Scalefour Forum

Thanks everyone. I've ordered a set of the Micro-Mesh sticks on ebay - modellingtools.uk was out of stock and stewmac's were going to have to come from Canada, with associated carriage costs. They seem to be just the job for what I need.

DT

There are some areas in the loco kit I'm currently building where I've had to use a little bit of filler, and while I've smoothed it down as best I can I'd like to finish it off with a sufficiently fine abrasive that will maintain the contours of the model and (hopefully) ensure that once painted th...

I've used Colron spirit based dyes, thinned with white spirit to lighten them. I was very pleased with the results at first but I'm now I'm not sure that thinning was a good idea as the colour seems to have faded, perhaps just a bit too much (or there again they might now be just right for my backwa...

My experience of my first rolling road, the Rolling Rails one, mirror those of Jol. Like him I got the one with the brass rollers and like him I never got them to run freely. It was effectively useless. The Bachrus one was a great improvement in that the rollers run freely and it does what it's mean...

I've got a Bachrus series 50 rolling road which is adjustable to fit gauges between 11 and 23 mm. I'm very pleased with it. However, Bachrus has now closed which probably accounts for many former suppliers now being out of stock. If you can find them you'd need a Series 50 stirrup set and saddle set...

That's a terrific boost for EM, which I feel has been flagging a bit over the last few years. Not so good, I suppose, for Exactoscale, SMP and C&L. Certainly if I was an 00 modeller thinking of changing to either P4 or EM, this development might well sway me towards the latter.

DT

I can't see the point of having a big P4 layout and a small 00 one unless the latter is built for exhibition purposes. Surely better to have a big 00 layout, on which you can use your existing stock and have fun running (and 00 with handbuilt track - or Peco bullhead - can be surprisingly good albei...

So really you want a small but beautifully built P4 layout and a big fun to run 00 one?

DT

Knuckles wrote:Choosing gauge for this layout is killing me.

You could also consider 00FS (or is it 00SF?). If you really feel that P4 will limit your aspirations for this layout, that might be the answer.

DT

Bit cheaper here (if it's the same sort of stuff): https://www.rapidonline.com/Unistrand-3714-Red-2-5mm-Silicone-Rubber-Test-Lead-Wire-5m-Pack-01-8038?IncVat=1&pdg=pla-294357559827:kwd-294357559827:cmp-757438067:adg-44804851896:crv-207912323492:pid-01-8038:dev-c&gclid=Cj0KCQjwguDeBRDCARIsAGx...

You might also consider the Keen Coupling System (http://www.keen-systems.com/Couplings.html) - not exactly finescale but might well do the job reasonably unobtrusively in a rake of coaches, for which indeed it is designed ("The system is intended for coupling fixed rakes of carriages buffer to...

I've had some problems with Dinghams on bogie coaching stock going through a crossover on my layout. Basically, the loop on the Dinghams was too narrow to accomodate the swing of the hook on the adjoining vehicle, thereby causing derailments. Or at least I think that's what caused them. I have there...

But the problem is in the rail, not the chairs, is it not? See the post further up where it states that C&Ls own chairs have the same issue on the Hi-Ni rail. Well, that's what Colin said. It doesn't accord exactly with my own expoeriences. In laying my track several years ago I used both Exact...

Given the postings in various threads on this forum pointing out the deficiencies of chairs and rail available for P4, it is a wonder that any P4 modeller has ever managed to achieve decent running standards. If I was a newcomer thinking of adopting P4 and read these posts, I think that my my next s...

This is a problem that the new Exactoscale team should perhaps be looking into (if they're not already).

DT

My choice of dyes had nothing to do with ambition, but was solely due to the fact that I happened to have them anyway! Like you I wanted (and i think achieved) a faded look, in my case a sort of grey/beigy, that involved a lot of thinner - trouble is that it's now just a bit too faded. I think that ...

The Gordon S method of ballasting, from RMWeb, would seem the safest option for me and is the version I have employed thus far but doing a few sleepers at a time. His track is painted before ballasting; twice - with primer then a top coat. That would seal the track prior to ballasting but for me, i...

I did mine like this - http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index. ... per-track/ - using neat cheap PVA, thin ply sleepers, and a templot base. It worked well.

DT

Will L wrote:So, given that rail wear is hardly likely to bother us, would we be better off suggesting the next generation of functional chairs leave out the cant?

Yes.

DT

But I get stuck on this phrase "the consistency of skimmed milk". I would be glad if someone could tell me how, reliably, to judge the consistency of paint (or skimmed milk, come to that). George Dent, in his useful book "Airbrushing for Railway Modellers", is one of those who s...

I've spray painted most of my locos with Halfords satin black and they end up pretty shiny. A quick spray with Testors Dullcote tones that down a bit. A word of warning, however - the satin black is quite a heavy spray so one shouldn't linger over it, ditto with the Testors. If I could be bothered I...

I've found that a combination of MicrSol or MicroSet and a cocktail stick usually removes Pressfix transfers without damaging the paintwork, but I've never tried it on a high gloss finish.

DT

Thai is an excellent layout which, for me, stole the scene at Perth. I really could not fault it and was fortunate enough to have a long and very helpful chat with Simon about the beautiful scenic work on the layout. It was also one of the few layouts at the show that appeared to be operated properl...

These really are exceptionally good. I've got a bunch of 16 tonners to finish and then move on to painting/weathering, but I'd never thought of using weathering powders only and I'd never have guessed that that's all you used (I assume that you used a base coat of paint?). What make of powders do yo...

I suspect that quite a lot of people here will remember the old Transacord LPs of steam locomotive sounds. They're long since gone, but I've just learned (thanks RMWeb) that some of the recordings are available again in mp3 format, usually £3.50 to download what was an LP. I'm presently listening to...