You used WHAT to make that???!!!

[Anonymous]

If you need some scale chain try some of those cheep necklace chains with the larger links. There often found on little kids jewelry. I'll have to go look I think my little girls are asleep,[zzz][:-^][(-D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by carpenter matt

If you need some scale chain try some of those cheep necklace chains with the larger links. There often found on little kids jewelry. I'll have to go look I think my little girls are asleep,[zzz][:-^][(-D]

Videos the hole event so I can get a hot tub and sanua out of the deal [:D]

[Anonymous]

Toner powder refill containers for photocopy machines make realistic tank containers for a medium industry., stand alone or connect with small pvc piping and the side ribbing makes a nice effect. Just burry the bottom of the bottle in dirt. Paint as you like, I did not have the chance to use the new paint made especially for plastic that does not require a primer first.

[bman36]

Hey everyone,
Thanks for posting all your ideas. Keep em' coming! My latest is #2 Turkey Grit for track ballast. Crushed Granite that is just the right size! Nice colour too. Later eh...Brian.

[kstrong]

A word of warning about the turkey (or chicken) grit, based on geography. If you're located near the ocean, ground up oyster shells are commonly used instead of gravel. Ask to see a sample before loading a bunch of 50 lb. bags into the back of your truck.

On the other hand, it could be just the catylist you need to build that warf scene you've always wanted to... [:D]

Later,

K

[Anonymous]

hi!
for my steam donkies I used cola cans and kitchen funels for vertical boilers, BIG spools (from the wifes sewing kit!) for the winch, and sewing snaps for valve handles. I have used parts from her old sewing machines to make a working steam saw mill with knitting needle shafts and sew. machine pulleys and belts. (mamod toy engine for power)
shoe string fire hoses, and green tinted beads from my daughters bead kit for telephone pole isolatores.garage sale jewlery for lenses in lanterns
hows that ?
christopher
Fogwater Scenic RR

[Anonymous]

[#welcome] Gandydancer41

I like them ideas!

[jmozz]

I use the containers cream comes in when you buy your morning coffee for garbage pails jmozz

[bman36]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jmozz

I use the containers cream comes in when you buy your morning coffee for garbage pails jmozz

Hey there,
That's funny. The next time I get my coffee I will be looking at those "creamers" a little differently. Great idea...thanks! Later eh...Brian. [8D]

[Anonymous]

Here is my lintel tool shed. It started out in life as a bird house in the Wal-Mart craft Dept. All the materials except the shingles were purchased at Wal-Mart. The siding boards come from what Wal-Mart calls skinny sticks. The Door is made from 3” rectangle slabs. The chimney is a ¼” rod. The shingles are cut from tarpaper. Here are a few other buildings I made from similar items:







This is my first station I bulit. It has sandpaper shingels and index cards for drywall.




Last but not least. My layout is inside so I used the fake (plastic ) foliage / leaves found at wal-mart. It came out better then I had planed. In the left side of this photo finde the big stump? Its from the fish Dept. :)

[aljay]

[bow]

Hi Everyone,

Great forum, and lots of great ideas. Being fortunate enough to work on a construction site I find a lot of stuff for scratch building.

Electrical box knockouts (Slugs) are great for oil drum tops, for banding on water towers how about copper ground wire and Ozark turnbuckles…works really well and looks good. ABS drain pipe for water tanks,4” and
3” for tank cars, one of which I am starting to get ready to put together, just need some good photos to work from. Also scrap veneer from stair cases and stringers…..Sorry but the list can go on…I wont.

Keep up the good work


Al
[:D]

[Anonymous]

aljay, I'm with you on that one! It's one of the great "PERKS" of working construction.

[aljay]

Ya,,,, Aint life grand.... I just love it. Just wish I could share the wealth with the other guys.

[tup] [8D]

[Anonymous]

On my snow plow project, I am using aluminum flashing for the plow and
used sparkler (fireworks) wire for the handrails. Great ideas here. Thanks - Greg

[bman36]

QUOTE: Originally posted by iaviksfan

On my snow plow project, I am using aluminum flashing for the plow and
used sparkler (fireworks) wire for the handrails. Great ideas here. Thanks - Greg

Hey there,
Thanks for sharing your progress with us. [tup] Just goes to show that almost nothing is considered garbage to a Large Scale modeller. Just have a look in my garage...yikes! Yeah over time some things just had to go. Too much c _ _ _. Oh well...now there's room for more! [;)] Now I know what to do with the sparklers the kids had! Later eh...Brian. [:D]

[aljay]

QUOTE: Originally posted by iaviksfan

On my snow plow project, I am using aluminum flashing for the plow and
used sparkler (fireworks) wire for the handrails. Great ideas here. Thanks - Greg

[:D]
Great , the plow sounds good. I have been using "stake out " flag wire for railings brake wheel extensions and ladders. If you use it as is it rusts up really well. It is also nice and sturdy and bendable.......I even use it under the cars for brake lines and truss rods.Most hardeware stores carry them for about 3-4 bucks for 20 of them, and they are about 2 feet long......lots of railing etc...

AJ [tup]

[markn]

I am knocking-off a N&W Class J (actually mine will be a "j" 4-6-4 vice 4-8-4 due to the configuration of the donor chassis) THE BOILER IS FAIRLY EASY-A LONG TUBE BUT THE SMOKE BOX "NOSE" IS A SPHERE-I USED A PLASTIC WHIFFLE BALL CUT IN HALF.

