LUMSDONIA ¦Layout and Website

The production line has started (very slowly).



I think I need more holders!

Don't be fooled thinking these are all done, I bought them painted! We are touching up and re-colouring to give some diversity and more realistic tones for the 1950/60's
So about 25 in a night is when her boredom threshold set in, this may take a while!

 

We went to the Wigan Fine scale exhibition today. Not disappointed, some great layouts with fantastic detail. Lots of traders, so picked up some bargains as you do and some missing colours of paint for the production line.
I took some video on my phone (so rubbish quality as usual), anyone recommend a good blogging DSLR? I am looking at the Canon EOS 200D but I am having difficulty swallowing the price!
Here is a taster, lots of O gauge in the video for you big guys

 

I may not think so, but I guess I wind up at quite a few exhibitions over a year. I keep telling myself not to bother!
I think this is the third year in a row I have been to Wigan! And yes, certainly the most large O gauge I have seen at one show and the one is the biggest I have ever seen!

There are a lot of reasons I should not go:-

1. Costs a fortune (petrol, entrance, parking, eats, etc)
2. Costs a fortune (If I have spent that much getting there, no point in not purchasing from traders, as it just cost more than the postage, if I order online)
3. Costs a fortune (Wife tends to tag along as an excuse to do something 'together' she's not a train enthusiast) so doubles entrance fee and munchies
4. Costs a fortune (Cuz wife encourages me to buy 'bargains' "while I have the opportunity!", that I would alone, probably steel myself from buying)
5. Seeing the standard others work to, makes it dismaying how much work I have to do to my own layout
6. They have working layouts, I am stifled from making my final plan (large layout) <-- nearest to envy emoticon
7. Full day lost working on my own layout

Are there any up's?
It's great to see others work, idea's and things that are different
Point in case, a turntable with a traverser in it! Don't let Toto see this, else that's Paul Dundee's next job!

 

That's ironic!
A bit basic (nothing you couldn't do yourself or better) but not a bad price for manufactured (Not sure i like the idea of MDF?)
But Toto's would have to be (arduino/stepper) motorized!

 

As usual. I have several projects on the go at one time!
So having ordered a coffee grinder/blender for the express use of the layout, investigation and trials have begun! So far after a steep learning curve, the results are superb.
Gormo's trick for adding the acrylic paint in the final chop works a treat!
I need some more paint (blue)and some more sponges, but so far I have 7 colour variations of 'fluff' that is not distinguishable from proprietary suppliers! (piccy)
Once this is complete and I have a huge and various stock of material on hand, phase two can begin in earnest. This will entail trying out various methods of making tree armatures the production of fine fibre matte.

90% of the figures are painted in two halves, then faces, hands, feet and hats need doing
Things will slow over the next week or two while I get my head around today's purchase of a fancy DSLR, if I can ever work out all the whistles and bells, then maybe I can produce better quality video for my YouTube channel!

 

I got my head around one of the whistles and bells on my camera the other day.
The result is very amateurish, but it's a start, it needs doing again and 'smoothing out' or does a dirt track really look like that (maybe the shocks have gone on the car?)
Stop motion photography first go, using my competition diorama

 

Talking of video's.........I am branching out (pun intended ) into video versions of my webpage "How to's"
With a new found confidence in the output of my super camera and some tripod/clamp/bencharmyajigs, I have documented one of my more graphical methods of tips - How To make removable loads (semi-auto). It has taken a lot of editing. I doubt I am up there on Luke Towens level, but its a vast improvement on my earlier vids and hopefully more of a useful tutorial rather than my previous, 'look what I did' type.

It's a learning curve!

Please, please, give me any feedback, I cant improve rubbish if I don't see it

P.S. If the music 'dose your'e nut in!' (as some biased peeps have mention) please let me know!

How To make a removable Mineral Wagon Load

 

Thanks for the positives guys

I am trying to up my game.
I have been using MS Windows Movie Maker built in video editor for years (before Youtube I made family holiday vids). It is limited in what it can do.
I have a very fixed idea of what I want to make as the xmas competition diorama video, but need some features not supported by MS Windows Movie Maker
So it seems there are a lot of freebie editors out there, some of which have much more/better features.
As a gluten for punishment, I always throw myself in at the deep end and have downloaded some of the more sophisticated versions (marked front end not for beginners) and am currently drowning.
I think I will have to download several and see which one I get on with the easiest!
So far it's costing me a day a trial to see if I can work it! (hence never even saw the railway room this weekend!)

