Spiffy, I used three different methods. All three methods us the same first step: the traditional cardboard strip lattice hot glued together. The first method covered that lattice with plaster soaked paper towels. What a mess! Over the set plaster I used joint compound. Second, I tried painter's cloths hot glued to the lattice, then covered with joint compound. This was a great improvement and a lot less messy. The single drawback was the material sagged a lot under the weight of the compound thereby causing me to have to use more compound - but it's cheap! Third, and the method I will definitely use in any future scenery, is cheap masking tape over the lattice. Fast, easy, and no sagging. This is the method of choice for me. I also did one part with shaped foam. I used beaded foam which doesn't shape nearly as well as the extruded stuff, and covered the shaped foam with joint compound. If for some reason I didn't use number three above, I would try the extruded foam, but the lattice works well for me and is easy to change if required. As to results, all three (four if you count the foam) gave the same end result. I'd typically put small layers of joint compound as required to give me the landforms necessary for what I wanted and until I was happy with the result. The first layers of compound go on with a four inch knife and then are smoothed by dragging a wet 1-1/2" paintbrush for final smoothing. I always used that paintbrush unless embedding rock, when I'd use a much smaller brush to texture the compound. Hope this helps!
Thanks jim. That explains the process just perfectly. Iam so grateful that you are so willing to share your ideas and talents. Thanks again for your time and help.
I use the blue 1/2 inch and pink 3/4 inch foam insulation to make the scenery contour on my N scale shelf layout. By doing this I am able to carve elevation changes that are below track level. More insulation foam can be used to build up hills and mountains. I like to use caulking as an adhesive for the foam and cork roadbed. If.you lay the blue foam down first it can act as a warning track, to barrow the term from baseball, so you don't carve too deep. . Joe
You can follow along with my N scale shelf layout at... http://www.frisco.org/shipit/index.php?threads/n-scale-shelf-layout.7212/ Joe
After eight years temperature and humidity fluctuations had begun to take a toll on the Sub's backdrops. I tried several repair methods - wallpaper seam sealer, Aileen's, and what I used to install them in the first place, rubber cement. The rubber cement won out as being the least disruptive and easiest. There were seven locations needing varying degrees of work but one of them was a real pain because of the distance from the layout edge. So here's what I did: The scenery here is cardboard lattice with masking tape and several coats of joint compound, the thin shell is quite strong and cut fairly easily with a utility knife. Here's a shot of the plug back in position: And not too long after: It was much easier than I thought, and now I wish I hadn't waited so long to execute. And yes, it's time for a lens clean!
New additions to the Sub this week. I got tired of waiting for my usual supplier to show them (they appeared today...) and got them off the Bay at a decent price. I like the cars, nicely done, MT. I'd seen a report that DI containers wouldn't fit; not strictly true, they're a bit tight but as you see they do fit, that's a DI in the well. The cars are operating in the second slot of long trains and the bottom container is weighted. I did replace the plastic wheels with FVM metals but that's standard on the Sub for signalling purposes. The body mounted coupler works well. Now, if MT had done THIS car: I'd buy a bunch. As it is, the two I have may very well be all. FVM is said to be working on one; I predict large sales when it appears.
New Power arrives at Oakville: Locos have been decodered and tested - looks like FVM got their QC act together, these six run very nearly alike - and beautifully! Now it's time for details, then into service...
Hi Jim Do you also drill the wholes to assembly the side ladders? On my VFM I can’t see the punches to drill the wholes on the right position. So I just detailed the Front- and back ladders and of course the sunshades.
Eugen, my one criticism of FVM is they have no drawing to show where all the grabs are to be placed. Since this is a new model to me, I went looking for line drawings of the ACes, and found some at trainiax.net that show where the grabs are located on the prototype, both UP and BNSF (Appear to be identical, and although the drawings show various loco phases it appears the various grabs do not change position with the loco phase.). I've not yet begun to add them; house guests at the moment. Maybe next week...
