Wrong Scale?

[GlenP]

I'm currently working on some Scalescenes buildings for the second layout and I've come to the conclusion I'm modelling in the wrong scale.

I'm working in N but have O-Gauge fingers!     

Glen

[scotsoft]

I'm currently working on some Scalescenes buildings for the second layout and I've come to the conclusion I'm modelling in the wrong scale.

I'm working in N but have O-Gauge fingers!     

Glen

That is a common ailment you will find Glen, however with dogged resilience and a gazillion hours of practice give or take ten minutes you will find those clumpy O gauge fingers become used to the pernickety demands of n gauge 

cheers John.

[GlenP]

In truth I'm quite enjoying it. They're never going to count as great modelling but what the heck.

When I started out I intended to use ready-made buildings, but the lack of choice and the cost pushed me to try Metcalfe card kits. They're OK but have their problems.

Scaescenes do exactly what I want for the coffee table layout that's my current main effort, so I decided to give them a go. A decent illuminated magnifier helps, as does a sharp scalpel and fine tweezers!

At the moment I've done the free small goods store and I'm in the middle of Staverton Station (although it will be renamed). A minor issue shortly after I started was the lack of any acetate for the windows - I'm sure I've got loads somewhere! Off to Staples in a mo to rectify that.

Next up is the modern factory building - that's important as it will house the Raspberry Pi that will control the layout.

Glen

[edwin_m]

For windows I tend to cut up the transparent packaging that comes free with things like shirts and some foods. 

[longbridge]

Crikey we do have our problems SWMBO thinks I have that problem with my brain, I think its O gauge and she thinks its z gauge 

[GlenP]

Well I was quite enjoying this until it came to the windows! I can see the attraction of the Brassmasters frets now. I've found it impossible to cut the window appertures out of the paper (even tried printing onto thin card to see if that helped) as the glazing bars are just too thin.

I'm going to try and alternative which is to print and scan back the page (the PDFs are locked so I can't just edit them) then print erase the unwanted bits from inside the windows (it's a nuisance that they're not white and have the word "cut" on them). Tomorrow I'll colour laser print onto acetate at work and see if I like the result.

If that doesn't work I'll just cut out the entire window!

It's a nuisance as I really wanted to finish this today.   

Glen

[Jerry Howlett]

  I agree with you that the windows are a pane (sorry).

I print them on to card and cut them but the Staverton station ones are TINY..

[GlenP]

Just to update on this.

Printing the windows onto film worked OK, although they're not brilliant. If I do the same again I'll just draw the windows bars as I want them and print them to acetate instead of faffing with editing the PDFs. I might look to try the transfer film as a way of getting white window frames - one more thing to order!

Unfortunately overall I made too many mistakes with that model - all good experience but it won't be on the finished layout! I had some hopes of retrieving the situation but it's just not worth it - I'll start again from scratch in a while. It will do for sizing up though. The main problem was that because of the window issues I got ahead on the fabrication but then lost where I was. I didn't really understand how the end walls work (I now realise that the internal bit sticking out forms the drain pipe - doh!) and then omitted to put the gutters in before the roof!

This evening I've started on the, much simpler, adjacent goods shed. I've used the experience from the previous build and I think this is working better. All the main sections are cut out and glued together, once they're dry (i.e. tomorrow) I'll start to assemble it.

Glen

[Bikeracer]

Hi Glen,

One tip for cutting out windows is to print them on a label,stick that to the glazing,then where the glazing bars are just cut right through them at the ends,you can then just tease out the bit that is the window pane leaving the glazing bars behind.

I've got another factory to do and I found it was a bit harder than I thought it would be the first one and I cocked it up,I've still got it as a reminder of doing it wrong,it's not finished and making it an 'L' shape was what really ruined it.

You will have a PM in a minute.

Allan

[508111]

Well I was quite enjoying this until it came to the windows! I can see the attraction of the Brassmasters frets now. I've found it impossible to cut the window appertures out of the paper (even tried printing onto thin card to see if that helped) as the glazing bars are just too thin.

Whilst building the T020 terraced houses kit, I've found that the best procedure for doing this in paper is to cut out the middle bar of the window frame, so that you have just the rectangular frame, without the crossbar. Then, glue another very thin strip of paper to the back of the window frame, to reform the crossbar. For the glass, I then use inkjet printed A4 OHP acetate.

I've found that my favoured procedure is to print the non-glazing parts onto normal printer/photocopier paper, then use Bostik All Purpose Clear to glue the  rough-cut sheets to either Canon Matt Photo Paper (MP101/170gsm A4) or 1mm Greyboard (which makes a nicely solid structure), as appropriate. The Bostik doesn't cause the paper to wrinkle, as PVA does.



Of course, tweezers and a helping hands magnifier will come in handy!

[dean thom]

typical of the human race to get everything wrong even down to our beloved hobby...the best scale for most people, given the choice of off the shelf products, would surely be 3mm. big enough that sausage fingers can deal with it, small enough that a decent layout could be built in a smallish space. Dx