Kev_Lewis Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 0 gauge is just so big! Nah, it's just right! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 0 gauge is just so big! Try scribing bricks at my age and even 0 gauge is too small! Cheers. Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterkern23 Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Just build walls using actual bricks then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&WR Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 ...Anyway guys, anyone got any ideas for the next diorama - non railway at the moment, something chocolate boxy, grimy, a church maybe, even a small industrial village scene - blacksmith, brewery, Buckingham palace, the Continental Drift - anything I can get on a 3 footish by 2 footish board ? - even put up some pictures possibly ? For what it's worth, here's my branch out into industrial stuff: It's loosely based on this: And here's the next project, a part demolished goods shed at High Wycombe station: It's going to get the low relief treatment, so I will be taking a few liberties like moving the door on the end towards the front wall... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gravy Train Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) Hi Ian, check out the layout 'Wheal Elizabeth' re 'DRY' model, not sure if I spelled it correctly, if you type it in the topic search bar it will come up on here. cheers Peter Edited February 24, 2014 by Gravy Train Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain C Robinson Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Hi Ian, check out the layout 'Wheal Elizabeth' re 'DRY' model, not sure if I spelled it correctly, if you type it in the topic search bar it will come up on here. cheers Peter Quite wonderful, Peter! Thanks for the heads up! cheers, Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 Just build walls using actual bricks then! Actually Pete,at one time a company in Essex somewhere produced a building system in 00 which utilised individual bricks and at the time asked me (Not Robinson note!) to review them. Well I never put anyone down and considering the effort that must have gone into the production I just gave them an encouraging verdict of "Absolutely brilliant, can't wait for it to hit the market, a definate breakthrough in modelmaking!" - then they sent me plastic bricks by the truckload with an attatched note saying " Thought you'd like them, looking foreward to the first building" when the truth was I would never have used the system in the first place! Cheers. Allan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 This bxxxxy Arlington Row dilema. Went to the AR splash page on Google - one million, five hundred and ninety seven photo's, but it could have been eight cos I missed one when counting, and NOT ONE photo square on !!! So I looked elsewhere and found one and not only am I way out with the roof, I'm even more way out with the frontage!!! So, the lesson to be learnt here is never work from a three quarter angle shot cos buildings were never built at a three quarter angle to start with!! Anyway, I'm not calling it Arlington Row anymore, just Arl. Cheers. Allan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain C Robinson Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Actually Pete,at one time a company in Essex somewhere produced a building system in 00 which utilised individual bricks and at the time asked me (Not Robinson note!) to review them. Well I never put anyone down and considering the effort that must have gone into the production I just gave them an encouraging verdict of "Absolutely brilliant, can't wait for it to hit the market, a definate breakthrough in modelmaking!" - then they sent me plastic bricks by the truckload with an attatched note saying " Thought you'd like them, looking foreward to the first building" when the truth was I would never have used the system in the first place! Cheers. Allan Not to be outdone, back in the late 80's a company called "Linka" sent me a ton of their stuff for me to endorse. Ton is the word as it was a plaster of paris system used with dinky little moulds. It was OK if you were building quite coarse models, but nevertheless, we had some fun with it...I remember trying very hard to write a review of it that was tactful without actually saying that it wasn't much use for proper scale modelmaking. Now someone will tell me that they built a dead scale model of Peterborough with it... anyway, remember "Betta Builda"...or "Bayko"...I am definitely showing my age now! cheers, Iain 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gravy Train Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Alan, there is a model in one of the early MRJ issues using the ( I think) the Linka system put together by, again I think, Dave & Shirley Rowe of classic diorama fame. Have looked at these sytems in the past and like yourself, not for me, I am thinking that more and more as technology moves in, we won't need to m odel at all, it will just do it for you. Without opening a can of worms and with 'respect'' I personally think that the 3D modelling takes a lot of the fun out of it, its a personal view, were as when you model it yourself from