Large Scale Central

Backwoods rolling stock

Modeling
#1

I decided to start kitbashing my hartland mini series gondala into a backwoods tender and also my backwoods box car. The boxcar frame is the flatebed from my LGB starter set. This is my first attempt at ever kitbashing. I have no idea what im doing. [%-)]

This is the tender. I cut out the front and started to make out of wood a box to hold the fire wood. The cylinder looking piece is going to be the water tank for the back. I still need to find two small tool boxes for the front of the tender. Having trouble finding anything. I want to add some small details like tools etc…

This is going to be my backwoods boxcar. I screwed and glued the wood supports. Once dry I will add some beams to the top. Then from there I will add some stripes of wood horizontaly for the outside and then I have to come up with a door. Any adivise on both these projects will be a great help. I guess I have to start somewhere.

#2

Looks great! Don’t worry about the “not knowing what you’re doing” part. That’s all part of how we all learn. You’ll try something, it won’t work, then you’ll figure out how to do it better the next time. (Note: this approach doesn’t work so well for skydiving, juggling chainsaws, or antarctic exploration. :wink: )

My advice would be to keep pluggin’ along. Everything you’re doing so far sounds reasonable, so keep at it.

Later,

K

#3

Yes, kitbashing is a skill you learn by doing. One thing you may want to experiment with is, if you drag a razor saw across the plastic wood boards you can give them “wood grain”. Tool boxes would typically be build of wood so just glue some up. You can add hinges and such by gluing on bits of styrene or brass. eBay and Ozark Miniatures are a good sources for tools. Ridges Road Station carries Ozark at a discount. Bachmann also offers a small bag of tools for about $4.

-Brian

#4

Even experienced modelers don’t always “know what they’re doing”. I’m often experimenting with new materials or techniques, doing something I’ve never done before.

The learning process is continuous.

#5

My parts box is full of my first few attempts at kitbashing. You’re doing great, just dive in using inexpensive things, and dont expect prize-winning results out of the gate. It gets easier to carve into those $500 locomotives as time goes on.

#6

Kevin Whats the best paint to use on plastic when you want it to look like wood? Any special way to apply the paint.

#7

I use the inexpensive craft acrylics for the vast majority of my painting. I tend to buy the “Folk-art” brand, though they’re all fairly similar. Check the Sunday paper for coupons for the craft stores, and you can get them even cheaper than the $1/bottle they usually cost. For unpainted wood, I start by sanding the surface with 60 grit sandpaper in order to simulate the wood grain. Sand in the direction you wish the grain to run. For deeper grain, you can use the teeth of a razor saw or an X-acto knife to add some deeper relief. I paint this with a light tan or tannish-grey paint as a base coat. Once that’s dried for a day or two, I go back with a wash of very dilute black paint. This settles down into the grain, bringing out the detail.

(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/eastbroadtop/projects/littleflat.jpg)

This is a Hartland flat car I did. I sanded all the “wood” surfaces with the 60 grit sandpaper to get rid of that flat plastic look. You can see how the black paint settled into the grain on the pillars.

(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/eastbroadtop/flat63/flat6305.jpg)

Here’s a Bachmann flat car which got a nearly identical treatment. The only difference is that the decking already had the wood grain molded in, so I didn’t hit it with sandpaper. The end gates are basswood that I painted with the same dilute black paint that I used on the deck. They turned out remarkably similar in color. Later, K

#8

Thanks kevin, what do you use for the bolts on the front of the hartland flat car?

#9

Well I got more work done. (actually have three procts going) I started putting siding on my boxcar. At first I was using strip wood but found it did not look good too many spaces. I used some boards and cut lines in to look like planks. Worked out pretty good. (after looking at kevins his is much nicer) I also took one of my flatbed wood cars and added wood ontop , front and back. Looks much better. My tender is getting there, just have to paint a few pieces before I can attach anything.

(http://i31.tinypic.com/kd1gzt.jpg)

(http://i25.tinypic.com/v5akja.jpg)

(http://i25.tinypic.com/33469o4.jpg)

(http://i27.tinypic.com/102po2v.jpg)

#10

Ozark Miniatures sells the nut,bolt and washer combo that’s on the sill plate on Kevins car.

Ozark Miniatures, Inc. - detail parts for the garden railroader

http://www.ozarkminiatures.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idProduct=63

#11

The ones on the end of the 4-wheel flat are the ones that were cast on the Hartland car, but Ozark, Hartford Products, and others make nut-bolt-washer castings in a variety of sizes and shapes which will work. I try to keep a steady stock on hand, but invariably find myself one short of whichever style I need at the moment. :wink:

The cars are looking great!

Later,

K

#12

Thanks I ended up changing the top boards on my flat car. I wanted something a little thicker in width and height. It now looks much better. I am in the process of painting it lets see how it comes.

#13
Shawn said:
Thanks I ended up changing the top boards on my flat car. I wanted something a little thicker in width and height. It now looks much better. I am in the process of painting it lets see how it comes.
Beware of using water based paints on your scribed boards. The water may cause thin wood to warp when only one side is being painted. Use spray paint or enamels.

-Brian

#14

It may tend to warp a bit, but it will go back straight once it dries. It doesn’t matter if it’s enamel, acrylic, latex, or whatever else. The wood fibers expand as they absorb the liquid carrier, then contract once it evaporates. I’ve never had that present a problem. You do want to be careful of CA (super glue) joints if you’re using very dilute mixtures. They don’t particularly like being wet, and thin washes may tend to soften the joints. Soft joints and slightly warping wood does cause some issues.

Later,

K

#15

here is the finished project on my first flat bed. I think it came out pretty good considering. Everyone is making fum of me because I actually was sitting down doing something. (Im the type who never sits always out doing something-ADD) Here it is please feel free and be honest on where I can improve. Iused the folk art paints, only problem is they have weird names for the colors.

(http://i32.tinypic.com/255ups0.jpg)

#16
Shawn said:
I used the folk art paints, only problem is they have weird names for the colors.
Don't worry about the names, they're just for the folky arty types :/
#17

Steer clear of the “Ceram Coat” brand of craft acrylics. They are extremely light-sensitive. When I started my layout, I experimented with painting the plastic ties to look more like wood, and used those paints. Within a couple months of sitting in the sun, my beautiful “wood” ties had turned hideous shades of blue-green and blue-gray.

#18

Looks nice! One down, two to go. Then there’s the loco to pull them. :slight_smile:

Later,

K

#19

Kevin:

What do you use to thin the Folk Art paints?

Thanks & Happy RRing,

Jerry

#20

Good start, Shawn. Next time it’ll be a little easier to pick up that razor saw and start bashin…if you haven’t already…:wink: