Scalefour Forum

The subject of building your own RSU to save money has never, as far as I know, identified a suitable, readily available, transformer. Twenty or more years ago Maplin used to sell a 100va transformer kit on which you could wind your own secondary outputs. Getting the large diameter enamelled wire c...

Gordon Bennett! As there appears to be a stone wall preventing resolution of the bearing/axleguard compatibility issues, I'll go back to my main point which was to use the plastic axleguards, slotted, in order to save a lot of work replacing them and adding castings. What's wrong with that then? Ab...

davebradwell wrote:I thought there might be some interest in an easier way for beginners like Beakie who seemed to be troubled by the variables but all we're hearing is more problems.

But of course - this is a P4 forum!

DT

I have plans for a jig that I have used quite successfully. If you PM me with your email address I'll send them to you.

DT

Guy Rixon wrote:What are the options for 3rd-party door furniture these days? I seem to remember etched T-handles and loop-handles being available back in the '90s.

Markits do some very nice turned brass door handles in 4mm scale. Unfortunately, at fractionally under 50p each, they're quite pricey.

DT

A wee addendum to the protocol for creating that battered bare wood look that I like so much. In addition to the various Lifecolor acrylic paint sets for wood, worn wood, ageing wood, etc; a critical part of the process now is using a very specific primer. AK Interactive do a Grey Primer/Microfille...

Good post, Knuckles. I have to say that it largely sums up my own modelling philosophy as well.

DT

I found this thread very helpful: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/99826-weathered-wood-a-worked-example/ Largely following the process described, which relies heavily on drybrushing, but varying the colours to some extent, I achieved what I thought were excellent results for the i...

Yes, an excellent event that was both enjoyable and instructive - well done, and many thanks to, the organisers. I've certainly been inspired to get on with some things that I've been putting off and as a result an order will shortly be winging its way to Mr Seymour in Oldham. My only regret is that...

Am I right in thinking that there will be no trade presence (so I needn't bring much cash with me)?

DT

jasp wrote:I may be wrong but I think Alloa is EM
Jim P

I'm sure it's 00 - and an excellent example as to how handbuilt 00 track can be mistaken for both EM and P4.

DT

I've just finished using my resistance soldering iron to fit lamp irons onto the C16 tank engine I'm in the process of finishing. It really is excellent for a job like that - tin the lamp iron, hold it in place with the probe, give it a quick blast but then keep the probe on it for a few more second...

Everyone sees colours differently. Colours themselves change due to passage of time, sunlight, weather, and even differences between paintshops, not to mention variations in computer screens and the human memory. Humbrol's version of a railway colour may be markedly different from, say, Precision's ...

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...