The link to this video was emailed to me the other day.  I was really impressed with the quality of the model railroad used as the stage for this commercial.

Enjoy!

I finally completed the large slab car model by adding the steps and by adding weathering.

]]> http://www.railroadredux.com/2011/10/sierra-west-scale-models-backwoods-work-train-large-slab-car-2/feed/ 1 http://www.railroadredux.com/2011/10/silicone-casting-with-plaster-backing/ http://www.railroadredux.com/2011/10/silicone-casting-with-plaster-backing/#comments Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:25:26 +0000 Dom http://www.railroadredux.com/?p=591

Recently I decided to try another casting method.  This time around I used the Platinum Silicone system from Tap Plastics.

I decided to use the blanket casting method since this material is more expensive than some of the other forms.  The blanket method uses up to a third less casting material.

I mixed up a small batch according to the directions and painted it on the part after I glued it to the styrene.  I then thickened up the rest of the material using the thixotropic agent and spread it over the part (the instructions recommend painting the thin mixture on and waiting a while for it to set before adding the thickened coat).  Skipping this step did affect the final quality of the casting, but it didn’t really matter for this part.

After the material hardened I decided to pour a plaster backing to hold the blanket mold when I am casting parts.  I used a plastic package to create the mold and taped it in place on the styrene.

The final step was to mix the plaster and pour it into the prepared mold.

Here is the end result, a blanket mold for producing roofs for small boxcars.  It has good enough detail in the mold to add very fine texture to the cast part.

The large slab car was an interesting kit, mostly due to the different materials used in the construction.  The part of the load on the right is a resin casting, while the slabs on the left are actually small pieces of wood.  In this picture you can see the difference because I had not yet weathered the wood pieces.

The second picture shows the model almost completed, with only a little bit of weathering, and the steps to be added.

The lettering on the side was done by using water-slide decals.  The real wood pieces now resemble the others because I used my normal India ink and alcohol mixture to dull the color down.

This type of car would have been used to deliver already cut wood slabs to the donkey engines and other steam driven equipment in the woods.  Most likely it would be ran close to the water car for deliveries.

My wife turned me on to some new products from a company called Slice. I tried a couple of their products, and found that they work great for model railroading (and all sorts of other uses). The first product I tried was their Safety Cutter. This is simply a small handle with a ceramic “point” that comes out of one end. The most practical use for this was opening the small bags that fine detail parts come in, instead of using an x-acto knife. This made cutting much safer and made cleaner cuts. It is not often that something as small and simple as this safety cutter catches my attention, but this Safety Cutter has done exactly that. In fact, for a major durability test I used it to open a bubble package and it was able to cut through the plastic! I have yet to try it on styrene but I am sure it will work just fine.

And to keep this at least somewhat train related here are some pics from a Bar Mills Basics kit: the Simpson Feed and Seed.

This kit was fun and easy to assemble, with good results by following the included directions and the tips included with the kit. I completed this kit in about two evenings of work.

I have been insanely busy lately from work and school.  Here is what has helped to keep me sane:  the pipe and scrap steel car from the Backwoods Work Train.

This particular car took a lot of work, the amount of detail in this model is amazing.   After painting all of the parts that were supposed to be wood by dry-brushing various layers of brown, I used a fine detail brush to pick out individual parts with red green and silver. Rusting powders helped to create the look that a car such as this would have.

A car such as this would have been essential in keeping a small logging outfit running.  From these parts a “donkey doctor” would be able to repair almost anything.

This flat car was pretty easy to build as it is just a resin casting on a flat car.  I painted them separately so that I didn’t need to mask the deck.

I followed the directions listed in the construction manual for creating the deck.  One of the first steps I did before starting any of individual models was to stain all of the strip-wood included in the kit.  I divided it into three separate piles making sure that some of each length were in each.  I then soaked each pile into a different ratio of my India ink and alcohol mix.  I used my Chopper II (NorthWest Shortline) to quickly cut the strips to size, mixing the 3 colors up so that you get a random effect on the deck.

I finished this model with a light chalk weathering and sealed it with dull-cote.

The oil car was an interesting project due mostly to the amount of grime needed to make the car look right.

For the hose I used some left over wire from a decoder install.  In my opinion this worked a little bit better than the wire included in the kit.

The fun part was adding all of the grime.  I followed the suggestions in the instruction book (a 58 page wire bound book) and added drops of acrylic paint near the spout and dripped alcohol over it.  I did this with a couple different shades of black and then brushed a little rubber cement to add texture and shine for a fresh look.  I also used black weathering powder as a final step.

Varying the amount of shine on a model can really make certain details pop, and ad to the realism.  I usually spray the entire model with Dullcote and then brush on the gloss areas.

The sand car was a fun little kit to build and paint.  This car is a perfect demonstration of how the little details are what make the model stand out.

The figure is from Woodland Scenics, with a small amount of chalk to dirty his clothing.

The water-slide decals were easy to apply, the most important thing was to cut them very close to the lettering for the best fit.  To apply I first dip the decal in the water and then pull it out and set it aside.  While waiting for the glue to soak off the decal, I brush the area it will be applied with a decal softening solution.  About 20 seconds is all that is needed for the the decal to release from the backing.  I then pick up the decal and backing with a pair of tweezers and use a small brush to slide the decal onto the model.  Once I have the decal positioned where I want it using the brush, I brush a little bit more of the decal softening solution onto the decal.

I sprayed the model with dull-cote and then used chalk to weather the car.

I added the tar-paper roofing by cutting it into strips and gluing it on the roof using white glue.  This had the effect of creating some small wrinkles, but these added to the character of the building.  The Ski and 7up signs I attached with rubber cement, the rest I used white glue.

I attached all the details at the loading dock with Woodland Scenics’ Scenic Accent glue.  Following the directions on the bottle I brushed it onto each piece and waited until it had dried clear before sticking the part in place.  I actually used it after I applied the primer coat, which allowed me to use the glue to stick the part to my work surface for painting.  After the paint had dried I lifted the parts off the work surface and easily repositioned them in their final position.  I especially recommend using this glue with figures.

When I have found a place on my layout for this model (a section yet to be built) I will do some final weathering to make it fit into the scene.  For now this model is complete.