What did you order or the post deliver? (Japanese N Gauge)

[gavino200]

18 minutes ago, cteno4 said:

. or using the liquid glazing stuff, but that will give only flat windows within the frame and I think some windshields will be too big and finish may be too uneven. Cutting and shaping (even out of a thermoform copy) would be the ultimate tedium.

 

 

That sounds interesting. An idea - Make a small frame out of styrene the size fo the window. Thermoform to a curved object (like a spoon). then use this piece as a mold for the liquid clear stuff you speak of. Remove the new window. then apply the freshly made curved window to the car. 

 

This could also be useful for making "lenses" for traffic and signal lights. Do you have a link?

[Dinosbacsi]

5 minutes ago, gavino200 said:

My guess is that it's all molded as one piece which doesn't quite fit. Perhaps they use the same piece for all cars.

That's my guess as well. It's likely just the same window piece and they drop it in the different bodies, because the angle of the windshield doesn't even match properly with the A pillars. And seeing how the paint layer is a bit thick and wonky, I wouldn't be suprised if it's also the reason for the windows being sunked in. Maybe the window piece would fit nicely into an unpainted chassis, but the paint layers thickness prevent a proper fit, I suppose.

 

9 minutes ago, gavino200 said:

I may experiment with this at some stage. Sources for new cars are a bit scarce. 

Yeah I would also like to fix it, but I'm a bit afraid to take apart small cars that I've just bought. Maybe in the future, I suppose.

 

But two other cars are also on the way to me, though those are Sakatsu's "replicas" of these Kobaru ones. Wonder how they will be quality wise, better or worse or simply the same.

[cteno4]

42 minutes ago, gavino200 said:

 

That sounds interesting. An idea - Make a small frame out of styrene the size fo the window. Thermoform to a curved object (like a spoon). then use this piece as a mold for the liquid clear stuff you speak of. Remove the new window. then apply the freshly made curved window to the car. 

 

This could also be useful for making "lenses" for traffic and signal lights. Do you have a link?

I think trying to use the original as a mould might be the easiest to try first. I think the plastic is thick enough to survive the hot plastic on it. You could easily make a plaster mould from a negative sculpy mold of the window and the thermo form on that. You can do dyi thermoform with a little frame to hold the plastic to heat up in the oven then just press over your shape.

 

 

experiment on some of those Chinese architectural cars, they often have these issues.

 

for the traffic lenses I would use gallery glass. It’s a clear to semi opaque plastic that is used to make pho stained glass. Little dab in a signal light opening should make a nice tiny lens and hide an SMD led. I experimented with it covering white SMD leds for lens on a street lamp and it worked well and running led didnt seem to effect it. It’s at most craft stores.

 

https://plaidonline.com/brands/gallery-glass

 

jeff

[gavino200]

2 hours ago, Dinosbacsi said:

 

Yeah I would also like to fix it, but I'm a bit afraid to take apart small cars that I've just bought. Maybe in the future, I suppose.

 

 

That's ok. I'm happy to take a chance with mine when I get one. I'll post my results here, whether I fail or succeed. It might be a while though, as I have a lot of projects right now. 

[cteno4]

just thinking on the form and probably just pushing the existing one into some sculpy and bake to harden or you could do a latex mould to be fancy, but since its a totally concave shape should be easy to get the moulded piece out. then just put some plastic resin or plaster in it with mould release. then just sand down the form some to make up for the thermoform plastic. i think micromark has some thin stuff.

 

jeff

[gavino200]

Sculpy? Do tell!

[cteno4]

sculpy is a name brand pvc polymer clay. easy to work with and if kept sealed up will stay soft a long time. you can then either let air dry a long time to harden or put it in the over for a bit to harden it up. great for moulding up little detail bits, then bake to harden can carve and file to needs. you can make simple crude moulds with it by pressing an object into it and as long as it doesnt have any big indents you can use it as a mould once you bake it. lots of youtube on it. my go to when i need to make medium to small shaped things, only pain is baking, but thats not bad. get an old small toaster oven at the second hand store so your so wont go after you for using the food oven.

 

https://www.michaels.com/2oz-sculpey-iii-oven-bake-clay/10605980.html

 

https://www.sculpey.com/create/blog/sculpey-for-beginners/

 

cheers

 

jeff

[gavino200]

I think I'll get some. Tom has been inspiring me do try some sculpting!

[Dinosbacsi]

And my two other zokutto cars have also arrived!

