Mikkel

14 hours ago, 57xx said:

Mikkel, Halfords paint is actually acrylic, though the key difference is that it is a solvent based one (I have yet to find a suitable solvent to dilute decanted paint and soon gave up on the idea). I'm thus guessing it's down to Vallejo being water based (right lines of thinking, just a subtle difference).

Ah, thanks for clarifying that. I've always been curious to try out the Halford's range as they seem to give very good results. We can't get them here though. So I suppose it will have to go on my shopping list next time I cross (under!) the channel.

13 hours ago, ChrisN said:

Mikkel and GWR57xx,

@Simond suggested using polyfiller on my stone walls, but I was concerned that he had used it in 0 gauge and I was not sure the mortar gaps would be big enough in 00.  Thank you, I think I have my answer.  If I did the sort of experimenting that you have done I am not sure I would finish anything.  (Now, now, I have finished at least one model, I think).

 

As to the milky thickness of paint to fill the mortar, I have used that successfully on the Ratio station kit of ?Corfe Castle, but the gaps between the stones was huge so I was surprised how well it did on your trial.

Chris, I can't remember what sheets you used on Traeth Mawr, but it seems the Polyfilla results partly depend on that. Maybe you have some off-cuts to try it on? 

18 hours ago, GWR57xx said:

 

Kind of you to say Mikkel, but I'm still fumbling my way along picking up gems of advice from the really good modellers here...

 

These are the latest test pieces I've been experimenting with:

 

The two pieces on the right are laser cut card, one of which was sealed with Mod Podge before painting & filling (just to see what, if any, benefit it gave).

On the left are my first three trial 3d printed pieces. These are U shaped, intended to wrap around the base of a buttress. The top course is chamfered.

Top was a test to see if the wall could be printed face down on the build plate (for speed). Answer a resounding NO as the "elephants foot" has completely obliterated the brick detail.

Middle: as my laser's kerf is approximately 0.2mm, this piece also has 0.2mm gaps between bricks. Hardly any filler has stayed in the gaps. The photo makes it look better than it is because of the very low sun producing nice shadows.

Bottom: a test with different gap widths. Starting at the top row of chamfered bricks, left to right two bricks at a time the gaps are 0.3; 0.4; 0.5; 0.6 & 0.7mm. Then below that, top to bottom two courses at a time the same sequence of gaps. From this I picked 0.4mm as the gap to use on the next test piece.

 

 

I printed two copies, the lower one having a small amount of texture applied to the surface of the bricks. It is not very noticeable though, so probably not worth the effort.

These are prior to applying the filler, to show that I haven't flooded the gaps with paint but neither have I worried too much about getting some paint in them.

 

 

The filler has been freshly applied here. I'll leave it to fully dry and set then give it a brush over to clean the excess off the brick faces, but I think it compares quite well with the mortar on the laser cut pieces.

 

Very impressive results! Thanks for sharing them. Your experiments may also interest @David Bigcheeseplant who is 3D printing Princes Risborough station (although in 4mm scale, which of course is a different kettle of fish in this respect). The 3D printed pieces do look good. I can see why you experimented with texture on the 3D prints, I like the textured look of the lasercut pieces.

You mention that the 3D printed piece in the first shot looks better than it is, and that little filler stayed in the gaps. What I find interesting though is that it looks quite similar to the (Edwardian) brickwork at e.g. Newbury.

Which makes me wonder whether we sometimes exaggerate the visual impact of mortar courses on models - especially 4mm ones. I may have mentioned it before, but when I look closely at this great model on Jim Smith-Wrights New Street (built from SEF sheets by the the way), I'm not sure he has applied any pointing at all. Yet I think the model works very well.

It does, of course, depend on the style of pointing on the prototype. Here's a photo of the (sadly closed) pub just above Newbury station. A very different look compared to the station.

Good points, Al. I recognize the questions that you ask. As a case in point, my old Bachmann 43xx still runs very freely and with a completely silent motor. So like you I'm debating whether to keep and modify it, or splash out on the upcoming Dapol one. 

I find myself confronted with dilemmas like that in other areas of the hobby too: Should I scratch build this part, or source a hi-fi one from outside? Is this whitemetal part good enough, or should I go for a 3D printed one? Etc. Almost everything is now possible to replicate, but is that reason enough to go for it?

I suppose the answer is that we should go for what gives us most joy over time (rather than immediately but briefly).  That can include buying new models, either because you enjoy admiring high levels of detail, or like collecting, or want to save time, or want to modify it.

Glad if it's of use Matt. I'm sure stone-built structures have their own particular challenges, I haven't worked much with that. Looking forward to what you come up with. 

10 hours ago, mullie said:

I've heard Polyfilla works well on Wills sheets where the mortar course is deeper though I haven't tried it as theses days I mainly use Slaters plasticard. I think I have tried most of the techniques you have tried and had many of the problems.

