Burlington Bob
Well-Known Member
Will a Z scale bobber stay on the track? I guess we'll all find out!
Z Scale suitcase layout
- Thread starter andgott
- Start date
Good question- I guess we'll find out together! I think I'll have to take it easy. If it ends up being a problem, I can always park it on a siding somewhere to look purdy
I got a quick coat of paint on the caboose- Still a lot of touch up and detail to do-
And, Tried scratch building a dump truck using a different method that results in open windows, rather than a solid cab. This is based on a 1947 Dodge truck-
I think it looks a lot more realistic than the solid vehicles that I had before, but it's a LOT more work! I also came up with a new method of making wheels/tires that seems to work well, and would work in pretty much any scale.
Hopefully, I can get the buildings placed on the layout and some of the 'landscaping' done. I plan to get it all installed, then go back one area at a time and super-detail it.
-Andrew
And, Tried scratch building a dump truck using a different method that results in open windows, rather than a solid cab. This is based on a 1947 Dodge truck-
I think it looks a lot more realistic than the solid vehicles that I had before, but it's a LOT more work! I also came up with a new method of making wheels/tires that seems to work well, and would work in pretty much any scale.
Hopefully, I can get the buildings placed on the layout and some of the 'landscaping' done. I plan to get it all installed, then go back one area at a time and super-detail it.
-Andrew
Jim 68cuda
Well-Known Member
How are you doing this in such a small scale? The Dodge truck, with open windows and all those curved surfaces to replicate for the fenders and hood, and you even have door handles on it. I couldn't do that in any scale, yet you're scratch building replicas so small that they can fit on a penny.
Very carefully and NO sneezing
I started work on a 1966 Ford F-100, A replica of the (full size) one that I own. I took a few pics along the way to show how I go about it. Sorry about the quality, I was just using my phone-
After reducing a profile drawing down to scale, I cut out the parts from sheet styrene-
I am using 0.040 thick, so I have some material to carve curves into later.
Then, I glue it up-
Eventually adding each surface, then I start carving curves and shapes-
And, Eventually, after a lot of carving with an exacto knife and sandpaper, end up with what I am looking for. She's not done yet, there are a lot of details still to be added (grille, headlights, etc)-
I like how they turn out. Not perfect, But not bad for this scale!
Scratch building is the most fun part for me- It is my goal on this layout to have NOTHING store-bought other than the train itself and some scenery materials.
-Andrew
Jim 68cuda
Well-Known Member
Incredible. Can't wait to see the 66 Ford pickup. It looks amazing so far. Thanks for posting the pics showing how you're doing this. I'm amazed.
goscrewyourselves
I'm the one
Here is a challenge for you, well maybe a challenge for you. How about replicating a 1997 Harley Davidson Heritage Softail, complete with chrome, like this one:
By the way, Harley Davidson is stamped into the exhaust pipes in Gold Lettering
By the way, Harley Davidson is stamped into the exhaust pipes in Gold Lettering
Jim 68cuda
Well-Known Member
Now you've done it. You're going to start seeing requests for vehicles for you to make and display on your layout. Let me know if you want any pictures of my 60's Mopars. My 67 Plymouth Belvedere station wagon would look great towing the vintage Shasta camper.
I'm looking forward to seeing your vintage outboard motor boats. I really had doubts you could do it when you first mentioned it. Now I have no doubt you'll make it happen.
I'm looking forward to seeing your vintage outboard motor boats. I really had doubts you could do it when you first mentioned it. Now I have no doubt you'll make it happen.
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I got quite a bit more done-
I finally got the tracks cleaned up after ballasting. Z scale and ballast is a bad combo- But I got it all working again. I also cleaned up the rails.
Then I finished all the wiring. The lighting is wired, and the switch is wired. I will be adding more lighting later, and the wiring is in place for that. I needed a couple of push button switches to operate the switch track with, so I built a small barn to sit in the corner of the layout to hold them-
I got a lot of the scenery in place, and started to detail some areas as well. The Gas station is almost complete, though I have a few details to add still-
That's the 1966 Ford pickup that I just built gassing up. The attendant can be seen walking out of the garage bay. It looks even better at night, Though it's a little tough to photograph-
I'm glad I decided to add the light post at the pumps.
