simonmcp

Very nice, for reference of old shop fronts check out Crich Museum site here https://www.tramway.co.uk/explore/village-scene/ Simon

Firstly may I say what stunning work you are doing. I once travelled in a VSOE UK coach form Meldon quarry to Exeter on the reopening of Okehampton station so this brings back memories. "Due to the curvature of the bar - these are all going to enter the bar at different angles..." Technically (I'm not very technical myself you understand) each of the fixings will be perpendicular, or at right angles, to the side of the bar. Hope this information helps and doesn't cause you any more hassle. Keep up the excellent work. Simon

Looking great Neil, can you tell me what CAD program are you using please. Simon

I studied Typography (lettering styles) at college and worked in Print for 25 years so have a bit of professional experience. The confusing thing is typefaces/fonts have different names for essentially the same face/font, basically to try and get around the copyright laws. So ' Swiss' on some computers is nearly identical to 'Helvetica' but also there is 'Helvetica Neu' which is subtly different. I have over 3,000 Typefaces on my computer (and countless different weights ((Semi-Bold, Bold etc)) and that is a fraction of the typefaces out there). My historical typefaces book is in a box that I haven't unpacked yet or I would look it up for you. There are websites that allow you to type in a word and look at it or choose a style of individual letters and it will suggest the possible matches such as this one https://www.myfonts.com/WhatTheFont/ Simon

If you look at Scalescenes micro layout he laid card flat strips down up to the height of the top of the ballast, as a foundation for the platform sides which he painted with dark grey non water based paint. Then when he had ballasted up to them, he stuck the platform down to the foundation. Done a search and can't find a link I'm afraid.

I think you'll find that all the gargoyles here in Cornwall are 'Self isolating' so no reference available.. Simon

You might try matt varnish, not water based, and then some people use textured tissues with a thin mix of plaster painted on. The advantage of plaster is it looks like stone when painted with thin washes. It does also depend on the quality of card you use. Simon

Hi Paul, Be warned Acrylics dry very quickly so can ruin your brushes if left on for even a couple of minutes. You could try softening it with solvent but it may dissolve the glue holding the bristles in! It's not been mentioned but using good quality brushes is very important and will influence the finish quite a lot. For fine detail use a pointed (normal) shape but for say sides of wagons/coaches etc use a flat headed brush. I prefer synthetic hair ones for Acrylics and Sable for enamels. There are also paint shapers useful for 'dry brushing', only supplier I could find quickly who has any in stock https://www.amazon.co.uk/Colour-Shaper-Firm-Grey-Painting/dp/B00399KKMW For buildings and weathering I have used Match Pots (a form of Acrylic) with good results, but I did 'Key' the surface by brushing over with a suede brush ( actually the brass one of the set of six https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.halfords.com/tools/hand-tools/cutting-and-filing/rolson-6pc-mini-wire-brush-set-710281.html&ved=2ahUKEwiV9I27_9_oAhVOQEEAHaRlDa4QFjAAegQIAhAB&usg=AOvVaw16T9cJZkG3r9XWCGoQHtRA and then the plastic one to clean up). Simon

What material do they need them in? I have an Aldi printer and the PLA? that it came with, is that okay? Simon

I think Priest do scaffolding but it's not cheap.

Hi, check out the Faller, Kibri and Auhagen ranges they will have something suitable.

What an amazing thread. I never knew that so many small industrial diesels were still working in the time frame you have been showing. Stay safe everyone. Simon

Good to see that you are encouraging your grandson to have a go at hands on craft, it will help him later in life. I model thanks to my late father who also taught me DIY.

Hi, if you right click on the colour it should bring up a new pop up window where you can choose any colour you like, firstly from a hexagon shape or if you click again you can choose from all colours. I am not in front of my copy of Word so sorry for the slightly vague instructions.

Hi Trevor's, thanks very much for the image, it's a SketchUp file I presume, any idea of sizes? The Hornby body that the lights have to go in has uneven shaped openings so I intend to cover the holes. This means I will have to make the back of the cluster curved to match the profile of the Class142 body. Also from the photos I found on Wikimedia the narrow (marker light?) seem to have rounded corners, is that correct? Simon

Hi all, I have done a search of this forum (the discussion of the Dapol model with drawing isn't big enough to scale up to 4mm) and the internet and haven't been able to find a good enough picture (none of the ones on Wikipedia are close enough) or drawing of the WIPAC light clusters on the front of the class 142. A friend has several Hornby ones and wants to fit them with working lights. I have a 3d printer and offered to 'print' him some so that the holes are accurately positioned. All help would be greatfully received and I would be happy to share the 3d file on here, when I manage to make it. I can't even make out the exact shape/style of the outside edge of the lights.

Amazing blending of layout and backscene, I thought your baseboard went back to the fence! I think you have coloured the bridge really well, nice and subtle.

When my friend put up his printed backscene, can't remember what make I'm afraid, we wall paper pasted the first sections to UNPAINTED plywood. The grain of the ply showed through, mostly in the sky, so we had a special mix of sky blue done and I hand painted it down to the tree line. All 16ft of it whilst kneeling on the 3ft wide baseboards. The next 12ft on another side we painted the plywood first and had no problems using wall paper paste.

Hi, does anyone know where I could get a decent GA drawing of the point carrying part. I would love to CAD one and print on my 3d printer. Should be possible to make it pivot. Simon

That is amazing work. I have just got a 3d printer from Aldi and was wondered if I could make signals. Your excellent work has inspired me.

Our School dinners were so bad that all the pupils and even the teachers celebrated when they used 'Textured Vegetable Protein' instead of meat as at least it didn't contain gristle Simon

I had a Bachmann Warship that the chassis just crumpled on and it ruined one of the gear towers because they were out of mesh.

I used to teach Photoshop and if you have the full version of Phototshop then there is a version of the Selection Tool that is the Polygon Lasso Tool and you can select just the baseboard edge with that. When I'm back at my computer I'll try and show you on a screen grab. Hope that helps. Cheers Simon

Love those railings and gates

Hi sp1, Busch do a crop circle. Simon