P.S. the people painting has stalled , someone needs a prod!

 

Thanks guys, it's good to get some feedback that I am on the right track. I knew what you meant, but still had to look up what Gladwrap was Tony!
I have 4 or 5 subjects in mind for the next vid's, Paul and one involves more magnets, Tony! Been away a few days, but need to get back into investigating editors, on number three now that might be a keeper, not sure if I need to try more, as it takes hours to put it through it's paces to glean if it's usable.

One of the many projects that are ongoing on my workbench, is making my own trees. I researched it years ago and have the principles locked in my brain. I have tried a few times using different materials. Making armatures is something I think I have cracked (the winter look is in the bag), but somehow never got round to adding foliage. With my new production line of coloured foam ground cover, it seemed logical to have a go with tree's. It seem's that I have found my Achilles heel , my attempts so far are equal to that of a four years old's attempts . Teacher gave me 2/10 . I never give in, there is no hurry (the big layout is a long way off yet), so it will probably take a backseat for a few more years, then I need to refresh the youtube learning and have another go. (I have a few hundred Chinese offerings in stock for immediate needs like diorama's )

 

Apart from the venture in 2006 to make a 10ft x 4ft (phase 1) layout that never really got much past the "body in white" stage, I have mostly been an armchair modeller until the last couple of years. That did not stop me designing the final layout (that may get some radical changes in the future), attending exhibitions and buying bits while there and off ebay! I am not a collector, I buy cheap (really really cheap), with the intent to run 20+ trains of a very long length, so I have bought old running stock with the idea to upgrade it. Carriage lighting, re-wheel plastic wheels, all weathered. {Here comes the bragging} I have 1,100 wagons and 100 coaches. To keep track of them, I have a spreadsheet that catalogues all the details. Given I have bought a lot of job lots (with contents I was trying to collect and others that I don't) I will eventually sell off about a third, which will finance new engines or DCC chips. I have a lot of cheap Loco's I have not got round to cataloguing them yet, I am guessing over 50, that will get serviced and chipped or sold on.

Front end of my wagon database spreadsheet (fully filterable and sorted) showing an extract

At least I know which rakes are short and what are surplus to requirements!

I do own about 7 Engines I have bought in the last few years that are new and DCC and have sound (the rest were all bought over 8 years ago over a period of about 12 years).
Yes I know there are databases out there you can buy, but as an excel expert, why would I not make my own!

Main sheet column headers, are below (with description for you in italics). Most columns are "validated" by a lookup lists in a second sheet.

ID Sheet line number
Count_Unique Formula counts same types
M Formula gets front letter of "Number"
Shelf Storage Location
Number Unique ID
Rake Grouped for train make up
Full Desc Formula amalgamates next two
Writing writing on side
Desc Wagon general description
Make Manufacturer
ManCountry Country made
ManNo Part No
Write_No Numbering on side
Condition good/bad/etc
Package boxed or not
Date_Aquired purchased on
Colour colour
Coupling coupling type
Wheels wheel type
Use Passenger/freight etc
Sector Sub of above
Date sold empty! Lol
Weathering yes or no
Load load
Defects for repairs
Description Additional notes
Weight Weight for posting
Purchase Price Price paid
Current Value Don’t know how to fill this!
Vendor Who bought from
Released Date model released

If this floats your boat, PM me and I will send you a blank copy

 

I have had styrofoam on my mind for quite a few years after seeing it is the "Go to" material the Americans use. Although the intent is to use it extensively on my layout, it has been on a back burner until I start progressing the main build. With the commitment to make a diorama for the Xmas comp, it seemed the ideal substrate and would be a good learning exercise for the future build. Getting hold of extruded polystyrene (XPS - styrofoam) is however problematical in the UK!
There are a few suppliers who sell modelling blocks, these are incredibly expensive due to exclusivity and carriage costs, for very little volume!
The alternative is to buy in bulk from an insulation supplier, of which there are few that stock it and none are nearby to enable pickup, they also have a minimum, which usually equates to a 4x8 sheet or more!
So I bit the bullet and bought 4 sheets of 4x2. This lead to me buying and making the Tools required to cut, form and shape it {and make a guide page on my website}.
It has also lead to a Video of some of them in action, including a cross cut saw that I believe may even be a completely original {I have certainly not found anything similar in my research}
Neatly cut parts glued together to form a lightweight, strong base.