railtec-models

Hm, hang fire. I need to check how many would fit on one of the typical custom sheets. The plan is to create a parallel custom offering, as it just makes everything cleaner and my life simpler. Typically if something is knowingly ordered as a placeholder for something else which isn't advertised (which I try to discourage as most livery elements aren't inter-changeable particularly from a design perspective, even though it may appear logically similar) then it can often slow everything down. I have a few new GWR items to put live and this will be amongst them.

Doesn't each one of those Masterclub bolts have to be applied individually? (And aren't they made in Russia so potential supply challenges?) That wagon does look good and hats off for having the patience to apply all those one at a time, assuming that's what you did. Must have taken some considerable time.

When I get a sec to create new items for them on the web site 😁

Ok I've just had literally a spare moment waiting for the tea to brew so thought I'd try to help. I've just imported your photo into graphics software. On the assumption that those planks where the numbers sit are standard 6" planks, then by my reckoning those rivets or bolts are 0.5" (0.292mm) diam, which will put you along the 7mm-9203 / 9213 / 9223 / 9233 row in the table below, those various options depending on what spacing you need: https://www.railtec-models.com/rivets.php?type=7mmr You may want to sanity check this though, as importing photos of models isn't necessarily always accurate. Hope it helps though.

As well as the existing range of 200+ packs of ready-made/spaced rivets, I've already prototyped nuts/bolts. I started with hexagonals as if that was ok then square nuts would be a doddle. These are tiny as you can tell by the laptop keyboard in the same shot for comparison, and the photo is taken from a pretty average phone, but you can see the results: When I get a moment the entire range of 3d rivets will be replicated in hexag nuts/bolts as above. I.e. so you will get strips and strips of ready-made nuts/bolts that are perfectly spaced, crisp and uniform that will enable you to apply to whatever you like in seconds. If there's a need for me to replicate with square nuts/bolts then I can do that too. @Hal Nail is it the hexags you're looking for or rivets?

There are multiple options of different head diameters and spacings, perhaps even more than what modellers actually need. (I'm not sure how many modellers would distinguish the difference between 1⅛ head diam and 1¼ head diam for example, particularly in 4mm or even 7mm scales). I think the 3d rivet catalog now has over 200 items in it, so it should cover most needs. https://www.railtec-transfers.com/rivets/ As they're 3d waterslide you just cut off what you need and apply to whatever you're putting it on. That way you get dozens and dozens of perfectly spaced and uniform rivets in a matter of seconds without any hassle.

Indeed! Railtec: https://www.railtec-transfers.com/rivets/ (And they're made right here in Derbyshire). I think it may have been Hornby Magazine which said they thought the quality is better than Archers. There must be a couple of hundred sheets in the range now. The rivets are made in white purely because that's the easiest colour to assume whatever top colour you like. Many modellers simply cut off what they need, apply it to the model and paint/spray. OR, if the model is already painted, cut off what they need, spray that, then apply it to the model. Because of the way these are made, each rivet is perfectly consistent with consistent spacing, saving modellers time and a lot of tedious hassle compared to some techniques I've seen. Given the enormity of the range there should be enough spread to get most modellers out of most holes. Steve

Fruit Ds are long overdue in more than one period. They will appear. Many topics get logically grouped together, and as with anything that gets released, I don't just quickly bang packs out in a "it's probably close enough so the masses will be grateful just to have something" fashion, but I only release new product once I think it's bullet proof and I'd be happy to have it on my own models. That on the assumption that I get to have a layout of my own. Which, one day, I'm sure I'll get the chance!

If you look at the theme of "Chevrons" on the page below, does one of these suit? https://www.railtec-models.com/themes.php Obviously when it comes to chevrons what's listed as a 4mm pack may give you what you need in another scale, and vice versa.

Really? I'm confused. I developed pack 4mm-3025 a few weeks ago based on the exact specific elements that you'd asked to see in a pack so as to avoid the need to have to buy 2 or more existing packs, or going down the custom route (which would have been more expensive). Diverting a very finite and niche resource to develop a new pack consisting of elements which may already be present across other packs is a concept I'm always at least open to as I like to try to help people get what they need and save them a few £, (a) because I enjoy trying to be helpful and (b) the appreciation that usually presents itself in return gives me a buzz. I'd simply asked if the pack you'd specifically asked me to make was now not quite right (and gave a link to another existing stock item which consists of 2" red lining which is what you'd asked for). So, yeah, a bit perplexed to be reading the above. Interesting to see the Micro-Buffet. Maybe one for another day.

If it's literally just the Cargo lettering you need in white then this would be a 3 minute job. PM sent.

Indeed. This link here should help: https://www.railtec-models.com/catalog.php?search_str=allocation+name If the allocation name needs to be slightly smaller to fit on the shunter's truck then that's no issue (though I'd need you to let me know).

I believe I've already done these. Do you mean such as in the example of 42508 in the image below? There are quite a few images around the web of what the ready-made 3d smokebox plates look like. Assuming you need these in 4mm and only the 3d plate, then this link will do it: 4mm-9080 https://www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=4363 I normally have these out within 24-48hrs. Or, if it's literally just flat conventional 2d ready-made numbers that you need that can be applied to an existing smokebox plate, then I can do those too. Hope this helps, Steve

As long as you're drawing them up in true vector format then it should be ok. I do get a few "vector" files sent to me which are either a JPG simply saved as an EPS (so still a JPG and a bit like putting a Rolls Royce badge on a Volvo), or something poorly converted to vector in Photoshop. But if you're starting off in Illustrator like @Citadel then that's a very promising sign. Broadly speaking, Photoshop is great at manipulating raster images such as photographs, and Illustrator (or Inkscape which I believe is free) is best suited for creating proper artwork that graphic designers can work with.

