Railroad Line Forums
Railroad Line Forums
Username:
Password:
Save Password


Register
Forgot Password?
  Home   Forums   Events Calendar   Sponsors   Support the RRLine   Guestbook   FAQ     Register
Active Topics | Active Polls | Resources | Members | Online Users | Live Chat | Avatar Legend | Search | Statistics
Photo Album | File Lister | File Library
[ Active Members: 0 | Anonymous Members: 0 | Guests: 198 ]  [ Total: 198 ]  [ Newest Member: alcashj94 ]
 All Forums
 Model Railroad Forums
 Startin' from Scratch
 Tools and tips for scratch building

Note: You must be registered in order to post a reply.
To register, click here. Registration is FREE!

 Posting Form
Screensize:
UserName:
Password:
Format Mode:
Format: BoldItalicizedUnderlineStrikethrough Align LeftCenteredAlign Right Horizontal Rule Insert HyperlinkInsert EmailInsert Image Insert CodeInsert QuoteInsert List Spell Checker
   
Callouts: Insert Speech Icon: duh! Insert Speech Icon: oops! Insert Speech Icon: sigh! Insert Speech Icon: ugh! Insert Speech Icon: wow! Insert Speech Icon: yeah! Insert Speech Icon: ok! Insert Speech Icon: yes! Insert Speech Icon: no!
Message Icon:              
             


Smilies
Alien_125 [:-alien] Angel_125 [:-angel] Angry [:(!] Apple_125 [:-apple]
Approve [^] Ashamed_125 [:-ashamed] Banghead_125 [:-banghead] Baseball_125 [:-baseball]
Basketball_125 [:-basketball] Batman_125 [:-batman] Big Smile [:D] Bigeyes_125 [:-bigeyes]
Bigeyes2_125 [:-bigeyes2] Bigmouth_125 [:-bigmouth] Black Eye [B)] Blindfold_125 [:-blindfold]
Blush [:I] Boggled_125 [:-boggled] Boring_125 [:-boring] Bouncy_125 [:-bouncy]
Brokenheart_125 [:-brokenheart] Bulb_125 [:-bulb] Bunny_125 [:-bunny] Captain_125 [:-captain]
Censored_125 [:-censored] Chef_125 [:-chef] Clock_125 [:-clock] clover_125 [:-clover]
Clown [:o)] clown_125 [:-clown] Cold_125 [:-cold] Cool [8D]
Cowboy_125 [:-cowboy] Crazy_125 [:-crazy] Cry_125 [:-cry] Cyclops_125 [:-cyclops]
Dead [xx(] Devil_125 [:-devil] Disapprove [V] Disguise_125 [:-disguise]
Dog_125 [:-dog] Doggy_125 [:-doggy] Dopey_125 [:-dopey] Drool_125 [:-drool]
Drunk_125 [:-drunk] Dunce_125 [:-dunce] Eight Ball [8] Evil [}:)]
Eyebrows_125 [:-eyebrows] Fight_125 [:-fight] Football_125 [:-football] Ghost_125 [:-ghost]
Glasses_125 [:-glasses] Gnasher_125 [:-gnasher] Goldfish_125 [:-goldfish] Golf_125 [:-golf]
Graduate_125 [:-graduate] Grumpy_125 [:-grumpy] Headache_125 [:-headache] Headphones_125 [:-headphones]
Hearts_125 [:-hearts] Hockey_125 [:-hockey] Hot_125 [:-hot] Hypnotized_125 [:-hypnotized]
Idea_125 [:-idea] Indifferent_125 [:-indifferent] Irked_125 [:-irked] Jester_125 [:-jester]
Jump_125 [:-jump] Jump2_125 [:-jump2] jumprefect_125 [:-jumprefect] King_125 [:-king]
Kisses [:X] Kitty_125 [:-kitty] Knockout_125 [:-knockout] Love_125 [:-love]
Magnify_125 [:-magnify] Masked_125 [:-masked] Mean_125 [:-mean] Mischievous_125 [:-mischievous]
Mohawk_125 [:-mohawk] Moptop_125 [:-moptop] Mouse_125 [:-mouse] Mummy_125 [:-mummy]
Nonono_125 [:-nonono] Ouch_125 [:-ouch] Paperbag_125 [:-paperbag] Party_125 [:-party]
Piggy_125 [:-piggy] Pirate_125 [:-pirate] Propeller_125 [:-propeller] Psst_125 [:-psst]
Pumpkin_125 [:-pumpkin] Question [?] Sad [:(] Scared_125 [:-scared]
Shades_125 [:-shades] Shake_125 [:-shake] Shock [:O] Shy [8)]
Sick_125 [:-sick] Sing_125 [:-sing] Skull_125 [:-skull] Slaphappy_125 [:-slaphappy]
Sleep_125 [:-sleep] Sleepy [|)] Slug_125 [:-slug] Sly_125 [:-sly]
Smgreen_125 [:-smile_green] Smile [:)] Smirk_125 [:-smirk] Snooty_125 [:-snooty]
Snorkel_125 [:-snorkel] soccer_125 [:-soccer] Sonar_125 [:-sonar] Sour_125 [:-sour]
Spin_125 [:-spin] Splat_125 [:-splat] Star_125 [:-star] Tapedshut_125 [:-tophat]
Tapedshut_125 [:-taped] Thumbdn_125 [:-thumbd] Thumbup_125 [:-thumbu] Tiger_125 [:-tiger]
Timebomb_125 [:-timebm] Toast_125 [:-toast] Tongue [:P] Tongue_125 [:-tong2]
Tophat_125 [:-tophat] Turtle_125 [:-turtle] Vampire_125 [:-vamp] Viking_125 [:-viking]
Weeping_125 [:-weepn] Williamtell_125 [:-wiltel] Wink [;)] Witch_125 [:-witch]
Xmas_125 [;-xmas] Yawn_125 [:-yawn] Yuck_125 [:-yuck]  

