Just a little something I tossed together while waiting for some paint to dry. Maybe GR could use it as an article?
http://www.the-ashpit.com/mik/budget.html
I agree completely with Mik . You dont have to go bankrupt doing what you want.
Too often all you see is you can "purchase" everything. I think you get a lot more out of the hobby making it, or at least what you can.
This is really important if you live somewhere where things are not readily available or they cost far too much. Sure, you can purchase them on the web but shipping can cost a small fortune.
It may not look as pretty as the scale accurate kitset but thats what shrubs, weeds, whatever you call them are for. Then make something move so it takes the eye away from the "faults" . In most cases you will be the only one that knows that its not 100% correct.
refer to www.gscaletrains.net.nz . Hopefully it will make you think "I can do that"
Tony
My weekly budget is £10. I don't vary it. I now model in Gauge '3' which is at least an order of magnitude more expensive than 16mm scale. If you budget is strapped then I would suggest that you model in 16mm scale as basically "anything goes".
Kiwi you might be interested to know that quite a few of my 16mm creations are actually NZ bush Lokeys built with information passed back from family in Napier...
regards
ralph
The Home of Articulated Ugliness
On the subject of cheap, I was going to fit a Phoenix sound card to one of my rail tractors. Then I saw a video on youtube by Altterrain7 with a sound system I had not heard before. I posted a question and he directed me to George at ITT : http://ittproducts.com/hqpage_2008.htm
His sound cards are $35 and they can run on a loop, rather than responding to motor speed or track voltage, but I have yet to meet a person who can identify where the loop starts. The Diesel sound varies from a fast idle to an engine groaning under light load, so it sounds good standing still or trundling along. I am working on a video to go with my tractor fitted with the twin Lister card (originally a stationary engine, used with pumps etc.)
It goes to show that even when moving on from the basics, there is a cheaper alternative.
on of Altterrain7s videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/altterrain7#p/u/3/OucW7TD6Ujw
Mick
Chief Operating Officer
Northern Timber Company - Mt Beenak
Ralph,
As I still live here,(NZ) anything you want researching ?????.
Get the Garden Railways newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month