bgman Posted May 15, 2019 Share Posted May 15, 2019 If all else fails I might just use this ! 1 1 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin S-C Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 Your goods yard will be well matured after a couple of months! 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post Mikkel Posted June 9, 2019 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted June 9, 2019 (edited) A follow-up on the experiments with setts. As mentioned earlier, so-called “blue foam” seems to be a popular material with diorama- and war gaming modellers, so I was curious to try it out. This is extruded polystyrene (a.k.a. XPS), not to be confused with expanded polystyrene. In the UK, places like 4D models sell a Styrofoam variety in thin sheets, but the cost of shipping to Denmark was prohibitive. So I ended up with a thick but cheap slab from a local architects’ supplier. This is more dense than the Styrofoam I associate with food containers. The modified brushes were tried again... I had trouble getting used to just how soft the foam is. Slightly too much pressure and my DIY tools slipped too deep, giving a poor result as can be seen below. I’m sure practice would help, and my tools could be modified to reduce the problem. Even so, slip-ups seem very visible and not easy to redress. Then I tried a roller from Green Stuff World, having seen suggestions that these work well on blue foam. The lines are miscolouring in the foam and not a problem when painted. A quick painting session again revealed how fragile the blue foam can be: I used a slightly too stiff brush for the drybrushing, and it left brush marks in the surface. The rolling requires a bit of practice. When rolling it back and forth to emphasize the imprint (as recommended in one video) the pattern slipped in some places. I’m also not sure about the fully circular pattern that is moulded into some parts of the roller. Was such a pattern prototypical? Eye-level views show potential though, if a quick solution is preferred. As for the blue foam itself, I am a bit sceptical whether it suits me, given how fragile it is. This may just be down to my inexperience with the material, or perhaps the particular variety I ended up with. Even so, I think I might go with either good old DAS or the harder “foamed PVC” instead. Edited June 9, 2019 by Mikkel 15 5 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium ullypug Posted June 9, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 9, 2019 Very interesting Mikkel. I must try my Green Stuff roller at some point. I wonder if the foam could be sealed with Shellac or even PVA once you've formed the pattern to give a harder skin which would be more robust for painting etc. I've seen this done for card and Palight. like you I'm not sure about the circular sett pattern though. 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted June 9, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 9, 2019 (edited) Would/could the circle of setts be around a manhole cover? Edited June 9, 2019 by Stubby47 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcm@gwr Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 I think the picture that shows the most realistic setts, is picture 3 (what you call 'poor results). The slightly uneven finish/surface is more natural, and more like what you would see in 'real' life. Just my opinion of course. 8 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
drduncan Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 I think picture 4 is excellent! Duncan 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Holliday Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 5 hours ago, jcm@gwr said: I think the picture that shows the most realistic setts, is picture 3 (what you call 'poor results). The slightly uneven finish/surface is more natural, and more like what you would see in 'real' life. Just my opinion of course. I agree with Jeff. That looks just like setts that have seen a hard life. A few have lifted, and the mortar, or whatever filled the gaps, has come out of the joints in places. Excellent effect. 1 7 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted June 10, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 10, 2019 I agree with the two posts above. 1 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted June 10, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 10, 2019 My thoughts as well. However I dont think a GWR yard in Edwardian days would be poorly maintained. Ideal for todays cash strapped council maintained areas though. Don 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
amdaley Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 2 hours ago, Donw said: My thoughts as well. However I dont think a GWR yard in Edwardian days would be poorly maintained. Ideal for todays cash strapped council maintained areas though. Don Yes a lot depends on the time period being modelled. I can remember cobbles back in the sixties & sometimes they were all over the place. However I'm sure that they weren't always like that. I do like that photo which shows them having moved about. The rollers are very good but they look too perfect for me. Tony. 1 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted June 10, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 10, 2019 The circular pattern is quite common on the Continent but not often used in the UK. 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ChrisN Posted June 10, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 10, 2019 I agree that picture 3 with the 'lifted' setts are more like the ones I have seen but I am not sure they would have been like that in 1905. My memory of those days is a bit poor I am afraid. 