Module base construction...

Hi All,

Was this was the first stage of the construction of the base for our test module...

Here is the basic pine timber frame that forms the base for the module.  It is 90mm x 19mm.  It has changed from these photos as I have removed the 19mm plywood top and replaced it with a luan door skin piece & "Canite" baseboard.

Photo showing the track work installed and joiners soldered in...

Photo showing the installed track feeders...

Completed trackwork and feeders & missing ties reinstalled...

Here is a photo of the styrene concrete crossing being installed.

Another shot showing the completed concrete crossover and the future asphalt road.

More to come shortly,

Jason...

Second stage of roads, driveways, curbs & sidewalks...

 All,

Well the second stage of construction on our test module concentrated in getting in the future asphalt road, concrete curbs, driveways, loading areas & concrete sidewalks.  I decided to use Evergreen Styrene sheet for this purpose.

This series of photo shows the installed styrene road, driveways & parking areas...

More road and driveways installed...

Close up shot showing the completed concrete crossover & scale comparison...

Next stage: Scenery contours and land forming...

Cheers,

Jason...

Land forming, Contours & Concrete...

Hi again,

Well this stage of our module construction was centred around the forming of the land and contours on the module.  I used Joe Fugate's method of cardboard strips, masking tape and paint to form up the basic design and contours.  The area is simulating a urban area hence the relatively flat land with only slight elevations.

This method of developing land and contours goes very fast, and is extremely easy to master in a short time.

Basic forms of land & contour using the cardboard strip method.  Glued down and secured using hot glue...

Here is Evergreen styrene (HO scale 6x6) glued down to the roadway, to make the curbing. The road way is 30' scale in width with 5' being for the sidewalk.

Next installed the sidewalk (1.5mm Styrene Sheet) this being a individual sheet saves having to scribe the expansion/gaps between the curbing.

Next was the curbing for the entrances, carpark, and unloading/loading areas of the industry.  Started by forming the curves by using fingers and forming them in place.  Then glued down one end until set, and then glueing the remainder of the curbing.

This process was actually extremely easy and I had completed all of the curbing in about two hours.

Next stage is to finish off the remaining land forms & contours.

Cheers,

Jason...

Masking, Ballasting & Vermiculite mix ...

Hi all, again...

Well in this fourth instalment of our module construction we created the ground surface by using masking tape over the cardboard base form.  This was then painted in a tan coloured paint.  After this dried overnight it was onto laying down the ballast for the main and siding and the vermiculite, plaster & cement mix from Joe's Siskiyou Line DVD's...

Masking taped laid down over the cardboard base form...

This stage is extremely quick & easy...

Masking tape painted with tan dirt colour mix, this was not watered down at all...

Ballasted main & siding (main - WS Fine Grey), (siding - WS Fine Buff)...  Track has also been weathered using Floquil "Rail Brown" pen.

Joe's magic "Vermiculite, Plaster & Cement" mix...

Couple of shots showing the finished ground surface...

Next update tomorrow:  Zip texturing, and re-ballasting...

Cheers,

Jason...

Wow

Great looking work Jason. I'm keeping a close eye on this as my city street scenes are the next thing I'm going to be working on. I may have to change a few things I was planning on doing. Your roadways and curbing look really nice! Keep the updates coming!

Looking good, Jason!

Your canite looks ver similar to our homosote.  Sounds like it is made the same way only homosote is compressed paper instead of suga cane husks.  It looks like you used square section styrene to form your curbs.  How big is it?

Hey Jason...

...top model building  (as with your woodwork, neat and clean).  By next week-end I bet you are going to do some switch moves on that modul... (oh, right...you already did, lol).

Thanks Kevin...

Kevin,

Thanks for the comments, I'm really happy with the way the roadways & curbing have worked.  The styrene is a perfect combination for all aspects.

Next step is to figure out my colour combinations and weathering that I will use for the roadway, curbs/sidewalks and concrete loading areas.

Cheers,

Jason...

Styrene Curbs...

Russ the curbing is Evergreen HO scale 6"x6" square strips.  I simply glued them in using CA glue, then rounded off the leading top edge with some 400 grit sandpaper and the added some gouge marks and chips using a hobby knife.

The sidewalk is styrene sheet with expansion marks scribed into the top with a hobby knife every 5 HO scale feet.

Cheers,

Jas...

Thanks again for the kind

Thanks again for the kind comments Jappe, have a few really wet days in Melbourne coming up this week so will hopefully get some more done on the module.

Wish I could do some switch moves! But alas no power, DCC or controller at this stage.  However I know someone who does have a nice little NCE system that may be itching to have a run on a layout once some track is laid?

Cheers,

Jas...