 

I think current favourite is a coat of matt grey primer to start off with, often from a rattle can, then lightly sand the brick work to remove paint from the brick faces which also adds texture. I then dry brush a variety of colours, usually using artists acrylics and talc for matting effect.

 

The new station building is looking excellent .

 

Always good to see a new post.

 

Martyn

Thanks Martyn, very useful. I really like the textured structures on your Upbech St Mary, so will have a play with those tips. And I have some Wills sheets kicking around, will try the Polyfilla method on them. I find them difficult to work with, but one or two of their pre-cut kits are attractive.

The depth of mortar courses does seem to make quite a difference to what works best. Which isn't made easier by the fact that sometimes that depth varies even within the same sheet, as I've found in some cases!

10 hours ago, gwrrob said:

The late great Allan Downes was an advocate of the polyfilla method albeit on the thicker Wills sheets 

Thanks Rob, I didn't know that he used this method. BTW I recently discovered that Allan's website is still in place. Mostly stone built structures on there, but I found a video of some of his brick-built structures. Extraordinary as always.

8 hours ago, GWR57xx said:

@Mikkel, thanks for the compliment 🙂. I must get on and finish it, but I keep getting distracted…

As it happens, I’ve spent the past couple of days 3d printing test piece walls to determine the optimum size for brick spacing and mortar depth to give the best result for the polyfilla method. It works well for me in 7mm, but probably needs larger gaps than 4mm can provide to give a realistic result.

I’m finding that the 3d resin printed walls need wider and deeper gaps than laser cut ply, mdf or card, probably because with the latter the paint is at least partially absorbed by the material, leaving space in the mortar course, whereas in the former the paint sits on the surface of the resin and closes the gap, which therefore needs to be bigger to start with.

I also found that it is necessary to give the base colour time to fully harden and also give it a coat of Matt varnish to seal it before applying the filler, otherwise the colour can bleed into the mortar.

I’m very impressed by your station building, as I have been by all your other Farthing builds. It is modelling like yours that has inspired me to want more from my own modelling. Thank you.

Thank you, also for the insights! I would be happy if I could achieve the mortar courses on your coaling stage, and  look forward to seeing your 3D printed walls. 

It's interesting that the paint is absorbed by the ply/mdf/card, I had not considered that. So we have to consider the nature of the material as well, along with the width and depth of the mortar courses, the "filling" used for the pointing (paint, filler, other), the priming and base coat, the timing of it all, etc. No wonder results vary. 

That really makes it come alive. There's a nice depth to the window frames.

I see that the windows are white, so I assume that you are modelling the post-chocolate period. Did you ever discover approximately when the chocolate was abandoned? I'm thinking around WW1, but haven't examined it systematically.

Hi Jamie, what a great result. It's an attractive little loco.

And those last three photos of the loco in action are wonderful. I'm reminded of Neil's "Little Point": 

https://rushbys-railways.blogspot.com/2014/04/reality-and-fantasy.html

2 hours ago, RCP said:

Are the tank filer caps the Buffalo 850 variety from Alan Gibson?

I have just checked my confirmation email for this order back in 2020. It says:

2x 4M626 GWR Pannier tank water fillers (P)

But looking in his current catalogue I can't find it. Only a saddle tank variety. Maybe you'll have to get in touch with Colin, unless someone else stocks his range?

1 hour ago, Penrhos1920 said:

I’m looking forward to Mikkel backdating the Accurascale 57xx

Maybe, if a saddle tank will fit 🙂 But there's a 2021ST conversion to deal with first, I got stuck and it's languishing in the cupboard. I swear it emits an occasional whimper!

Thank you very much Dana. How it will all be set up is still a bit hazy, but for the time being I can get a short end to end run if I mobilise our two adjustable-height work desks + the dining table! Which is obviously not going to be an everyday occurrence, I have my small layouts for that.

We'll see what happens beyond that, we are thinking of moving to a larger flat 😉

I agree about the Concertinas being rather long, but they are such interesting coaches, I find. Some ex-slip Concertinas were allocated to branches in the later years, as they accommodated all classes in a single coach - although looking at your plan it doesn't look like you have a branchline.

Have you seen Neal's posts about his use of Comet sides for RTR stock, they may be of use to you:

A most interesting experiment. Sounds like stronger magnets would be good, but I don't know if they are available in such small sizes.

On a couple of my layouts I am able to position figures randomly on all earth surfaces, as the base is foamboard with a filler top, and the figures have handrail wire inserted in the feet. The holes they leave are not really noticeable. But it doesn't work on hard surfaces such as platforms and pavements, and you are dependent on the foamboard being dense and firm, which can be difficult to know in advance.