scrtch, it is all your own work instead of the computer/software doing it for you. To contradict myself, 3d modelling/lazer cutting will allways have its place if not to speed things up but for me, I like to do as much of the modelling as I can and at ther moment I use the computer technology for Slates and signes :-) cheers Peter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) Hi Peter. What a computer can't do. or any machine for that matter, is to apply that individual touch with it's imperfections that give the human touch its character. For example. Could a computer or a machine disign and produce something as eccentric as Tintagel Post Office where a few rough edges and imperfections only made possible by the human hand make it what it is? or another way of putting it is - what would you rather have hanging off a wall - a perfect photograph of Constables "Haywain" or a print of it and as unoriginal as that may be ? This is why I went back to old simple means and methods using old outdated materials - home made stone press, not Wills stone sheets, fire cement and carboard, not Das clay and Plasticard. Of course, what with no longer having to do it for a living I can do that whereas when I was, Tintagel PO would have been decked out in either Wills or Slaters stone sheets and in doing so, lost a lot of its character - a rough and ready prototype needs a rough and ready hand - and it got one ! - Or, broad brush strokes. Now in your valued opinion Peter, what looks best, less contrived and more convincing - including wrong roofs and wrong everything else ?! "Wrong" with character looks better than "Right" without it. Cheers. Allan. Edited February 24, 2014 by allan downes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 I see "54Strat" is browsing this Thread, if so, would that be a guitar cos there's a coupla three ol' rockers on here who'd love to know! Hank B wannabe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alant Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Not to be outdone, back in the late 80's a company called "Linka" sent me a ton of their stuff for me to endorse. Ton is the word as it was a plaster of paris system used with dinky little moulds. It was OK if you were building quite coarse models, but nevertheless, we had some fun with it...I remember trying very hard to write a review of it that was tactful without actually saying that it wasn't much use for proper scale modelmaking. Now someone will tell me that they built a dead scale model of Peterborough with it... anyway, remember "Betta Builda"...or "Bayko"...I am definitely showing my age now! cheers, Iain Hi Iain, I remember Betta Builda, seemed like a forerunner for Lego in those days. Alan. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) Really not into this build at all so here's a few B&W shots reflecting the way I feel about it. The greenery might save it but meanwhile this is the stone surfaced pathway that runs alongside a stream that feeds into the Windrush - here I'm gonna need reedes like there's no tomorrow ! - but Robinson take note, I have a killer of a method - mass produced reeds the likes of which have never been seen before ! - well on this Thread anyway.... So here's the pics, please forgive the out of focus improvement shots ! Cheers. Allan. Edited February 24, 2014 by allan downes 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) The stream. First PVA stipple coat. Since its a shallow stream the movement will be more eratic - shallow water, bubbling over a stony river bed - so it will need at least three coats with each being finaly stippled just as the glue skins over, this way it 'peaks' more readily and doesn't settle back 'flat' Cheers. Allan. PS:note the high tech river kit ! Edited February 24, 2014 by allan downes 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) Here's an example of what can be achieved by several coats of heavily stippled PVA just as it starts to skin over. If I remember rightly, this took about 5 or 6 coats laid down over two days. It was an 'away job' where the client put me up for the night while I waited for the glue to dry between coats! This was one of those many epics that I worked on that never got finished as the client, like all loaded clients, got fed up with the railway and sloped off down to the South of France instead and in particular San Tropez where big bucks also buys big yachts, and even bigger busted bimbo's! - I've bin there, 15 quid for a glass of orange juice, and that was back in 1991 when I was touring Europe in a beat up Merc camper and really just following the sun - what a life, just me and the late missus and had she not died, I reckon we'd still be out there. Anyway, such is life or, as in this case, such as it wasn't. Cheers. Allan. Edited February 24, 2014 by allan downes 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythocentric Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Har Har! Who needs 'specially-formulated super-dooper just-like-the-real-thing water effects' stuff when you've got an Allan Downes? Simple, down-to-earth and very effective! Regards Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 ......... when you've got an Allan Downes? Simple, down-to-earth and very effective! Regards Bill Hi Bill, well I've bin diagnosed in worse ways !