TheRailwire
General Discussion => N and Z Scales => Topic started by: John on April 06, 2008, 07:10:20 AM
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Its that time again.
For me, spent the afternoon building and installing upper deck benchwork .. got about 30 feet done .. today will be some more carpentry ..
What's an upadate??? ;D
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Actually did some modeling (really rare these days; this opportunity actually was due mostly to an injury which precluded doing home renovation work). Got started on a lumber yard, which is a modified Nail Brothers Salvage kit from Robert Ray.
(http://jamesriverbranch.net/images/IMG_2382_F.jpg)
More info: http://jamesriverbranch.net/project_13.htm
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The week that was... somewhat interesting...
Good ol' Lee got me interested in 40' Hi Cubes - didn't have one and when I found an orphan at the LHS I bought it and started to figure out what I could do with it..... (Bachmann's well known livery fidelity had the plug door painted in ATSF... um...ah... I don't think so, wrong door, wrong number...etc) A little Morning Sun surfing hit upon this.....
(http://www.ScaleRailsOnline.com/images/Galleries/puddington/2700/UP_hicube_rs.jpg)
I'll be making a few more - appliances from the Great State of Texas will soon be flowing north....
I also got busy on a CPR business car.....well, at least that's what I thought I was doing.....
(http://www.ScaleRailsOnline.com/images/Galleries/puddington/96/cp_24_4.jpg)
I was chugging along on CPR shorty number 24 just fine thank you when again Lee (have you noticed how he does this with alarming regularity ?) asked a question...." Why not cut down a 80's rather then use a 60' footer".... dumb question; why use an 80' car for a 60' car when you have a 60' car.... see, it says right here, Car Number 24 is exactly 70'1"..... and... um... ah.....oops............
After a quiet, under the breath word of thanks to the man from the WM, I retreated to the train cave library and got to work...... CPR... 60'... steel side.... gotta be a prototype.......
Ah man......................anything but that !
(http://www.ScaleRailsOnline.com/images/Galleries/puddington/96/CP_7.jpg)
The Sudbury Division superintendant's car - circa 1970, just my era..... but it's a Pac Man Puppy.... but it's stainless steel painted..... #@!#!#!%$#!%$#
Oh well, on with the show... the wiindows I'd made were close so.....
(http://www.ScaleRailsOnline.com/images/Galleries/puddington/2700/CP_7_broadside_rs.jpg)
I still wanna finish the roof vents but I'm taking a break.....
(http://www.ScaleRailsOnline.com/images/Galleries/puddington/2700/CP_7_drifts_away_rs.jpg)
That was the week.....except one little thing......
This...........
(http://www.ScaleRailsOnline.com/images/Galleries/puddington/96/winner_1.jpg)
I bought this........ let me explain....
Each year or so a gentleman who is a professional set decorator for movies, TV commercials etc... arrives at a Toronto area LHS with one of these. He's built it (and been paid) for a TV spot or some such thing. The LHS holds it and "finds" a worthy home. The guy uses the proceeds for another hobby, or often, I am told, a charity.
This year I got to the LHS to buy some CA and some paint as it was being displayed... a few minutes later it was mine.....
Double main line, Kato unitrack, ballested, Walthers kits all made (and quite well too) with some other little gems, details and all wired...... hollow core door layout, just begging to be modified and linked to my Samuel Ridge.....all for less than the price of a new Big Boy locomotive... even at a the internet discounted prices..... yep; ya; works for me.....
(http://www.ScaleRailsOnline.com/images/Galleries/puddington/96/winner_2.jpg)
(http://www.ScaleRailsOnline.com/images/Galleries/puddington/96/winner_3.jpg)
Clearly it isn't what I would have built were I to have done it myself but with a 60 hour a week job; wife and four year old and an hour and a half each way commute to work, plus travel, this is a great "comprimise" for extending the mainline..........
An average week..........nothin to it folks.
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For the past couple of milleniums [at least it seems that long] I have been trying to finish my Ntrak modules. There are eight of them. When finished they make a complete layout that is 6' by 24' and it will all fit in the back of my minivan. [At least on paper it does] Six of the modules are straights 6 feet in length. The other two are the end modules wich are 6 feet wide and 40 inches long. There were originally 48 inches long but clearances inside the minivan necessitated reducing the length to 40 inches. Long the way I got some ideas which I incorporated into the modules to allow set up and tear down easier and faster. When completed and tested I hope to do a write up for one of the mags on it all.
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We did a show in Hickory yesterday. Those 1 day shows make for a rather long day, but at least you get to rest up on Sunday. We had 1 new module that was rather a hit. Got several good comments.
