Friday 26 January 2018

Foam walls

It's been a while since there's been any actual modelling from me on here, but things are picking up after a slow period. I actually made a start on the station building before Christmas, and cut all the main walls out of the foam. Marking out was done by laying the drawing over the foam and sticking the point of the scalpel through at the corners of the windows etc. Much easier than trying to mark out on the foam, there's no rubbing out possible here!

IMG_4256

The foam is from a pack by, I think, Busch - I bought it years ago from goodness knows where, and found it in one of the many boxes of things that will come in useful one day (see?). It's about 3mm thick and has a stiffened back, a later of paper I think, though it still seems pretty flimsy for making buildings. I considered making a foamcore board inner but the walls would be waaay to thick, so I've gone for a core of walls and a floor to give strength. There can't be a ground floor as I'll need to put windows in later.

IMG_4258

(The card around the edge is because as first cut, despite my measuring and calculating, it didn't fit in the walls right!)

Talking of windows, I got some rather fine ones from Smart Models - I think they're laser cut. They come in 3 layers to make a sash, though in the next couple of photos I hadn't stuck them together so they may look a bit wonky.

IMG_4323

However the thickness of the foam sets them too far back, it didn't look right to me. The wall thickness may be prototypical (probably less), but usually windows are closer to the outer face of the wall. So on this test piece I cut out a recess from the rear about half way through the foam, putting the window nearer the outer edge - it's fiddly, trying not to cut right through the foam and get an even recess, but the result looks so much better.

IMG_4322

You can see my practice stonework too, though I'm thinking that is too regular and square for Dartmoor stone.

So here goes, cutting recesses for every window and door. I used a piece of plasticard as a guide to cutting straight and consistent slots.

IMG_4352

More soon...

Monday 22 January 2018

Thakeham Hudson Hunslet article

In print again!

Thakenham

The latest issue of Narrow Gauge & Industrial Railway Modelling Review has my article on building the Hudson Hunslet Diesel - a model of the prototype used at Thakeham. It's always an honour when my work is worthy of making it into print, and especially a magazine featuring such high quality modelling as this one. The editor, Roy C Link, has done a great job of presenting the article, and the rest of the magazine has some top class articles too.

IMG_1713