I don't know what took the most time, but cutting, staining and gluing all the individual planks took 6 hours non-stop. At least, it was quite relaxing and enjoyable, far beyond my expectation.
Before gluing the planks, I was required to glue a 0.5 mm thick styrene sheet over my original deck to get a flat top flush with the rail spikes.
Wood planks, made of balsa, were stained with a mix of India ink and alcohol. Color pictures of the 50s show that the bridge planking was relatively new and not totally greyish. Using alcohol was a safe bet to get that look.
The next step will be to further weather the planking according to prototype. Oil spills from locomotives were quite impressive!
Bridge looks great Matthieu! How well does the Peco large radius switch match with the Walther's float? I'm assuming you cut the turnout just above the point hinge? Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteChristian
Christian, the Peco switch works quite well and the match up is more than decent. Yes, I cut the turnout at the hinges. In fact, I made new pivots for the points using brass wire. It's quite sturdy.
DeleteLove this layout! I am building a carfloat apron following your kitbashing and design as the Walthers kit just isn't right for the look I want. Can you tell me what size balsa you used? Did you have to cut the individual boards?
ReplyDeleteHi Tim! Glad to have inspired you. I guess my answer will be too late, but the balsa boards were about 1mm thick. They are individually cut and stained before gluing them. Hope it helps and good luck with your project!
DeleteNo you are still in time - other projects took my away but I will be working on the apron soon.
ReplyDelete