srr90 Hey guys,got 2 questions.. First is who makes a very realsitic brick for like on sidewalks? Second I have some buildings that were built on thin plastic,what works best for grooving out foam evenly so I can set them in to look good? Thanks
Hey guys,got 2 questions..
First is who makes a very realsitic brick for like on sidewalks?
Second I have some buildings that were built on thin plastic,what works best for grooving out foam evenly so I can set them in to look good?
Thanks
A difficulty in modeling brick streets and sidewalks is that bricks are laid into a wall differently than they are laid into a surface such as a street. Most of the "sheets" of brick available are designed for wall construction.
I needed some brick streets in HO. Look at the Walthers Cornerstone Series "Brick Street System" #933-3139. I am generally pleased with the results, and I think that the street pieces could be cut to narrower strips for use as a sidewalk - it is a hard styrene product. A thin wash of Polyscale grimey black cut the plastic sheen and helped the appearance. Manhole covers and fire hydrants are included in the kit.
I have several larger structures that I built on thin ("luane"?) plywood to allow complete construction at the workbench - sort of a mini-module where a detailed structure can be moved by the base. I've always found it easier to build up the ground cover around that base than to "seat" the base into the layout itself (homasote in my case). Once you dredge a hole for a certain sized building, you have a problem if you need to move the building even slightly.
Bill
I'm guessing your modeling scale is HO. Take a look at Plastruct http://www.plastruct.com/pages/RetailDisplays.html
As I write this, I'm looking at a sheet of Plastruct brick embossed plastic cast in a reddish brown color. (Item 91605, I think). As with any other such material, some application of thin washes of dark grey, black, or whatever else your prefer will highlight the texture. The key word is THIN.
For grooves in foam, I suggest you use an inverted hacksaw blade or an old butter knife - but not in the way you might think.
First, place your structure at the chosen location. Closely and carefully trace the "footprint" of the building foundation or walls - whatever it is you want to sink into the foam. If you can trace both interior and exterior (if the roof is removable, for example) do both.
Second, heat the tip of the hacksaw blade or butter knife over a candle flame, a Bunsen burner, or an alcohol lamp.
Third, use the heated blade to melt a groove in the foam along the lines you scribed in the first step. Try to keep an even and uniform depth, but not too deep....you want to sink the building slightly, not bury it. Several passes will be necessary because the blade will not hold the heat very long. Be careful to pull the blade out before it cools to the point where it gets stuck in the foam. A little practice with some scrap foam is essential before applying this technique to the actual scene. And a GIANT note of caution: don't let the flame anywhere near the foam. Situate it safely so there is no chance of flame to foam POOF!
Let me know how it works!
chicochip