(http://pictures.khbeck.com/2008/dscf0676.jpg)
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That tail car looks fantastic, Mike. The Gold Medal details really finished it off nicely. Good score on the layout addition, too... Now if only I could talk you into code 55 and DCC!
Speaking of DCC, I made a little progress on some of the projects that have landed on my workbench over the last week or two...
(http://www.wmrywesternlines.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/Train_Junk_002web.jpg)
I got this Big Johnson done for a guy over at Scale Rails Online. I put the decoder in the tender to take advantage of the pick ups back there, and hardwired the front light into the track pick up to cut down on the number of wires between the engine and tender. I still need to tweek a few things in there to get the shell to sit tighter, but I'm really happy overall with the outcome.
(http://www.wmrywesternlines.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/Bob_s_Trainmaster.jpg)
Also replaced a factory board for Bob. His Trainmaster is shown lending a hand to a Reading consist at Williamsport Jct.
I've also been working on updating and cleaning up my website. Feel free to stop by and have a look.
Lee
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Yet again another weekend passes with no modelling done.
This time i have a good excuse, our first child was born last weekend, Jessica May Kenneth, weighing 9lb 9oz. She is leading us a merry dance but i could not be happier.
My next Chuck Pack is coming on Tuesday as well so i have a good week to come.
Alasdair
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On the positive side, I started my GP40P-2 (sorry about the bad photo, lighting issues)
(http://warweb.homelinux.net/albums/GP40P-2/gp40p2.jpg)
and this arrived..woohoo! :)
(http://warweb.homelinux.net/albums/Module/bb01.sized.jpg)
On the other side, I spent all today painting up a boxcar in my new scheme for my freelanced road, only for the paint to suffer a reaction at the 11th hour. I spent the 12th hour stripping it, and breaking the steps, maybe I'll be luckier next time.
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It was Beer and Bourbon Fest weekend, so I haven't done much modeling, but I DID get some new pics of my Dad's layout that he and I got setup over Easter Weekend.
It's all NTRAK modules in various states of completion. The end loops are almost as old as I am, and are now in their third incarnation. They were recently redone and are awaiting scenery. The module with the viaduct is awaiting rebuilding, but features a creek down the middle that had real running water powered by an aquarium pump. There's a reversible corner that can serve as an inside or an outside corner in NTRAK layouts. The final module is mine. It's an adapter designed to have a onetrak module dropped onto it and serve as the mountain line. I don't have one there, so right now the skyboard is pushed up along the back of it.
From west to east:
(http://lh6.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/R_lQg1XxyGI/AAAAAAAAFqE/bgHsyoAMvVY/s800/IMG_0793.jpg) (http://picasaweb.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/MyFatherSLayout/photo#5186264970906683490)
(http://lh3.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/R_lQgFXxyEI/AAAAAAAAFp0/D6RLwj18LtQ/s800/IMG_0794.jpg) (http://picasaweb.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/MyFatherSLayout/photo#5186264958021781570)
(http://lh5.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/R_lQclXxx6I/AAAAAAAAFok/nEx8kSCF01M/s800/IMG_0795.jpg) (http://picasaweb.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/MyFatherSLayout/photo#5186264897892239266)
(http://lh3.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/R_lQhFXxyHI/AAAAAAAAFqM/WaX4BZc6Hjs/s800/IMG_0796.jpg) (http://picasaweb.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/MyFatherSLayout/photo#5186264975201650802)
(http://lh6.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/R_lQd1Xxx-I/AAAAAAAAFpE/ItlMaY9IDBs/s800/IMG_0799.jpg) (http://picasaweb.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/MyFatherSLayout/photo#5186264919367075810)
(http://lh3.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/R_lQeFXxx_I/AAAAAAAAFpM/k0iP6vTequ0/s800/IMG_0797.jpg) (http://picasaweb.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/MyFatherSLayout/photo#5186264923662043122)
(http://lh4.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/R_lQdVXxx9I/AAAAAAAAFo8/i0slJ9AvX0k/s800/IMG_0801.jpg) (http://picasaweb.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/MyFatherSLayout/photo#5186264910777141202)
(http://lh3.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/R_lQdFXxx8I/AAAAAAAAFo0/WUoO-7tlZ5M/s800/IMG_0802.jpg) (http://picasaweb.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/MyFatherSLayout/photo#5186264906482173890)
(http://lh4.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/R_lQhVXxyII/AAAAAAAAFqU/aTune54R5E0/s800/IMG_0804.jpg) (http://picasaweb.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/MyFatherSLayout/photo#5186264979496618114)
(http://lh6.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/R_lQc1Xxx7I/AAAAAAAAFos/1pElGl41qJ8/s800/IMG_0806.jpg) (http://picasaweb.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/MyFatherSLayout/photo#5186264902187206578)
(http://lh5.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/R_lQglXxyFI/AAAAAAAAFp8/6BhAryQtsrg/s800/IMG_0809.jpg) (http://picasaweb.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/MyFatherSLayout/photo#5186264966611716178)
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I didn't get much modeling done this week due to work and family obligations, but here are some pics from my club's open house last weekend.
