Let's Build a 3D Card Model - Step 2 -- Add Cereal Box Backing

If you downloaded and built the house in Step 1, you will need to print another set to complete Step 2 .

A.   To add strength and thickness to the model I am going to mount the downloaded sheets to heavier card stock, a cereal box.  I found a box large enough to mount the letter size, 8.5"x11", sheets.

When you card model you save boxes like this.  If you have kids you already have a ready supply.

B.   Cut open the box along the sides to obtain something like this.

Two long cuts and two short cuts provide the basic material.  Save the small, leftover parts for details to come.

C.  Cut out the front and back panels, trimming the edges to ensure a flat surface.

Here are the panels needed to mount the printed sheets.  This slick, outside surface is sealed enough for Yuma, but you may want to seal both sides with spray primer.

 

D.  Here in Yuma, Arizona we have mostly low humidity so I use the cereal box as is, leaving the printed outside surface on the inside of the model and gluing the printed sheet to the bare inside surface.  If you want to protect your model from warping with damp / dry conditions you may wish to seal both surfaces with a spray primer.

These card panels are now ready for the spray adhesive.

 E.  Use a spray adhesive to give the bare surface of the card a light even coat, locate the sheet and smooth out using a stiff ruler.  I just happen to use a tile trowel that I have around.  Leave over night under weights to ensure the panels dry flat.

WARNING: Spray paints and adhesives should be used outdoors, away from flames and with a backdrop to collect the over-spray and protect other surfaces.

All for tonight.  My panels are drying under weight and I will edit this step 2 over the weekend.  Then we start with scribing the fold lines, cutting out the details and folding the corners.

Armchair

Let's Build a 3D Card Model - Step 1 -- Free Internet Download

Card modeling is an old craft with a new life.  Old timers like me will, if able, remember cereal boxes with the back printed with some toy or building.  We would cutout the item, fold on the lines noted, push the tabs into the related slots, resulting with a free toy.  With WWII over "real" toys came back on the market and card modeling in the USA fell from favor.  Europe must have spent a few more years with material shortages and card modeling held on with a newer generation.

Now, with the internet, card modeling has surged back with both free and commercial sites offering thousands of models of every imaginable type.  For this little build clinic I have chosen a free American model of a log cabin once belonging to Thomas Lincoln, President Lincoln's father.  This is one of the Build Your Own Lincoln Sites, available at 

 www.lookingforlincoln.com

The completed model is shown with the two pages downloaded from the internet and printed on 110# card stock with a color printer.  The models in this series are 1:87,  HO scale.

I have wanted to try adding depth to a printed model by recessing the doors and windows and applying the shingles row by row, creating a 3D model.  This may require printing a second and possibly a third copy to have enough extra parts to complete the modification.

But for now, go to the site noted above, and even if you have never built a card model, download, print and build the model using the instructions included.  Don't worry about making a mistake, just print another sheet if needed.

TIPS:  You can use scissors or craft knives to cut out the several parts of the model.  When using a knife make several light strokes instead of one heavy stroke.  Paper dulls knife blades quickly so keep a supply handy.  Most modelers use the #11 blade that fits a small handle.  I use a letter opener to score the fold lines making several moderate passes.  Practice will help you develop the skills and improve your results.

WARNING:  Knives and other tools used in card modeling can cause injuries if not used correctly.  Children should proceed only under adult supervision.

Check back often for updates of the 3D modifications and hints, tips and additional sources for help and information on card modeling.

See you soon!

Armchair

 

How Good is Good Enough?

A conundrum, an enigma!

• Why do some "Average" students excel and some "Gifted" students fail?

• What drives some to excel in certain areas and care less about others?

• Why don't we always do our best?

• Why do we sometimes let certain things slide?

• How do we determine which is which?

How Good is Good Enough?