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When I was very young I had a home made toy,  a fishing rod with a horseshoe magnet on a bit of string and some cardboard fish with a paper clip on the nose which could be caught in a bucket of shredded paper. These days I suspect 4 year olds would consider that a bit naff, but it kept me quiet for hours.

Ah yes, I had one of those too and was equally mesmerized. Google suggests that they are still around, if a lot more plasticky now. Could be a fun little DIY project actually.

I suspect the round downpipes are replacements. Maybe even recent ones, Newbury has just been renovated. Some of the sills have also been modified (somewhat crudely), probably to avoid them deteriorating further. Photos are from June 2023.

On 04/01/2024 at 10:38, David Bigcheeseplant said:

I draw the vertical mortar course first working out the corners window/door openings with the quarter brick queen closures using array tools. then fill in the other vertical mortar lines using the array tool again. it is only when all the verticals have been done I do the horizontal courses.

 

If I was doing laser cutting then I would just draw one line that the laser will follow on 3D printing I need to specify not only the width of the mortar but the depth too. In Fusion 360 I can set parameters so both the Hight of bricks, width and depth of the mortar can be set and changed if not right, I originally did the mortar at .1mm depth and width but although you could see it on the print it would have been impossible to paint, so changed it to .2mm wide and .3mm depth.

 

Also as I said before the height of the bricks was not 76.2mm (3")  high but 84mm high so had to adjust the height of my bricks to match the overall height.   

I can see how painting will require a steady hand. E.g. as the bands are printed with the rest they cannot be coloured separately first.

I see that your print accommodates the in-set downpipes. It's quite a stylish little design feature. I discovered it too late for my build, serves me right for not paying attention.

I second that. The stacked overview photo in your earlier post is such a peaceful scene, it would be nice to see more.

23 hours ago, goldngreen said:

Brilliant, inspiring and informative. Thanks

Thanks, very kind of you. The windows are going in now and it feels like I'm over the hill on this build. Still a good way to go though.

It's good to see you on here again, I'm off to see how things are going at Marlott.

The Cocktail Stick Appreciation Society would like to thank you for always including one such item in your builds! It's becoming a trademark 🙂

As are magnets. Using them to hold figures is clever. I wonder if there is potential for wider application there. Imagine if any figure could be moved around and placed anywhere on a layout at will...

Fascinating. The brickwork seems nicely captured, and it looks like the rounded bullnose corners are there. The lintels will need some embellishments added, but those can also be 3D printed I assume.

This really is a whole new paradigm in modelling. Increasingly it is no longer a question of whether something can be achieved, but more a question of how we want to approach a project (e.g. old school or 3D printed). 

Ah, very nice. Can I ask what is the material that you are cutting into?

Thank you John, I'm glad you like it. Am currently fitting the windows and wish the GWR hadn't done the frames and glazing in chocolate brown during my main modelling period. I think it looked better later when they were done in white.

I look forward to seeing the station at Hartley Hill in due course, hope you've had time for a bit of modelling over christmas. 

Happy new year. I'm enjoying seeing this scene develop, nice modelling.

Incidentally, it has always seemed odd to me that Noch and Preiser insist on modelling their seated figures with a straight back, so that they inevitably look a little awkward when seated. In this particular case it won't be very noticeable I think, but on station platforms it can look a little odd in my view.

Congratulations on reaching the Milestone.  Cragington will be quite an eyecatcher, I assume it will it be set at the back?

Just watched the video. A double tailchaser! 👍

On 23/12/2023 at 20:00, Simond said:

As nobody mentioned it, I just have to tell you that the suggested musicians all released versions of Cat Steven’s’ “Peace Train”, which seemed appropriate…

 

Merry Christmas, and a Peaceful, Prosperous, Happy & Healthy New Year to all.

Brilliant! I didn't catch onto your first hint. Now at the in-laws, via Copenhagen Central.

Presents yesterday included a gift card which will be used for a Mapping Pen, with lining in mind.

Thank you to all for the greetings and kind thoughts, they are very heartwarming. As Rich says, it seems to be the time of year for reflection.

Yes we call it jul here, though we don't do chocolate yule logs (sadly) 🙂. IIRC yule can be traced back to pre-Christian winter solstice celebrations. No wonder there's a need for celebration and light at this time of year up here in the North.

Rich also mentioned Lego. I see that there are now Brio/Lego connectors available so that you can build something like this (not ours!):

The Brio project wasn't entirely unrelated to modelling by the way. The gold spray in the video was an opportunity to try out a can that I've bought to test the Plastikote "Metallic" range - with polished domes and coppercaps in mind.

I was fairly impressed, this is just 2-3 quick passes with the "Gold" can, without primer in a cold loft directly on smooth foamboard:

Thanks for the explanation. An impressive bit of plasticard scratchbuilding, given how neat and smooth they look. I look forward to seeing the rest of the shop.