Scalefour Forum

I would comment on the Humbrol varnishes, particularly with the postal problem, and that they are ' locally ' available. Well more so than others. Tacky finnish is usually because the contents have not combined enough through sufficient mixing. I give the Cotes a good 10 mins stir, before use. And h...

Just a thought on varnish - why use it ? I appreciate the given wisdom is standard proceedure is Precision 'X' colour and a coat of varnish, & its authentic. Yes it protects, & a seal for transfers. Although enamel & acrylic paint can be quiet tough. But the varnish can be dirted by hand...

Bob, If you wish to spray Ronseal, mix with Tamiya XF20A acrylic thinners. You may buy some cheap from a closing down Modelzone. Tamiya are quality paints. I have sprayed & brushed this on waterslide, HMRS both types, POW Sides, & waterslide tranfers with no problem. Do allow the paint etc t...

Stay safe, and use the same makers paint & varnish for modelling. I've used Halfords for metal wheels OK, but would only use light passes on a model. It reeks of cellulose, or substitute. Citidel works well, and is v poplular. GW figures, plastic, metal, resin, are suplied with waterslide transf...

Thanks very much for posting the availability of this book.

Lots of period detail, including people of the day, in good quality print sized pics.

Would not have noticed this in my local Smith's as on display with books on the 'Great (?) War '.

Steve.

Martin, thats a pity your prototype info. was left out. One of the strengths of earlier MRJ's, was articles combining the real thing detail with the modelling.

Does your Engine run well, being built as designed ?
Will it pull two Autotrailers ( or similar ) ?

Steve.

A variant I noted when building a Wolverhampton loco was the Vac Cylinder being attached to a bracket outside the frames under the bunker - drivers side. On earlier engines, the Vac Train pipe was mounted under the frames, as opposed to the drivers side valance, with a central pipe connected to the ...

Seeing your pics made me reflect as I use the workmate / laminate board outdoors for all sorts of modelling, base boards, & painting as often its warmer outside than indoors these days, plus the natural light. Which can reveal colours to be different shades than under a strip lights, even the da...

Andrew,

L&SWR Locomotives The early Engines 1838 - 53, & the Beattie Classes / DL Bradley.
ISB 0 906867 81 9

Well worth having for an insight to the earlier Loco, & detail fittings, which were copied & used on many other companies.

Steve.

There are plenty of good pics of Joseph Bettie engines with this method of pumping water into the boiler, re the Wild Swan Book. The pump ram is in line with & attached to the Crosshead movement, so could be made to work. Stroudley also used these pumps, so there must one/two on the inside of a ...

Mark, From my studies of pre group - up to Edwardian days metalwork was often blacked up. The Brake ends painted var. shades of red to help sighting following collisions. Which may explain why the 6 wheeler in the earlier light grey with lettering shaded, the side handrails look black, & ends a ...

I recall at an Exibition a harbour scene layout with lots of fine cameos of model making. Streets scenes, fishing boats with their catch & pots etc. But when the eye is drawn to the heart of life in the scene - people, the finish & painting thereof jarred the illusion. Pink for skin. and a h...

Taking Terry's method, if the rod used is say 0.5mm, then drill a 0.45mm hole & push the item in for a compression fit. If the plastic is thick enough a rebate around the drilled hole on the inside, allows for an area a glue to make a bond without being squezed out. Works well with small parts l...

Philip,

Shellac sounds interesting to try out.
I like the flexibility of being able to change and salvage a lot of hard work, and even Railways altered their Perm. Way.
Is it the automotive resin polish or varnish. Can one pack it in for scale depth sleepers. And I trust it grips - ?
Please.

Steve.

Terry / Allen - Thankyou for your replies. Having Base Boards built much akin to the design Terry detailed in the S4 News, but substituted MDF for the deck. I have been assessing the glue / sound / track laying methods. In view of the time & energies that go into building these projects, getting...

Terry / Allen,

May I ask, was the track made on another material before fixing to the Camping Mat, and what it is made of please ?
Also did you lay the mat up to the Board edge.

Thanks,

Steve.

Guy, In a similar situation using Xacto parallel bearings - I restricted the sideplay by making washers out of brass tube. Wagon thereafter runs very well. Wheel Axles clear of the Axleboxes, but aIso maintains the Cradle nicely upright to the Axleguards. I have found Axlebox castings are not always...

I would agree with Martin. I glued cork & track onto a ply surface board with PVA, and the base board become one large sound box. Also covered a large Wargamming board with PVA & artificial stonechips, which looked good until it was picked up, & half of the stonechips fell off. Despite t...

If it helps, my notes remind me :- SWCircular Jan. 2008 has good partial view, LSW Western Div Sheds has another partial, and, from these & the GA drawing in WS Bradley book appears v similar layout to the T3, which a cab view is in the Circular's Monograme No6, & also same in Barry Curls bo...

Hi Guy, Many preferred methods in various modelling Hobbies. For Enamel - I spray Humbrol brands, with Precision Paints specific branded Varnish thinners. Acrylic - Ronseal Diamond Hard, with Tamiya Thinners. Humbrol are introducing a new Thinner for Acrylics. I then overspray in required areas with...

Mark, I have not posted much on this site, but am compelled to say it is refreshing to see some nice composed modelling per your latest pic's posted today. The reason being I was persuaded to visit Brighton Model World to see an average level of railway modelling compared to what I see on this site....

Following on from Davids post. I have found the small Shippam's fish paste ( etc ) jars of about 2" high to be ideal for supplementry storage. Small quantities of var. thinners for cleaning, paint mixing et al, - complete with a sticky named label on top. Smaller quantities only, as the tight s...

Mark,

Nice Signal build.

Reading the problem incurred from the 0.5mm holes, occured to me the possiblity to plug the 0.5 hole with a 0.5 dia tube that has the 0.3mm hole.

Steve.