This discussion was brought about by posts on a group's site where a skilled modeler posted pictures of his fine model railroad car.  While most members replied in very positive praise, others, who were contest judges, began a civil critique as they would a contest entry.  Some noted minor mark-downs, but the attention quickly centered on the bottom of the car where detail was good, but not impressive.  The builder replied that he intended the model to be a true and accurate representation of the prototype, but not a contest entry.  Additionally, since the model was intended to be in regular service on his model railroad layout he only detailed the bottom to the extent viewers would see from the side while it was setting on the track.


Like many group forums, this thread quickly found a life of it's own, branching like a young tree in Spring.  Issues that I can recall sounded something like this:

• Some sites are just "At A Boy" compliments.
• Why would anyone submit a picture not expecting serious critique?
• Good modeling improves the hobby, poor modeling degrades the hobby.
• Just lurk until you reach the level expected on the site, then post.

 Near the end someone posted an article by the late John Alan, a master of just about all that was model railroading during his time.  In the article John questioned why anyone would bring a model to show the public that did not exhibit their very best efforts?  That got me to thinking as I am one of the dwindling number of people who met John on his home G&D layout.
Like many people of genius, John could be a bit eccentric.  Our Lockheed model railroad club was visiting from  San Jose and John was a polite host, but set out a few simple rules; no-one would touch the train but John, operate in a prototype way, and NO flash photography.  This was in the day of ASA 12 and I had brought my camera and flash, so I have no proof of ever entering the basement.
As our club had several electrical engineers we used a home brew 50 amp power supply that was also a possible welder.  While discussing electronics and transistors John admitted not knowing a lot about transistors and preferred using electro-mechanical means to achieve results.  Some things I recollect from almost 50 years ago are:

• He created momentum by using an electric motor to slowly turn the rheostat up or down.
• He measured water usage of a steam loco by back driving a home electric meter, thus forcing the engineer to use good practice so as not to  run out of water while still on the line.
• He placed a hump in a switch lead requiring a careful hand to just carry the hill with out banging into the cars ahead.
• He used Baker couplers.

About the only thing I ever saw as criticism of John was his propensity to use catchy, non-prototypical names.  John could do it all.  He retired early in life, never married and could spend almost all his efforts on railroading and photography.  Most of us have more distractions in our lives, have less drive, less talent and perhaps, more outside interests and desires.
We are not John Alan!   But, we can learn from him, appreciate his contributions to the hobby and endeavor to contribute to the hobby in our own way.

I, as a person, have delt with the opening questions and only have simple answers for complex questions.

• Bordum.
• Laziness.
• Short attention span.
• Loss of interest.
• A new interest.
• Costs, Time, Space, Other Needs.
• Health.

More and more I see modeling as an art rather than a science.  Why do we read the comics in the paper or watch them on TV?  Perhaps we are really artists who use science (electricity, tools, paint, adhesives) to create our model railroads, doll houses, airplanes, cars, rockets, etc.  As in art, some like modern, others realism, oils or pastels large murals or tiny sketches.  We have all heard the expression, "If we all liked the same things it would be a boring place."

I think this photo shows that I am pretty good at shingles and eight sides roofs.

This photo shows that I may have to work a little harder at my backgrounds.

The fact that there are several greeting card companies working in the States gives Hallmark Cards the reason for their motto, "When you care enough to send the very best!"

Perhaps in our modeling lives there are times for just a little pick-me-up modeling, in contrast to when we wish to do our very best.


Armchair


P.S.   Scroll down to the bottom of the home page and click on the box of paint bottles, "An Oldie But Goody."  That was my first post and was sort of philosophical.


P.S. 2   Do you like the new home page collage?  Hate the site?  5,000 hits but only 13 comments.  What do I need to do to stir up some conflict?  I must do something wrong from time to time.  Let me know.

The BAD RR

I guess to be real, a railroad has to have a name.

  

Santa Fe steamer #605, a 2-6-0, standing on the only bridge on the BAD RR.

If you have been following this blog for a while you should recognize this scene from the much larger layout we have been constructing for the last many months.  The sparse vegetation, rocky outbreaks and nearby mountains with background ranges in the distance depict this as south-western Arizona.  The bridge is a driven pile structure, still typical where rains are few and far between.  This is the favorite picture site for train buffs visiting the line, and you may want to locate such a spot on your own layout.

