Yesterday, I visited two craft stores in the hopes of finding some kind of cheap material suitable to represent metal building siding. Considering the outside 110 degree temperature and lack of other appointments, I decided to just browse the stores from one corner to another looking for any items potentially usable for model railroading. I did stumble upon some items that have potential:

1) some kind of scenic sand product. It looked like it was used for making dinosaur dioramas for kids. But, it was fine enough and the earth colors could make it suitable as ballast or groundcover. It also came in bright colors like blue or green. I am not sure what the use for those colors would be.
2) Rubber blanks and tools for carving your own stamps. The rubber blanks were pretty cheap. If one has a simple custom RR logo, it would not be that hard to hand carve a custom stamp.
3) Rub on lettering. In the drafting aisle, they sold rub on lettering in various sizes for much cheaper than the hobby store. Unfortunately, the only color I saw was black, and only a few styles. Actually, there were also a few other tools in the drafting aisle that may be useful.
4) Old west unpainted figures, 1/72 scale. Yeah, they are an odd scale, but considering Harold (hminky) notes many figures are over or undersize, perhaps they are oversize enough to use for S scale.
5) various textured paper. This could be good scratchbuilding material.
6) various inks and paints - and silkscreen ink. I never knew what variety of inks and paints were on the market or that the inks come in such a wide variety of color.
7) Some kind of rub on pigment used to give things a metallic patina. It comes in various colors, but all are intended to be somewhat metallic. I could see a few areas where it could make an interesting weathering medium.
8) An adhesive copper foil strip used for making stained glass. I guess it is used to wrap around the edges of the glass pieces so the pieces can be soldered together. I am not entirely sure what the model railroad use would be for such an item - but a PCB-tie utilization sprang to mind.

These are just the items I remember (but didn't have the money to buy and test out). I found some textured paper amongst the christmas decorations that may work as metal siding - but I think I may try something else first. My point is, if you have time to kill it could be worthwhile taking a half hour browsing every aisle in a craft store just to get ideas for future projects.

nachoman Wrote: ... 6) various inks and paints - and silkscreen ink. I never knew what variety of inks and paints were on the market or that the inks come in such a wide variety of color. ...

Wow, Kevin ... what a timely discovery! When I read that my first thought was, "Oh, yeah, Kev ... not all ink is black and watery. Silkscreen ink is actually quite viscous and 'gooie!'" But then the tree-way bulb clicked up two light levels! (It was first thing in the morning ... I was "on" but "dull.")

Hey, Ralph! Get a roller from the art/crafts store called a "brayer" and some white silkscreen ink. (also get some turps ... I think I remember that's what you use to clean up ... better check on that first -- my memory of a process that I used and knew well 35+ years ago is not always reliable any more.) Squeeze a small amount of silk screen ink out on a piece of glass and, using the brayer, spread some of it out in a thin sheet. Now, using what is on the brayer, spread some on your rubber stamp and apply that to a test surface ... how does that look to you. As long as you didn't apply it too thick to the rubber stamp, it should look pretty good ... that is the "pad printing process" that is used in industry for applying graphics to product. It works in industry and it should work just as well for model railroaders! (I just wish I could remember the liquid that we used to clean things up ... I'm pretty sure it was turpentine ... or wait ... no ... maybe it was mineral spirits ... yeah, the more I think about it I think it is mineral spirits.)

nachoman Wrote: ... 7) Some kind of rub on pigment used to give things a metallic patina. It comes in various colors, but all are intended to be somewhat metallic. I could see a few areas where it could make an interesting weathering medium. ...

I remember that pigment ... a paste in a small white tube with red lettering -- we stocked it when I was the manager the Allied Hobbies store in the mall. I used the green metallic on a cheap 1/87th scale Civil War soldier on a rearing horse ... it is the statue on the big concrete base in the Town Square (a cast bronze statue that had developed a patina over the years). I let the pigment dry thoroughly (a couple of days, just to be sure,) gave it a shot of Dull Coat, and then hit it with a dry brush with some very dark green and then just a little bit of black in the crevasses. Finally, a few spots of white on the hat and shoulders of both the man and the horse, plus a couple of spots of white on the top of the concrete base and topped it off with a few scale pidgeons (Campbell products, if I recall correctly.)

Voila! A Town Square Monument!

That's exactly the kind of thing I was thinking of with that metallic pigment stuff. Some of it also kinda had a "tarnished metal" look that may be suitable for aged steel buildings (such as I plan for my smelter works). If it comes out too shiny or metallic, dullcote can always knock down the shine.

