Franksville Wisconsin N-scale modutrak module buildout

[lashedup]

This "Kilz 2" Is that in a spray?  Only Kilz I know of is a very thick brush on paint.

Sorry Chris, I should have clarified that I use the stuff in a can. I dilute it one part paint, two-three parts water (roughly). It dries quickly and gives nice tooth for other colors and/or powders.

[tom mann]

The Kilz in a spray can is awesome.  That stuff will cover black in one coat.  I used it on my cinder block wall building.

[lashedup]

I'm always afraid to use a rattle can on fine detail stuff. Does the spray can version go down fairly lightly and with little mottling?

Skibbe is playing around with a vinyl cutter right now running styrene sheet through it to score cement block motar lines as no one makes a decent n-scale cement block styrene sheet. So far experiments are working. Soon as he gets me a closer to finished sheet I'll post up photos. I might try the rattle can Kilz 2 if you think the coverage won't be too thick and kill the detail.

Most of the time I'm covering such small pieces that I just take an old Gatorade cap as a mixing cup and dab my brush in the big can of Kilz 2, then mix a little water in so it is the consistency of cream. Then I just brush on the model and done. I got most of the inspiration from here:

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/aging_wood/

However I'm not using the Rit dye and instead just using washes of India ink, Pollyscale Roof Brown and Grimy Black. I built this loading dock out of styrene and used the above weathering on it:



- j

[tom mann]

Skibbe is playing around with a vinyl cutter right now running styrene sheet through it to score cement block motar lines as no one makes a decent n-scale cement block styrene sheet. So far experiments are working. Soon as he gets me a closer to finished sheet I'll post up photos. I might try the rattle can Kilz 2 if you think the coverage won't be too thick and kill the detail.

In N, I wouldn't try it.  But the gaps in the HO cinder block wall were too large, so I wanted some to lay thick and give the illusion of smaller gaps.

[Sokramiketes]

I've got some overrun to correct, and think I can do it by reshaping the cutting blade so that it spins on center of the point instead of slightly off center. 

[tom mann]

However I'm not using the Rit dye and instead just using washes of India ink, Pollyscale Roof Brown and Grimy Black.

I'm also a fan of Harold's technique.

Try Liquidtex Ivory Black instead of Grimy Black.

[diezmon]

However I'm not using the Rit dye and instead just using washes of India ink, Pollyscale Roof Brown and Grimy Black.

I'm also a fan of Harold's technique.

Try Liquidtex Ivory Black instead of Grimy Black.

are you guys diluting with water, or alcohol?  I tried this once with alcohol/indiaInk.. and it ended up thinning the underlying paint, and making things look like crapola..


haven't had a chance to try it with water, or washer fluid yet..

[tom mann]

are you guys diluting with water, or alcohol?  I tried this once with alcohol/indiaInk.. and it ended up thinning the underlying paint, and making things look like crapola..

Distilled water.

[Ian MacMillan]

I've got some overrun to correct, and think I can do it by reshaping the cutting blade so that it spins on center of the point instead of slightly off center. 

Which cutter are you using? My wifes uses a Cricut blade that turns on center.

[Sokramiketes]

I've got some overrun to correct, and think I can do it by reshaping the cutting blade so that it spins on center of the point instead of slightly off center. 

Which cutter are you using? My wifes uses a Cricut blade that turns on center.

It's a Desay Master 380P or some such Chinese thinger...  Does the Cricut cut exactly on center, or do the blades look like this:



See how the point is at the edge of the cylinder, not directly on it's axis?  Never a problem with large vinyl window signs, but trying to cut N scale brick and cinderblock, it's causing issues.

[Ian MacMillan]

Similar, but the blade on the Cricut looks to be a bit smaller so there maybe less travel. But then again I have not tried N brick as well, just window stuff. The Cricut blade however free spins, so it pivots on the point as it follows the CAD line. Send me your file and I'll see if I can test on a piece of styrene here.


Maybe you'll have to measure the over travel and then edit the cad file to compensate.

[Zox]

Which cutter are you using? My wifes uses a Cricut blade that turns on center.

Is there a way to make a Cricut machine do other than what's on the pre-programmed cartridges? Or is this some other device that uses the same knives?

If you can program a Cricut for arbitrary shapes, then buying one of them is going near the top of my to-get list...

[Sokramiketes]

Which cutter are you using? My wifes uses a Cricut blade that turns on center.

Is there a way to make a Cricut machine do other than what's on the pre-programmed cartridges? Or is this some other device that uses the same knives?

If you can program a Cricut for arbitrary shapes, then buying one of them is going near the top of my to-get list...

I just heard that someone was looking into marketing a similar machine, a Clic-n-cut or something, to the hobby market.  Apparently it can cut styrene sheet like butter, and can also scribe sheet stock, so it would be perfect for custom structures.  I have access to this big vinyl plotter, so that's what I've been playing with, but a $600 or so desktop model that could save me the hassel of laying out building walls and window openings would be a god send.  Might even be better than a laser cutter, which works better with wood than plastic, as I find more use for styrene parts than anything else. 

[sirenwerks]

Do you mean this - http://www.scrapbookdiecutter.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=S&Category_Code=KNK

[wm3798]

If refined enough, that could revolutionize things like passenger car sides... caboose sides, and other such road specific rolling stock things that manufacturers are loath to mass produce...

Building walls would go without saying....  But I would sure miss busting my knuckles pushing a #11 blade through that .20 thick clapboard siding...

Lee