I originally posted this topic looking for free or relatively cheap catalogs and idea sources for someone (me) new to the hobby. Somehow, the whole thread got zapped out of existence, so I'll start a new one. I would like to expand this a bit to include scratchbuilding ideas and money-saving tips & tricks that anyone can help me out with. My primary interest is N-scale, but I can use ideas from any scale. Scenery, structures, layout ideas, etc... Right now, I'm more in the idea gathering mode than committed to building anything specific. Thanks to all who replied to the original thread- there were some great ideas.
Well Guppman, being the skin flint cheap skate that I am, I suggest you keep an eye out for houses under construction, for gathering plywood, mouldingd (for braces), remnants of wire (house wire makes good buss wire), PVC tube, sand piles (leftovers), sheet metal from siding and roofs, vinyl from same, kitchen remnants, all kinds of stuff. Insulation makes good trees for back ground fill-ins. I drove my pickup to work and always had rope, and a carge net with me after I saw a full sized sheet of plywood blow off a truck one day. It is covering one of my modules. Found three so far on the freeway. Found a full can and several partly full cans of paint along the road where a painter had dumped them. A truck went around a corner too fast and lost a whole box of nails, so now I have nails my grandkids can inherit! Keep your eyes open, and be ready to stop and get it! Be a Pack rat. If you get laughed at, just think how much they paid for the things you got free by being alert! It never hurts to ask for catalogs and samples, sometimes you get lucky! Worked for me. ------------------ Watash #982 "See you in the Pit"
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by watash: Insulation makes good trees for back ground fill-ins. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> How do you make trees from insulation? And are you talking about the old fuzzy, fiberglass, nasty stuff? I have a whole roll sitting out in my shed. I also have a lot of scrap wood, plexiglass and sheet metal out there that the last guy who owned my house left behind. It's finding useful ways to use all this junk that is kinda beyond me.
Go to one of the larger search engines, Yahoo or excite. Type in "NMRA" (National Model Railroad Association). When the main page loads, scroll down the left side and enter SIG Special Interest Group, go to Layout Design area and start snooping.
guppyman, You might want to head to the Great American Train Show this weekend. Here is the flyer for it. It'll actually be at the Astroarena, not the Dome. Dwight
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by drbooher: guppyman, You might want to head to the Great American Train Show this weekend. Here is the flyer for it. It'll actually be at the Astroarena, not the Dome. Dwight<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I found out about that just yesterday while trying to find info on local clubs. I will definately be there. I just dread the parking- I was at the dome a week & a half ago and it took us over an hour to leave the parking lot!
Guppyman, The insulation was real glass fibers, that you had to have leather gloves, and a face shield when putting it up in a house, 1940's. Yes it is the old "rock Wool" spun glass grey (now days pink) insulation sheets. Make NO mistake, it is NASTY stuff to work with! Comes in rolls, batts, and sheets. I made paper templates to fit the areas along the back of the layout. Then I laid the batt out in the back yard and sprayed it black all over. Then cut it to shapes by laying the templates on top. I used a small piece of baling wire with a little hook bent on the end to "Tease" tree tops all over it, some taller than others. Then sprayed lightly and randomely with several shades of green, a few places spotted with grey, brown, and let dry. The paint stuck the loose hairs of glass together, so it didn't get all over everything like when they are "laying" it into a house. Regular trees were then installed along the front edge to hide the lack of tree trunks. I sprayed some "spots" with a flat clear Krylon using that to sprinkle bits of the trimmings from the "real" trees (I bought); around over the top of the batt shapes to hide the "Continual" texture look. You and I and other members would probably pick it out, but no friends or family visitors ever mentioned it. One Club member spotted it! You know the kind, there's always one you think of ways to shove over the Royal Gorge bridge just so you can watch him "Loud Mouth" all the way down, and tell him to complain about that! After all that work, I made my mind up, even if I spot something, I either try to compliment the guy on the effort he has gone through, or I wait til I'm outside and around the corner before I crack up! Keep in mind that nothing will discourage a kid quicker, than for an older person to criticize something you thought you were really doing a good job on. (I was about 13 then). The only advantage I ever saw in insulation was: it was cheap, it covered places that (I thought) gave it some depth, and the paint was found along side a road. Two cans were purchased. Don't use it where anyone has to touch or brush by it. ------------------ Watash #982 "See you in the Pit"
u know how expensive styrofoam is, well if u want lots, go to the funiture warehouses, when they unpack the boxes for their displays the boxes are packed with styrofoam and they just throw it in the garbage. They don't mind helping out train modelers Also if your looking for mags, look for the used ones, .50 to $1 or 12 for $3 is a usual price. Usually get them at train flea markets. Hobby shops sometimes will sell a 1yr or 2yr old walthers catalog for cheap. U want inexpensive ground scenery, buy a bag of swimming pool filter, be very carefull not to breathe in. Then buy acrylic paint powder and mix together. Once mixed its okay. Make whatever ground color u want and it will last a long time. Make your own train molds. Well thats just a couple of ideas, u can get more from the old mags
u know how expensive styrofoam is, well if u want lots, go to the funiture warehouses, when they unpack the boxes for their displays the boxes are packed with styrofoam and they just throw it in the garbage. They don't mind helping out train modelers Also if your looking for mags, look for the used ones, .50 to $1 or 12 for $3 is a usual price. Usually get them at train flea markets. Hobby shops sometimes will sell a 1yr or 2yr old walthers catalog for cheap. U want inexpensive ground scenery, buy a bag of swimming pool filter, be very carefull not to breathe in. Then buy acrylic paint powder and mix together. Once mixed its okay. Make whatever ground color u want and it will last a long time. Make your own train molds. Well thats just a couple of ideas, u can get more from the old mags
OK, At the risk of wiping out this whole thread again ...Watashe's idea regarding insulation can also be done with large sheets of cotton batting. It is pretty cheap from medical supply outfits, but you must by in bulk (which is great for a large layout). Take the batting, unroll it, spray black and when dry tease out trees in different sizes, just as Watash sez. Paint in different shades of green and you are ready to go. It is alot more healthy than working with fiber glas insulation . Another trick, depending on scale, is to get wood coffee swizzle sticks. There are a variety of uses for these things and I always keep some on hand. When I was in HO, I scratch built an entire mining complex, and used the swizzle sticks to represent boards on the outside of the mine (outter wall). A little weathering, and they look great !! I am sure there are many more free and cheap tricks, so I will post more later. BTW sorry for the glitch that wiped this out the first time...still have no idea how it happened. Happy Modeling!! John ------------------ The Santa Fe and Southwestern, Chief of the Southwest!! Proud to be NARA Member #14
JCater, you jogged my mind. Now why didn't I think of that? Maybe I didn't think they made quilts anymore. Mother used to buy batting at the cloth store and make quilts. (It's another possible place to find cotton batting). Yes cotton sure would be better, but the poly fiber from China would be as bad as glass! ------------------ Watash #982 "See you in the Pit"
