“Hi Al.
These are my sidewalks .They are not tacked down yet or painted yet.
I used the shelf trim with the glue side up to walk on.
Then i used coffee stir sticks to stiffen it and to raise it up. When glueing the sticks, stagger them to keep it stiff.
I added a strip onto the bottom and attached to the stir stick’s to act as water guttering (warning Al, don’t use white glue as it wont stick well). I use instant glue.
To turn left or right with the sidewalks, place sticks left or right as in photo.
When you finished a section, take fine sandpaper and run it along the road side of the sidewalks yo make it square and smooth. Then glue a small strip to make the guttering.
Now for the 1/100 scale or Ho scale bike. I used left over Led posts ya cut off. If you are really interested in how to make those bike’s i will send in a more informative way to make them. Was pretty easy. But i think you agree and use the word dang it’s small, honestly Al.
I think my bikes look more realistic than any plastic bike you can buy at this scale, if you can get them and i dont think ya can. Seat and peddles will be added later.
Im trying to make a sort of jig to follow how to make a mass amount. I could see a bike race on the road with these. I also attempted a kids bike. Now understand,this is my first tiny bike, so wont be perfect.
Tell me what ya think.
Can ya see a bunch in a bike rack in front of a store or something, or a bike shop?
Kim”
“i have a tip,i make a lot of stone walls,i first coat the screen or surface with plaster. after its dry i mix another batch with what’s called rainbow cement color (its cheep) comes in black or red,a little black makes gray.
i then coat the surface with almost smooth surface.let dry and take a small screw driver and drag across the surface to make bricks,the red really looks like brick.the screw driver goes through the red or gray layer and makes motor joints.
Mike”
“I use the plastic sprues left over from a model. I take them and use them for metal piping for oil refineries, gas stations, rooftop vents, etc. I also use them for scenery, pipe loads. I cut them down to the size of the load, I also drill out the ends, and then paint them whatever color you need to give it a more real appearance. I don’t have a pic handy, but I just made a fuel island for my truck stop. Hope someone can use this idea.
John”
Some fine tips as usual. Thanks to everyone.
In my my last email, I asked readers for some good reads, train related or not.
Well, it turns out ‘birds of a feather really do flock together’, because I got lots of mails on two particular authors.
One is the late, great George MacDonald Fraser. I have read all of his stuff (nearly). It warmed my heart to get mail after mail telling my how I must read the Harry Flashman novels.
I loved them all. Very politically incorrect and very, very funny.
Best of all, though, I hadn’t even heard of the other author, so I’m looking forward to reading his stuff. In fact, I got more emails on this one than Harry Flashman.
I haven’t read any of Clive Cussler’s books, but I’m going to start with the Isaac Bell series.
Please do mail me any good reads. I’ll let you all know if there’s another that shine through like these two.
And lastly, here’s the latest ‘ebay cheat sheet‘ – now with American Flyer too!
Best
Al
Cussler`s Isaac Belle series are very good , American Railroad Detective Agency
Great Looking scratch built bikes judging from your photo.
Nice tip on the sidewalks too.
I work mostly with N-scale, but occasionally I will do a small layout in HO (1/87th Scale) or OO (1/76th Scale).
Great ideas as usual! But Al, I’m not seeing the American Flyer Cheat Sheet for the second day now…
Cheers, Dennis
Those bicycles look so good, would love to know more on how Kim made them.
“John” A nice idea for the fuel island. do you have pictures??I use the plastic trees from the models I build for about the same things you do.Made a quansat hut for my yard office out of a grey sheet of plastic & put part of a tree for the communication tower on it.
Excellent tips from evetone, especially Kim as usual. Only one small correction needs to be made. The scale for HO 1:87 not 1:100. I hope this hasn’t upset anyone?
Bicycles are most definitely available for HO (1:87, not 1:100!) – and working ones at that! A Dutch guy sells them and they are propelled by an under baseboard magnetic chain (like a cross between a cycle chain and a tape recorder!)
nice one Kim.
I use Evergreen sheet for paved surfaces, it can be purchaed from most good hobby shops.
The stuff I use has side walk written on the packet.
Hi everyone.Glad you like the bike.Trevor the little blue guy standing there is 1/100 scale not Ho.That’s smaller than Ho.Funny thing about size.I’m going to send Al a photo of scale figure’s standing in front of a Ho scale truck and next to that is Ho scale car’s.Anyway’s.I didnt know about the magnetic bike’s system.Ha bet that cost’s a bunch.Not everyone can afford wonderful toy’s such as that.And im showing you a cheap and fun way,And orrigal made by your hand,more proud.
Thank’s Paul.I live in canada.And most of our street’s have sidewalk’s that hold 2 people walking past each other comfortably.Not 4 or even 5 people.The city yes but town’s or villages and is rare.This all come’s down to size again.I have a small mixture of Ho scale and 1/100 scale.Now if i used Ho scale figures then my sidewalks be wider.And i also found that Ho scale figures will not fit in the Ho scale car’s or even some trucks.So i went 1/100.But thanks for likeing what i made.Ive done 10 bike’s so far and even did a tandum bike as well as a kids bike to populate my street’s.Thanks again
Paul The bike is made from left over Led post’s.Was pretty easy to make.Just gets hot on the finger’s.I did the wheel’s with a number 11 craft paint brush.wrapped real tight around it.If your really interested i will try and show a step with photo.For a static model they are okaythanks
Good tips here Kim,
I live in Australia, AND OUR SIDEWALKS CAN TAKE 2 – 3 PEOPLE EASILY TOO.
Thanks
Nice work.
VERY NICE SIDEWALKS
Thank’s everyone.Once tacked down.They look good and save’s space.Spray paint them before tacking down.I been busy with a bunch more idea’s.And will send them in.
wouls love to see a step by step on the bikes