ianmacc Posted July 15, 2018 Share Posted July 15, 2018 Thought it would be a good idea to have a thread where we point people in the direction of useful paraphernalia from everyday life that has a modelling use. To start off: The top of pencils with an eraser on. That metal tube makes a good brazier or squashed oil drum when painted. Valve caps from tyres make dustbins. Tags from clothes make good signs. Picked that up from RM in the 90s. That bodywork mesh from car repair stores makes great mesh for fencing etc I’m sure more will come to me. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium mezzoman253 Posted July 15, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 15, 2018 The plastic covers on the pins of 3 pin mains plugs make passable lineside cabinets if you cut them off and "fettle" them by adding a roof and doors. The one on the right is a Hornby item. Rob 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianmacc Posted July 16, 2018 Author Share Posted July 16, 2018 Just the type of thing I’m looking for on this thread. Ingenious. Brillo pads as rough scrub. Brush bristles as reeds and long grass. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted July 16, 2018 Share Posted July 16, 2018 'Coffee shop' wooden stirrers for many various uses, 0 scale fences, old sleepers, planks and many, many jobs in modelling. I also cut an end off, thin it and use for helping get coach & loco bodies off their chassis. After fireworks night, new year etc, walk around my neighbourhood and collect used firework sticks (quite square wood) - again many modelling uses. Ladies makeup supplies especially etched glass nail files, these are really good for plasticard. Apparently, some tones of makeup can be used for weathering powders. No doubt, loads more. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobbler Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 'Coffee shop' wooden stirrers for many various uses, 0 scale fences, old sleepers, planks and many, many jobs in modelling. I also cut an end off, thin it and use for helping get coach & loco bodies off their chassis. After fireworks night, new year etc, walk around my neighbourhood and collect used firework sticks (quite square wood) - again many modelling uses. Ladies makeup supplies especially etched glass nail files, these are really good for plasticard. Apparently, some tones of makeup can be used for weathering powders. No doubt, loads more. Who knew eh? Off to raid the missesses' make up box see what else there is lol 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted July 17, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 17, 2018 Olive oil or oven cleaner or sharpie pens for removing tampo printing when renumbering Cotton buds when applying/removing weathering Fishing line (We use high tech 3lb fluorocarbon Riverge brand) for fence wire Nail buffing pads - best one I have has 6 grades of abrasive on it Acetate sheet from rolling stock boxes for replacement glazing - very useful when doing modern traction headcodes Coffee grounds for soil scatter material Hanging basket liner for rough grass embankments Ladies tights (or stockings if you are lucky!) as a trap in hoover pipe when cleaning layout Toilet/kitchen roll cores as holders wedged in to loco bodies for respraying Phil 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianmacc Posted July 17, 2018 Author Share Posted July 17, 2018 Probably worth pointing out that makeup costs as much as modelling sundries so not much use as a money saver lol. Although it’s saving us money out of our modelling budget lol Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatB Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 Probably worth pointing out that makeup costs as much as modelling sundries so not much use as a money saver lol. Although it’s saving us money out of our modelling budget lol Cheapo stuff from places like Superdrug and whatever the Poundstretcher equivalent for makeup are might represent a saving though. It doesn't have to be something of a quality your partner would be prepared to put on their face. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderforge Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 In my attempt to make cheap O-gauge stock I have used short clout nails as buffers, and brass (well, brassish) eyelets from an eyelet punch kit as the buffer surrounds. Once painted oily black you’d never know! Ask nicely at sign writers for offcuts of foamex board and also from litho printers you can get used aluminium plates (0.5mm) if you bring biscuits! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckymucklebackit Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 Some I have used.... While on the subject of makeup, I have one of the wife's old "blusher" brushes that I use for weathering, cleaning up etc. Old illuminated Xmas decorations can yield a lot of fibre optic strands. As described many times before, fly zappers + metal tea strainers =Static grass applicator Dressmakers pins = many uses, (pivot pins and safety rail uprights for Ratio Signals and others) Cocktail Stirrers = Shunting Poles, Yard Lamp Poles, probably many other uses. Jim 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted July 17, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 17, 2018 And I always thought rememberance poppies suitably bent would make nice yard/street lamps.... Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Worsdell forever Posted July 17, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 17, 2018 And I always thought rememberance poppies suitably bent would make nice yard/street lamps.... Phil I remember a magazine article many moons ago mentioning that, I tried it, they looked terrible. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderforge Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 I’m using the mouthpiece of an electric cigarette as a funnel for my Peckett, it’s not quite right but it might be fine rusted up in the corner of the yard. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve1 Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 End of range make-up can be cheap enough to use for weathering. Also, as has already been said Pound shops the like sell it cheap. Make-up brushes come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and cheap ones are good for weathering. steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano747 Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 What a good thread!! There must be hundreds of everyday items that have a use in railway modelling?! I found some hessian type pipe insulation on a roll from Wickes that if dyed green and shredded makes good foliage. There must be many more out there, so keep them coming! Regards, Deano. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdb82 Posted July 18, 2018 Share Posted July 18, 2018 Heatproof silicone pan mats for use in the kitchen, are great if you cut them up, and use squares/strips to protect your fingers whilst holding items when soldering things. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted July 18, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 18, 2018 Probably worth pointing out that makeup costs as much as modelling sundries so not much use as a money saver lol. Although it’s saving us money out of our modelling budget lol Not when the missus has bought it and you've nicked it! Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted July 18, 2018 Share Posted July 18, 2018 Large cardboard boxes, especially the ones that clothes you order online come in. Very handy for making bases for wagon loads, though someone threw the box away before I could even do my second wagon! Pity, that box could have made bases for at least 50 wagons... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckymucklebackit Posted July 18, 2018 Share Posted July 18, 2018 If you are throwing out an old bed - check what it is made from, I salvaged a big sheet of about 5mm thick pasteboard that was stapled to the underside of the frame, excellent for scratchbuilding structures, there is also the usual strips of timber etc. (Just watch those heavy duty staples - they are sharp!) Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold unravelled Posted July 18, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 18, 2018 My favourite "found" material is the wood from discarded venetian blinds. Useful in the larger gauges for wagon bodies, and I've used them to keep tracks parallel in my 00 storage sidings. Dave 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Worsdell forever Posted July 18, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 18, 2018 My favourite "found" material is the wood from discarded venetian blinds. Useful in the larger gauges for wagon bodies, and I've used them to keep tracks parallel in my 00 storage sidings. Dave Remember those old grey and green metal industrial style venetian blinds? They make very good wagon roofs. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianmacc Posted July 18, 2018 Author Share Posted July 18, 2018 (edited) Drinking straws are perfect for ducts and pipework as they chop up easily. The bendy ones also provide ready made curved sections. Washing up bottles (old cylindrical style) are good silos. Edited July 18, 2018 by ianmacc 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianmacc Posted July 22, 2018 Author Share Posted July 22, 2018 In January those snow covered bottle brush trees left over from Christmas are sold off for pence. A quick dip in scatter and you have ten for the price of a couple of the usual ones... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Moxy Posted July 22, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 22, 2018 Cheap pan scourers (last lot I found were £1 for a pack of 10), cut into strips & covered with flock can make hedges. The contents of tea bags for ground cover (I'd hesitate to call that tea leaves, it's more a case of tea dust, but more useful for our purposes)* Pan splatter guard provides fine mesh, can be used for fencing. *To dry tea 'dust' and coffee grounds mentioned earlier, put some kitchen roll on a baking tray, spread the damp tea or coffee on it, leave it in a warm oven until dry, around 50C. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderforge Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 I found a roll of sticky backed lead strip in the shed, from the days it was fashionable to put diamonds all over the windows. That’ll be going underneath some rolling stock! Probably expensive to buy it new, but I also have rolled up bits pulled off old windows as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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