Thank you Jason

This blog is as good as lots of the articles in the magazines! In fact, I prefer your "less words...more pictures" to most of the magazine articles. Your photos' quality is outstanding.

Looking forward to future posts.

A.

Thanks Al...

Al,

Thanks for the comments and I'm glad your getting something out of our construction threads & blogs and looking forward to more.  As I have said before I sometimes enjoy doing the threads/blogs as much as doing the module or layout construction.

Just my way of repaying the help that I have received to date from all on MRH.  I'm still impressed with my 8 year old Canon camera I use to take the photos, it has not let me down yet...

Cheers,

Jason...

Of course, your truck

(lorry?) is on the wrong side of the road, but other than that, it's looking great.

Left, Right, Right or Wrong????

Dave,

(Yes Truck is fine, UK is "Lorry")  Bad habit I must get out of before marking roads on the layout, or things will look a little odd.  Thanks for the comments too.

Cheers,

Jason...

The J&L Static Grass Applicator...

Hi All,

Well the last two days have seen some very productive achievements reached with the J&L module.  Firstly I have managed to build myself my very own static grass applicator with the help of  Kevin's MRH article.  I have made a few little alterations to Kevin's design that should make his design even more flexible and user friendly.

Firstly I wanted to be able to change over the cartridge/container that holds the flock, this way I can have a large one for vast areas and a smaller one for small areas and hard to reach places.  I achieved this by using a PVC pressure pipe fitting that has a threaded connection.  This allows me to change the flock containers over.  The other was to have a see through flock container so that I can see how much was left, I used a sealable "Sestema" food container, also I wanted to incorporate the LED into the on/off switch.

Photos of the applicator and results below...

The J&L static grass applicator...

The base of the flock container...

PVC threaded fitting showing the rubber grommet and ground lead, Illuminated LED on/off rocker switch...

Showing how the flock container can be removed using the threaded PVC pressure fittings...

12V DC power lead, Grounding lead & On/Off rocker switch...

And the results using WS Burnt Grass - Static Grass...

And...... Small clumps of the same static grass, using Joe's method from his DVD...

And finally laid onto the module using hot glue...

If anybody wants any further information on our version please let me know, and once again thanks so much for Joe & Kevin for bringing this great little project to everyone for "FREE"...

Cheers,

Jason...

Zip texturing...

Hi All,

In light of the article in MRH by Joe relating to "Zip Texturing" I thought I would post a few quick photos of our attempt on our module.  The formula is exactly the same as Joe's "Tan Dirt" mix, the final result did turn out a little darker than Joe's and I think it made need a touch more yellow and a little less black.

Overall very happy with the result for a first attempt, and the colour is very realistic and prototypical.

Photos below...

Next stage will be putting in small gravel in the washouts along the mainline, and detailing some rocks.

Cheers,

Jason...

Zip texturing

Jason,

Your zip texturing mix looks an aweful lot like the colored sanded tile grout I'm using:

To me, the tile grout has two advantages - it's premixed and in a single source, so I don't have to track down a lot of ingredients; it's also a close match to the actual soil in the area I'm modeling.  And it sets itself up nicely with just a mist of water.

Of cours ethe 25 pound bag I bought will probably be enough to cover a dozen layouts . . .

Hey Jason...

....excellent work there my friend. 

I already can tell this module is going to be a first in class one, great job !!!!

Very similar indeed...

Philip,

Your right they are very similar.  Might be worth considering, I'm going to have another go at getting the colouring closer to what Joe has achieved in his DVD's (little more yellow & lighter in colour) first.

I like the idea of the tile grout being pre mixed too, and not having to buy several different ingredients.  Will certainly look into it and have a go before starting the layout.

Thanks for the advice and information, and great job on your scenery dirt!

Cheers,

Jason...

Thanks Jappe, If I can get my

Thanks Jappe,

If I can get my layout, scenery & weathering to look a fraction like yours I will be very happy modeller!

Cheers,

Jas...

Excellent Applicator

That looks like an excelent applicator, Jason. Well done. The effect on the module is very nice.

Roy

It does make grouse, grass...

Thanks Roy,

I'm pretty happy with the way the applicator turned out, was my first time at building something electronic from scratch.  The result at the end was extremely pleasing too, I hope to get some longer static grass in the next day or two to try out and place on the module.

Cheers,

Jason...

+ +

Not as flexible as my rechargable  Electro-Grasser mind you ...   but a fine build and use of  imagineering    ...

I noticed one little thing, You put your feeders on the inside of the track. That is hazardous is'nt it.   They look like (big) spikes, might be less conspicuous thru a tie, and safer on the outside of rail.  Then others will say under track is best of all. 

Anyone in Canada know where we can get this Vermiculite stuff, or in Quebec for that matter.

Marc Fournier, Quebec

Not sure