   -  HTML is OFF | Forum Code is ON
   Insert a File
 
  Check here to include your profile signature.
 Check here to subscribe to this topic.
    

T O P I C    R E V I E W
Bbags Posted - 03/10/2005 : 5:30:15 PM
Hi all.
This sticky will be for any tools or tips that you might offer to make scratch building easier.

To start:
One of the most important tools to me is a scale ruler that is graduated in your scale for scratch building.
I think if you are going to build in HO(choose your scale) then you should learn to think in HO.
Therefore I use a metal scale rule which has marked on it HO feet and inches.

Therefore when I think of something being 10 feet long I am thinking of 10 HO feet rather than 10 feet in the real world.

I also prefer to use scale lumber rather than dimensional lumber since scale lumber is measured in HO feet and inches whereas dimensional lumber is measured in real world measurements.

I know that a 2" by 4" in the real world is more like 1 3/4" by 3 1/2".
This is due to the fact that lumber is measured in sawn size(when first cut) and not actual size which is smaller due to dressing and/or drying.
However if I want my studs to be 2" by 4"s then I buy 2" by 4" stripwood.

Now that I have become an HO person building an HO structure it is much easier for me to visualize sizes.

Now it is time for others to add there own choice of tools and/tips for scratch building.
Thanks for your participation in advance.
15   L A T E S T    R E P L I E S    (Newest First)
Anna-Carin Posted - 10/31/2020 : 09:55:20 AM
Some tools that I use a lot, that haven't already been mentioned -

A knife rest (pic from Wikipedia) where any kind of paintbrush can be put down without smearing the table or rolling away.



Sanding blocks made from sandpaper stuck to 3/16" foam core and cut to size (I mostly use 4x7 cm, a little less than 2x3 inches). Write the grit on the back. I've also glued sandpaper around both ends of chopsticks for sanding inside corners and curves.

For applying Tacky Glue, a friend in the US sent me a tool made from a GUM stimulator tip, glued to a dowel handle. It's flexible and has a very fine point, great for applying small amounts of glue. When the glue has set for a minute or so, I gently run the tool along the join to rub off any excess. I use this tool all the time instead of toothpicks. It works for applying tiny dots of craft paint too.

desertdrover Posted - 01/23/2020 : 11:48:21 AM
Glue holder Jig-Tool:

While watching Carl Alessi, RR-L Member (Carl B) his “Great Lakes Lighthouse Build: http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=52349&whichpage=1
I saw a glue holder jig he made-up. (First set of pictures).
That jig, after many years of modeling struck my interest immediately. We all know when we model, and use glue, we set it down only to pick it up again and have to shake the glue to the tip to use it once again. And, this goes on and on throughout our construction builds.
Well this outstand jig solves that problem for us. Here are the parts I used and made-up one for myself. It shows all the different glues it can hold. And, many more I’m sure.
I took an extra caulking gun I had laying around, and pulled off the handle and guts, than cut out a piece of wood to screw the caulking gun tube holder onto to make-up my glue holder. Enjoy!
Many thanks Carl B.





desertdrover Posted - 02/22/2019 : 2:08:27 PM
quote:
Originally posted by David Clark

Genius.
Cheers,
Dave


Thanks Dave, my next trip to the store I'm going to pickup some electrical alligator clips and make some up in place of those electrical lugs, so I can clip it to work being held in the same wooden block.
David Clark Posted - 02/22/2019 : 12:22:55 PM
Genius.
Cheers,
Dave
desertdrover Posted - 02/21/2019 : 3:45:22 PM
This thread hasn't been added to in awhile so, I'm posting this idea. While working on a project I got an idea for a new spray booth paint holding aid, to add to my collection of extra hands. I used an Electrical Connector lug crimped onto a 4” piece of wire coat hanger. You can now screw this “extra hand” onto your frame truck mounting hole, or onto the coupler pocket hole. Then you can hold it by hand, clamp it holding your item to be painted, or make a wooden block with rows of holes, the size of the wire to insert into the wooden block to hold upright. You now have an extra pair of hands to add to your paint shop.



[Edit] I went a step further with this extra hands idea and took a piece of 2” x 4” wood 10” long, and drilled in 1/8” holes to hold the wire extra hands. I also took some miniature craft 1/2”, (12mm) wooden spools and glued them to the wire so I can pick them up and hold them while painting if needed.
mwbpequod Posted - 11/21/2018 : 09:52:08 AM
quote:

I'm also thinking this could make a good article for one of the major magazines. Mmmmmmmm.........


I can think of one right away that would be interested,
Bernd Posted - 12/09/2016 : 5:07:32 PM
Thanks Ted. Here's the soda I use. 50˘ a box.



Bernd
quartergauger48 Posted - 12/09/2016 : 2:58:41 PM
another Great use of baking soda Benrd, And a very cool home made blaster'...Love it'..
Bernd Posted - 12/09/2016 : 11:35:18 AM
Looking over both Louis's and Jeff's link on blast cabinets I'm thinking of a combo of the two. I like the sink idea but think it's a bit to large for model railroad items, unless you're into live steam. Yet you want something big enough to have both hands in the cabinet. I like the idea of the sink with it's own stand, perhaps a home built stand? I know if it doesn't get it's own stand it will shoved from one horizontal storage area to another. So it will definitely need it's own stand.

I'm also thinking this could make a good article for one of the major magazines. Mmmmmmmm.........

Ok, just added another project to the list.

Bernd
jschumaker Posted - 12/09/2016 : 09:48:13 AM
Here's a DIY sandblasting cabinet.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Homemade-ShotGrit-Blasting-Cabinet/

Jeff S.
Dutchman Posted - 12/09/2016 : 08:33:17 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Bernd

Plus baking soda is "environmentally" friendly. Any laying around will soak up foul orders. Remember the baking soda in the fridge trick?

Bernd


Plus Baking Soda is even effective pesticide to help control many creepy crawlers.
Bernd Posted - 12/09/2016 : 08:09:08 AM
quote:
Originally posted by BurleyJim

I like the Baking Soda media. That Silica sand is dangerous (Silicosis) and requires some serious breathing filtering. We used that in an auto body shop, I worked at as a kid and at a tool and die shop 40 years later. Nasty stuff.

Jim


I don't think you can get silica sand as fine as baking soda. Plus baking soda is "environmentally" friendly. Any laying around will soak up foul orders. Remember the baking soda in the fridge trick?

Bernd
Bernd Posted - 12/09/2016 : 08:05:56 AM
quote:
Originally posted by desertdrover

Thanks for the information and email Bernd. I'll give the soda a try. Also, forgot to ask, is the soda used re-useable?
Glad you liked that link. I thought it would make a nice usable containment cabinet.


Louis,

Your welcome. Always like to share my ideas with you guys. I'm sure it's reusable if you contain it in a blasting cabinet. Mine is spread over part of the basement and other material. I'd have to sweep it up.

I have seen several home made cabinets for sand blasting and this looks like it'll work for what I'm doing.

Have fun and let us know how you make out with your equipment.

Bernd
BurleyJim Posted - 12/08/2016 : 9:43:32 PM
I like the Baking Soda media. That Silica sand is dangerous (Silicosis) and requires some serious breathing filtering. We used that in an auto body shop, I worked at as a kid and at a tool and die shop 40 years later. Nasty stuff.

Jim
desertdrover Posted - 12/08/2016 : 9:15:26 PM
Thanks for the information and email Bernd. I'll give the soda a try. Also, forgot to ask, is the soda used re-useable?
Glad you liked that link. I thought it would make a nice usable containment cabinet.

Railroad Line Forums © 2000-2020 Railroad Line Co. Go To Top Of Page
Steam was generated in 0.27 seconds. Powered By: Snitz Forums 2000