[Ade]

Hi
If you have access to cnc router then blst track is a must.

 

[NIK B]

Ade,

I have virtually unlimited access to CNC routers unfortunately, it's what I do for a job. Or at least creating the prorams for them.

2440x1220mm max, but they should be big enough to build a good sized layout

But as I said, all that's for another day. For now, I just want to get this one finished

It's not that far off really......................

Here's another little something done on a router:-

Simple enough to draw & cut, but a rather larger effort required to paint.

ATB

NIK B

 

[gokartride]

QUOTE (NIK B @ 30 Nov 2013, 15:02) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I'd just like some advice on which "water" product is easiest to use
Did you figure this out? I have used artist's gloss medium in the past. Very controllable...stipple (not brush) into place for slightly choppy water. It is sold here in smaller tubes, too. Doesn't creep up sides either like some products.

 

[NIK B]

QUOTE (nik kerswill @ 1 Dec 2013, 11:27) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Nice collection of cars there Nik.

Cheers.
Nik.

Sorry Nik, I must have missed your comment in the commotion.

Thank you, I'm glad you approve. I just love american muscle cars, so the Trans-Am & Can-Am stuff is the best stuff, ever...........for me, at least. I'm a fan of other 70's stuff too, hence what you see in the pit lane. I do, however, get sidetracked with anything else that's easy on the eye, so that just opened a whole new can of worms!!

I've had a couple of attempts at re-liveries & kit builds, one of which is in the rally/raid category (show us your rally/raid cars) if you want a peek? I think it was the last post, certainly the last page.

At the end of the day, I'm just an incurable petrol head, always have been, & always will be. I dare say that would apply to 99.99% of the folk here.

I can't think why the 00.01% are here, but live & let live & fair play to them.

ATB

NIK B.

 

[NIK B]

QUOTE (gokartride @ 1 Dec 2013, 19:52) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Did you figure this out? I have used artist's gloss medium in the past. Very controllable...stipple (not brush) into place for slightly choppy water. It is sold here in smaller tubes, too. Doesn't creep up sides either like some products.

Not got there yet gokartride. "artist's gloss medium"? Is that something I can put in the search engine, does it have a manufacturers/trademark name. I'm intrigued as to how much surface area it can cover in one application, & to what thickness..........you get the idea. Please, tell me more!

In Anticipation.

NIK B.

 

[NIK B]

Here again, trying to graduate from Tea Boy.

A threesome of Can-Ams ready for the pit lane to open.

I had to remove the snow plough from the MGV Stewart Lola. It was ruining the asphalt on my track

.

NIK B.

 

[loosesalute]

Great looking track Nik.
Do you have blinds in the conservatory? Otherwise you could get a bit bother with the track if your conservatory receives direct sunlight, or gets excessively hot in the summer.
Cheers
Kev

 

[NIK B]

Hi Kev,

No, there are no blinds at present, hence the wheelie bins in some of the pics. It doesn't really need them as it's north facing (that's the only reason I got to use it for a slot track. The missus said it was a waste of space. To which I replied, leave it with me, I'll put it to good use

) . So it only gets direct sun at sunrise/sunset during the summer months. Now given that I live in Stockport, the only summer I've seen that happen was the one just gone, so no worries for the next ten years then eh? But, as you say Kev, just a short burst of direct sunlight one evening did turn the main straight into some sort of fairground ride, & didn't do much for the continuity either. Touch wood, that has only happened once. I would stay well clear of building a plastic slot track in a conservatory that gets any more sun than mine does.

I have toyed with the idea of blinds, with some sort of "backdrop" printed on them. But they are prohibitively expensive, plain, or printed. Lets see, SSD, or blinds? That's a tough call.

NIK B

 

[sealevel]

QUOTE (NIK B @ 1 Dec 2013, 03:32) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Thanks Guys,

Sealevel. Where to start? Well here's the short version.

The scenery is "carved" from a medium density polyurathane foam blocks, here's a photo of some before painting began.

The bridge.

Created from a slightly higher density foam on a CNC router for the piers, & the sides were cut by hand with printed card applied before assembly.

