Hi All, Thought you might like to see whats been going on since my last post. Control panel now finishd and wired and a start on the Ballasting has just began tonight. Here's a photo showing what the scenery will look like when all the brown parcel tape is covered.
I have used chicken wire, and crisscrossed cardboard, to build the contours, along with foam. I have used plaster and hydrocal, with guaze and hydrocal soaked J clothes, as well as stripped brown paper soaked in hydrocal. But I have never seen tape such as you are using - used. So how does the hyodrocal stick to it? Doesn't it slide around?
Paul, your craftmanship continues to overwhelm most of us. You say you completed your control panel. Any chance of a photo of it and maybe a schematic diagram for us "Coneheads" ??? Thanks.
Thanks All for the kind remarks. Rick, I don't use hyodrocal, I use undercoat-plaster and it sticks to anything. fitz, here's the control panel for you to see. Started ballasting last night, still at it today, should have it all done by Sunday then I can start on the scenery proper.
Paul, That's a great looking panel, it looks to be computer-generated. I don't see any switch machine controls. Do you finger-throw, or is there another panel for the controls?
Hi Jesper, Undercoat Plaster is what they use in the building trade (Here in the UK anyway) it's the first coat they use before using Finishing Plaster which is very fine. Undercoat plaster I have used on my scenery making for nearly 40 years, before that I use plaster of paris with bits of cloth soaked in it. (Messy) I like undercoat plaster because I can add the colour of my choice to it before I mix it up. So if I add a grey to it, my scenery starts out when dry, all grey. Hank, The switch machines are all controlled by the panel, those tiny little holes by each turnout is where the stud/contact are, using the probe which is in the middle of the panel. [ 01 February 2002, 15:25: Message edited by: Paul Templar ]
Paul, we used the same method on club layouts for several years, and it works very well. We called it "the electric pencil" method
Paul, Superb work as always & thanks for sharing your wok plus answering our questions. Take care, Jim
I would like to thank you too for sharing information. I would also really like (and are sure others would too) if you could keep posting pictures, many pictures, as your work progress, or maybe even add a "how to do superb scenery" section to your homepage. Jesper
Paul - Since getting back into the hobby 5 months ago after a 25 year hold, I have often gone to you Web site to marvel at the job you have done. Now you are re-building and thankfully still sharing you knowledge on the new effort. I sitting here on the West Coast of Canada on a Saturday morning having just put the second coat on the backdrop for my new layout (waiting for the paint to dry) and I'm shaking my head with wonder. You have accomplished so much in the last month and I'm still limping along having started 4 months ago. If this was a marathon you would be at the 3/4 mark and I would still be tying my shoes. At the very least reading of your progress gives me a kick in the backside to keep going. Even if I seem to spend a great deal of time just thinking about how one component of my layout will relate to another so that I don't do something stupid that has to be done again. Neverless keep up the great work and make sure you keep us posted. A least I can know the goal post is there and that you are leading the way for many with your high quality work and willingness to share
