Thanks for an informative post. I have built this N gauge and I have found that the trick to concealing joints and edges is careful use of watercolors or colored pencils. Running a 2B pencil along the edges before butting the platform surfaces together goes a long way towards concealing the joint. I can't see the joints in my platforms unless I look very carefully.
I am using these kits to make my station platforms and I think it is a very good kit. For some reason the last one I built, which is 3 feet long, I have made it too narrow. I am now sure if I have enough spare pieces left to widen it. Thanks for making the video. I did try to shout out "Fit the inner ramp strengtheners first" Martin. (Thailand)
Thanks... It's far from what most people will be looking for as it only shows the build in its most basic form. If I find that I have leftover bits I may have a go at doing a curved platform.
You're very confident with your blade, next to a flat edge. I prefer to use the sculpted cutting edge, where the fingers are protected behind a ridge. Just a comment for those who are less adept (or patient) than you.
I have made a platform from that kit with the top walling. That reduces the length of platform that can be made from one kit. I have glued in a lot more strengtheners, as I live in Thailand and have high humidity problems. I also spray them with clear matt varnish. I will have to wait and see what happens to them. But that is a very versatile kit. I think in the newer one there is also some back walling to go down the slopping part too. My father is from Salcombe and I have many cousins and their families living in South Devon. The price of houses the further south you go the more they want for them. Pushing the younger ones away from where they were born.
Hi Martin, I haven't experienced humidity or moisture problems here, but in one of my more recent videos I did do a mod on the platforms to improve them in rigidity, appearance and in moisture protection which I think works well. Devon is a pretty expensive place to live nowadays but I love it here :)
To bend the score mark, take a hint from tiling, and use matchsticks (or the ruler) to support the joint, and break the score over that straight support.
For the top of the ramp, is it possible to cut a (very fine) wedge out of the underside, rather than damage the topside? I appreciate this may be a high-risk option, but it would provide a better display surface.
Nice match of brickwork. And using the support to assist the joint is worth mentioning. Note that at this stage, you have not braced the vertical wall as vertical. Can the l-shaped braces have their fold vertical, so the reinforcing panel fits the wall (without cutting) and the bracing panel at right angles to both the platform and the platform wall? When you join the two platform sections, would it make the joint stronger (and more likely to be flat) to run the edge spacers as well as the walls across the gap? And, of course, reinforce the brick wall joint as soon as the but joint is made, so the later reinforcement is supporting that visible joint.
It's odd but the instructions don't seem to suggest using the L shaped bits vertically... but I may well do some like that when doing the rest of the platform. The amount that it can be braced is endless... there seems to be ample amounts of bracing card... so once I have the whole thing done I will do more to it with the leftovers. I agree... and when doing the other sections I will run as much as possible to bridge between each section.
You're right to cut the wall off the edge of the platform: the platform edges should always overhang the support walls, in an attempt to stop water marking. Of course, your weathering may chose to show where this has failed! And, of course, you then use the thin grey strip to provide that overhang definition. (Takes some time to beat these Metcalf guys :) Note that the edge is visible, and so should butt together, or even (gilding the lily) chamfer the edges to give an angle joint.
you would have to cut out a v if you cut from underneath, to allow the card to bend. when you cut from the top you have to cut more than halfway through because of tension.
Presumably real platforms, like real roads, may have repairs, or have been made in sections. So the perfect platform always looks a bit "model". The trick is how to join the sections, and how the real platform would have been made, to make this join realistic. Time for some research, methinks!
Yeah, I'm yet to look into weathering... I know my local platform is mostly unused as it used to take huge steam trains with long rakes of coaches... but now the biggest we ever get here is a 3 car DMU. The whole length of the unused part is pretty crappy and cracked so I may simulate that effect.
One for one side, one for the other? Nope: all from one view (i.e. The left edge of the platform) but not both left and right edges of the platform. (Been there, done that! :)
Yeah... realized this soon after but slyly edited it so I magically have the correct one when needed... at least I have the slopes ready for the other end now.
The Devon model railway I saw the other offcuts in the background, and was entertained! Lol. And some poor modeller is trying to make it fit, because you said it would!
Thanks for filming this, really helpful to understand what the kit can do and what is required of the builder.
Thanks for an informative post. I have built this N gauge and I have found that the trick to concealing joints and edges is careful use of watercolors or colored pencils. Running a 2B pencil along the edges before butting the platform surfaces together goes a long way towards concealing the joint. I can't see the joints in my platforms unless I look very carefully.
