Thursday, October 28, 2010

Building Basic Model Train Parts From Plastic

By: Victor Epand

Building your own model train sets can be very fun and exciting. It is a great way to show off your skill as well. You can build all kinds of features and these can each be challenging in their own way. One of the ways to build parts is to craft them from plastic. Once such sort of structure that can built from plastic is buildings. If you are just to cut the pieces out with a knife, glue them together and paint them then you can end up with an okay looking building that will probably suit your purposes.

While this may do for some quick projects there can be much better ones produced with the right tools and preparation. Part of the preparation includes gathering the tools that you will need before hand. One of these tools will be a sharp hobby knife. You will also need some side cutting pliers, some tweezers, files, scissors, and some 100 grit sandpaper. You will need to make sure that you have prepared all the pieces before hand.

The first thing you will do is to break loose all the parts you will need for the process loose from the sprue and make sure that you cut all the flashing off as well. You will next need to verify that the sides will all fit rather snugly. If there are going to be any gaps you will be able to fill these with a bit of extra adhesive later. Next you will want to check and see if there are any dimples in the plastic. If there are any then you should fill them in with either a bit of extra adhesive or green fill putty and then sand it down to fit.

Once you have all the the pieces ready you can then begin to fit them together begin by taping a side to the roof and gluing the edge together with a liquid styrene. You can then fold the two over and then tape on the next piece and repeat the process again. Make sure that you check to see how they will fit before you allow the styrene to set.

After the four walls and the roof are attached you will be ready to begin attaching any trim work, doors, and etc. You will then be ready to begin the priming and painting of your new plastic building. For most of the buildings primer is suggested due to the nature of the plastics. This will ensure that the paint sticks as it should so you will not be going back and trying to reglue parts that come loose. Now you have a complete plastic building.

After you have built several model houses this way you will be quite experienced and able to make a whole bunch of different ones. From houses to clock towers and from grain bins to train stations you can create an entire town from plastic that will greatly compliment your new model train display.


Author Resource:->  Victor Epand is an expert consultant for model cars, model trains, and model trucks. You will find excellent hobbying and trading resources here for model car tricks and tips, compact model train building, and compact model trucks.

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Thursday, October 21, 2010

Cleaning And Care Of Your Model Train

By: Victor Epand

This is something you con do yourselves, but I'm going to suggest you take it to the train store and ask them to show you how. The reason is that each locomotive is a little different. They come apart differently, they use different materials, and so forth.

The basic concept is fairly simple. Remove the locomotive shell. Clean out any dirt with a can of compressed air is often handy for this, though in some cases a solvent may be desirable. This is where things can get hairy; because you want to dissolve unwanted dirt or corrosion and leave the locomotive parts intact.

Once the moving parts are cleaned, they are lubricated. Light oil is usually used, but that can be bad for plastics. A 40-year-old locomotive is unlikely to have a lot of plastic in the running gear, but they might have some. They were just starting to make worm gears out of plastic then. There are some modern lubricants that are specifically made for use with plastic.

So, that's why I'm suggesting, you have the train store demonstrate the cleaning/maintenance procedure to you. Also remember to purchase the correct lubricants from it. I advocate establishing a good working relationship with a good train store, if you really want to enjoy the hobby.

Yes, you can use G scale models/tracks indoors and out. 8'x8' is not a lot of room for G scale, but you should be able to get an oval, or maybe a bent oval with a couple of sidings or spurs and still be able to move around the room. Remember that you may need access to re-rail cars and locos on occasion.

I personally have little use for a simulator except as a toy or surrogate for actually building a layout and running trains. By all means get one if you want to, but careful thought, planning and imagination will do just as well for much less money. I think the intellectual effort multiplies the satisfaction of accomplishing a layout design. I also will readily admit to old school tendencies.

There are several different 'G' Scale manufacturers, but each uses a little bit different scale ratios. LGB uses 1:22.1; Aristocrat seems to run about 1:28. Bachmann used to run about 1:24. There may be others. But, what I'm leading up to is that trains made up of pieces from different manufacturers may not look quite right. Now that doesn't mean that you can't purchase from more than one manufacturer, but watch how you interchange cars if you care about the way they look together. If you just want to run trains and don't particularly care about looks, which is OK, then don't sweat it.

If someone else objects, then don't let them play with your trains. As far as recommending one brand over another, I would suggest that you go shopping for a locomotive or a starter set. Find one that looks good and is a price that you can afford and buy it. If you want more cars, buy them; make sure that they are made by the same company. If you don't have a starter set or even if you do and you want to build a big layout, you'll need to buy track and a power supply.

The power supply that comes with a starter set won't be strong enough for a big layout, so you may want to purchase a bigger, better power supply. But you'll want to wait until you decide whether you want DCC before you make your final selection.

It depends upon how you will power and control your layout. In general, yes, some form of control for each train will be required. But whether you want or need it to be remote is largely up to you. One factor to keep in mind when building garden railroads is that while the rolling stock can be put away in inclement weather, the buildings and structures have to be able to stand up to wind, rain, possibly ice and snow, and ultraviolet radiation. Many people don't realize how destructive UV can be to plastics.

So, whether you are building with wood or plastic, everything will need some sort of protective barrier, paint, varnish, etc., or must be naturally weather resistant, such as cedar. When you buy a model train set make sure to ask if it can stand up to the weather in your area.


