What did you do today on your layout? (HO and other scales)

[Railtunes]

Replying to posts here from catcliffdemon, Kamome and Kiha66: I just returned from Kyushu where I stayed with a host family in Iizuka as part of the Sister City Association exchange program with my home city of Sunnyvale, California. Among other places, they took me to the Kyushu Railway History Museum in Moji and the Kyushu Model Railway shop in Nogata, where I spent WAY TOO MUCH on N scale Kyushu models!

I took several photos at the model shop, one of a portion of the HO layout with the shop manager, Kitano Toshio, pointing out some of the scenes on the layout and me being excited. Another photo is of the front of the restored 9600 2-8-0, with me and my host family. This engine isn't normally shown to the general public, but I think I got special treatment because I took with me a thumb drive with photos of our AsiaNRail layout to show them. They were suitably impressed and gave me super service. Unfortunately, I can't post the photos here - even at a compressed zip size - due to the 4MB size restriction, but will be happy to share them directly with anyone who will contact me directly at  <pei@sonic.net>. To check out the store on line, the URL is <http://www.kisyaclub.gr.jp>.

As for buying stuff, the shop only takes cash for purchases, so I couldn't max out my credit cards. But, since my focus is on Kyushu trains, I was happy to find some items here that were sold out on line at Plaza Japan and Hobby Search. I don't know if I can arrange overseas purchases from them, but they had several more items I wasn't able to get that I'd like to have. [Help, Kamome!]

Kiha66: Sam, if you're able to make it up to the Hiller Museum show in April 2020, I'll have them running on the AsiaNRail layout there.

[Kamome]

Yes, Kyushu Model Railway Shop is a super friendly place and is quite the treasure trove of things that are sold out in a lot of places. The 9600 was being cleaned up yesterday. It started to rain so it was shut away again.  There’s a team of volunteers who go around cleaning up other static displays around the area. There’s another 9600 next to Wakamatsu station but probably way beyond repair now.

Looks like the KMR shop 9600’s boiler is far too gone to serviceable so it seems they’re set on a static display. Still looks very nice though.

 

Also they do only accept cash. I don’t think the shop makes a lot of money. More of an addition to get people out there. Good selection of HO too and the layout is very impressive. They are extremely humble and always make you feel welcome as well as give lots of help.

[marknewton]

Between the heat and the smoke I haven't felt much like going outside to the shed, so I haven't done much work on the cameo layout. In the meantime though I've made a start on building a pair of Keio Dentetsu 5000 series cars. They're from a kit made by Neko Publishing.

The basic kit produces a static model, but there are additional parts available to motorise the cars to make a working model, which I'm using.

 

Cheers,

Mark.

[shadowtiger25]

Got a 3D resin printer. tested it by printing alphonse elric from Full Metal Alchemist as a passenger for my trains. Easter eggs no one will understand....

I plan on painting a figure like Eric to sit next to him when I sit down again. (

 

[Martijn Meerts]

Nice, which printer did you get? I've been looking at those resin printers as well, reasonably priced and very nice detail. Of course, there's some additional costs involved and resin is a bit of a mess to work with, but hey 😉

 

[shadowtiger25]

Just now, Martijn Meerts said:

Nice, which printer did you get? I've been looking at those resin printers as well, reasonably priced and very nice detail. Of course, there's some additional costs involved and resin is a bit of a mess to work with, but hey 😉

 

Eglo Mars. Not bad, have had a few hiccups but I'm learning. but a bit messy is an understatement... 

[cteno4]

Nice Easter eggs! I want a Simpson family!

 

Yeah sadly the resin printers have the resolution but are messy and shelf life to watch. I guess that will never go away. For my usually wants from 3d printer I could do with one with only an inch or two cubic Volume!

 

fun to do figures. I’ve always wanted to play with poser and make custom figures, especially seated ones with limited legs and flat butts for easy glue down.

 

jeff

[shadowtiger25]

6 hours ago, cteno4 said:

Nice Easter eggs! I want a Simpson family!

 

Yeah sadly the resin printers have the resolution but are messy and shelf life to watch. I guess that will never go away. For my usually wants from 3d printer I could do with one with only an inch or two cubic Volume!

 

fun to do figures. I’ve always wanted to play with poser and make custom figures, especially seated ones with limited legs and flat butts for easy glue down.

 

jeff

That was part of the reason I got it. Only made one so far

[shadowtiger25]

Pin washing the type 0 I got like a month ago. only one car so far. Its subtle but it makes a difference in person

                           Washed                                                                                                                                                        Clean

 

 

[Martijn Meerts]

Had a bit of a crappy weekend, was exhausted from too much working the past weeks. I did manage to get a little bit done on my small H0j Hokutan steamer. Decided to go with this one so I have a working H0j locomotive to eventually test the track with. For H0e I can always fall back to some N-scale stuff to test the track (even if it's not entirely the same).

 

Also, the Hokutan is a small steamer, so a little less complex than the 9600. It does however have lots of small parts, a bunch of white metal parts, and of course the whole pistons and drive rods system. I've started soldering on some of the base structural / non-moving bits and pieces for that. The moving parts are kept in place with small pins, and going from experience, you don't want to remove and reinstall those pins too often. So not sure if I want to get it to a working, non-painted version first, or paint at least the frame before finalising the drive rods.

 

Once I'm a bit further ahead (only soldered on 4 parts, they were very fiddly), I'll post pictures and more details in my H0j / H0e project thread.

[gavino200]

On 1/16/2020 at 8:45 PM, shadowtiger25 said:

Pin washing the type 0 I got like a month ago. only one car so far. Its subtle but it makes a difference in person

                           Washed                                                                                                                                                        Clean

 

What's pin washing? 

[cteno4]

Using light washes in just small bits like in recess lines around doors, windows etc or around the base of fine details. Using a contrasting wash like this gives shadow hilights to the details that can all disappear on a small scale model and make them pop better.

 

jeff

[GDorsett]

also known as black washing or grey washing depending on how dark you want it. You can also call this antiquing if you're into figurines or figures.

[gavino200]

So you're painting it with a very dilute paint? Not "washing" it?

 

[cteno4]

They can be paint washes or things like india inks in alcohol. It’s meant to be subtle and only applied at the specific places (ie lines or bases of small details) and the rest wiped off.

 

wash is basically a applying a very subtle application of pigment or dilute paint over a larger area.

 

 

jeff

[Kamome]

 

9 hours ago, gavino200 said:

What's pin washing?

Pin washing involves dabbing a diluted paint “wash” onto details that you want to define on your model. 

The capillary action of the paint runs along the grooves and recesses giving better definition to the details. It will pool in some areas but once its dry you can clean up the overspill and achieve very clean, crisp lines.
 

I’m a big advocate of it. Tamiya produce a media called Panel Line Accent which is essentially diluted enamel paint. I find it a little heavy so mix with more enamel thinners. I generally use a combination of black and brown and build up as required. or make my own with other enamel colours.

[marknewton]

Some progress on the Keio 5000 series cars. 
 

I've fitted them with Tomix tightlock  couplers. The mounting is a bit of a bodge, but as they're screwed rather than glued they're quite secure.

 

I've made diaphragms out of spares from my Tenshodo 103 series suburban cars. 

 

The driving motor car now has an Imon PS13 pantograph.

 

The driving cars have been fitted with Tomix snowploughs.

 

And I've assembled the intermediate car with a loose roof, so I can change it out for one with a pantograph. That's for when I run a three-car train - the intermediate car will become a nondriving motor car.

 

At some stage I'll have to make a basic interior for all three cars. I used to have some seat mouldings that I think I can use, if I can find them.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

Edited January 21, 2020 by marknewton

[GDorsett]

Who makes the driveline and how well does it work? Or have you not tested it yet?

[MichiK]

...Well, not today exactly, but currently I'm too lazy to post much:

After making over junior's room I've redone the bigger station. Removed one track and the old sidings, and installed three longer sidings, which now can be effectively used for some real shunting. Or for just parking trains...

 

 

[marknewton]

On 1/22/2020 at 12:54 AM, GDorsett said:

Who makes the driveline and how well does it work? Or have you not tested it yet?

Neko Publishing make the mechanism as well as the body kits. It runs nicely enough on DC, but I intend to fit a decoder. 
 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[Martijn Meerts]

Finally managed to start priming the side dumping car I built. I was only able to start on it on Sunday evening though, so it's not completely done yet.

 

Found out I didn't have grey primer (or at least, not for the airbrush), so I ordered a bottle of Vallejo grey. That arrived on Saturday, but of course I had some other stuff to do. I did manage to find my portable spray booth and set that up (minus the ventilation / exhaust bit). Then on Sunday the weather was reasonable, so I went and fixed a door in the garden. It's been jamming for quite a while, so ended up getting an electric planer. Worked reasonably well, door still jams a little bit, but I couldn't get the locking mechanism out (rusted screws, yay), so I'll wait until we have better weather, then remove the door, and shave off some more on the side of the hinges.

 

Sunday evening I was finally able to do some priming. Primed the car itself, as well as the couplers and small bits that hold the axles in place. While I was at it, I also primed a couple of Gundam parts which I've been experimenting with (first Gundam kit where I'm filling gaps / seams and painting it in more correct colours). The primer went on well, and seems there was no streaking at all after using the Mr Metal Primer, even though it's brushed on. There's only a few small bits that could use a tiny little putty, but once painted black, you probably won't notice it at all, so I'm not sure if I'm going to bother. 

 

I'll see if I can grab some pictures tonight, didn't do so yesterday, forgot all about it 😄

 

[MichiK]

I.. I... I was just taking some pictures of my new D51, and then.. and then...

 

CATZILLA !

 

 

(No models were harmed, though. No cats, either ! 😉)

[cteno4]

Arrrrgggg! You need your working scale type 66 maser cannon to zap his rear! But that will only bring retaliation...

 

jeff

[MichiK]

Nah, jeff, I threaten him with cuddles - that usually does the trick!

[GDorsett]

I have an old railway gun, would that help? Might be possible to modify it to fire..