(http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/bobcats_album/Mvc-022s.jpg)
(http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/bobcats_album/Mvc-020s.jpg)
(http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/bobcats_album/Mvc-007s.jpg)
(http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/bobcats_album/Mvc-009s.jpg)
(http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/bobcats_album/Mvc-012s-1.jpg)
The O scale sized hole on the high line was also done to the main beneath by a member playing with his new Rotozip tool. I'm going to cover the high line in the same fashion as I did on the main.
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MORNING HIAWATHA AT NEW LISBON, WISCONSIN June 23,1966
(http://home.comcast.net/~skytop35/HiAtNL.jpg)
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God damn Bill. That's incredible modeling.
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Hey Bill, what's with the gangsta lean? Or were the shelters built with trees from Lee's forest? ;)
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I didn't do any modeling. But upon arrival of a couple new Atlas TM cars, I put together a MNS blue round-up.
(http://lh4.google.com/wcfn100/R_bU07xWpEI/AAAAAAAABZc/S7fwG8OjKic/s800/DSC_0175.JPG.jpg)
The MNS was a pretty small road that must just be a benifactor of the models that have been released to have such representation.
Jason
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It's not much, especially compared to some of what's in this thread, but I installed a digitrax decoder in my new Kato SD40-2, which was an accomplishment since I was nervous about even removing the shell. I also spent most of the day Friday railfanning the east Kentucky coalfields--among some other things I captured a unit coal train with a SD80MAC still in Conrail colors in the consist, with a caboose bringing up the rear of the train.
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I started working on my N scale model of Norfolk Southern's transfer ferry John W. Garrett last weekend. I have basically finished the hull (which is now red) and completed some work on the paddle wheels.
(http://a770.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/111/l_53cc7668e4420177cc97c94dc4d295c9.jpg)
(http://a302.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/124/l_337ab6310fc3cd5fd538327b14005b8d.jpg)
(http://a851.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/108/l_e5a5c269dc061616738001d2e42696da.jpg)
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I've been in the process of shrinking the New River Mine down to size:
(http://pics.livejournal.com/masteralcuin/pic/0001e38e/s640x480)
After that much kitbashing, a new name was called for:
(http://pics.livejournal.com/masteralcuin/pic/0001gqrx)
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Ed,
Thanks for posting your Dad's modules pics. I have for a while tryed to come up with a replacement module to add to mine. I took the red line up an 2.5% maybe 3.5% grade and in to
the mountains. I also took the yellow line and tied it to the senek route. This formed a double track main.
Running newer locos has given me headacks because of loss of tracktion. I have wanted to sorta keep it at waterlevel so to speak.
I like what he did. Question what rad is the loop? 24" would be my guess.
I have removed most the trees and stuff for referbing this and well just thinking about replace with new module instead. This is the old one...
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a382/railspike55/Leftsidemodule1.jpg)
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Ron
I'm not sure the exact radius, but I know the modules are actually 30" deep as opposed to 24". I think they may be 11"rad at the ends, but I'm not sure about the sweeps.
They USED to have a 9" s curve in them, but the latest rebuild has straightened that out a little bit now. They're actually designed so that they can be used apart as end loops, or together as a straight module. They also used to have 3 tracks straight through, but don't any longer.
Here are some pics I had from a while back - this first one is a good overview of the area
(http://lh4.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/R_mX6VXxyRI/AAAAAAAAFr0/OJsjADn-I5M/s400/DSCF0023.JPG.jpg) (http://picasaweb.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/MyFatherSLayout/photo#5186343474318919954)
And this one gives you a good view of the s curve area.
(http://lh6.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/R_mX51XxyOI/AAAAAAAAFrc/RaE7tuF72MY/s400/DSCF0015.JPG.jpg) (http://picasaweb.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/MyFatherSLayout/photo#5186343465728985314)
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I spent most of Saturday running at the train club; we were open for public tours and a couple hundred people came through to visit.