Author Resource:->  Victor Epand is an expert consultant at http://www.SellModelTrains.com/. Sell Model Trains is a community of various independent model train sellers from around the world. Each model train seller represents a unique style of products all their own. If you have a model train to sell, click here to create a Model Train Account.

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Building Model Railroad

By: Rene Graeber

What at first started as children's toy, model railroading became the most serious hobby that is followed by millions of miniature enthusiasts. As such, the scheme is still simple; you get to design and building model railroad layout in such a way, as it would appear in real life. The scheme is that simple but the technicalities are very complicated.

That aspect is what enamored fans to model railroading, they see a diversion that complicated enough to spend colossal amount of time without boring them, while also tickling their brains to activity. Building model railroad is not that easy. You need to design a feasible layout: curves should be design in a way that allows your locomotive to run without derailing; you need to watch every grade lest it might be too much for the locomotive engine to climb and travel. If you are doing multiple tracks, something really fancy like including a turntable or a roundhouse (like those Six Stall Roundhouse I've seen from CMR Custom Model Railroads), you need to determine railroad traffic complete with signage. That commands pretty hefty in terms of model railway planning as well as respect and awe to your model railroader peers.

So lets begin building ideas for building model railroads. First, how good are you in building model railroad layout? Have you tried this before? If you haven't, then its best you start with a single-track model railroad. If you could build a single complete loop, the better as there is no danger in the locomotive going off track. The difficulty lies in determining how you locomotive would stop. Electricity provides the best power source for your locomotive, and a DCC Decoder is the best power source. For more information about DCC, refer to my other guide.

Like the actual locomotives themselves, several aspects determine the reliable operation of the locomotive to the layout. One is the weight of the locomotive model; weight plays an important factor in keeping the train and its cars on track. That's why the Z scale model isn't the best option for building model railroad. Start with an HO scale, or if you are in UK, the OO scale, either way both are heavy enough to affect weight factor, and can be enhanced with add-ons. Weight and power is a determining force if a model train can scale a steeper grade, like 5%.

I have seen complicated building model railroads that contain several running pieces of locomotives. Very neat, it was a historical scale of the Chicago railway system. It contains roundhouses and turntables, several trains and platforms. What was really neat was the electrical arrangement that allows several trains to run on each track consecutively.


Author Resource:->  If you want to get more information, please visit my blog at http://my-personal-dreams.blogspot.com/

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Loving Your Hobbies More

By: Ray La Foy

With the advent of technology that makes almost every chore less time consuming, more and more time may now be devoted to enjoying your hobbies. More people can now take on one or several recreational activities like photography, stamp collection, embroidery, handicrafts, etc.

To provide more resources in the growing interest in having fun with hobbies, the web world has yet gave birth to a website that deals with anything about hobbies: hobbiesataglance.com.

This everything about hobbies website has clickable sections regarding hobby supplies, hobby lobby, tower hobbies, collectibles and model trains. It is an online resource center promising hobbie enjoyment, satisfying your hobby needs and assistance in finding hobbies that suit you.

On its hobbies updates and information part, it presents tips on how to find a perfect hobby or hobbies. For those looking for supplies, retailers or suppliers of hobbies materials are also found in this section of the site. If one is looking to buy some hand-made crafts or planning to grow some dough, many for-sale crafts and income-producing hobbies also shared the limelight in this website's hobbies updates and information segment. On one's prime years, a wide selection of suitable hobbies for those who already retired is also availed in this portion. Links, directories and forums that discuss and lead to other several crafts or activities that can be done leisurely are also provided here.

This online hobbies spot also unveils a plethora of hobbies supplies resources. Most of the links found here lead to suppliers of excellent materials, indigenous and synthetic, that make the dream hobbies of a lot of people come true. Painting materials, flowers and plants resources, jewelry making supplies and picture framing materials are all available here. Other more unique hobbies like enjoying the nature through non-conventional methods are also supported in this section of the site through providing stuff like portable microscopes. For those more inclined to mechanical or technical hobbies, web pages and other sites on modeling supplies and aircraft materials can also be accessed on this portion of hobbiesataglance.com.

Hobby lobby is another clickable link of this website leads to innumerable stores and shops and their locations with hobbies how-to's, supplies, workshops and seminars. Craft store catalogs, online coupons and aircraft models may also be seen on this page of updates regarding hobbies. Creative centers, hobby lobby founder, workers and investors are also given ample chance to shine on this fragment of the site. Hobby lobby stores in various States are here too for those looking for their hobby shop within their vicinity.

Those who are into tower hobbies are even given a special spot or link on this hobbies website. Building wireless towers that provide Internet access to a massive number of net users is one major feat. Links on other hobbies sites that deal with tower building, tower materials, and other tower crafts are also placed in this page of the site.

Collectibles like antiques, figurines, stamps, novelty items and other collection-worthy items may also be found here. Resources on where they can be found or bought are piled on this site. Model trains also found their way on one of the links of this all about hobbies web site.

So if you're just one of those can't-live-without-my-hobby kind of person, this website is made totally for you.


Author Resource:->  Hobbies are Fun

Learn more at
http://www.hobbiesataglance.com/

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