I built this buoy to mark the channel. It works- The dome on top is an LED. I need to get a little more power to it, though- I'm running 1.5v on the light circuit, and it lights it up, but it is VERY dim. I think 3v will do the trick-
The steam shovel & dump truck. I need to add some people here-
And, one of my favorite areas- the campsite! I still have a LOT of details to add here, but I got a start-
The campfire up there is pretty tiny-
This is one of the more fun stages- When it all starts to come together. I've got the suitcase almost ready to go, too.
-Andrew
I finally got the tracks cleaned up after ballasting. Z scale and ballast is a bad combo- But I got it all working again. I also cleaned up the rails.
Then I finished all the wiring. The lighting is wired, and the switch is wired. I will be adding more lighting later, and the wiring is in place for that. I needed a couple of push button switches to operate the switch track with, so I built a small barn to sit in the corner of the layout to hold them-
I got a lot of the scenery in place, and started to detail some areas as well. The Gas station is almost complete, though I have a few details to add still-
That's the 1966 Ford pickup that I just built gassing up. The attendant can be seen walking out of the garage bay. It looks even better at night, Though it's a little tough to photograph-
I'm glad I decided to add the light post at the pumps.
I built this buoy to mark the channel. It works- The dome on top is an LED. I need to get a little more power to it, though- I'm running 1.5v on the light circuit, and it lights it up, but it is VERY dim. I think 3v will do the trick-
The steam shovel & dump truck. I need to add some people here-
And, one of my favorite areas- the campsite! I still have a LOT of details to add here, but I got a start-
The campfire up there is pretty tiny-
This is one of the more fun stages- When it all starts to come together. I've got the suitcase almost ready to go, too.
-Andrew
goscrewyourselves
I'm the one
Would be interesting to see how it turned out.
Well, It's not a Harley- But it has two wheels... Here is a 1947 Indian Chief-
That WAS a challenge... But fun! Now I need to make a biker to ride it
Ozarks R. Lee
Member
That is some really excellent work. I can't wait to see how the layout looks when it's finally done.
Thanks. The Indian is made up of multiple pieces of styrene, laminated together, then carved with an exacto knife and sandpaper. Handlebars are 26 ga wire. You can see how it's built a little better from this angle-
I got the couplers installed on the caboose that I built. It was my first time installing Z-scale couplers... Man, was THAT fun! They are TINY. I had to drill a .038" hole, tap it, then screw in the couplers... But- It was all worth it when I ran the new caboose around the track for the first time-
[video=youtube_share;Sn0C1RLpLAk]http://youtu.be/Sn0C1RLpLAk[/video]
It does a pretty good job of staying on the track, as long as I don't run too fast. That is a problem with this layout in general, though- It has some pretty tight curves to fit!
I finished detailing another area, too- This is the campsite. Don't be TOO critical, remember the whole scene would fit very nicely on a quarter
They are up to a bit of mischief, a fresh batch of 'Shine is almost ready on the still... Of course there are some beers in the cooler in case it doesn't work out... Their laundry is up on the clothesline, but that's kind of hiding behind the tree, and you can't really see it from this angle. I like to pack the details in, to encourage people to look closer!
-Andrew
[video=youtube_share;Sn0C1RLpLAk]http://youtu.be/Sn0C1RLpLAk[/video]
It does a pretty good job of staying on the track, as long as I don't run too fast. That is a problem with this layout in general, though- It has some pretty tight curves to fit!
I finished detailing another area, too- This is the campsite. Don't be TOO critical, remember the whole scene would fit very nicely on a quarter
They are up to a bit of mischief, a fresh batch of 'Shine is almost ready on the still... Of course there are some beers in the cooler in case it doesn't work out... Their laundry is up on the clothesline, but that's kind of hiding behind the tree, and you can't really see it from this angle. I like to pack the details in, to encourage people to look closer!
-Andrew
