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+--- Thread: Charlie b's layout (/showthread.php?tid=2463)
Re: Charlie b's layout - Charlie B - 09-23-2010
Angie, we need some pictures. I'll bet you are making wonderful progress and are just too critical of yourself.
Charlie
Re: Charlie b's layout - nachoman - 09-23-2010
Charlie - you look like you are having fun with this layout (and the building it resides in!).
Re: Charlie b's layout - Charlie B - 09-30-2010
We returned from our trip to NC Monday, and after resting a bit I got to play with some mud. For some reason I have been putting this off, but I decided that I had to start sometime.
Here are a few pictures of the ravine and Morris Trestle.
I must say that the Dura-Bond that Wayne recommends is the best hard shell material I have ever used. I used the Dura-Bond 20 for this with acrylic paint from Walmart to color it.
Charlie
Re: Charlie b's layout - tetters - 09-30-2010
Nice job on that trestle Charlie. That is shaping up to be an incredible scene.
Re: Charlie b's layout - Charlie B - 09-30-2010
I won't take credit for building the trestle, that was a gift from "railcop", a member here too.
Charlie
Re: Charlie b's layout - doctorwayne - 09-30-2010
Lookin' good, Charlie, and nice to see that bridge scene as the start of your scenic efforts.
For your layout, it might be more economical to use house paint to colour your basic landforms. I picked up a gallon of Walmart's cheapest flat interior latex - it was only $12.00 or $15.00. I don't recall the name of the colour (probably, like most paint nowadays, something like "mocha-cinnamon delight" or some other delicious-sounding moniker that makes you more interested in finding a nice restaurant than going home to paint
). I've labelled the can "Dirt", although the colour is one right from their colour chart.I found it very tedious to brush, especially on the Durabond, so thinned it about 30% with water. Using a 2" or 3" throw-away brush, it was a snap to colour the entire layout, including the Durabond and any exposed wood and plywood. It acts more like a stain, so penetrates the Durabond to some degree. Coverage on the wood is not quite as opaque, but it blends everything together well enough to look acceptable. Ground cover and ballast easily completes the coverage. The only place I used the paint unthinned was in the riverbeds, where I wanted to create a muddy-water effect. I've still got more than half of the original gallon left, with only about one third of the layout left to build. Your layout might take a couple of gallons.
Wayne
Re: Charlie b's layout - Gary S - 09-30-2010
DocWayne, I essentially did the same thing, went to HD, bought 3 gallons of the cheapest paint, "America's Finest" which is Glidden's cheapy brand. Seven bucks a gallon, which is dadburned cheap! I had them custom mix three dirt colors, one dark, one medium, and one with a green tint in it.
Side note.... So I choose the colors I want from the color displays -
HD GUY: "The lighter colors need "America's Finest Base 1" and the darker color needs "America's Finest Base 2, and we are out of Base 2" so I can't mix the darker color.
ME: "What is the difference between Base 1 and Base 2?"
HD GUY: "The darker colors take alot more pigment than light colors, so Base 2 has a little less paint in the gallon to make room for the pigments.
ME: "You're kidding, right?"
HD GUY: "Nope, that's how it works."
ME: "Okay, since you don't have any Base 2, but the only difference from Base 1 to Base 2 is there is less paint in the can, how about pouring out a little paint from a can of Base 1 and then mix the dark color for me?"
HDGUY: "Hmmm, I don't think I am allowed to do that."
ME: "C'mon man, it ain't that big a deal. The color doesn't have to be perfect, I just need the darker color in a cheap paint."
HDGUY: "I have Base 2 in Glidden which is $18.49."
ME: "Dude, I want the dark color in the cheap $7 paint."
HDGUY: "Tell you what, I'll mix the dark color in the $18 Glidden Base 2 paint and then put a "Oops" tag on it and you can have it for $5."
ME: "Works for me."
True Story!
Re: Charlie b's layout - Gary S - 09-30-2010
and oh....
Charlie, the trestle and the gorge is quite spectacular, and I'm looking forward to seeing it in all its scenicked glory.
Re: Charlie b's layout - Charlie B - 09-30-2010
Wayne, I was working late last evening. I had the "Nutmeg" acrylic paint from Walmart. It comes in a plastic squirt bottle, so I squirted it on a cheap 2 inch brush and smeared it on the Durabond. then I used a squirt bottle and misted the paint with water to spread it on thin. Let it dry just a moment and shot a little flat black where there should be some depth, and called it quits.
Gary, that was a great story. Now we know the difference between base one and base Two.
I have started on the 4 track viaduct that will be in front of the trestle, so I decided to move the tracks farther away from the trestle so it could still be seen. Already making changes to the track work.
Charlie
Re: Charlie b's layout - Steamtrains - 09-30-2010
Charlie.....That is a great looking trestle..!!
I hope to have a scene like that on my layout, but first gotta start construction of the center peninsula, AND build the trestle....
Re: Charlie b's layout - Charlie B - 09-30-2010
Steamtrains Wrote:Charlie.....That is a great looking trestle..!!Can't you con a trestle out of a friend like I did?
I hope to have a scene like that on my layout, but first gotta start construction of the center peninsula, AND build the trestle....
, Now, who do I know that has a four track viaduct 281/2 inches long and 10 1/4 inches high?Charlie
Re: Charlie b's layout - Charlie B - 10-01-2010
Well, I have commenced with the 4 track viaduct. I have glued 4 pieces of 2 inch foam together after cutting the arches on my band saw. I have to go to the hardware and get a surform file to true it up then I think I will put a light coat of Durabond over it then I will use the stone castings from my Linka building molds to face the entire structure.
I think I will do the rear and the underside of the arches before I permanently install it then I can do the face after it is in place. I think after the viaduct is done the rest of the scenery will just be time consuming but a piece of cake.
I went to the local limestone mine today and bought 1500 pounds of spec sand, which is limestone sand. I dried and screened about 100 pounds and I now have 18 quarts of ballast and a 5 gallon bucket of ho scale rip rap. Cheap Chucks cost for the ballast, $4.95 including tax, ( I could wind up with 285 quarts if I wanted to screen it all) and because it is only 5 miles from home the fuel wasn't bad either. Of course, my labor is free now I'm retired, but that's what the hobby is about isn't it. (Didn't someone start a thread about cheap materials?)
Charlie
Re: Charlie b's layout - tetters - 10-01-2010
Charlie B Wrote:I won't take credit for building the trestle, that was a gift from "railcop", a member here too.
Charlie
Well then my hats off to railcop. Either way it looks right at home where it is.
Boy, you really weren't kidding around when you picked up a truck load of ballast were you?
Re: Charlie b's layout - Ralph - 10-01-2010
I am eager to see how the viaduct turns out. I like your construction technique.
Ralph
Re: Charlie b's layout - Gary S - 10-01-2010
That is so cool! Never heard of spec sand.... 1500 pounds??? You'll not even come close to using all that, right? But at 5 bucks, you might as well stock up! And the size compared to the penny looks perfect for HO scale ballast.