Smudge617
Well-Known Member
Thanks, I'm trying.
Does anyone know the best way to remove the foil film? I can't paint them till I do, unless I use an etching primer, and that's a lot of primer I'll need.
The PIR-fect Valley Railway
- Thread starter Smudge617
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Does anyone know the best way to remove the foil film? I can't paint them till I do, unless I use an etching primer, and that's a lot of primer I'll need.
L8r
I've used a couple of cans of grey etch primer, unfortunately, 3 cans weren't enough, so I used an odd (yellow) primer I found in my shed, seems to have worked.
The coloured paints I ordered arrived this morning, so I did a quick test on a scrap piece of board
The Earth Brown is fine, the True Green is quite a "vibrant" colour, so I need to do some experimenting to find a way of toning it down.
If so, don't worry about toning down the paint as it will be covered.
Keep up the good work!
I'm not ignoring yours or anyone's comments, thay are all useful suggestion's me.
No roadbed, not yet at least. I intend to do a lot of testing to ensure that this layout plan will work geometrically, electrically and aesthetically.
I still need to add the point motors and IR activated signals, as well as drill holes for the dropper wires, so all of the track has to re-layed anyway that's when I'll lay the track bed.
My plan is simply to make sure everything works 100% first.
Track placement will then be marked on the foam, point motors and IR modules fitted, roadbed and track then glued into place.
Maybe not the way most modeler's would do it, but I like to be different.
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Does anyone know the best way to remove the foil film? I can't paint them till I do, unless I use an etching primer, and that's a lot of primer I'll need.
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
I'm trying, but the foam boards are fighting back, can't get the sodding foil off so I can paint them.
Guilford Railman
Well-Known Member
It’s coming along great!
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
Thank you.
ctclibby
Well-Known Member
Chris What is on the bottom of those boards? Can't tell, but if it is foil on the reverse side, see if you can find some paint that covers metal. We have Rust-Oleum and Krylon here, you may have something like that. Might have to primer it first, give it a go.I'm trying, but the foam boards are fighting back, can't get the sodding foil off so I can paint them.
L8r
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
So I've finished cutting the boards to size.
Unfortunately, I have a wonky one which I need to sort out, (with hot glue probably)
Regarding the painting of same, I did some testing on a scrap piece of board.
This is on a piece of board I stripped, the dark colour is straight auto paint, the brown/orange is some car primer I found while ferkling around trying to find something else.
This is on a piece I hadn't stripped or prepped.(not even sandpapered)
The primer gives much better coverage and finish than the car paint I used on the foil side, and has no problem adhering to the foil.
Unfortunately, I have a wonky one which I need to sort out, (with hot glue probably)
Regarding the painting of same, I did some testing on a scrap piece of board.
This is on a piece of board I stripped, the dark colour is straight auto paint, the brown/orange is some car primer I found while ferkling around trying to find something else.
This is on a piece I hadn't stripped or prepped.(not even sandpapered)
The primer gives much better coverage and finish than the car paint I used on the foil side, and has no problem adhering to the foil.
A 10 pound hammer and a chisel may help you there.
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
I have both, unfortunately I like where I live, and I really don't want to get evicted.
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
All the priming is done, unfortunately, the 2 cans of etch primer weren't enough, so I used the primer I found the other day.
They recommend waiting 24hrs for it to harden, (although it's dry to the touch in about 30 mins,) which is fine, the coloured paint I ordered won't be here till Saturday/Sunday.
They recommend waiting 24hrs for it to harden, (although it's dry to the touch in about 30 mins,) which is fine, the coloured paint I ordered won't be here till Saturday/Sunday.
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
I've used a couple of cans of grey etch primer, unfortunately, 3 cans weren't enough, so I used an odd (yellow) primer I found in my shed, seems to have worked.
The coloured paints I ordered arrived this morning, so I did a quick test on a scrap piece of board
The Earth Brown is fine, the True Green is quite a "vibrant" colour, so I need to do some experimenting to find a way of toning it down.
PNKFLOYD
Mikey
Are you planning to use a ground cover like dirt or ground foam?
If so, don't worry about toning down the paint as it will be covered.
Keep up the good work!
