Splattered!

Just like most people who build models things can go wrong for me, probably more than most other modellers! Take the 3D printed diesel loco for example. I managed to smooth out the print lines and then applied a white under coat through my airbrush for what I hoped would be an eventual orange top coat. The under coat went on well and I left it a day to dry. I also found the Kato Pocketline chassis that the body would be mounted onto. Things were looking good!

However things were going to go down hill! Having mixed up some Vallejo orange paint and thinned it with Tamiya thinners. I loaded up the airbrush and applied what can only be described as a splattered coat of paint that ended up looking more like a pebble dashed finish! 

What went wrong? To be honest I am not sure. Possibly the different brand of paint and thinners did not mix as they might have. Iit was a warm day so that may have been a factor or it may have been operator error! Not sure but I cannot leave the loco looking like this. I can have a go at sanding it down to see if that smooths off the surface but with so many different levels to the moulding that may be difficult. I have a feeling I may need to find a way to strip the paint off and start again. Stay tuned!

3D printed diesel loco

For my 1001 post I have in my usual way picked up another project! This time the 009 3D printed loco body that I picked up at the Market Deeping Model Railway Show last week. Like many 3D prints this required a little fettling to smooth the ridge lines left by the printing process. 

A mix of sanding sticks, wet and dry paper and a scalpel blade slowly created a smooth surface. It took a couple of hours but was worth the effort for a smooth paint job - I hope!

One Thousand!

ONE THOUSAND POSTS!

Believe it or not this is my 1000th post on this blog! I was amazed when I got to 100 a few years ago so this takes me into a whole new arena! Think I will have some celebratory cheese of which I seem to have rather a lot of after my exploits as posted about yesterday!

However, back to the here and now as my delayed DCC chipping of the DJ Class 71 loco has now been completed.

As with most of these chipping jobs, the body had to come off the chassis first. Not to bad with just four clips to find and release. 

This loco uses a 21 pin decoder and I was lucky that WMD Stores had some in stock, that is one of them beside the pack with the others.

With the blanking plate removed from the circuit board, and it was twice the size of the chip that went in its place, the chip was plugged in.

Following programming the body was put back on and the loco is now ready to go. Nice and simple - just like me as Mrs. Woody says!

Wonder what my 2000th post will be about? Will I actually get to 2000?

Say cheese!

I do take a few photos of model trains but no matter how life like I think they are I have never said 'Say cheese' to any of them! Well the DJ Class 71 that I recently bought was due to be DCC chipped today but having dragged the ever suffering Mrs. Woody around various model railway shows I thought it was time to delay that task and take her out to something that she was really interested in - The Melton Mowbray Cheese Fest! There was enough cheese there from all over the UK and further afield for everyone who attended to find at least one they liked from the many tasting samples on offer. I had to taste a lot of samples though - and say cheese! 

It was not all cheese, there were all manner of drinks....

...breads, cakes, pies.....

...sweets

...this lemon and lime tart I bought never even made it out of the hall where I bought it before I consumed it!...

...and lots of people enjoying a great day!

It was inevitable that we would buy some cheese as well as a few other goodies, but it would be rude not too!

On the way home with car now like a mobile branch of  Ye Olde Cheese Shoppe, I took the long way in order to put out the Rocks By Rail banners for the next events which are next Bank Holiday weekend! Time flies as they say!

Whilst putting one set of banners out I heard a rather strange skyward emanating sound and looking up say this rather incredible site of 19 similar airplanes flying in formations. They looked like Chipmunk trainers but I am no real expert but no doubt Mr. Beecham will be able to put me right with his vast aircraft knowledge. No where is that cheese????

Wrenching Woody!

Wrenching Woody? A strange title but given that yesterday when I was at the Museum it was somewhat wet outside, a job under cover and in the dry was a preferable option!

That job centred around Mr. D the latest loco now in the restoration shed.

The ever knowledgeable John had a oil tank to relocate under the bonnet and a hydraulic tank to fit in the vacated space. This is the tank!

Luckily John is nimble and could get under the bonnet.

Nicely nestled under the bonnet John could identify what needed to be done . 

My job was to be in the relative comfort of the cab to wrench, or as we say in the UK, spanner (but spanner doesn't rhyme with Woody!) the nuts off and on the old and new bolts.

Some holes also needed drilling so I had to keep an eye on making sure the drill didn't hit any of the wires or pipes on the bulkhead. of which there are a few!

Anyway after a few hours and several holes, nuts, bolts and washers the job was done!

And I was dry - unlike Rob and Richard who were trying to keep the welding gear dry!

Meanwhile, Harriot the JCB, looks good outside with the rain adding some shine to her new paintwork!

Next week, if it is dry, It will be back to Lawn Mowing Woody!

The WMD Film Squad have been out again!

Another WMD YouTube production featuring how I added the cables to the platform sides in moving form rather than the pictures from the last few days.

Weathering the platform.

Having glued the platform surface to the base it was time to weather the base. The bricks and cables just looked too bright and new, not dirty and old as such a platform would be. Not only that but a bit of weathering does hide the odd glue smear and similar! The airbrush was loaded up with some very thinned earth coloured paint and randomly sprayed on the base until the desired effect had been achieved.

Putting it on the layout it turned from this....

....to this. Still more to do to the platform itself but it is coming on.

Back to model making!

 Time to get back to some modelling as it did rain today! Still didn't get much done as there were indoor jobs to do on Mrs. woody's list! However, I did get some more done on the platform for my 00 gauge layout. Something that you see attached to most platform sides are electrical cables but rarely modelled so that was my challenge today. I had some thin black cable salvaged from a defunct electrical appliance and although not long enough to go the full length of the platform I had a plan!

First off I needed some supports to attach the cables to - just like the real thing! I cut 5mm lengths of sme plastic rod from the WMD stock of such things and super glued these at 25mm gaps - roughly 6 feet in old money,

My plan to cover the joints in the wires was to make a dummy joint box. Some angled plastic strip did the job.

Painted balck they blended in.

Tempoarily putting the platform in place it looks good - in my view anyway!

Just needs the top surafce gluing on and some weathering - I wonder if it will rain tomorrow!

WMD Stores added to!

As a result of my visit to the Market Deeping Model Railway Club Exhibition, not only did Mrs. Woody get her Tiffin but the WMD Stores got a few items!

I picked up this from a company called LCut who produce laser cut building kits. They sponsored YouTuber, Lauries Mechanical Marvels, in his recent model railway build so I thought I would try one of their kits.

Very well packaged and I bought some DeLux glue made for the job to.

There are certainly a lot of parts but looks very interesting.

The gent who does 3D printing with profits going to the Lincolnshire Air Ambulance was there and I really do love what he has in his ever expanding range. This 009 diesel loco body was just £13.

This very nice Cat pipe layer was just £8 - look at the detail!

And these bikes were just £1.

There was also a bus stop shelter and a telephone box again £2.

I just need time to put them together! Talking of which the good weather is seeing me concentrating on gardening rather than model making so maybe some rain is needed! However in the meantime the log splitting is seeing the pile go down.

And with hedges and grass cutting together with weeding there is a nice pile of bags to go to the recycling centre - evidence that Mrs. W cannot refute that I have been busy!