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Thanks for the pics again.
They look good. Except for thee mains going through the middle. No wonder ya want to change
them.
For home layouts I have prefered one or two track mains as proto. When connected to the real
ntrak mod it convertes to two main and sideings.
But do like the way the the red line re enters yellow or blue. I will have to draw some plans to see what I can do with this.
Thanks for sharing. My first time showing my first attemp on an end module and while fun to run I never felt it was good to publish an a forum. All rock work was hand carved plaster so its
a heavy one.
Ron
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I would have been painting my 0-8-0, but ran out of re-rail frogs for the tender. Waiting for a Miniatures by Eric box to show...
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And some Western road shots to rev up the NE multitudes ;D ;D
(http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/511/DSCF1312.JPG)
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MNCR sort of
(http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/511/DSCF1317.JPG)
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Nice work there Alister.
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Howdy all,,, This weekend I spent much time deciding on to build a new layout,,, or just add on to what I have already.
What I have is roughly a 14 x 7 swicthing layout, which is made up of old parts from the last layout. You can see where the switching layout stopped and where I started new.
(http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r159/SooMilwCnw/2007_1226bench0001.jpg)
(http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r159/SooMilwCnw/IMG_7710.jpg)
(http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r159/SooMilwCnw/IMG_7708.jpg)
(http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r159/SooMilwCnw/IMG_7711.jpg)
I have no trackplan,, so I really have no clue what this is going to look like.LOL. In this area I thought about a river/bluff scene. Or maybe a hillside,,, with a road/highway below the track grade.
This is also the first time I am using any sort of subroadbed,,,usually I just slap the track down and awayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy I go.
It is hard to see in the curve, there is a wide piece of plywood,, that is an idea for a small one siding industry,,, co-op,,cement????
Well there ya have it,,, that took about 6.5 hours for me to do,, I could have kept on,,,,,but the evil eye I was receiving made me stop.lol
I know something is wrong with my 20D the pics come out too dark,, the first pic was taken by a fuji finepix s3000. I guess the canon needs to go to the shop.
Adios Wyatt
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Cleaning out the room, new workbench (5' on sale at Home Depot for 58.00) a cool hobby workbench. Watched Joe Fugate DVD's, amazing stuff except for his how to on gate or door locks for switch controls.
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no model action here, but i did get to man handle 10,000 or so girls on Friday. i installed my package...of bees into their hive.
-Steve
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Sheesh Steve, how the hell am I supposed to follow that up?
Finally got around to installing Unimate short shank couplers in my Super Chief ABBA consist (one of those sitting on my workbench forever projects):
(http://www.model160.com/mini/SNFF/SC_coupled.jpg)
I also installed one "half" American Limited diaphragm between each unit:
(http://www.model160.com/mini/SNFF/SC_coupled2.jpg)
Now all I need to do is install the grabs and other cab detail and get that z-scale coupler on the front! :)
Also took a couple fun shots...
(http://www.model160.com/mini/SNFF/SCcrews1_sml.jpg)
Overall shot:
(http://www.model160.com/mini/SNFF/SCcrews2_sml.jpg)
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Your scenery looks awesome.
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Hi Guys
Over the weekend I managed to get some lights installed into a project I'm working on
(http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h9/womblenz/Bash%20Build/BashBuild032.jpg)
(http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h9/womblenz/Bash%20Build/BashBuild033.jpg)
(http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h9/womblenz/Bash%20Build/BashBuild037.jpg)
(http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h9/womblenz/Bash%20Build/BashBuild043.jpg)
(http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h9/womblenz/Bash%20Build/BashBuild044.jpg)
If you look real hard you can see the conduict running up the wall.
(http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h9/womblenz/Bash%20Build/BashBuild040.jpg)
(http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h9/womblenz/Bash%20Build/BashBuild041.jpg)
Still have a ways to go yet still working out how to paint details
(http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h9/womblenz/Bash%20Build/BashBuild038.jpg)
(http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h9/womblenz/Bash%20Build/BashBuild039.jpg)
Oppppps better show building lol
(http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h9/womblenz/Bash%20Build/BashBuild031.jpg)
Cheers Warren
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Warren,
I recognize the LEDs, but what are you using for the shades?
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They look like Ngineering's shades to me.
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Hi Guys
yes LED's, conduit and shades are from Ngineering.
Cheers Warren
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Warren,
I'd bet the drill bit is too, right.
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I have been painting more of the order I recieved from Make My Model.