[Anonymous]

I had a need for a small 8 wheel gondola that would look Ok with 1:20 locos, but didn't want to start handbuilding one just yet. Sooooooo I rewheeled a New Bright gondola and after prying the signboards off the sides I think the final result will work well enough until I can set about building a replacement.

I am going to paint it and do a little weathering by the way which sould make it harder to guess the gondola's origins.

The other useful trick I thought of today was using turned hardwood cabinetmakers' buttons in combination with either brass or alloy tubing to make such things as steam or sand domes and loco cylinders. I was at the hardware store today buying some small panel pins when my eyes came to rest on these wooden buttons and right away I saw how they could be used :-)

Annie

[John Busby]

Hi all
A staition I built ten years ago surfaced again the other day it has glow lights fitted too it.
They where made out of desposable razor covers and that weird glow tape cycilists use
stuck on the out side of them.
The end result looks like a fluro light and at night they will pick up any surounding light
and glow thus apearing to be on.
Also used a tiny flat head nail as a door handle and a piece of cut down electrical plastic duct for the bench

[bman36]

Hey Guys,
Been a while since this thread has seen any action. How about wooden coffee stir sticks for planks? Works great. Later eh...Brian.

[mhampton]

I have found that the leftover slats from "faux wood" Venetian blinds is a great source of plastic building material. It is about 2 1/2" wide, 1/8" thick, and in lengths longer than most any project you can think up. It cuts nicely with a bandsaw, too.

[wd8jik]

Michael,
Good tip, I'm always looking for new material to work with.
Guess I have to start watching the dumpsters for it.
I still have some 1/8" redwood slats from a window shade I use that a neibhor threw away.

[Anonymous]

Last week I suddenly realised that the screw top from my roll-on deodorant will make a perfect steam dome for one of my loco projects.

Annie

[John Busby]

Hi Annie
I would take a long hard look at some of the girls requirements both normal and slightly naughty.
You would be very surprised at what modeling matierials you can find in that area.
All you need to do is get used to looking at things with a model makers eye's
Just an example under wear lacey bits and super glue for decorative iron work on verandas.
See what I mean, also 1" wide lace strip for net curtains well streched grey stocking for fly screens on houses
But I have to get domestic management to go an buy things like that.
regards John

[ghelman]

Wow, what great ideas. Not much to add. I did build a water tower. I banded it with copper wire. I strpped off the coating and stretched it out. Then layed it around the tower. To keep it in place I drove copper tacks into the tower around the perimeter. and soldered the wire at each tack. Not sure how real this is but it looks nice. I also made the roof from brass sheet and angle brass. Again probably not what was ever used on the real ones but looks good in the garden.

[Anonymous]

Hey I like your water tower mister [:)]
The one big advantage of being a woman is that I can go anywhere and buy anything without so much as a blush. I can also use any kitchen appliance I like for assisting my modelling endevours without causing fights and upsets too.
Ok another tip. I was having trouble last night getting two different kinds of plastic to glue together on my Hartland/New Bright hybrid loco 'bash', - sooooooo I went out to the garage and got my pot of PVC plumbing cement off the shelf. The stuff stinks and you have to be careful of the fumes, BUT can it ever glue plastic! [:)] [:)] [:)]

Annie

[ghelman]

Thanks Annie. I really enjoyed making it. I had an idea for it and it came out just as I wanted. That almost never happens when I build things. Something always changes my plans and I have to regoup. Anyway have a great day.

[John Busby]

Hi all
This one is for the Birits and Colonies semaphore signals Finials.
as I used square alluminium tube for the mast take one plastic end cap
drill the center.
Pu***hrough a aprox 2mm dia flat head nail 40mm long superglue nail head ot inside of cap note it will not stick very well.
Drill a plastic conical bead that is aprox 5mm dia and 10mm long so it is a neat sliding fit on nail. cement this to end cap ad super glue to the nail.
grab a scoluped ball shaped plastic bead aprox 18mm to a neat sliding fit on the nail
couner sink one side slightly cement this to cone bead and superglue on nail.
You should have aprox 20mm of nail protruding from top of beads file point slightly to remove sharp point.
Paint White with Red or Yellow ball depending on signal type pus into signal mast.
one signal finial that while not dead scale looks the part.
measurements are a guide only but produced to me the best look.
regards John

[wchasr]

While in NYC a few weeks ago walked past a trash ple in front of an apartment building with many old wooden slatted blinds! I thought briefly of getting my friends to help me haul them on the subway to teh hotel and then back on the bus too! Like I said only briefly. I knew they would say NO! Oh well.

Chas

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by John Busby

Hi all
This one is for the Birits and Colonies semaphore signals Finials.
as I used square alluminium tube for the mast take one plastic end cap
drill the center.
Pu***hrough a aprox 2mm dia flat head nail 40mm long superglue nail head ot inside of cap note it will not stick very well.
Drill a plastic conical bead that is aprox 5mm dia and 10mm long so it is a neat sliding fit on nail. cement this to end cap ad super glue to the nail.
grab a scoluped ball shaped plastic bead aprox 18mm to a neat sliding fit on the nail
couner sink one side slightly cement this to cone bead and superglue on nail.
You should have aprox 20mm of nail protruding from top of beads file point slightly to remove sharp point.
Paint White with Red or Yellow ball depending on signal type pus into signal mast.
one signal finial that while not dead scale looks the part.
measurements are a guide only but produced to me the best look.
regards John

I am very pleased to present this item, made by our own John Busby...

John begins by saying, "I described what I had used to make a signal finial that's the
decorative spike on top of the mast. This was a very simple signal to make the triangle is actually bolted to the mast as per the AUS prototype."