One of my challenges has always been planning for times when I had time. Yesterday was one of those. I need some more materials for my lighting project and I am still not sure what I want so I was trying to figure out what to do next. Finish detailing Isley's drug store with an interior and lights? How about attaching the sidewalks in downtown Irwin? Mock buildings along the back of the west staging where guests see the first part of the layout walking into the basement? I ended up on a mission - kill Pink.
No, not the rock star. The subbed of my layout is extruded pink insulation board. And it's pink! I originally intended to spend 20 minutes painting under some of the buildings in Irwin so the pink does not show through. Then I headed left to cover some of the ground in East McKeesport. Looking good. Before I knew it I had painted about 20 linear feet of track!
Sometimes, not having a plan works out.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Backdrops & Fascia, Finale
With Joey's help, all the backdrop has been installed. I did not realize how unwieldy 28" x 8' strips of masonite, with the rigidity of jello, would be. He would lift the boards over the layout while I crawled underneath and fastened them with quick clamps. Then I would continue to crawl with the drill and some #10 x 3/4" screws and washers to bolt them to the layout. The first section behind the west staging yard was pretty easy since there is a 12" aisle behind that section of the layout. One foot is very narrow! I had to crawl under my worked desk to get behind East McKeesport but that was not too bad ... so long a I stood up facing the right direction. One time, my mind was wandering and I stood up facing the wall with no way to turn around.
Behind the rest of the layout was another story. Since I was screwing the masonite into the layout, I would drill a hole from the inside through the layout support and masonite and then reach up in a space of about 4" wide with an offset screw driver!! Yeah, it took a while. And my plan to place a screw every 6" soon became every foot and by the time I reach the east staging yard, about every 16".
I cleaned up the area last night - finally, not tripping over wood, paint cans and saw horses after 3 weeks - and attached the waybill holders and one throttle holster. Both of these are from MicroMark and I really like how these make the layout look more finished. I have the remaining 4 waybill holders and 6 throttle holsters on the way. I wonder if UPS will deliver on a Saturday?
Not sure what I am going to do with the 7 waybill holders I had built from foam board when we used to go RVing. Maybe I'll create a display case for them. HA!
Enjoy the photos. Next step - lighting.
Behind the rest of the layout was another story. Since I was screwing the masonite into the layout, I would drill a hole from the inside through the layout support and masonite and then reach up in a space of about 4" wide with an offset screw driver!! Yeah, it took a while. And my plan to place a screw every 6" soon became every foot and by the time I reach the east staging yard, about every 16".
I cleaned up the area last night - finally, not tripping over wood, paint cans and saw horses after 3 weeks - and attached the waybill holders and one throttle holster. Both of these are from MicroMark and I really like how these make the layout look more finished. I have the remaining 4 waybill holders and 6 throttle holsters on the way. I wonder if UPS will deliver on a Saturday?
Not sure what I am going to do with the 7 waybill holders I had built from foam board when we used to go RVing. Maybe I'll create a display case for them. HA!
Enjoy the photos. Next step - lighting.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Backdrops & Fascia, Part 2
I was able to carve a little time out this weekend to make some significant progress on the fascia. Yesterday, with Joey's help, I was able to rip the masonite panels into six 28" strips for the backdrops and five 8" strips for the fascia. I also ripped a 12-3/4" strip for the two areas of the layout where I need to contour the fascia to follow the hillside.
Carrying this stack of wood from the garage to the basement, I discovered that masonite is extremely flexible but still very heavy! I set up a couple of sawhorses and put two coats of a forest green on the boards, letting them dry 2 hours between the coats. Today I was able to mount the boards completely around the layout except in Herminie where I need to finish the rough design of the hillside before I can cut the fascia. If you compare the photos below with the picture from the January 22nd blog, I think you'll agree that it makes a world of difference.
Next, I plan to paint the backdrops sky blue and mount them before adding a support system behind for the lighting valence. Also, I am replacing the foam board car card holders with some wooden ones from Micro Mark that will really help make the layout look more "finished".
Now I just have to work on the scenery!!
Carrying this stack of wood from the garage to the basement, I discovered that masonite is extremely flexible but still very heavy! I set up a couple of sawhorses and put two coats of a forest green on the boards, letting them dry 2 hours between the coats. Today I was able to mount the boards completely around the layout except in Herminie where I need to finish the rough design of the hillside before I can cut the fascia. If you compare the photos below with the picture from the January 22nd blog, I think you'll agree that it makes a world of difference.
