I've already soaking off their transfers and then they will be attacked with Modelstrip this weekend.  

 

Unfortunately the Navy Lynx will be more of a challenge, unless the wheels and armaments are tucked away somewhere else.  It's a favourite though; I have a soft spot for "whirli-clopters" having worked on a few MoD helicopter upgrade programmes in my previous career, including the Lynx's replacement.

 

Of course, none of this is RAILWAY modelling which is what RMWeb is all about, but it's great practice before I attack anything more valuable with a craft knife or paintbrush.  The brake vans are coming along nicely too, I promise.....

Edited February 19, 2023 by Northmoor
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[Northmoor]

OK so this afternoon, I at last added the last transfers to the six brake vans and varnished to seal them.  Only then did I notice that one side of one underframe remains unpainted.  Was I working in the dark?  Weirdly the varnish produced a white effect on two but not the others, but it adds to the variety of colour and weathering........... They could still be improved with painted buffers (polished pistons), the covered cross-walkway (what's that called?) on each remains in undercoat and I should tone down the wheels, but I think they are now at the point where I can't be bothered to do more.  They will eventually go for sale as a job lot and I'm not sure there is more value to be added without real expense like better wheels, separate lamp irons etc.  However, it's been good painting practice on wagons that as part of larger lots, genuinely cost about £2 each.

 

From these:

 

To these:

Edited February 19, 2023 by Northmoor
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[ess1uk]

Nice work 

[Northmoor]

Life seems to have got in the way of modeling far too often over the last year (plus I could spend some of the time spent reading RMWeb actually modelling), but I haven't been completely idle for a year.

 

More of the aircraft have been finished and, ahem, I seem to have acquired more, plus a couple of car kits got finished or nearly so:

 

Railway-wise, I did finish off the missing bits on the brake vans (they're now up for sale) and have tinkered with a part-built Dapol Bullied Pacific kit acquired some years ago as part of an eBay job lot.  It's going to be a withdrawn example; not a new idea obviously and some have done it excellently before but - hear me out, while I have a little rant - some of the versions for sale on-line which are being knocked out by the dozen on some one-man production line, are dreadful.  Scrap-line locos didn't have nameplates, whistles or coal in the tenders for starters, while the attempts at "weathering" must to have taken the builder less than a minute to throw some thin wash over them.  Zero effort; I'm convinced even I can do better.

 

Ok so I haven't got very far, but a few typical features I wanted to get right, such as the smokebox door being missing (I've cut and drilled a dummy front tubeplate which will be visible without the door) and the shape of the tender coal space.  Surprisingly difficult to find photos looking down into empty WC/BB tenders on-line.....

 

[cypherman]

Hi all,

Nice to see this thread is still meandering its way on the site. On the basis of cheap basic detailing on some models, I have found that all you really need is a bit of brass strip, Brass wire, Plastistrip and plasticard to make some nice extras. This very old Triang SECR 0-6-0 saddletank was upgraded with basically just that and a set of wheels of a later Triang Jinty,2 vacuum pipes, 2 coupling hooks, Few Brass handrail knobs and a couple of cheap lamps. I had all these in my spares and scrap boxes. I think the whole thing cost less than £15.00 to do, And most of that was probably the lamps.

Edited October 6, 2022 by cypherman

[Northmoor]

Despite this thread going dormant for a year, I have actually dabbled with a bit of modelling recently.  It helps when your offspring go off to University and leave behind a nice empty desk to use as a workbench (that doesn't need to be cleared each evening to use as a dining table).

 

Recent progress has been with:

• Finishing off a aircraft kit my daughter wanted to build from my collection of projects;
• Trying to repair the Inter-city livery paintwork on a Mk3 Sleeper;
• Continuing with the Dapol Bulleid Pacific which is well on the way to becoming "Mortehoe", as it might have looked had it survived in Woodhams yard beyond 1965;
• Building a Dapol Drewery shunter as an Out-of-Use NCB loco;
• Repainting a spare Hornby 37 body into original green.

I am learning/re-learning a lot about weathering and applying decals (I had forgotten what a fiddle it is to apply individual loco numbers).

 

 

[Northmoor]

A bit of post-Christmas modelling activity, while Mrs Northmoor does a jigsaw puzzle and with movies on in the background.

 

Today's creation isn't an aircraft, it's not something for "St. Davids" and not something being repaired/improved for sale.  In amongst the 30yrs+ collection of unmade kits I have three Peco Manyways kits (station building, station house and diesel maintenance depot).  They are so old, they are all the card versions before Peco issued them as entirely plastic. 

 

Anyway I've built a half-length diesel depot this afternoon; It will end up as a two road single-ended industrial loco shed, probably for layout #2 which like my St. Davids BLT, will be another fictional Pembrokeshire location, this time a small loco shed, wagon repair and tank-cleaning yard on the Rhoscrowther (Texaco) refinery site on the South side of Milford Haven, as if like the three on the North side, it had been rail-served.

 

Being a card kit the corners look poor so jobs to do will be to (a) cover the joins with strips of dark grey card, (b) paint and attach the extra details (doors, vents etc.) and (c) find some poster paint to do the blank end as a concrete wall.

 

I haven't made a card building kit in years, this has been fun.