Kevin, IDE computer cables make great siding. the 80 conductor kind, and they are cheap, if not free.
Charlie

nachoman Wrote:1) some kind of scenic sand product. It looked like it was used for making dinosaur dioramas for kids. But, it was fine enough and the earth colors could make it suitable as ballast or groundcover. It also came in bright colors like blue or green. I am not sure what the use for those colors would be.

The dollar stores (Dollarama in Ontario/Canada) have 500g/1 lb bottles of aquarium gravel. The balck makes a decent coal pile or cinder ballast.

Quote:4) Old west unpainted figures, 1/72 scale. Yeah, they are an odd scale, but considering Harold (hminky) notes many figures are over or undersize, perhaps they are oversize enough to use for S scale.

For Christmas set-ups, the dollar store also has a decent selection (in season), including figures, lights, trees with snow, and so on.

Quote:5) various textured paper. This could be good scratchbuilding material.

Haven't tried much with paper, but interesting find!

Quote:6) various inks and paints - and silkscreen ink. I never knew what variety of inks and paints were on the market or that the inks come in such a wide variety of color.

Until I received the Bragdon weathering powders, all my weathering was with an Inkahol wash and craft paints.

Quote:7) Some kind of rub on pigment used to give things a metallic patina. It comes in various colors, but all are intended to be somewhat metallic. I could see a few areas where it could make an interesting weathering medium.

That sounds cool. Could be used to give a glint to selected junk at the scrap yard?

Quote:8) An adhesive copper foil strip used for making stained glass. I guess it is used to wrap around the edges of the glass pieces so the pieces can be soldered together. I am not entirely sure what the model railroad use would be for such an item - but a PCB-tie utilization sprang to mind.

I think I have seen this used in structure or passenger car lighting applications too, especially where there is difficulty hiding wiring or making connections as things get closed up (i.e. - you can place strips such that they make contact once the roof is secured in place).

Quote:These are just the items I remember (but didn't have the money to buy and test out). I found some textured paper amongst the christmas decorations that may work as metal siding - but I think I may try something else first. My point is, if you have time to kill it could be worthwhile taking a half hour browsing every aisle in a craft store just to get ideas for future projects.

I have this problem too - so many finds - so little time!

I mentioned in my "Not my era, but" thread that the opaque paint markers are good for grafitti for modern era rolling stock. Michael's had them on clearance for $1.99 each.

I have used the SCSI/IIDE cable to press foil between to make corrugated siding.

Andrew

nachoman Wrote:3) Rub on lettering. In the drafting aisle, they sold rub on lettering in various sizes for much cheaper than the hobby store. Unfortunately, the only color I saw was black, and only a few styles. Actually, there were also a few other tools in the drafting aisle that may be useful.

You should be able to use the lettering to make any colour. Paint the area with the desired lettering colour then apply the lettering. Then cover the whole area with the main colour. Remove the rub-on with tape and you should have sharp lettering.
(I have not tried this myself.)

P5se Camelback Wrote:Hey, Ralph! Get a roller from the art/crafts store called a "brayer" and some white silkscreen ink. (also get some turps ... I think I remember that's what you use to clean up ... better check on that first -- my memory of a process that I used and knew well 35+ years ago is not always reliable any more.) Squeeze a small amount of silk screen ink out on a piece of glass and, using the brayer, spread some of it out in a thin sheet. Now, using what is on the brayer, spread some on your rubber stamp and apply that to a test surface ... how does that look to you. As long as you didn't apply it too thick to the rubber stamp, it should look pretty good ... that is the "pad printing process" that is used in industry for applying graphics to product. It works in industry and it should work just as well for model railroaders! (I just wish I could remember the liquid that we used to clean things up ... I'm pretty sure it was turpentine ... or wait ... no ... maybe it was mineral spirits ... yeah, the more I think about it I think it is mineral spirits.)

Another good idea for the stamping process!

I've found lots of things at the crafts store like some of those mentioned above. I've also found that the wood crafts aisle might have some small items like pegs that look a bit like exhaust pipes or roof vents.

Ralph

BR60103 Wrote:

nachoman Wrote:3) Rub on lettering. In the drafting aisle, they sold rub on lettering in various sizes for much cheaper than the hobby store. Unfortunately, the only color I saw was black, and only a few styles. Actually, there were also a few other tools in the drafting aisle that may be useful.

You should be able to use the lettering to make any colour. Paint the area with the desired lettering colour then apply the lettering. Then cover the whole area with the main colour. Remove the rub-on with tape and you should have sharp lettering.
(I have not tried this myself.)

You're right, David, it works pretty well:










Wayne