Detail "Stuff"

[RoyalOaker]

When I see finished layouts, what most catches my eye is the small details. IE, tires, barrels, pails, old wrecks, rusted train parts..etc.


Does anyone have tips on how to create small details at little cost?

One tip I have is taking a small 1/8" or less copper tube and cutting it into small sections. You take these sections and squeeze the cut sides until its flat on both sides with a bulge in the middle. Paint them white or beige and you have a bag of grain or cement or whatever you want.

I have heard that some people take old pencil erasers, cut them off the pencil and remove the pink part and paint them black or red to make drums. All the erasers I have do not look quite right for this, but I am still looking around. (I wonder what my wife would say about all the missing erasers[:)])

Any other ideas?


edit my spelling error

[Anonymous]

If you have coverted all of your RR cars to metal wheels, and you have kept your old plastic wheels. You could paint them a rusted color throw them in a gondola, and you have a scrap load.

[selector]

Here is a link to a topic I initiated a few days ago. There is some good adivce there.
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=33997

[RoyalOaker]

QUOTE: Originally posted by selector

Here is a link to a topic I initiated a few days ago. There is some good adivce there.
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=33997

Thanks Selector and Tex for your input

Funny thing, I have been on the Forum for a few months and this is one topic that was not easily found in one spot, So I thought I'd put it out there and low and behold, You had started a string just four days ago. I'll have to check out those links.


Keep the ideas coming.

I read somewhere that you could use an old piece of chewing gum foil as an awning for your buildings. The sarated (sp) edges are perfect for this. Just pierce the building with a short heated pin on each side of the window for the awning frame and away you go.

[Anonymous]

I model N scale, which is a little harder to detail than HO because it's so much smaller.
In spite of that, I've built used car lots, junk yards, track side shacks and all sorts of items out of my junk box and things around the house. My most recent accomplishment was taking a gondola, cutting a piece of poster board to fit down in it, gluing all sorts of junk on the poster board then spary painting it all copper color and high lighting it in black here and there to create a scrap metal load.

trainluver1

[willy6]

Used corragated nails for a fence (after soaking them in water to rust).Used automobile tire valve caps for tree pots, spagetti noodles for pvc, shingles for roadbed, roofing paper for asphalt parking lots.