Scroll down to see a panoramic view of the BAD RR

A larger view of the BAD RR

 The Build A Diorama Rail Road is only 20 inches wide and 15 inches deep, but has served it's purpose, to allow me (and you) to learn new skills, using new materials and loosing fears of what if's.

From now on more of the modeling will be used in constructing the HO scale 5'x10' club layout.  Stay tuned for the adventures flowing forth from the fertile mind of one not afraid to change.

Armchair

 

LO#3 - Some Progress on HO Layout

Yesterday we finally laid the last of the sub-roadbed and base for some industries.  I promised some pictures of the 3 section bridge area and early attempts at bridge trusses and tunnel portals.

Outside view of the curved bridge.

Inside view of the curved bridge.

As I stated before, a curved railroad bridge is really nothing more than a series of straight spans wide enough to allow the car overhang to clear the sides.

Originally I thought of using a through girder bridge, but decided that a through truss bridge would be an artistic touch and allow the viewer to see through the area into our proposed mine location.

The inside view shows the mine access track sub-roadbed (black.)  The track radius is 23" so using the 7" length truss on the outside will require the inside trusses length to be determined by the line from each end of the truss to the center point of the 23" radius.  The support beams will coincide with those four lines, extending out to clear the lower track.  It will become clearer as it takes shape.

The original Atlas truss bridge that was the inspiration.

First try at a foam-core board tunnel portal.

    

My original 7", outside truss.  3/32" square strip wood.

LO#2 - About Bridges and Such Things

Some subjects in modeling  just lead into questionable areas and bridges is one that is sure to open a can of worms.  Here is a subject that is more than fully documented in printed material, internet blogs and historical records, yet so poorly understood by most of us designing, building and utilizing them.

Our club, Rail Roadrunners of Yuma, is building a 5'x10' layout that will require several of these mysterious devices of various types and sizes.  I, as a retired design engineer, felt most qualified to undertake this simple task and chose to begin with a curved section of the upper level where it passes over a curved section of the lower level at a fairly shallow angle.  We have all seen the beautiful curved wooden trestles built by men of old, but may be shocked to learn that there are none of today's materials.  If we move in to take a very close up view of a wooden trestle we will find that it is made up of many short, straight sections of about 13 to 16 feet between bents, the vertical legs that support the track-work.

While modern materials of steel and concrete allow us to make much longer spans than the wood beams between bents, the torsional stresses of a curved beam is still outside reliable railroad usage, although we see them used in highway designs.  

The curved bridge area over lower curved track roadbed is at the extreme right hand center of this picture.  The main frame is 1" x 4".  The four 8' and two 5' long members are one piece and the four 5' middle  members are in three pieces with all joints reinforced with a 2" x 2" x 4" block.  The cross braces are 1" x  2".  The lowest level is set at 3" above the main frame, minimum radius is 23" and maximum grade is 1.8%.  The sub-roadbed is 1/2" ply or scrap construction grade OSBwith a maximum span of 24".  All screwed and some glued.  After sanding the roadbed we will start laying cork roadbed to align turnout branches.  Ground contour will be formed with cardboard strips and plaster cloth or paper.

Two Kinds of Foamcore Board

New to me, maybe not to you.  So far all the Foam Core Board projects have been with a board with a heavy, smooth paper outside surface, produced by Borden.  For some time I have been holding onto several sheets by R. L. Adams Plastics, Inc. that I thought were just foam without paper outside.  Last week I was using some of this to make a stone tunnel portal.  I drew, scribed, cut and stained the portal.  When dry I detected a slight film raising at a corner and discovered the board DID have a paper outside, although a very thin and more rough one.  Going back to the original board I found that the thin paper could be easily pulled back and removed.  Other have written about how you can scribe foam for stone and block work.  This Adams product should do well for this scribing. 

More info and pictures in the next day or so on the tunnel portal and truss bridge sides.  Stand by.

Armchair