Crafting stuff

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I have been in the hobby since I was a child. I can't say it was self taught because all the rwading of many, many books and magazines over the years and my own development in trying things out...

But the designs I use are all my own. The ideas like the couplings came after two and a half years of daydreaming, and trying things out. This is my Mk 2 coupling design as Mk1 didn't like heavy loads or sharp curves. Making name and number plates. The origional idea I saw was when I was watching someone make a little metal box from fizzy drinks tin on YouTube, and they scribed from the back to make some nice curly designs on the box. I thought "If that can be made like that, I can do the same for name and number plates. Origionally writing names by hand from the back was not easy. I could do it, but they were a little large and not that consistant. I looked around for ages to get an idea. Then I remembered the old label printers and cut some drinks can into strips to work in the printer. Does not always come out well first try, but hey. It is cheaply obtained so any mistakes are simply binned just like the drinks tins would have been binned anyway... So no problem.

The reason why I made my own couplings were that wheels were 80p an axle or more (They are now more like £1 or more) and the couplings I was using were 80p each... This made each build cost £3.20 which was more then I wanted to pay. The most I wanted to pay was £2 for the whole build, so I had to start to think that there must be another way.
I had to ask myself what aspects do I need from any couplings I used, and which aspects was I willing to go without.
I did not need automatic operating couplings as long as they were easy and quick to use. I did want them to look prototypical in operation and be reliable, and cheap to make or buy.
So after two and a half years of thought along with research of what was commercially available (Everything was way to expensive), I came up with this design...

Easy to make. Easy to use, and cost me pennies! And they look the part. Ideal!

Bought these...






Flat wheels that don't pivot don't run well on railways!


To make things like these....



A little more work then it seems, but still they make nice conversions.

Coaches have to have new chassis, and they only have two inset doors, so the opposite doors need opening out and they all need building up in thickness with plasticard. The end vestible door needs filling in and blanking off at one end... This coach used to be blue.
I have yet to change the couplings and number the coach etc.

What a great thread.

Hoping to make Christmas cards soon

Does anyone else enjoy card making?

My youngest brothers girlfriend does that. She loves doing all sorts of things like that. Oh. My aunt used to do a lot of craft things and used to paint as well.

It would be nice to see some?

This thread was dormant for several years - don't know why?

I do card making! It would be lovely to see some on here. I'm hoping to do some Christmas cards soon, too.

That's brilliant! How many trains do you think you've made or converted overall?

Mountain Goat--now you've got me into trains too.

I'm scratch building a Consolidation-class steam locomotive in 3' narrow gauge. It's a copy of Argent Lumber Company No. 7--a locomotive that still exists as a display today, and which I've gotten to see & even climb on.

Frame & wheels are from a cheap TYCO HO model that I bought in junked condition and I'm building the rest from scratch and adding a motor if possible. The TYCO was a toy at best but had the right wheels for a 55n3 model--new scale. You use HO track to represent 3' gauge.

Nice. I use H0 (00 in the UK) track width to represent something around 2'3" (If I remember it scales down to 2'4" but here in Wales 2'3" were used on some lines like the Tal-Y-Llyn, Corris, Talybont & Hafan etc).

Gauge does not have to be exact because we have imagination to make up any inaccuracies. As long as they look right..

Consolidation... I think they were quite big compared to UK locomotives. Trying to get my mind to give me a picture... Come on mind. These are famous. You should remember these! Haha! Going to look to recharge my mind.. Hang on.

Ammended. 2-8-0's. Yes. I knew they were big!

Are you in the UK? Have you thought of using the chassis from something like a Hornby of a Bachmann locomotive? Ooh. I have had a thought on how to motorize it. If tyco has suitable wheels like you've said, consider tender drive. The only down side is you may need to disguise it a bit in regards to the tender wheels. Uhmmm.

Loco drive is always going to be the better option in looks but not always the easiest. Is interesting.
No doubt, many ready made models in 0n30 have been made by Bachmann and others. Lovely things they are too. Not cheap though. But nice.

My style of modelling relies more on freelancing but making it look like "I remember those" when in reality "Those" in my case never really existed... I am therefore building my own little railway and in some ways though this seems an easier option, it does require some thought. For example, when scratchbuilding a steam locomotive, one needs to consider water and fuel tanks, boiler and possible steam pipes... Safety valve, whistle, dome and a chimney... Cylinders... (Internal, external or both) etc.

One of my hobbies is learning about traditional board games and making my own sets for them. (Sadly, I don't often have the chance to actually play them with people.) I started doing this two years ago. I have very little in the way of craft skills or even manual dexterity, but it's been entertaining finding out ways I can make usable boards and pieces anyway.




This one is for Tablut, a game from eighteenth century Lapland. The pieces are air-dry clay painted with acrylics. The board is some scrap plywood with inked card glued to it and coated with decoupage lacquer.

Tablut is historically interesting because it was the last version of the Viking war game Hnefatafl to survive as a living tradition. The rules were saved for posterity by the famous biologist Linnaeus, of all people.

I love these! They're kind of tiny rolling stock that many model-makers perhaps wouldn't bother with, but you've given them this fantastic practical, well-used appearence. Good use of materials, too!

That looks lovely and comfortable! Great choice of colours for the different patches. I reckon a bit of messiness is part of the charm of that style- make it too regular and everyone'll think you got it from Ikea....

The top one is quite easy to make as well, though I will be changing the couplings in the future as I make my own couplings as it is cheaper. It is basically wood and glue with bicycle spokes and drinks straw for the uprights.

The bottom one is a little more challenging but do-able.

Just being nosey. You're all very talented! awesome stuff! inspirational!

Sorry. I have only just noticed what you wrote.

I have four locomotives that I have converted in various states of completeness. . A made a fifth and finished it and it is on its way to a new owner.



The red loco at the front is on its way to a new owner. The green loco behind is my Loco number 1.

Enjoy having a nose.