I just wondered what some of you use to make your parking lot lines and roadway lines?? Got pictures?? Scott
I don't have a good answer to that from direct experience, but if I may make a suggestion of something to NOT use that would be White-Out. When applied with the brush in the cap, it looks like, well, White-Out. I have seen people in my club mask off a road and paint the strip with yellow paint. Some of those look okay. We don't have a lot of example of what I would call realistic looking roads in that club. I keep arguing that roads are not black unless they are brand spanking new, because, well, they aren't.
I use masking tape and newspaper to mask off the lines. I do it all twice, once each for yellow and white lines. To make double yellow lines that are uniform in width and run parallel, I'll apply three strips of pin-striping tape butted together side by side, then I'll apply regular masking tape along the outsides of the group of three; finally, I'll remove the two pieces of pin-striping tape where the lines will run. After the masking is all in place, I just spray the area with Refer White or Refer Yellow. I spray very lightly, building up to the desired density, and also vary the density to simulate natural wear. I'll use a Sharpie to make tar patch lines. I'll also make the occasional skid marks, and I'll use a nearly-dead Sharpie for these so they aren't too intense. .
I just use a paint pen and a straight edge. Practice a little first, though, for sure. I have only made lines with this method; no turn arrows or RR crossing words.
I just use the pinstriping tape available at most any auto parts store. Reasonably priced, and works great. For words on a road, i.e., RR for a crossing, etc., any office supply store will have appropriate scaled adhesive letters. No pics, sorry, as that layout is apart while another is going up.
A paint pen...WOW I never even thought of that.Flash your a genius.I use them at work but never even thought of that.Im gonna try that tomorrow.Thanks:thumbs_up::thumbs_up::thumbs_up:
Some great looking roads there guys. If I can just go slightly OT for a second, do any of you know what year the line markings changed from white to yellow in the U.S.? I seem to remember this being mentioned in a MR article some time back but can't find it.
I use Micro Scale white and yellow decal stripes. It's probably as tedious as any method but I like the smooth uniform look.
I borrowed a white pencil from my wife's 3rd grade class. It's a little too broad, but not bad. For the roads I use three sections of foam rail bed (instead of just two for laying track). Then I paint the roads grimy black. The roads are too black though and I'm going to try some greys next.
I've tried tape, spray, etc. At long last, I think white and yellow colored pencils are the simplest and best. When not quite perfect-- well the prototypoe world isn't quite perfect either.
City - RailImages.com City - RailImages.com I just uploaded pics, but here they are done with a white and yellow pencil.
I like the white and yellow pencils the best. I have tried tape and after a while it will start to peel.
Like Flash, I use paint pens for my roads. I made a template from a piece of styrene for the curves and used the edge of the template to paint the road lines.
I've had best luck with old Rapidograph pens and white ink. They are a pain to keep flowing, and my local art store hasn't stocked replacement nubs or white ink for a few years. I've also used tape.
I'm moving here where gas is only 79 cents a gallon. I remember when I was 18 and gas was 99 cents a gallon (11 bucks to fill up, 10 + 1 gallon tank) and would take me two weeks to kill it even puttzing around like teenagers do.... Now I'm filling my tank every week ( 40 bones to fill up, 14.5 gallon tank) and sit in traffic for 2 hours twice a day...the life of a consultant IT contractor. Jesus I sound old and it hasnt even been 10 years!
I can remember traveling with my grandpa in his 52 Buick, and wondering why he bought gas at 20.9 cents a gallon instead of 23.9 cents. Of course, I was a tyke, and thought the postings were miles per gallon instead of cents per gallon. Why would he choose a gas that got less miles per gallon? I remember pumping gas when I was 14, and working at a Citizen's Service station on the Mass Turnpike. Gas was about 32 cents a gallon, a huge premium over the 26.9 cents a gallon at stations off the turnpike. Gas was about 27 cents a gallon all through high school. I went to a Jesuit high school about 12 miles away. Six of us shared a car, and pulled into stations to buy whatever we could scrounge together--one time it was 17 cents. We'd actually wait until stations shut down for the night, and then try to drain the gas left in the hoses, after a night of 19 cent burgers. Wow, was it that long ago?
When I started driving on my own is was about 80-90 cents per gallon, and then Iraq invaded Kuwait and suddenly gas was KILLING me at up to $1.30-$1.40/gallon. Of course, I was only making about 5 bucks an hour doing yardwork and working weekends at a blueberry farm.
