heavymetalwagons

Thought the grano chippings looked ok. Well colour wise at least, but looks too big for 4mm. Think it would great for 7mm. May try just using just the dust Maybe try two silver sand sprayed dark grey and light grey then mix together

managed to take some photos of my ballast all taken from same angle and same settings .so i hope they look ok !! first one "silver sand" sprayed medium grey primer second silver sand sprayed mat black third silver sand dyed (cement dye) black forth "grano" chippings sieved twice =once to get the big stuff out then again to remove the dust fifth "proper ebay buy of ballast just as it came

Really like the sunglasses!!

many thanks for the replies (and the others that looked) see pete i was thinking its the washing up liquid not the pva that was the problem !!!! at least "we" now know a little more the pva I'm using is =no nonsense from screwfix or tool station and it seems ok but I suppose all pva must leave some sort of shine/tint when used .have got some copydex also so may try that as a comparison test managed to get some grano chippings form work (2 ton bags sat there not been used for a year!) sieved the bigger bits out (about 1 third to a quarter ) and the rest once dyed out looks good maybe a little dark and maybe too much really fine dust so may have to sieve again but still !!! i will try to take some photos and if they come out all right will post

As long as you don't mix up and put cement where you'd put talc on your body you should be OK! I experimented with the cement on an a old unmodified body first just incase

Your right its the railtec ones that offer 2 types!!! As for cement ask a builder for a cup full. Most will let you have it for free

Been building some 4mm grampus wagons and wanted to put some slag ballast loads in them and while looking on here read a few different threads about successes and failures liked the idea of using "silver" (kiln dried) sand as I am able to get for FREE and have tried various methods of staining it tried spraying some with primer grey (turned out a bit dark) but looked ok and matt black which looks ok but I think I rushed a bit and didn't cover very well and to do right will take a few coats and a fair bit of faffing i.e. raking between coats etc Then tried using black "cement dye" at a ratio of 4 sand 1 dye 1 water and it looks really good and could have maybe used less dye BUT some of the dye seems to be coming off every time I handle it (but the sand still looks ok) but on a layout could be a problem ie dirty wheels etc , not sure if when its glued down it will/would seal the dye in? One word of warning though the sand gets everywhere !!!! (even when tiring to be careful) tried a test load of un-dyed sand using pva glue then painted using water colour paints didn't seem to finish right may try poster paints (like the ones "we" used at school ?. regards to pva glue and the washing liquid turning ballast green they now make a clear (no dye or perfume) liquid from fairy but also seen wilkos have some also or MAYBE try the yellow (it looks a lot lighter and may dry clearer) ITs strange how "we" never really notice ballast too much until we need too .Modern ballast is defferently different to the "older stuff ,even as a child i remember the ballast in hull been the type with loads of little holes in it on the main lines (everything else been "cinder"/black ash on the few photos i have of sculcoates lane hull in the 1980s the main line shows grey ballast with stains of brown along the tracks and a bit of a green moss at the edges where the undergrowth is .but a clean line from some steps to a junction box ie walking on it has cleaned it a bit will keep experimenting a bit may try "grano" chippings as i can possibly get them for free or at least only £5 a bag (bargain!!) or buy some "proper" ballast from different suppliers and different sizes and mix my own blends ??

nice work should have said CCT do two types of transfers one the right length for the original triang model and the correct scale length one (made that mistake my self) but will use the "short" ones as heavily weathered ones with the ends rubbed off !!!! I used humberol 27001 aluminum paint (looks good but needs two coats) but yours look just as good so may change paints . I used real cement as weathering powder and I rubbed it on and off and it seems to kill the shine and leave a nice dull finish !! there's a really nice photo in working wagons vol 1 1968-1973 (the green cover) page 32 which is one that's definitely on my to-do list

many thanks for your kind words (inspired me to maybe go back to them) for the oval holes I used a brass tube slightly bent to oval and sharpened with a file .then punched out on a 10th sheet then cut into strips . on some just used the Hornby tanker underframe and on one a Bachmann tanker underframe and like you reused the triang chassis all worked ok (from memory) may have used new W irons on one !! but had ride height issue's how's brand of C channel do you use for your underframe?? many thanks

like your cemflos was doing the same myself but ran out of steam (there's a pun !) and moved onto some grampus/lamprey wagons I too like using jigs ,makes life simple (if you make a good jig) I even made one for the filler pipe so the bends are always the same . have a look at my post may give you a few ideas (or not) Heavymetalwagons workbench - Modifying & Detailing RTR stock - RMweb

