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Some cardboard kits that I just built. I still have to work on the N-scale vegetables (not a joke!) that came with the farm stand. Yes, I'll be blind after that. On a US quarter:One a US penny:
Some cardboard kits that I just built. I still have to work on the N-scale vegetables (not a joke!) that came with the farm stand. Yes, I'll be blind after that.
Excellent Grasshoper, excellent! Good to know I'm not the only one using giant coins as photo props.
Really nice models! Were you wearing an Optivisor or the like? Sure makes these type of things easier. Even some 2-3x reading glasses are better than nothing!
Where did you find those kits?
They are from Kyoto, Japan from a company called Sankei. All they make are structures and "accessories" like that rickshaw or vending machines, bicycles, etc.All the kits are cardboard. But not ordinary cardboard. It's a special cardboard with an insane amount of resin mixed it. You can cut it without "fuzzies" left behind for a clean cut. And because of the impregnated resin, you can paint it with water based paint with no swelling, bubbling or warping of the cardboard. I use water based PVA (Aleene's) and it was a pleasure to put together!At first I thought they were die cut but they are actually laser cut with NO signs of singing that you typically see with laser cut on fibrous material like wood or paper.Here's how the two kits came. That light color cardboard with the farm stand actually have carrots, white radishes and some smaller vegetables cut! NOW we get out the Optivisor! Here's the crazy part. They are extremely affordable. The farm stand was a little over $2 and the rickshaw was under $3 and the kit has two rickshaws. I'm looking for N-scale people for the rickshaw. When I go back to Japan in the fall for the third consecutive year, I'll be scoping out more of these kits. Japanese perfectionism at its best!
I finished up another Wisconsin Central Jordan Spreader today (Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)
I have automated my flood loader! Now I can take a nap while the train loads. This uses an Azatrax infrared detector configured for across-the-tracks detection and minimum delay, and a non-latching DPDT relay. When a hopper blocks the beam the relay activates and switches the tortoise so that the loader dumps. When the gap between the hoppers is at the beam the relay switches off, reversing the tortoise so the upper bin reloads. Previously I had the throw a switch to dump and to reload. So far I've remembered to shut it off so coal doesn't dump on the next loco that comes thru.Also took the opportunity to remove the back wall duct work for the HEPA filter that I used when I loaded real coal.I was surprised at how precise the detector is. If I set the emitter and detector near the bottom of the hoppers, the vertical support struts under the hopper ends switched it on momentarily. I used the MRD1-V to remove as much delay as possible, and the MRAPR-12v DPDT Relay. (Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)
Yes, the couplers are hacked to make them rotary. After a dozen other approaches I've settled on 1/8" X 1/16" X 1/16" neodymium magnets. (Attachment Link)
Great looking model!! Who makes the kit/ model? Is that an Overland? Craig
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Topic: Weekend Update 8/10/25 (Read 4645 times)