Next, I plan to paint the backdrops sky blue and mount them before adding a support system behind for the lighting valence. Also, I am replacing the foam board car card holders with some wooden ones from Micro Mark that will really help make the layout look more "finished".
Now I just have to work on the scenery!!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Backdrops & Fascia, Part 1
Nothing like a coupon to motivate. A couple of weeks ago, I replaced the laundry tub that I broke last summer when we replaced the washing machine. Hey, I only had to move it 2" to fit the new washer - how was I to know the molded drain would crack. I hate plumbing projects! Anyway, Lowe's was kind enough to give us a coupon for $10 off our next purchase of $50 or more. Hmmm. I need masonite, 1x4s, some light fixtures, bulbs ... you get the idea. So the twins and I ran over to Lowe's and gathered some supplies. Loading 5 sheets of masonite over the van seats by myself is a story ... for another day.
The trick, I feel, is figuring out how tall to make the backdrop. This is something I have been wrestling with for some time now. Meaning 3 or more years. N-trak and HO modules use 24" as a standard and I still have the 24" x 48" board from my old module so I've had that up behind WCC Mine No. 4 for some time and it seemed just right. But lighting is a real issue in this corner of the basement. In the overview photos, there are only 2 direct lights on the layout, right over Irwin Yard, while East McKeesport and both staging yards are ... dim, shadowy, obscure, twilight ... you get the idea.
I need to keep the lighting pretty low wattage because all the train components, plus two work table lights, need to plug into 3 outlets. They are probably on the same circuit as the rest of the basement but I'll play ignorant for a while. I am not too worried about incandescent vs. florescent. I have some problems getting used to the compact florescent for reading but I've read other model railroaders use the GE Kitchen & Bath florescent bulbs with pretty good results. So I am going to place 4-foot, 2-bulb lights spaced 2 feet apart around the layout with a small fascia in front - painted sky blue of course - to provide the lighting.
I mention this because now 24" was too low. The lighting valence would be almost at eye level. So I mocked up a 30" skyboard (made Joey stand behind it and hold the 4' light strip!) Well, that was too high, you would see the bulbs under the valence. Aaaarrrrgggggggh. Five sheets of masonite sitting in the garage and me sitting on my hands. I decided today that I would rips 28" strips, give me a 4" area to fasten to the layout framwork and approximately 24" above the layout "ground". With a lighting valance about 4" tall ... more or less ... I think this will look about right.
Now the fascia in front of the layout ... 8" or 10". Aaaaaarggggggghhhhhh,
The trick, I feel, is figuring out how tall to make the backdrop. This is something I have been wrestling with for some time now. Meaning 3 or more years. N-trak and HO modules use 24" as a standard and I still have the 24" x 48" board from my old module so I've had that up behind WCC Mine No. 4 for some time and it seemed just right. But lighting is a real issue in this corner of the basement. In the overview photos, there are only 2 direct lights on the layout, right over Irwin Yard, while East McKeesport and both staging yards are ... dim, shadowy, obscure, twilight ... you get the idea.
I need to keep the lighting pretty low wattage because all the train components, plus two work table lights, need to plug into 3 outlets. They are probably on the same circuit as the rest of the basement but I'll play ignorant for a while. I am not too worried about incandescent vs. florescent. I have some problems getting used to the compact florescent for reading but I've read other model railroaders use the GE Kitchen & Bath florescent bulbs with pretty good results. So I am going to place 4-foot, 2-bulb lights spaced 2 feet apart around the layout with a small fascia in front - painted sky blue of course - to provide the lighting.
I mention this because now 24" was too low. The lighting valence would be almost at eye level. So I mocked up a 30" skyboard (made Joey stand behind it and hold the 4' light strip!) Well, that was too high, you would see the bulbs under the valence. Aaaarrrrgggggggh. Five sheets of masonite sitting in the garage and me sitting on my hands. I decided today that I would rips 28" strips, give me a 4" area to fasten to the layout framwork and approximately 24" above the layout "ground". With a lighting valance about 4" tall ... more or less ... I think this will look about right.
Now the fascia in front of the layout ... 8" or 10". Aaaaaarggggggghhhhhh,
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