I haven't tried this myself but I've heard of some modellers applying tape such as Tamiya or similar directly adjacent to where the lining is to be positioned, thereby acting as a straight line and a guide. Once they have the lining where they want it (and straight, naturally), they very carefully remove the guide tape. Obviously due to the delicate nature of lining, wait for it to completely dry, then spray the varnish from a good distance, gradually building up in light mists, so as not to flood it or lift it. May always be worth considering trying on a knackered old coach or something before trying it on your pride and joy.

It's Railtec. No such thing as "ill defined" 😀 I'm pretty sure the numbers will be legible albeit with a magnifying glass. Let me dig out the artwork I've already done when I have a minute as it could turn out to be a 6 minute job.

Not something I'd considered although (a) I've done them in larger scales and therefore (b) already have the artwork so potentially very easy to make it available as a customisable item on the web site. What scale? If 7mm then I'm pretty confident folks would want specific numbers. If 4mm then potentially not? Obviously specific numbers would be more expensive than a pack of realistic-ish numbers available as an off-the-shelf item.

If it's bouncing back with emails being sent from a specific domain but getting through from the likes of BT, then that may suggest there's a potential security loop which may need tightening up on your outgoing SMTP server, particularly if something like Gmail is now(?) rejecting them. I can't say I've noticed any drop in the volume of inbound comms (that isn't to say that some aren't getting through), but I'm still getting inundated. Whilst I'm here and on the topic, a number of folks with btinternet.com email addresses seem to have issues receiving email from Gmail. It appears to be a reasonably well reported issue but it would seem the entire gmail.com domain has been added to the blocked list of those with a btinternet.com email address without them knowing. It may not be related but the inbox does get hammered day and night with people sending huge attachments and consequently is constantly teetering either side of being full, which is a job in itself to manage.

I'll make a very quick diversion from multiple other projects to chip in and provide some insight. It basically bakes down to the quality of print that you want at such small scale. I could have a nice piece of artwork of, let's say, a crest. Looks epic on the screen. Prints pretty beautifully in 7mm and larger scales - although that in itself will depend on whether (a) you have a home desktop printer that will fit under one arm, or state-of-the-art tech that costs the same as a small house, and (b) you know how to manipulate the software so that the physical hardware actually outputs something exquisite (and there are no courses for that - it arises out of tedious and ever evolving tweaking). That crest in 4mm, well, passable for most people but the trained eye would look at it and probably tell you that it's obviously just had the shrink ray put on it and nothing else. That same artwork when printed at 3mm / TT, again, may be passable for some although it won't look anywhere as great as it could/should, as it will most likely resemble a dark blob maybe with a bit of colour, but as modellers of "niche" scales they're perhaps just thankful to have something that sort of looks like what they want. I don't do that. That same crest at 2mm, forget it. It'll look awful. So here's the crux: every time you jump down a scale, I re-engineer the print so that it looks right in the scale in which it is printed. I don't have to do that, but I want to do that because honestly - I want people to get a product where they see it and think "great" rather than "yeah it'll do", and also because I take pride in my craft. That's Railtec. It's easier to jump down incrementally from 4mm to 3mm, and to TT - even though that's a bit of a pain, but to 2mm scale - that is the hardest "commercial" scale in which to get things looking right. Assuming that you want it to look right. Crests are an extreme example but the same is true of simple text. I suppose I could always decimate the TT catalog to a shadow of what it is now if it helped ease the pain! So if you see something, or don't see something, then there's most probably a good reason why, even if it may not be obvious. Let's not forget that the hobby is supported by a great number of very niche specialists with very specific skillsets producing some pretty amazing stuff. All we often see (and care about) is the end product, but there's often a hugely complex and diverse world of ingenuity under the bonnet to bring us that at the quality we expect.

Just jaw dropping.

These all went out on Monday to Steve, so should hopefully be with you now.

Through the web site will be the quickest and cleanest way as it's specifically set up to automate everything. Once the order comes through, you'll get a message asking for specific details, which I then design and schedule in.

I've recently started making tender number and tender capacity plates to order. Assuming this is for 4mm, here's the link: https://www.railtec-models.com/catalog.php?search_str=3d+tender&gauge=4mm They're made in 3d so have just the right relief in all the right places. As things presently stand these will get turned around in about 2-3 days (maybe even sooner). Does this help?

When designing new packs where there's a good spread of applicable running numbers, it makes sense to include just a subset of those. The specific number will depend on how many of that vehicle type a modeller is likely to have on their layout on average. In my experience, when it comes to specific wagon numbers, modellers - on the whole - seem to be not overly fussed so long as it's a valid running number for the vehicle type (and some aren't even too fussed about that). If somebody absolutely wanted a specific running number that isn't on the off-the-shelf sheet then I'm set up to make those as an add-on custom job. You do sometimes get the odd one or two buy a stock item, i.e. already printed and priced as such, and then email in to say, "I need you to replace A with B and X with Y. Thanks." (which has to be responded to accordingly). If I were to include the full range of numbers, I'd get no end of ear ache about how there's too much waste on the pack. I try to design them such that they're specific, relevant and have minimum waste - and sometimes that guidance has to come from the modellers themselves.

Ahh c'mon, it can't be that bad. And there might just be a little something for you having presented itself on the Railtec page just now, as well as some 8t & 10t ballast wagons in both 4mm & 7mm that seemed to have somehow bubbled to the top of the to-do list.