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyway Bill, it wasn't always PVA - that came after years of wading knee deep in fish glue, resin and varnish !! How I happened on PVA as a realistic water effect was like most things that I 'invent' where it was 'invented' by accident and much in the same way as it explains my existance on this Planet !! Cheers. Allan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweven Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Really not into this build at all so here's a few B&W shots reflecting the way I feel about it. Wow Allan, that is incredible work for a build you are not enjoying! Did you see this image in your searches? Small http://frustratedgardener.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/img_7914.jpg?w=848&h=500&crop=1 Large http://frustratedgardener.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/img_7914.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium The White Rabbit Posted February 24, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 24, 2014 ... anyway, remember "Betta Builda"...or "Bayko"... I remember playing with my father's Minibrix and Bayko, very interesting and good fun. For the nostalgia: http://www.shirebooks.co.uk/store/Building-Toys_9780747808152 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 Wow Allan, that is incredible work for a build you are not enjoying! Did you see this image in your searches? Small http://frustratedgardener.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/img_7914.jpg?w=848&h=500&crop=1 Large http://frustratedgardener.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/img_7914.jpg OMG, where was THAT picture when I needed it !! Well I'll tell you what Seven, I'm seriously considereing scrapping my abortion and starting over working from your photo - so thanks for the pic, can't really go wrong this time - said the Bishop to the actress !!! Cheers. Allan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlandman Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 I've been following this fantastically humorous thread for a while now and the modelling simply astounds me. I think 'Arl' just goes to show what incredibly high standards you set yourself Allan, as any mortal modeller would be more than happy with the results you have shown us. I for one would be over the moon if I could produce a model to that standard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythocentric Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 (edited) Hi Bill, well I've bin diagnosed in worse ways !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyway Bill, it wasn't always PVA - that came after years of wading knee deep in fish glue, resin and varnish !! How I happened on PVA as a realistic water effect was like most things that I 'invent' where it was 'invented' by accident and much in the same way as it explains my existance on this Planet !! Cheers. Allan. Cor! I remember fish glue! Oh boy, do I remember fish glue. Back in the day my dad was a keen (amateur [very!]) furniture maker (famous for making the worlds first and only rocking chair with flat rockers!) and the only stuff you could get in the 1950's was fish glue, unless you fancied flour and water! He used to melt it in a saucepan in the kitchen (probably the same one my mum used to make porridge!) and to say the smell was interesting would be an understatement. One thing you can say about it is it made our house stand out from the rest. Sometimes you couldn't see it for bl**dy seagulls looking for a free meal! Regards Bill Edited February 25, 2014 by Mythocentric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain C Robinson Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 Cor! I remember fish glue! Oh boy, do I remember fish glue. Back in the day my dad was a keen (amateur [very!]) furniture maker (famous for making the worlds first and only rocking chair with flat rockers!) and the only stuff you could get in the 1950's was fish glue, unless you fancied flour and water! He used to melt it in a saucepan in the kitchen (probably the same one my mum used to make porridge!) and to say the smell was interesting would be an understatement. One thing you can say about it is it made our house stand out from the rest. Sometimes you couldn't see it for bl**dy seagulls looking for a free meal! Regards Bill Bill, was fish glue the same as "Horse shoe glue" ? No, I'm not joking and this hasn't turned into Monty Python land...I can still remember the smell of that stuff when my Dad made repairs to the humble furniture in my childhood hovel! It had to be boiled in a pan, I remember...it came in blocks like toffee...but oh, it wasn't toffee... cheers, Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain C Robinson Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 I remember playing with my father's Minibrix and Bayko, very interesting and good fun. For the nostalgia: http://www.shirebooks.co.uk/store/Building-Toys_9780747808152 Thanks for the fab link....I have been wallowing in nostalgia while having my morning coffee... cheers, Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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