That time of the month again, and due to a variety of circumstances I only found out it was on 30 minutes before I had to head out the door to get a lift. Mmmm, peanut butter on toast for dinner. I know how to live!
I took along my first bit of trackwork and had a chance to discuss the various problems I had faced adjusting an S scale technique to NZ120. This then lead to a wide ranging discussion on the various techniques that could possibly be deployed in making ones own track. True to form there was then a question that should people who don't have any practical experience in the area being discussed be able to have an opinion on what was being discussed. I had to point out that if this was enforced that there would be far fewer wide ranging discussions. Maybe it was a ploy to get to the cakes at supper time faster?
The other local NZ120 modeler brought along a trackgang Dx kit. He's been having a bit of trouble assembling a flat wagon kit as well, and one of the (far) more experienced modelers had been giving him a hand with it. The S scale modelers comment were 'its a bit crude isn't it'. I did point out that the kits themselves are 15 years old.
Further to this, and on inspecting the Dx kit I came up with an easier way to put the handrails on the long hood. take the top and turn it upside down. Mark out where the handrails are on the hood, then take a fretsaw and cut into the whitemetal a short distance (it might pay to either have a block of wood to stop cutting or a line to show where to stop) then fold up a handrail to fit it. then solder in. I think it sounds a lot easier than a stack of drilled holes which are a complete bugger to get right.
Also, in discussion on other bits of the model while answering some of the questions I was struck by a thought or 2. Do modelers nowadays brought up on a diet of high tech kits expect a great deal from the kits that they buy? Someone made the comment last night (having purchases an 009 Backwoods K1 Garratt kit)that the British are streets ahead of us in etched kit design. I just thought (and didn't say) 'yes that seems to be the case, but there is a stack of badly designed kits out there'. Also the British modeler tends to fix bits that are incorrect, or buy in detail parts,and rather than complain, accepts that this is part of the process. I also realised that a lot of the things I just 'do' and take for granted are skills that I've picked up over 25 odd years of doing my own thing, making mistakes and learning from them. This is really easy to forget when you get asked questions by a beginner (well, at assembling kits) and suddenly realise that what is common sense for you is not necessarily for others.
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7 comments:
"...the British are streets ahead of us in etched kit design..."
I think I'd dispute that. The truth is more that there arent that many NZR etched kits out there. In that "other" odd scale, there is Lawrences Wb/Wd, Cabbages Dubs A and Alecs Da/Db/Df, and they are all as sharp and well designed as anything from overseas.
Where we are stung as a hobby is the realisation that most of the kits being fobbed off on the unsuspecting masses (again, I'm thinking specifically of Sn3½) are all rehashes of 20-30 year old kits, and apart from those already mentioned I cant see much changing. 9mm (or P34 as it seems to be now) has always been a panelbeaters scale with kits only available from a select few, so they have usually been of good quality....or maybe because the panelbeaters themselves have the skills to be able to juice up and hide an kit shortcomings...
I think that the later s scale kits have come on a bit, but i think that etching has never really caught on in this country for some odd reason.
Oh, and if its pretending to be finescale, shouldn't it be P33.8?
what does P34 stand for ?
and that Garratt looks great...
"...the British are streets ahead of us in etched kit design..." - I would dispute that as the designers I know have learnt from the pile of not so good kits that are still foisted on the unsuspecting. The DF and the Dubs A are right up there with Mr Bradwell's finest and I am sure Finney et al have nothing to show them however they are streets ahead of the 30 odd year old Jidenco offerings. Nothing to be ashamed of here other than yet another whitemetal rehash from tired moulds
P34 is the new moniker for what was 9mm:ft NZR modelling, i.e. 1:34 scale - 'tis in the style of P87 and P48.
If its finescale, shouldn't it be P33.8? :v)
If you must split hairs, split them the right way: P33.9 is more accurate, if you insist upon rounding it from P33.86666666. Given that the difference is only 0.3%, I don't think anyone will notice anyway ;-)
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