Canonbury Goods: NLR c.1903

[RobM]

Gareth, if you go down the Das route instead of scribing (still time consuming) you could make a couple of 'punches' from the ferule of old paint brushes. Just file up a couple of oblongs in steel, force it into the ferule and squeeze in a vice, lay small areas of Das and then lightly press into the Das. I did make some 'punches' when experimenting with Manston Brewery but taking everything into consideration opted for casting my individual setts. Methinks that whatever method is used setts are going to take time if you want the surface to be convincing.
Rob

[Paul Willis]

In the end I cast the individual setts and 'glued' them in place.....all 10,000+!!

An alternative method for this job is to use DAS or something similar and then scribe the sets. Possibly quicker than laying them individually.

Terry Bendall

I'm increasing thinking that Das is the solution to this problem.

Das would certainly allow you to reproduce the random and beaten effect of that GER photo. It's from the front cover of "Great Eastern in Town & Country" and has always charmed me

Cheers
Flymo

[barhamd]

Perhaps making something like
http://www.greenstuffworld.com/en/textu ... stone.html
would speed up the process?
David

[RobM]

Perhaps making something like
http://www.greenstuffworld.com/en/textu ... stone.html
would speed up the process?
David

That tool only produces cobbles and not setts. Another problem would be having the surface sightly below rail level to facilitate track cleaning.
Rob

[Ian Everett]

I'm increasing thinking that Das is the solution to this problem.

Have you thought of using closed cell expanded polystyrene, such as safeprint ?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Major-Brushes- ... =safeprint

Easily cut and much quicker to emboss than DAS.

Pizza bases are an alternative (free!) source.

Ian

[Knuckles]

Gareth, if you go down the Das route instead of scribing (still time consuming) you could make a couple of 'punches' from the ferule of old paint brushes. Just file up a couple of oblongs in steel, force it into the ferule and squeeze in a vice, lay small areas of Das and then lightly press into the Das. I did make some 'punches' when experimenting with Manston Brewery but taking everything into consideration opted for casting my individual setts. Methinks that whatever method is used setts are going to take time if you want the surface to be convincing.
Rob

Interesting thread in all respects.

Major respect for Paul Townsend for individually placing over 10,000 scale cobbles/sets(earlier page). That is truly impressive and psychotic (in a good way) all at once. Would love to see a picture. Reckon you would make a model building with individual bricks and mortar!? Could look good.

Can anyone remember where you get those individual scale bricks from? Might have a go at making a bog al la Pendon.

Rob, your method appeals to me greatly if I ever need to make some.

The plastic sheets I have never ever ever found convincing, all I see are plastic sheets.

The cardboard ones........they look like card. Same as 95% of card based buildings in fact. A few have been done convincingly but not many.

[RobM]

Major respect for Paul Townsend for individually placing over 10,000 scale cobbles/sets(earlier page). That is truly impressive and psychotic (in a good way) all at once. Would love to see a picture. Reckon you would make a model building with individual bricks and mortar!? Could look good.

Seems to have been a misquote by Terry........I think you will find that it was me on Manston Brewery.........I'll get some shots for you and put them on the Manston Brewery topic rather than hijack this thread.
Rob

[Knuckles]

Ok, major respect to you then!

How did your system not melt and shut down. Good whisky and diazipam?

As you suggested we can talk on your thread about it.

[shipbadger]

Slightly OT, but as there has been discussion of reproducing setts in this thread; was there a standard size for a stone sett? Did they vary about a notional 'standard' either in each batch delivered, between different quarries or to meet customer demand?

Just one of those post Sunday lunch thoughts!

Tony Comber

[Noel]

Older setts were apparently hand made, so somewhat variable in size, and low status areas [such as goods yards!] used whatever was left over after more prestigious jobs had taken the better quality stone. http://www.pavingexpert.com/setts01.htm has quite a bit of information about old/reclaimed material amongst the modern stuff. The page on laying reclaimed setts, in particular, has quite a bit of info on original practices.

Hope this helps answer your query, Tony.

[shipbadger]

Thank you for the URL Noel. Just spent a fair chunk of time exploring the site. Lots of interest there both for modelling and my new garden path!

Tony

[RobM]

I'll second Tony's comments, where does Noel get all this obscure but relevant information? Hours and hours of Googling?
Thanks Noel, not only for this gem but other gems which have helped me.
Perhaps time to get back to the thread..........
Rob

[garethashenden]

A quick update. I have tracked down some DAS at a local art supply chain. While there I picked up a selection of 25 brushes for $5, which gives an indication of their quality. One of these has been fashioned into a stamping tool. If it doesn't work I have 24 more attempts left. I have also made a 6" section of track glued to a piece of foam board. I'm going to practice on this, because it will be much less of a problem to throw it away then have to fix mistakes made on the actual layout. The glue on that is drying now, so I hope to get to it in the morning.

[RobM]

Always a good idea to make a test piece when tying something new......
Rob

[garethashenden]

Here are the preliminary results. DAS applied to test piece and stamped with former paintbrush. The clay has not yet hardened, so it still needs to be painted but I feel that this is definitely the way forward. Not a quick process, but I am pleased with the results.
Here are a few pictures.





Some of them look quite rounded in close up pictures, I may have pressed the tool in too far.

[garethashenden]

Here is a picture of the tool.

[stevecarr]

Inspirational !

[Andrew Ullyott]

I agree. Very interesting and very effective. I might try this!

[dal-t]

Looks great in that state, but if you can get such a thickness to dry without shrinking/splitting I'll be fascinated to learn how. I built mine up to less total depth in three or even four layers, but it still pulled back severely from the rails, and cracked down the middle of each section, as it dried out. You can, of course, fill splits in the foundation layers with more clay, but I'm not sure how they can be disguised in pressed cobbles - maybe you just have to incorporate them as 'features'? Are you spraying the DAS as it dries out, covering it, or just leaving it to take its chances?

[RobM]

On Mount Woodville Works (not setts but compacted ash, similar principle) I built up a base of thin plywood which was sealed with PVA and when dry the Das was applied in a thin layer. You could either follow this method or as David suggests build up layers allowing them to dry. This would also help in not being able to press too deep.
The initial results are certainly very effective and an improvement on the original.... ......await to see how your test piece dries.........
Rob

[Ian Everett]

Brilliant work but I say again, I think it would be easier and cleaner with Safeprint, and no shrinkage/cracking problems.

Available on-line from Amazon, Ebay etc and...

http://www.craftycrocodiles.co.uk/adult ... ets-p12678

Ian

[David B]

Some of them look quite rounded in close up pictures, I may have pressed the tool in too far.

You can fill the joints with debris just as the real thing got filled up. I suggest having deeper joints and filling them will give you more scope for a better finish and variety.

[RobM]

Brilliant work but I say again, I think it would be easier and cleaner with Safeprint, and no shrinkage/cracking problems.

Available on-line from Amazon, Ebay etc and...

http://www.craftycrocodiles.co.uk/adult ... ets-p12678

Ian

Problem is the sheets are 3mm thick, too high for between the rails and there is the same problem of some butt joints. Don't know if the product can be sanded but I do see other potential uses.
Rob

[Guy Rixon]

There is this for pennies on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Foam-Sheets-1- ... B007P55XYG - would it be a viable substitue for Safeprint?

[Ian Everett]

There is this for pennies on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Foam-Sheets-1- ... B007P55XYG - would it be a viable substitue for Safeprint?

I don't see why not so I've ordered a pack and will let you know.

Ian