I am using these kits to make my station platforms and I think it is a very good kit. For some reason the last one I built, which is 3 feet long, I have made it too narrow. I am now sure if I have enough spare pieces left to widen it. Thanks for making the video. I did try to shout out "Fit the inner ramp strengtheners first" Martin. (Thailand)
Thanks for the video, was wanting someone to review the platform kit. Well done.
Thanks... It's far from what most people will be looking for as it only shows the build in its most basic form. If I find that I have leftover bits I may have a go at doing a curved platform.
You're very confident with your blade, next to a flat edge. I prefer to use the sculpted cutting edge, where the fingers are protected behind a ridge. Just a comment for those who are less adept (or patient) than you.
I'm down to my last blade... it's about as blunt as a spoon.
A bit of blood now and again might add some decent weathering effects.
Epic build, card kits are laser cut and perfect and the end result looks great. Thanks for sharing. Cheers John
I have made a platform from that kit with the top walling. That reduces the length of platform that can be made from one kit. I have glued in a lot more strengtheners, as I live in Thailand and have high humidity problems. I also spray them with clear matt varnish. I will have to wait and see what happens to them. But that is a very versatile kit. I think in the newer one there is also some back walling to go down the slopping part too. My father is from Salcombe and I have many cousins and their families living in South Devon. The price of houses the further south you go the more they want for them. Pushing the younger ones away from where they were born.
Hi Martin, I haven't experienced humidity or moisture problems here, but in one of my more recent videos I did do a mod on the platforms to improve them in rigidity, appearance and in moisture protection which I think works well.
Devon is a pretty expensive place to live nowadays but I love it here :)
To bend the score mark, take a hint from tiling, and use matchsticks (or the ruler) to support the joint, and break the score over that straight support.
For the top of the ramp, is it possible to cut a (very fine) wedge out of the underside, rather than damage the topside?
I appreciate this may be a high-risk option, but it would provide a better display surface.
Nice match of brickwork. And using the support to assist the joint is worth mentioning.
Note that at this stage, you have not braced the vertical wall as vertical.
Can the l-shaped braces have their fold vertical, so the reinforcing panel fits the wall (without cutting) and the bracing panel at right angles to both the platform and the platform wall?
When you join the two platform sections, would it make the joint stronger (and more likely to be flat) to run the edge spacers as well as the walls across the gap? And, of course, reinforce the brick wall joint as soon as the but joint is made, so the later reinforcement is supporting that visible joint.
It's odd but the instructions don't seem to suggest using the L shaped bits vertically... but I may well do some like that when doing the rest of the platform. The amount that it can be braced is endless... there seems to be ample amounts of bracing card... so once I have the whole thing done I will do more to it with the leftovers.
I agree... and when doing the other sections I will run as much as possible to bridge between each section.
You're right to cut the wall off the edge of the platform: the platform edges should always overhang the support walls, in an attempt to stop water marking. Of course, your weathering may chose to show where this has failed!
And, of course, you then use the thin grey strip to provide that overhang definition. (Takes some time to beat these Metcalf guys :)
Note that the edge is visible, and so should butt together, or even (gilding the lily) chamfer the edges to give an angle joint.
Nice walk-through. Thanks for taking the care to present it.
Was it hard to keep it all flat, so it fits flat and easy to the layout?
Flatness didn't seem to be an issue Tom... although my build is only about 600mm at present, I fear that could be an issue as it gets longer
Could you score the bit where the platform begins to slope down on the underside instead, so that you don't see a white 'seem' on the platform side?
you would have to cut out a v if you cut from underneath, to allow the card to bend. when you cut from the top you have to cut more than halfway through because of tension.
I used a blunt dinner knife from the top, it didn't cut the card
Good how to video
Presumably real platforms, like real roads, may have repairs, or have been made in sections. So the perfect platform always looks a bit "model". The trick is how to join the sections, and how the real platform would have been made, to make this join realistic. Time for some research, methinks!
Yeah, I'm yet to look into weathering... I know my local platform is mostly unused as it used to take huge steam trains with long rakes of coaches... but now the biggest we ever get here is a 3 car DMU. The whole length of the unused part is pretty crappy and cracked so I may simulate that effect.
One for one side, one for the other? Nope: all from one view (i.e. The left edge of the platform) but not both left and right edges of the platform. (Been there, done that! :)
Yeah... realized this soon after but slyly edited it so I magically have the correct one when needed... at least I have the slopes ready for the other end now.
The Devon model railway I saw the other offcuts in the background, and was entertained! Lol.
And some poor modeller is trying to make it fit, because you said it would!
No clothes pegs have appeared? Have they escaped to the wild outdoors again? Lol.
LOL, They dont seem to be a requirement on this one... but they were there on the desk just out of shot.