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
TBH, if I were intending to cover it completely with ground cover, I wouldn't need to paint it, but I will be using ground scatter, and feel that having bright mint green areas showing through wouldn't look very good and lathering the areas with the scatter to cover it would look unnatural
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Smudge617
Well-Known Member
Well that's a bummer.
May I ask at what point anyone was going to tell me that Peco Flex-track and Peco turnouts do not have rail joiners, and I need to buy extra.
I did buy some mind, except I only got insulated joiners for the reverse loop.
So everything is back on hold till I get some.
May I ask at what point anyone was going to tell me that Peco Flex-track and Peco turnouts do not have rail joiners, and I need to buy extra.
I did buy some mind, except I only got insulated joiners for the reverse loop.
So everything is back on hold till I get some.
PNKFLOYD
Mikey
I have managed to give you a couple of useless suggestions. How about one more?
From what I see, it appears you are not using a cork or other material roadbed. Mounting track directly to the foam will be noisy and can shift after use over time.
This is your railroad and you should build it the way you wish. Feel free to continue to ignore my comments!
From what I see, it appears you are not using a cork or other material roadbed. Mounting track directly to the foam will be noisy and can shift after use over time.
This is your railroad and you should build it the way you wish. Feel free to continue to ignore my comments!
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
I'm not ignoring yours or anyone's comments, thay are all useful suggestion's me.No roadbed, not yet at least. I intend to do a lot of testing to ensure that this layout plan will work geometrically, electrically and aesthetically.
I still need to add the point motors and IR activated signals, as well as drill holes for the dropper wires, so all of the track has to re-layed anyway that's when I'll lay the track bed.
My plan is simply to make sure everything works 100% first.
Track placement will then be marked on the foam, point motors and IR modules fitted, roadbed and track then glued into place.
Maybe not the way most modeler's would do it, but I like to be different.
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PNKFLOYD
Mikey
Maybe not the way most modeler's would do it, but I like to be different.
Smudge- As I mentioned before, it is your layout.
I know modelers who use masking or painters tape to lay out their track plan on the board.
They trial fit track and switches to where they get the best fit. They make notes on the tape for switch locations, crossovers and power drop points.
And it is easy to move if you wish to add or remove components.
Being different is not wrong, as my father used to say, there is more than one way to skin a cat.
Smudge- As I mentioned before, it is your layout.
I know modelers who use masking or painters tape to lay out their track plan on the board.
They trial fit track and switches to where they get the best fit. They make notes on the tape for switch locations, crossovers and power drop points.
And it is easy to move if you wish to add or remove components.
Being different is not wrong, as my father used to say, there is more than one way to skin a cat.
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
Got a fair bit done over the last few days.
Had to get more IRJs, so thought I'd use DCC concepts ones, at least I'll be able to see these buggers, Peco's are nearly invisible when trying to fit them on frogs.
I was oh so close with the reverse loop, but I can't reach for enough to connect them, but as I'm waiting on the IRJs, maybe a good thing.
Seems strange having two different track widths, but not much I can do about it really, as the divide is dictated by the diamond crossing on one side and the crossover on the other.
Left a gap for the second reverse loop point, I think it maybe be should be further to the left, but I'll see what it looks like first.
So tomorrow I need to straighten the track up, add droppers to the four inner curves, and cut some track to fill the gap on the other end between the two top curves.
Then I have the highly unenviable task of trying to work out how to connect all these flipping wires so I can power this for testing. It would have been so much easier if I hadn't used Electrofrogs.
Had to get more IRJs, so thought I'd use DCC concepts ones, at least I'll be able to see these buggers, Peco's are nearly invisible when trying to fit them on frogs.
I was oh so close with the reverse loop, but I can't reach for enough to connect them, but as I'm waiting on the IRJs, maybe a good thing.
Seems strange having two different track widths, but not much I can do about it really, as the divide is dictated by the diamond crossing on one side and the crossover on the other.
Left a gap for the second reverse loop point, I think it maybe be should be further to the left, but I'll see what it looks like first.
So tomorrow I need to straighten the track up, add droppers to the four inner curves, and cut some track to fill the gap on the other end between the two top curves.
Then I have the highly unenviable task of trying to work out how to connect all these flipping wires so I can power this for testing. It would have been so much easier if I hadn't used Electrofrogs.
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