Much Wittering in N gauge.

[Revolution Ben]

The figures on the station module are beautifully painted - good work! But I agree about Kestrel kits!

 

Thanks for the updates.

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

[SNCF stephen]

Wow, some really good techniques there. I am always interested to see new techniques used. And also I am glad someone else is using lego to make scale models as well!!!

 

I shall follow this one with interest. Good luck!

[DDolfelin]

Thanks, fellers.

 

I mostly use lego in 00 - good for squaring off scratch buildings (and making tombs!).

 

See website for more ⬇⬇⬇

[DDolfelin]

I have never made a tree in this scale.

Usually, in 00, I would use real twigs to make the trunk and branches.

 

In this attempt, I am using a soft wire core to help support a Milliput coating.

The plastic coated multi strand wire is assembled in three sets of three and twisted together and assembled by twisting, cutting cleanly to form a level base.

 

I've stripped the ends and twisted again in the hope I can eventually form them into something realistic.

 

The Milliput is roughly rolled into a very small carpet snake and flattened and then crudely wrapped around trunk and main branches.

 

I want a rugged old tree so I'm not being too precise at this stage.

A flattened blob of Milliput on plasticard provides a base which I can eventually stick down firmly.

 

The Milliput (as you will know) is easily shaped with the help of water, or, when dry, with the Dremel or scalpel.

 

So, this is not a "How To" - more a case of "How Can I?".

 

 

Here is the result of the first 'dipping'.

Looks promising.

 

 

... and, presently in the hands of the Patent Office, is my revolutionary system for 'dipping' N trees.

Fortunately we had some titled folk to a formal dinner recently so I had saved the Pot Noodle container for the tree to drip into.

The PVA is old stock which is past its best and will be discarded once I've built the forest/dries up.

 

 

First 'dip' into foliage.

Very pleased.

 

 

The system seems to be working and the foliage is bulking up nicely and is firmly attached - although it is still possible to abrade grains of the clumping.

More 'bulking' to do and then the more pleasurable bits like shaping the tree, giving it the hair lacquer treatment and painting.

 

 

... and this is more or less it.

Just have to find some N size acorns.

 

 

 

[BobD]

When I saw the first picture of the tree frame and dunked in white glue, I thought it looked awful. However, as I saw the step by step progress arriving at the finished article, I have to say I am impressed.

[DDolfelin]

Just the rest of the forest to do.

[Steven B]

There's some fantastic scenic work going on here. Keep up the good work (and the updates!)

 

Happy modelling.

 

Steven B.

[DDolfelin]

Thanks, Steven.

Will do.

[45156]

Hi DD

 

You're kinda good at this!

 

Keep up the good work, and keep us posted - I picked up quite a lot of tips there which will help me when layout time finally comes.

[LightningMk6]

Just the rest of the forest to do.

 

great technique and impressed, what kind of paint did you use to paint the trunk, looks realistic, especially where the broken branch area is.

[DDolfelin]

Everyone is being very nice to me - thanks.

 

The paint is Humbrol Acrylic.

A bit expensive because one only gets a teaspoonful for about £1.30ish.

I have about thirty little pots now to provide a decent range but they need replacing at regular intervals.

The matt versions are my preference.

I like it because of the density of the pigment, although it can be well-watered for weathering purposes.

[LightningMk6]

Everyone is being very nice to me - thanks.

 

The paint is Humbrol Acrylic.

A bit expensive because one only gets a teaspoonful for about £1.30ish.

I have about thirty little pots now to provide a decent range but they need replacing at regular intervals.

The matt versions are my preference.

I like it because of the density of the pigment, although it can be well-watered for weathering purposes.

 

Thanks for the information I now know what to look for when I make a start

[DonBradley]

It's great seeing this all together in one topic, but I can't find where to mark it to advise me of new updates. What am I missing? I'm going to look at the ead page to see if it's there.

[DDolfelin]

'Watch Topic' at the head of the page, Don.

[DDolfelin]

I've added a few finishing touches to the Kestrel Church Kit and it now makes a useful lineside filler:

 

 

 

 

[sixoh8sixoh]

I love the story about the Kestrel kit!

[pirouets]

Great use of the kit. My wife would love that. I have to say some of the kestrel kits are the reason I started trying to make my own buildings as they just did not always come together well.

[DDolfelin]

It's a bit of fun at the Kestrel Kit's expense.

Now they are owned by Gaugemaster perhaps things will improve although, as I say, they are cheap kits.

[DDolfelin]

Following an extended trip to Cornwall and other remote places, I really must get down to more work on this.

The Canal Basin next, probably.

[briantwigley]

Some great tips here, your tree building techniques are outstanding!

 

Finished painting the deer yet..?

 

Ryan

[70022Tornado]

Acrylic Paints - Try Warhammer or similar games paints, they seem to be better value than Humbrol.

 

70022

[DDolfelin]

Thanks, lads.

 

I seem to have settled on the use of Humbrol Acrylics and I suppose, in the overall scheme of things, they are a minor cost.

(Not too deer Ryan).

But thanks for the tip.

[Jim Martin]

When I saw the first picture of the tree frame and dunked in white glue, I thought it looked awful. However, as I saw the step by step progress arriving at the finished article, I have to say I am impressed.

 

I was scrolling down this thread and when I got to the tree pictures I thought that I'd add a comment. Then I scrolled down a tiny bit more and found that Bob had already written almost exactly what I was going to say!

 

The transformation from the original former to the end product is really quite remarkable: the painting, in particular, is beautifully done and makes a tremendous difference. Good work.

 

Jim

[DDolfelin]

Good of you to say so, Jim.

 

Progress on Much Wittering has slowed during a ten day trip South, including Cornwall.

 

I've also started to produce individual items (sheds and things) as not everyone has the space/money/need for full scale dioramas.

Some are on my website but I also have a cautionary tale:

 

Overnight I made the elements of two barrel topped sheds for a friend.

In the morning, horror!

The sheeting I had used for corrugations on the roof had reacted to the poly and bubbled.

I've ordered new stocks from a different manufacturer and tried to rescue the originals but I'm not happy with it and will start again.

Cheesed off about it.

 

 

[DDolfelin]

Just to continue with the theme while I'm waiting for more results on Much Wittering:

 

Here are some more little jobbies in OO: