MODELLING HINTS AND TIPS
White lettering on decals (waterslide transfers)
Are you straining your eyes trying to distiguish the white lettering or design on a sheet of decals with a light coloured backing sheet? An easy way to avoid this problem is to "paint" the rear of the backing sheet with a spirit based PERMANENT marker pen. When you turn it back again you will find that the white lettering or design is now very easily seen on a black background. This will enable you to cut out the decal close to the white lettering/design. As the marker ink doesn't impregnate the carrier film it has no detrimental effect upon the transfer. You must use spirit based markers as the water based type will colour the water used to soak off the backing paper and stain your decal. As with all of these tips, try out the method on a piece of waste before using on a "proper" piece as your marker pen may not be as permanent as you may think.
Glazing your trams windows
Have you ever had difficulty fitting glazing into your tram? Have you spent hours cutting pieces of glazing to the exact size required? Many of us have! However there is now an easier method.
a) Place the glazing sheet behind the window aperture it is to fill.
b) Draw around the inside of the window frame onto the glazing.
c) Cut the glazing on the mark just made.
d) Hold into position in the window frame.
e) Fill the gap between the glazing and window frame all the way round with Kristal Kleer liquid glazing film [there are other similar products available but any ordinary pvc white glue which dries clear will do.]
f) Leave to dry completely.
g) Repeat with all other windows. Your glazing will now be flush, or recessed, just as you require.
"Masking" your model for painting
This is a tip from my wife who, amongst needlecraft and other craft hobbies, makes and dresses porcelain dolls. Who says that we cannot learn anything from the ladies? You've used very low tack masking tape - I use Scotch Removeable Magic Tape - and find that when removing it immediately after painting, when the paint is still wet, that there has been soome "bleeding" under the masking tape and the immaculate break is slightly "ragged" in places. What do you do? Remove the new paint completely whilst its still wet? Wait until its dry and then attempt to gently strip the ragged bits away? Wait until its dry and then endeavour to paint out the ragged bits, only to find that you now have a different texture in that area?
The simple way is to use some Blu-tac! Make a square ended "sausage" with the blu-tac and roll it along the ragged join. The paint in the "wrong" place will adhere to the blu-tac which can then be lifted away. DO NOT attempt to "blot" the paint and don't attempt to roll it too far because you will then deposit the paint which the blu-tac has picked up back onto the model thus negating the work you have done.
However,there is another solution which avoids the problem. The solution is quite simple. After applying the masking tape spray a thin coat of the colour you are masking off. This will form a "seal" between the masking tape and the undelying paint stopping the new colour from bleeding and, being the same colour as that being masked the paint creep will not be noticed.
Another use for Blu-tac
Blu-tac can also be used to hold several pieces of a kit together immediately after you apply adhesive and it will be held securely whilst you wait for the adhesive to dry. You can also use this method for low-melt soldering operations. Just hold the pieces together with the blu-tac and when in alignment solder in the usual manner. A very useful "second pair of hands!
Making grooved tramway track
Want to represent grooved tramway track but cannot make your own track? Use evostick or similar adhesive to fix thin microstrip [.75mm x 20thou] to the rail chairs inside the rails on both sides of Peco, Lima, Hornby or similar track. Use one of your wheelsets on axles to gauge the distance between the rail and microstrip leaving a small additional amount to allow for any inconsistancies in the back to back measurements or flange thickness of your wheelsets. This is the method used on the Blackpool in the box diorama which has a track radius of 7 inches on the inner track and doesn't appear to cause any problems due to extra friction. The space between the microstrips can then be infilled with Polyfilla or similar material in the usual manner.
On the new Blackpool in the box layout now under construction I am using Peco "Z" gauge code 65 rail, which is available in lengths 2 foot long only, to represent the inner part of the groove. This is soldered to brass or metal pins which are pushed into pre-drilled holes in the lastic sleepers. The space between the code 65 rail is then filled as in the method above, the filler being at the same level as the code 65 rail. As this rail is 10 thou lower than the running rail it is now possible to clean the running rails using an abraive rubber - or any other method of track cleaning - without damaging the infill or polishing the inside of the "groove" presenting a more realistic appearance. Another advantage is that there is greater clearance between the bottom of the motor and the infill which could allow the use of smaller tram wheels.
There is also the option to purchase proper grooved tramway rail but this costs a lot of money. The name and address of a supplier is on the question an answer page.
Making all your trams run at the same speed
Its a well known fact that no two motors used in modelling run at exactly the same speed. Even though motors of the same make run at almost identical speed, when used to power models the differing weights of the models can affect the speed at which they travel. On a layout such as Blackpool in the box which uses reed switches in the track activated by magnets fixed to the tram to activate relays which switch power to the track sections on and off, it is essential that trams travel at approximately the same speed. It is easy to achieve this using resistors, but, as the resistors can get very hot in use their use in plastic bodied trams in particular and, to a lesser extent, in white metal bodied trams another solution has had to be found for Blackpool in the box. Older visitors to the site will remember the time when electric fires used heating elements made from very thin coiled wire held in grooves in porcelain material slabs. The same coiled wire is used today in fan heaters, hair dryers and hot air guns etc. Although designed to work on mains voltage (240 volts ac in the United Kingdom) it is eminently suitable for use as a resistor or 12v dc with the great advantage that it doesn't get hot - just barely warm. Another advantage is that you can adjust the resistance simply by cutting to length - the shorter the length the lower the resistance - with the exact length required being easily found by trial and error. It has to be admitted that there is now great difficulty in finding these elements (known as "eureka" wire) as they haven't been used in electric fires for a great many years and as hairdyers, fan heaters and other such appliances are now so cheap and not worth repairing they don't seem to be available as spare parts. Its not all bad news though, a number of suppliers of electronic components stock either nickel/chrome wire (nichrome) in various gauges from 18swg to 32swg (confudingly, the greater the number the smaller the wire) in 125g reels. This wire is used to produce heating elements so is suitable for our purposes. Another type of wire which can be used, although not quite as good for our purposes, is copper/nickel alloy wire (constantan) which is used to wind resistance coils. This is also available in various sizes. The nichrome wire can be wound onto the sprue from plastic kits and fixed in the body of the tram. If you would like further details please contact Len and he'll give all the help that he can.
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