Tips and tricks needed!

[nalmeida]

Hi there guys, I'm posting this thread because I need some help from the pros.

I'm scratchbuilding two Portuguese subjects in which I need some tips. The first one is a Nohab from CP, I'm using five modules to build this one (First Class, Second Class, two fronts and the top), problem is when I glue the modules together since it's very difficult to keep them exactly straight I need to do some touch up with putty. After letting the putty dry I try to correct and sand the areas but with details and everything it's hard to do it right, I also use the tip of an x-acto to smooth things out. How do you guys deal with this areas? What tools do you use?





Second question is about getting some fine metal mesh/grids to represent some details of the subjects, the first ones are the front grids of the Nohab, these are the ones I made in styrene (which are very flimsy):



And this is the prototype:



The second one is some kind of mesh of the Dresine, I could use any fine mesh even if it wasn't like the prototype:



This one will fit in the hole in the right of the picture:



Thanks in advance.

[lab-dad]

Good to see you back Nelson!
First off i am no "pro" a schmo may be but...........

For the putty/sanding all I can suggest is to keep trying.
May be some emery boards like ladies use for nails?
You can cut them down. They also have abrasive sticks for nails.
They look like skewers dipped in abrasive. Go to a beauty supply place and look.

On the first grill I would use the fines music wire you could find.
On the mesh try filter material, not sure how big or the scale but a kitchen faucet strainer might do.
I picked up some sample from a fuel filter manufacturer that yielded several different "grades"
What about photo etching? Dont you have a "guy"?

-Marty

[billmart]

Nelson -

I might have a suggestion or two, but I need to know the scale of the model.

Bill Martinsen

[Design-HSB]

Hello Nelson,

I use to smoothen as well as grinding equipment with motor by Proxxon or Dremel.

Such fine grid I draw on the computer sending the details via e-mail and let me at a company here in Germany etching. This company etches especially for modelers.

The material I prefer silver or stainless steel.

Currently I've also just re-etched nickel silver parts shown in my thred mine locomotive.

But the scale and the country by living are therefore always of great importance.

[nalmeida]

Thanks Marty, Bill and Helmut.

Marty: Great idea on the emery boards for nails, I'll pay a visit to the beauty section of the mart to see whats available.
Thanks also for the idea for the Nohab but as you told I probably will have my laser guy to cut some brass, they are really tiny! The grill pieces measure 0,2 mm each and the open space is 0,4 mm.
In any case I would prefer etching, unfortunately I don't have a "guy" for that!
I was hoping there was some source for "universal" etched meshes/grids that I could use since this would be better/cheaper!!!

Helmut: I love your work and I envy the scale you work in. Does that German company work internationally? Do they speak English? Is it expensive?

Bill: You are right about the importance of the size, scale is H0 and these are the dimensions:

[Design-HSB]

Hello Nelson,

The company supplies all over the European Union over to where the euro currency.

Thanks for the appreciation of my work.

[nalmeida]

Thanks Helmut, Is it possible to supply a link to their website?

[Design-HSB]

Hello Nelson,

yes clearly "Ätztechnik Herbert Caspers GmbH & Co. KG
"in Solingen.

But please remember, in small areas is not cheap, as there are minimum sizes for processing film and sheet.

Prefer to collect some more and then order in one.

The price is then calculated for each commenced 100 mm square.
The minimum size is 150 x 100 mm.

[billmart]

Nelson -

A Polish company named Aber makes several photoetched patterns they refer to as Nets.
http://aber.net.pl/   On their Home page, do an Advanced search for the word net.

What they make might be too large for HO scale.

Bill Martinsen

[Malachi Constant]

Try using a better putty & smoothing it BEFORE it sets!

It looks like your using something kinda crusty, putting on a glob of it and then trying to sand it down ...

If you use a good two-part putty, like Magic Sculp or Milliput (I think it works with Milliput), you can mix up the putty, start working it in while it's soft, start shaping with your fingers and removing excess ...

THEN ... AFTER it firms up a bit but BEFORE it hardens, go back with a fine sculpting tool (which could be something as simple as a flat plastic toothpick) ... add a TOUCH of creamy hand soap (or Aloe gel) to the tip and use that to SMOOTH out the contours and feather the edges of the putty into the work.

I've used this approach on a variety of complex contours, all the way down to nose jobs on HO scale figures ...

Cheers,
Dallas

PS -- Be fussy as hell when cutting and making each joint of your bash!  Test fit, file, sand & do everything you can to get a good joint.  If there are burrs & bumps sticking out that will have to get sanded down later, do that BEFORE you glue the joints ... if the joints are rough, bevel the edges DOWN/IN toward the groove some a touch of putty will fit them smoothly.  (All this based on the idea that you've shown really close close-ups and "presumably" are interested in getting results that will look good at this level.  It's tricky ... I haven't mastered it, but definitely fuss as best I can with it ... you might just have to slow down at each little step to get closer to what you really want here.)

[nalmeida]

Thanks for the tip on the polish website Bill, there are some nets/grids in there that I want.

Dallas, thanks for the extensive reply. I was using also a two part epoxy putty that I had here from Tamyia which was very old and already a bit hard, today I went to my modeling shop and bought a brand new package of Milliput, let's see if I can improve the models. And yes, macro level is as addictive as exasperating!

[Malachi Constant]

The new putty and a slightly different approach should help!  

An assortment of little files can be helpful, but those are often too coarse and/or bulky ...

You can improvise some weird little finishing tools though ... for example, you can take a small piece of soft metal wire or bar stock that fits into the desired area ... file the end to an angle if needed ... rough the surface of that with sand paper ... then that slightly roughened surface of the little metal bit becomes a rather fine surfacing tool that will fit into tight areas.  (It's still best to do as much smoothing as you can before the putty sets, and the soap or aloe just before it sets is REALLY useful there.)

I know I've improvised some other really fine little sanding/finishing/surfacing tools working on figures ... can't remember clearly what they've all been, as it's mostly "on the spot" solutions ... but think I've also used bits of hardish wood (like bits of toothpick shaped to the area) -- the wood has enough grit to act as a light sanding tool ...

Again, better to go with TOO LITTLE putty and build up in multiple sessions than too much and try to to sand that down (... and, of course, there will be exceptions to that!) ... and best to improvise little tools needed to properly shape putty as near as possible before it sets ...

Looks like a neat project!  Have fun -- Dallas

Another PS -- If you have trouble getting tiny bits of putty to stick ... apply a little schmear of Vallejo matt varnish to the area, let it go slightly tacky (the wet look starts to fade) and apply the putty.  Works like a charm.

[chester]

I often take skewers and small sticks and glue sandpaper to them to sand difficult areas.

[David Emery]

To square off long edges, I glue sandpaper to paint stirrer paddles.  I use these a lot, with 80 and 150 grit.  They're particularly good for evening out the bottom of resin or plaster castings. 

I also have a piece of 150 grit sandpaper spray-glued to a flat marble tile, which is good for evening up the sides of a car, or for smoothing/reducing the thickness of a wall casting.

dave

[nalmeida]

Thanks for some great ideas guys, specially Dallas for such detailed tips.