Regarding using silver sand for ballast try pre damping it first maybe in a bucket. As i work in construction got a bag out of the container the other day and it was damp as #### no use whatever but remembed this thread

Screws=posh nails. I was once told

Planning my next next next project and was looking in international ferry wagons by D. ratcliffe at the tankers (always liked tank wagons anyway) and like the idea of not having to build a rake of 20 wagons of the same type as in some cases only a handful where built if there's a better thread on here can you point me in the right direction please does anyone know if there's any ready to run stuff that's good to go out of the box (even the ho stock) got some cheap lima tanks coming and will have to do reworking on them where I can get the continental style axlebox from if anywhere ! john talbot used to make some .If non available may have to make/cast some. Also anyone make buffers transfers will be either railtec or Cambridge hopefully although may have to make some myself I mainly model 1978 ish couple of years either way and i live in Hull so the bp tanks have always been of interest sorry this first question is a bit vague but will narrow it down depending on the reply's i get (hopefully)

did a little bit more at weekend .started another one and realized the recess in the ends on the triang one was a lot deeper than the accurascale ones !!! how I missed it on the first three **** knows (I'll never be let back into the p4 society at this rate) not going to change them I'll put them at the back lol.

not much to report just finishing bits off . did a test weathering using (now stay with me on this) real cement !! ,having seen the accu ones done with talc .first I did thin grey paint then flicked cement on from a dry brush and wasn't really happy so I dabbed the paint on thicker and the cement stuck better and it seems to look better (well to me anyway) and one jam jar of cement will last a life time ! photo to follow I model 4mm 1978 (ish 4 years either way) I like all the coil wagons of that era the mix of stock from unfitted 16 tonners to nice new air braked railfreight vans etc the private owner tankers (going to do either the esso or bp bitumen 35t (airfix) tankers . just started looking into doing some ferry tankers (may use those old lima things as a start point) .the good thing is you don't need to do a rake of 10+ of the same wagon

This is my first post/thread about what I'm doing at the moment .it'll probably not get updated much !!.but here goes I do tend to flit about from one thing to another or get bored and move on (got a list of things I want to do and it gets longer !!) got these triang cemflos years ago before accurascale did there's and started one and give up lol but got back into having ago .just got another ten Gloucester's to build !!! think I'll have another go at the reinforcement cleats .but as everything else was scratch built I'm happy enough so far (I call myself an amateur p4 modeler)

Sounds like the chap from the fast show who used to cough as soon as the camera's started rolling

Looks like bbc 4 are going to be showing a few of the plays for today. Weds 9pm

You'd think someone would make a curtain side "sheet" and just cut out what you need. I did try folding 10 thou sheet to make creases wasn't that happy with the result. I to like the curtain sided shellstars

I made a paint mixer like a small drill stand and just keep it running while i brush paint seems to work fine as it stops the paint settling

Think i must be a bit dyslexic, never used to be tested for such things in my school days. Bottom class for English, top class for maths! There was a tarmac firm we used alot called lane rentals i called them line rentals for ages until someone put me right!!!!

caulking!!! Most stop posting late at night lol

I don't know how much gardening you do but have you thought about a water butt? Free water always good. When i redid my shed i used treated timber and found it does dry out alot at least 5mm in the width so had to use exterior chalking for the gaps also any knots seem to wick water through also. Chalked and painted with masonry paint seems to have worked

I'm impressed with the transfers. Always liked those lima wagons