Sorry, I haven't any pics of the process to hand, but I'll try and dig some out.

ATB

NIK B.
Thanks Nik.

Cheers!

 

[NIK B]

So, in some sort of explanation to Kev's question re the direct sunlight, here's a photo of the track with a about as much sunshine as it sees during the course of a summers day. I think the length of the shadows gives the game away.

So we've had sunrise over the pit straight, so here's sunset in the pit lane.

It's just an excuse to post one of my favourite pics really.

ATB

NIK B.

 

[NIK B]

Hello again,

I managed to get a bit of a start on something that has daunted me for ages. Having seen the masters at work on here, I never, for one minute, thought that this would be something I could manage. However, I've had a stab, & for a half finished, first attempt, I think I've got something going here. So here we go..........

My first tree!!!

Yes, I know it's not the best, but it's not finished. I need some flock, I know! But I reckon it'll pass for something like when its done.

What do you think? Be honest, I need the education.

Ps, sorry about the pics, my phone is'nt good with the flash on.

ATB

NIK B.

 

[nik kerswill]

Nik that there tree looks very good for a first attempt

the furthest I got with trees was pre made ones so kudos to ya mate.

Cheers.
Nik.

 

[NIK B]

Thanks Nik, I don't know that I could do it for a living quite yet though. Think I better stick to the day job for now. Lol.

ATB

NIK B.

 

[MICHAEL D]

Hi Nik

You have a nice track there and a good sized one.

I really liked the grand stand.......

As for your tree................... Hmmmmmmmmmmm. For a close up, excellent. Bet it look's perfect from a distance.... I alway's find close-up's of small object's are so enlarged with a photo that one get's to see all the fault's (even the one's you never noticed under the magnifier).

Very impressed with the tree.

Michael.

 

[NIK B]

Hi, Michael,

Thanks for the vote of confidence

. Your'e quite right, the photo was taken in haste & did the "tree" no favours. Now, I'm no Fotodoug, or even David Bailey, but that wasn't even my best effort. So here's another go, this time with some daylight, from further afield.

It's still unfinished at this point BTW,

Any advice as to which step to take next will be most gratefully received anybody?

My thoughts are towards flock/scatter?

ATB

NIK B.

 

[MICHAEL D]

My thought's are to "leave it alone".

It look's good. Trying to make it better, might only make it worse.

That way, you can start on something else !

Michael.

 

[dgersh]

Hi Nik,

Very nice looking layout! Frankly, the scenery looks excellent and your photos are fine too - remember that today's phones probably have better resolution than a digital camera from five years ago!

Just a technical request: try to keep your photos to about 750 or at most 800 pixels wide, it takes up less bandwidth, and the system won't have to reduce them. You can do this easily in Photoshop if that's what you're using to manage your photos.

Cheers,
Don

 

[NIK B]

Michael, Thank you. Ok, I'll live with it for now, maybe it'll "grow" on me?

dgersh, Cheers, glad you like it. I take your point about the new phones versus an ageing camera, they've come on leaps & bounds. Apologies for the photo sizes, I'll be sure to re-size from now on.

ATB

NIK B.

 

[NIK B]

Hi all,

Not much progress this weekend, what with Christmas looming large & all the stuff that has to be done at this time of year.

But I did manage to get the pit building lights re-lit (wiring issues).

Also got some hedging in place, to try & add a little more realism to this corner.

There's track either side here, so it cheers up two corners for the price of one.

Finally, got my "new" tree planted where it will live.........for now anyway.

Thanks for looking.

NIK B.

 

[gokartride]

The nice thing about your greenery is that is it consistent across your layout and so the effect holds. Yes, you could add ground foam to the lichen, but would you then have to do this to everything? And ground foam can get knocked loose more easily...could just be more to clean off your track. If anything, if you choose to add additional lichen to your trees, try rubber cement or similar. That way if you ever decide one day to add ground foam using diluted PVA, your tree will stay in one piece.

Realism is a fun goal, no doubt, but when the cars run on two metal rails imbedded in the roadway, I think a little imagination works just fine.