Nantahala Midland V 3.0
A quick update, still lots to do:


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Mike

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As I said on the Railroad Line thread, the Nantahala Midland is what got me firmly back into USA N scale, and is a constant source of inspiration for me.

Thanks for sharing your progress Mike. Smile
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You are welcome Dan and thanks for the kind words. I will be following your work as well!
Mike

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Had a lot of fun Eek Curse working with letters that are 3/16th's of an inch tall. Also boarded up some windows and put the glazing in the rest and finished with the roof details.


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Mike

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Lookin' good, Mike! Applause Applause

An easier way to align lettering is to use a strip of masking tape as a guide. For a narrower strip, put a piece of tape sticky-side-down on a piece of glass, then use a knife and straightedge to cut off the edges (they get dinged and collect dust and fuzz with the roll just sitting around on a shelf or in a drawer), then cut a strip suitable for use on the item you wish to letter.
I use dividers to measure the width when lettering rolling stock: this allows me to match lettering placement on multiple cars of the same type by simply by placing one edge of the tape against a common edge or detail on the cars. You can also measure and mark individual letter/number locations on the tape before you peel it off the glass and stick it on the item to be lettered, since it's much easier to work on a flat surface unimpeded by irregularities on the model.
The bricks on your structure are a good horizontal guide, but on plain surfaces with no reference points, dividers will allow more accurate and consistent placement than will a ruler. In N scale, being "out" by a small amount is more noticeable than "out" by the same amount in larger scales.
Also, when making words using individual letters, either three-dimensional like you've used, or decals or dry transfers, letter spacing varies with the different combinations of letters. Varying the spacing between characters is known as "kerning", and it can determine if the words or numbers "look right". For instance, the space between an "A" and a "V" should be different than between an "A" and an "M".
Your sign looks fine, so the foregoing isn't meant to be a criticism, but simply a little information on making the process easier for anyone doing a similar task.

Wayne
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Wayne I did use the masking tape as a guide. The ruler pic was so you could see the size, the ruler is actually sitting crooked (check out where it crosses the windows) but the letters are straight ( least ways as straight as the bricks are Icon_lol ).
Mike

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Mike, I like the use of the letters, they look great.



Cheers
Andy Kramer - modeling the Milwaukee Road in Wisconsin
The Milwaukee Road is alive and well and running in my basement
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Thanks Andy!
Mike

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Tyson Rayles Wrote:Wayne I did use the masking tape as a guide. The ruler pic was so you could see the size, the ruler is actually sitting crooked (check out where it crosses the windows) but the letters are straight ( least ways as straight as the bricks are Icon_lol ).

I realised that the ruler was sitting crooked, but thought that perhaps you had struggled keeping it in place while applying the letters. Perhaps someone else will benefit from my suggestions.

Wayne
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Wayne I probably will benefit from some of your suggestions as well as others I'm sure. Thanks for the input! Thumbsup
Mike

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Going thru my odds and ends boxes looking for drums to paint so I can wrap this project up.


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Mike

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While the backside is finished I didn't photo it as it can't be seen once it's on the layout. Really won't be able to see a lot of the left side as well. That said this project is pretty much finished and next will be the loadding/unloading stations.


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Mike

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Hey Mike, looks great. One thing that stands out for me, maybe hit the boarded windows with a A/I wash to knock down the brightness alittle. Just a thought.



Cheers
Andy Kramer - modeling the Milwaukee Road in Wisconsin
The Milwaukee Road is alive and well and running in my basement
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Andy I had 1 coat of A/I wash on it but you are right it still looked a little stark so I added three more coats. Still isn't real dark but looks better in person, I think the lighting to photo it might be making it look lighter than it really is.


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Mike

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Thumbsup Thumbsup
Johnathan (Catt) Edwards
"The Ol Furrball"

"I'm old school,I still believe in respect"
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