First we have a garbage truck painted to resemble a Waste Management unit. All I need is some custom printed tiny little N scale WM decals:
(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh4/Tracksentinel/2008_0408trucksandlocos0011.jpg)
(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh4/Tracksentinel/2008_0408trucksandlocos0010.jpg)
Then we have an LP gas delivery truck. This is one of two to be used with the gas depot on the layout:
(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh4/Tracksentinel/2008_0408trucksandlocos0012.jpg)
Here is a day-cab truck with dump trailer:
(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh4/Tracksentinel/2008_0408trucksandlocos0013.jpg)
And a 600 series aerocab:
(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh4/Tracksentinel/2008_0408trucksandlocos0015.jpg)
And finally an 800 series aerocab:
(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh4/Tracksentinel/2008_0408trucksandlocos0014.jpg)
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Nice! Now all you need, are some trash bags for the Waste Management truck to drive past.
*has had experiences with Waste Management*
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Sheesh Steve, how the hell am I supposed to follow that up?
Finally got around to installing Unimate short shank couplers in my Super Chief ABBA consist (one of those sitting on my workbench forever projects):
(http://www.model160.com/mini/SNFF/SC_coupled.jpg)
I also installed one "half" American Limited diaphragm between each unit:
(http://www.model160.com/mini/SNFF/SC_coupled2.jpg)
Now all I need to do is install the grabs and other cab detail and get that z-scale coupler on the front! :)
Also took a couple fun shots...
(http://www.model160.com/mini/SNFF/SCcrews1_sml.jpg)
Overall shot:
(http://www.model160.com/mini/SNFF/SCcrews2_sml.jpg)
lashedup, I don't know what you're growing but it looks good.
Bob in IDaho
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I have been painting more of the order I recieved from Make My Model.
First we have a garbage truck painted to resemble a Waste Management unit. All I need is some custom printed tiny little N scale WM decals:
And a 600 series aerocab:
(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh4/Tracksentinel/2008_0408trucksandlocos0015.jpg)
The top of that truck looks like it's been in a hailstorm! That's exactly the finish I've seen on autos left out in one. The glass is usually shattered though. ;D ;D ;D
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Yeah, that's the downside to that MMM stuff. It's a shame, because it's a really cool concept, but I'm now willing to bite for any of their stuff because of it.
I have one of their things, and while it's ok, I haven't painted it yet for that reason.
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I have been painting more of the order I recieved from Make My Model.
First we have a garbage truck painted to resemble a Waste Management unit. All I need is some custom printed tiny little N scale WM decals:
And a 600 series aerocab:
The top of that truck looks like it's been in a hailstorm! That's exactly the finish I've seen on autos left out in one. The glass is usually shattered though. ;D ;D ;D
Someone's first post and you're pointing out flaws in surface finish? Wow... These are actually the best MMM models I've seen, tracksentinel obviously spent a lot of time cleaning them up.
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Hey, lighten up francis... ;D
If you've never seen some of the 3D printer outputs closeup before you'd be surprised as well (unless you can afford a $60k Perfactory printer).
I agree he did a hell of a job cleaning them and painting them. 8)
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Easy Mike. We all know each other even though this is my first post here in a few years. ;) ;) >>
(wink wink, nudge nudge) Constructive criticism is alway welcome. Especially when the flaw is obvious.
I probably should have spent a little more time on that green truck but the light angle in the photo really make it look worse than it actually is.
Some sanding with sanding sticks and even files, and a couple coats of filling primer do wonders for most of the models.
I got 12 vehicles in that order from MMM and some required almost no sanding at all where others were fairly textured like the 600. Care must be taken with handling (sanding) the tractors and they will break at the frame right behind the cab. Don't ask me how I know this.
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Frankly, I wouldn't have commented if he hadn't done such a good job on the others. But, the Norfolk Southern sales rep. out of Montgomery that covered this area had a Chevy Citation company car that was caught in a hailstorm and he had to drive it all dented up until it was time to trade it. That's exactly what it looked like.
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Frankly, I wouldn't have commented if he hadn't done such a good job on the others. But, the Norfolk Southern sales rep. out of Montgomery that covered this area had a Chevy Citation company car that was caught in a hailstorm and he had to drive it all dented up until it was time to trade it. That's exactly what it looked like.
Yeah, my dad left his brand new 1973 T-Bird parked at the Altus, Oklahoma airport for a few days and it came away with that "Hammertone" finish too.
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I have never seen N scale hail damage modeled before. I would take that as a compliment! Over the road truckers face many perils, both man made and natural.. MMM items are good, but need a lot of preparation. I think you did a great job, since my attempts have not been as good as yours! 8)
Eric