First photos in many years

[Max Corey]

Greetings, Earthlings.

Here we go again.  Much of the day working on photos.  Mostly taking them.  With varying success.  Learning things I used to know, again.

Wrong lighting using the floor lamps even lying them down sideways for closer light.  Keeps turning out bluish/greyish. In spite the image in the view finder looks great. Kind of a grey day, perhaps the bluish is coming from the windows.

Yes, digital, an old one, an Epson PhotoPC 2.1 Mega Pixel, and was top of the line like fifteen years ago. Cell phone takes better photos but is too limited.  I used to get great results with this old Epson and it has a macro mode for close-ups plus it goes on the tripod and accepts remote flash.

Now I remember, I used to use a remote flash.  So dig my old and very bright flash out, its cord, the hot shoe adaptor, and the power cord for the flash,  rig it all up and...

Much too bright, so bright in fact, most pictures keep turning out nearly white impossible to even see the image clearly.

Then I keep thinking back what Darryl Huffman taught me.  Aim the flash to bounce off from a wall or background or something.

Gee, it works.  The next stage is figuring out exactly how far and what angle and may even mess with the color (I think the results vary depending if you bounce the flash off a different color).  I put a large piece of cardboard on an easel and used that.  Still nearly too much light so I tried bouncing off the floor onto the cardboard and on back to the model on the table.  Better.  But funny how it changes picture to picture with such subtle changes of color and brightness depending on how I aim the flash.  Need more consistency and the colors are still not right.  Anyway....

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f366/Didlika/Models/MM2_zps324a8f94.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f366/Didlika/Models/MMI_zps984cc96e.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f366/Didlika/Models/MM3_zpsba39da88.jpg

Dallas Mallerich makes the On30 Mighty Midget kit and I enjoyed building it.  Fits over a Bachmann HO GE44 ton locomotive truck power unit shown in picture 3.  He offers several versions and it is easy to customize.  I added a scratched horn, air tanks, MV headlight lenses and a low wall all around to put stuff in.  It needs weight so I stuck weight everywhere I could underneath and used a metal figure and details whenever possible.  This little sucker got heavy which helps it to run well. Lead solder works to fit bits and pieces into every nook and cranny around the inside of the body and frame.  Body slips off, as does the hood and the cab roof.  I think the engineer figure is Grandt Line but may be wrong.  He looks just like an old friend Mike Lichty, and is about the only figure that fits.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f366/Didlika/Models/DerrickGondola_zps372002e2.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f366/Didlika/Models/DerrickGondola2_zps5ab21509.jpg

The derrick and gondola are freelance based on the basic frame I use for most of these little cars.  Their trucks are Kadee HO arch bars and all the couplers are Kadee 5s.  They need brake shoes.  The derrick and outriggers operate and the winch is from Charlie Brommer.  Just stuck things in the cars from the work table for photos.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f366/Didlika/Models/Holt2_zpsd3b41b50.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f366/Didlika/Models/Holt_zpsa62f2ae3.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f366/Didlika/Models/Holt3_zps2be79d87.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f366/Didlika/Models/Holt4_zps9072efc8.jpg

The scratch built Holt power unit is based loosely on the Holt engine and radiator set-up, of a Holt 45 crawler tractor, predecessor to the Caterpillar 45.  The flat car is, again, the standard frame I use because I am lazy and cheap.  Its trucks are the Tichy Train Group trucks I get from Dallas and have brakes added.  Grandt Line stirrups, stake pockets, nbws and brake wheel. These cars have no underneath detail as again I am lazy and cheap.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f366/Didlika/Models/Blacksmith4_zps79f0aa84.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f366/Didlika/Models/Blacksmith3_zpsea6024d9.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f366/Didlika/Models/Blacksmith2_zps9efce113.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f366/Didlika/Models/Blacksmith_zps600606cc.jpg

Still working on the blacksmith car, mostly putting details like tools, tongs, hammers, etc. inside and stirrup steps on each side in the center.  The forge hood is actually one of those throw-away doohickys doctors use to look in your ears and nose, and has a cap once the roof is on. Ear wax as a modelling element?  Corrugated roof metal is from Rusty Stumps.  Will weather all these cars when more satisfied with them.  The copy-cat Dallas Mallerich 18' cars go right along with these. *poke*

Criticisms encouraged.  I can handle the truth. (My cry corner has a very comfortable recliner).

Anybody know of good blacksmith tongs in 1/48?  I am figuring out how to make them because every old photo I find of working blacksmith forges depict dozens and dozens of various shaped tongs (and hammers).  Think the ones I have are Charlie Brommer.  IF <--- big IF) I can figure out how to shear very thin strips of very thin brass it should be a simple matter of bending, and making or simulating a rivit at the pivot.  Many blacksmith tongs were made by the blacksmith himself for the job at hand.  I like the blacksmith shop that Chuck Doan built for that; lots of tools.

Max modelling today in MI (those nasty steam engines again)

[Ray Dunakin]

Really nice work. I especially like the Holt.

[Chuck Doan]

Good stuff Max! I used blacksmith items from Brommer and Detail Associates. Sierra West may have the Brommer items, I don't know what happened to the D.A. line.