Its FRIDAY 12-23-05, Weekend Modeling Plans!

[TomPM]

This weekend of course is when the big guy in the red suit visits. We still have some last minute wrapping to do. According to my calculations the shopping is done but I have to check with the wife about that.

I am hoping to finish the Sun Oil MDC/Roundhouse old time tank car I have been working on. Boy these kits have a lot of small parts and you can only assemble it a little at time because you have to wait for the glue to dry. I also need to add weights to two Athearn 2-bay hoppers and one Roundhouse covered hopper. When that is done I need to weather about six cars and a couple of locomotives.

 

[ezdays]

Peggy did all the present wraping already. Tons for everyone else, nada for us. Well, we bought our presents (we each got a new CD/tape system) before Christmas so that we both could enjoy the Christmas music. That leaves me time to finish up my track laying. It's going slower than I'd like, but I've been making changes as I go along. I ran out of Atlas turnouts, but had a bunch of Peco manual switches, so I'm adding them to my yard. I don't know how I'm going to operate them yet, but first things first, get them in place.

 

[Glen Haasdyk]

Spending Christmas with the In-laws, actually it's not as bad as it sounds, My father in law is a blast to have around and my Mother-in-law can make the best meals (looking forward to that turkey!)
Modeling-wise, my miniature lathe and drill press from preiser finally came so I can start working on the interior of the enginehouse, I want to finish painting all the details to my DPM cycle shop and there are alot of other projects that I can do on the layout. I have a week off between Christmnas and new years so I think I can do a fair amount if i put my mind to it!

 

[fifer]

Aside from Santa's visit day after tomorrow here is todays progress on the Box Factory.

Mike

 

[Gary S.]

Good looking work, Mike!

I've got an early start on the weekend, had 2 cabooses with the kadee couplers way too low, replaced them with #47s, and now am putting together 4 Walthers tank cars. Fitting them with metal wheels and Kadee #5s, takes a little adjustment, plus I am putting screws in place of the friction fit on the coupler box lids. These kits are really easy to put together.

 

[ezdays]

Well, it doesn't look like too many folks here have modeling plans for this weekend, and I really can't blame them. I've got some time today, and had a change of plans. I've been laying track by a portable lamp, been getting shadows and the light's too dim where I need it so I stopped track laying and am now installing some shelves over my layout and putting fluorescent lamps underneath. I should be able to finish up today since I know I'm not getting anything done tomorrow.

 

[trainwhiz20]

Yes, well, Christmas is upon us, and sometimes modelling must take a backseat for other events. For me, however, there is a greater inspiration to work more on the layout today, as Christmas is really the only time I get to show off the layout to extended family. Unfortunately, I realized this halfway through this week, and have been busily working on the other side of the layout to make more progress. I'm not rushing through it, but rather getting a basic layer of scenery done so the overall appearance looks better.

My other goal is to maybe make some trees and finish the Scultamold around the hills. And then get that painted and some foam down.

This is all in-between family and presents of course!

 

[Catt]

Since today (Saturday) is Christmas Eve and neither of the two modular layouts are at my house I will spend what spare time I have putzing with the orecar quads.

I have decided that since there are no ore mines in lower Michigan I would use the ore cars to haul sand (we have several sand mines here).Sand needs to be kept covered or it will just blow away so I am using the tops of some covered hoppers to make short single bay 4 hatch covered hoppers for sand service.

 

[Gary S.]

Progress!

Tank cars will need weathering, and stage 1 of the tree process:

 

[Gary S.]

Well, here are my finished "mass produced" trees that I did today.

I really like the dead tree that was built with welding cable in the "whata ya think, Val" thread. That is some good work. Mine are just twigs, poly fiber, hair spray, and ground foam of different colors and coarseness.

I saw this idea in one of the magazines and also there is an on-line tutorial on a website somewhere. Now, should I be concerned about the deterioration of the twigs over the years? Should they be coated with sealant or something? Hmmm... maybe they need to be caoted with sealant before the poly fiber and leaves go on? Maybe dipping them in matte medium amd letting them dry would work?

PS: I leave the trunks long, then cut them to length when they get planted

 

[Gary S.]

This is pretty crude but I will weather it real heavy and rust it all up and set it in the scrap yard of the metal works building

Anyone else been doing anything today?

 

[fifer]

Gary , I would not say crude , I would say Way Cool. With the work in that lathe it should be in a place where the work can be seen!!!

Mike

 

[Gary S.]

Thanks for the compliment. I wasn't happy with it because of the lack of detail.

However, a little gray paint, silver paint, and a black wash made it respectable, now just to add a bunch of rust and it will look okay as a junker in the scrap heap behind the metal works.