 

I really, really like this red one. It's the one that made me want to get these cars to begin with, and I'm really glad I could find it on Sakatsu's website. It just has such a nice bodywork with the big front splitter, side skirts and the big spoiler. And the red just really makes it pop, I'm in love with it.

 

This purple one I believe is either a Toyota Celica or another Skyline, and this purple + gold wheel combo is great.

 

So it quicky turned into a pretty nice little car meet here, they will be a good addition to my B Trains. And a nice decoration to my layout, if I ever start a proper one, that is.

[cteno4]

Quite a collection going! You need a flash parking lot meetup going on on the layout. I want to do one or maybe a bit more formal one with dekotora trucks with lots of admirers wandering around.

 

cheers,

 

jeff

[Dinosbacsi]

Yeah. Even though I don't have a proper layout yet, just an L shaped loop track going around my L shaped shelf over my desk, I'm thinking about starting to get some building as well. I saw some nice used car dealership buildings, maybe I should get one, or just a parking lot for them. Would be good for a start.

[gavino200]

Yes, lovely collection. An illegal street race scene would be a nice layout detail. I really need to get some of these. 

[cteno4]

2 hours ago, gavino200 said:

Yes, lovely collection. An illegal street race scene would be a nice layout detail. I really need to get some of these. 

Yeah but you’ll need a couple of three feet of street!

 

We’ll let tom cut out the pink slips.

 

jeff

[RMB]

Finally somewhere comfortable for all those seated figures I've bought who've been waiting patiently.

 

[cteno4]

Ahh and they can stretch their legs out and not need them lopped off like in most trains and vehicles! Happy day for the tiny people!!!

 

jeff

[chadbag]

I got special permission from my better half to get this, despite the  moratorium,  as our whole family rode this on our last trip to Japan.

I've had it for a little while but it was upstairs and I didn't get a photo until today, when I was putting it away.

 

[gavino200]

That's a beaut, Chad!

[cteno4]

The pen was a nice addition!

 

jeff

[lighthouse]

My May parcel also arrived today, thanks to a very nice DHL courier.

 

1x Tomix KiHa 183-500 "Super Hokuto" by JR Hokkaido (9 pieces with add-on sets)

 

.

 

1x Kato Series 711-0 "Kamui" of the JNR of the Legend - Series

 

Edited June 9, 2021 by lighthouse

[Szdfan]

So I had a couple of deliveries from Plaza a few days ago.

 

The first one:

 

 

This is actually the first thing I ordered. I wasn’t sure where I wanted to jump in and $30 didn’t seem like a huge risk, so I purchased the set and a couple of WARA 1 box cars.

 

This set is the latest release from Kato abs I had to wait until the end of May for it to ship. I think the set will make good practice for n scale detailing and decaling. 

 

I’m aware that the locomotive is fictitious, but it doesn’t really bother me because according to my superficial Wikipedia research, several private railways had unique steeple cab electrics where only one or two were built. 
 

The gondola is also fictitious, but to me looks like something I could pass off as something prototypical, like a TORA 55000? Anyone know where I might get appropriate decals?

 

The “caboose” is also fictitious, but loosely based on something real. 
 

I think the set could make a good basis for some sort of micro layout featuring a fictitious private electric railway. Now I just need to save up for a transformer and track.

Here’s the next order I received. These are my first Tomix models.

I now have the makings of a half-decent local freight train. I just need an appropriate  locomotive. Unfortunately, it seems that both Kato and Microace are not currently producing a 9600. 
 

I also want to add some appropriate passenger equipment. 

Edited June 10, 2021 by Szdfan

[Pauljag900]

I have this set in the red with the new style motor with a few extra freight cars and it happily runs all day without issue and at £40 you can t go wrong as a starting point👍👍😀

[Cat]

Surface parcel from HLJ shipped on 18 May arrived today.  I suspect Platz isn't done releasing Girls und Panzer containers yet...

[mags_minibuilds]

Delivered today from PlazaJapan, a stockpile of Sankei kits (would keep me busy for a while) and a motorized chassis for one of my B-Train Shorty.

[katoftw]

The more i look at those sankai kits. The more i like them.

[KaiDon]

Posted on the wrong thread days ago , here's my recent order from AMZ.JP

EF-200 Gen2

EF-200 Gen1

EF-210  Latest release from Kato

 

 

 

 

Edited June 15, 2021 by KaiDon