1 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightengine Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 We had at least one road that had been resurfaced with tarmac back whenever it was done. Every time a major hole was dug for one of the services the old wooden block road surface was revealed and broken through. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mikkel Posted June 10, 2019 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 10, 2019 (edited) Thanks for all the insights, sounds like I was too quick to dismiss the "poor" results then! At least for a latter-day setting. I agree that in a 1900s goods yard the GWR would probably have got their act together and kept the setts in good order so the 'osses could fare safely. Photos also seem to suggest that. On the subject of blue foam, here's an introductory video if anyone is interested. There are some nice technique tips in the latter half of the video (he also mentions his preferred brand of blue foam, but I can only find that variety in bulk form at high cost). Edited June 10, 2019 by Mikkel 4 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Brinkly Posted June 10, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 10, 2019 Lovely stuff Mikkel as always. The cobbling looks very realistic. Regards, Nick. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Holliday Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 On 9 June 2019 at 22:33, ullypug said: Very interesting Mikkel. I must try my Green Stuff roller at some point. I wonder if the foam could be sealed with Shellac or even PVA once you've formed the pattern to give a harder skin which would be more robust for painting etc. I've seen this done for card and Palight. like you I'm not sure about the circular sett pattern though. I made a domed roof for an inspection car using pizza base foam, which is just as soft, and then sealed it with an aliphatic glue, after which it was rock hard and could be sanded down for a good finish. Looking around for a similar product I came across this website, with which I have no connection http://www.phoenixmp.com/acatalog/DeLuxe_Adhesives.html which does offer a number of interesting liquids that I was not aware of, that might be of use. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted June 11, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 11, 2019 3 hours ago, Nick Holliday said: I made a domed roof for an inspection car using pizza base foam, which is just as soft, and then sealed it with an aliphatic glue, after which it was rock hard and could be sanded down for a good finish. Looking around for a similar product I came across this website, with which I have no connection http://www.phoenixmp.com/acatalog/DeLuxe_Adhesives.html which does offer a number of interesting liquids that I was not aware of, that might be of use. The 'Liquid Gravity' looks useful as well. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin S-C Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 Liquid Gravity is tiny lead shot - very tiny, about 0.3mm dia. Very useful for squeezing extra weight into the underframes of wagons, etc. You pour it in loose then drop some superglue on. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Holliday Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 13 minutes ago, Martin S-C said: Liquid Gravity is tiny lead shot - very tiny, about 0.3mm dia. Very useful for squeezing extra weight into the underframes of wagons, etc. You pour it in loose then drop some superglue on. The Liquid Gravity on the website is specifically non-toxic, and doesn't contain lead. Perhaps uranium instead? 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin S-C Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 I saw what you did there. I just assumed it was lead due to the weight. I am not sure what metal is that dense and not toxic. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mikkel Posted June 11, 2019 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 11, 2019 (edited) I've been using the Liquid Gravity from Deluxe Models (which as mentioned above isn't actually lead) for some time under wagons with no problems - but there is a debate as to whether it will eventually expand or crack, depending on the glue used. I have been monitoring a particular wagon for some years and will post a photo of the current condition when I'm back home. Meanwhile some earlier photos and comments here: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/97672-pragmatic-pre-grouping-mikkels-workbench/&do=findComment&comment=2565516 Edited June 11, 2019 by Mikkel 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Compound2632 Posted June 11, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 11, 2019 56 minutes ago, Martin S-C said: I am not sure what metal is that dense and not toxic. Gold and platinum are possibilities - how much do Delux Materials charge? 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 57xx Posted June 11, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 11, 2019 4 hours ago, Nick Holliday said: The Liquid Gravity on the website is specifically non-toxic, and doesn't contain lead. Perhaps uranium instead? You jest, I know of certain racers who used depleted uranium to bring their vehicle up to minimum class spec weight. Could actually be tungsten. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jol Wilkinson Posted June 12, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 12, 2019 Interesting question. Could be Tungsten Bronze, which is apparently produced as "eco friendly" shot for gun cartridges. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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