Double the presence of Ameritowne buildings! [New Pictures 5/21]

 Very nice 

Thank you, 

Mike

Well done Alex.  Thought about doing that myself.

 

Thanks for sharing how you did it.

Nice work Alex!

GREAT little tutorial!!! And very nice layot too!!! Thanks

Very nicely done!

Very nice project, the buildings look wonderful. I like the color as well.

Alex, very nice!  Thanks for taking the time to take us through the project step by step.  Impressive results!  Bo 

Great concept.  Everyone here comes up with some truly remarkable ways of thinking outside the box. Nice layout and excellent lighting.  Your pictures defintly showcase the work you've done on lighting.  I struggle in this area and do a lot of trial an error.  It's one of those things your gut just tells you when it's right. Yours is right.

 

Also excellent use of a able saw.

Alex great job!

A great way to stretch your modeling/toy train dollar.

Thanks Alex, what a good idea. Don

Very nice my friend!

 

Alan

Very nicely done!

Those look really good, and thanks for a great 'how to'!

 

A couple questions...

1) I'm assuming you cut them down on that table saw.  Did they cut okay, and did you use a fine cut (more teeth) blade?

 

2) You mentioned you used 1/4" mdf for the base (also looks very good).  Did you scribe the sidewalk lines on the table saw?

 

Thanks,

Robert

Alex great work, thanks for sharing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Alex

Wow!  Very nicely done, looks great.  Very good idea, thanks for sharing.  Cool!

Mike, Johnny, Rich, Dave, John, PTC, Bo, Jeeff, Don, DOn, Alan, Lee, Alex, Ken -

Thank you for looking and for your comments - I'm glad you like how they turned out.

 

Robert,

• Cutting: Yes, with the table saw and a 60-tooth blade. More (80) teeth have not worked as well for me as it tends to melt the plastic. This way it worked fine.

• SideWalk: After the MDF is painted, I just draw the sidewalk lines with a drafting pencil. (And now you know one of my shortcut secrets.)

 

Thx again!

 

Alex

Thank you for the info Alex, and for sharing your tips and techniques on this project!

 

I especially like the green colored glass windows.  Those really look nice in both the day & night scenes.

Thanks again,

Robert 

Interesting...  A few years back I took a community education class at the local H.S. on working with Plexiglass...making display cases, heat-forming/bending, etc..  We were told to use the highest-count carbide toothed blade we could find...80+, preferably...in order to obtain the smoothest cut, reduce chipping, etc..  Also, we were told that a high tooth count of the blade would allow a faster feed of the stock, thereby minimizing local melting of the plastic.  Lower tooth count = Slower feed speed = greater potential for melting. 

 

Melted plastic accumulating on the carbide teeth, we were told, was a more expensive problem for sharpening services to correct, since that residue had to be first removed...with some difficulty...before the carbide teeth could be ground.  Otherwise, the plastic residue would become a transferred problem to the grinding (diamond) equipment.

 

Since then, of course, I've encountered eleventy-seven additional perspectives on cutting plastic on the table saw.  So, it's the old adage...'to each his own'...I suppose as to what works best, least damage to blade and workpiece. etc.. 

 

I've always thought, however, that the faster feed speed resulting from a higher tooth count thereby minimizing local heating/melting/burning was intuitively the way to go.

 

MHO, of course.

 

KD

First, I really like the picture postings and the idea of using black foamcore backing and sides.  I'm about to start something very similar and will adopt this method.  I do not assemble the buildings first but cut the panels to fit and then assemble half-sides to each.

 

Second, I cut Ameritown panels with a bandsaw instead of circular saw and I use a metal cutting (fine, 20 per inch) blade.  I do get melting but it's tolerable as long as I am not too aggressive on cutting speed.

Great job Alex! Did you use a band saw or table saw to cut them? If you used a table saw, what blade did you use? Thanks!

 

Excellent Alex. It really gives you diverse applications.

Cutting plastic does take a bit of trial and error. If you check the internet, the results vary widely. After some experimenting over many years, this has worked well for me.

• To cut acrylic panels, I use an 80-tooth blade on the table saw.

• For ABS and other similar that are somewhat softer, I use a 60-tooth blade.

• To cut smaller pieces, I use the band saw.

• For thin sheets I use a knife.

 

Robert liked the "green colored glass windows".

Here is what I use on the plastic glazing to create the 'blinds' and the color.

(The same tape can be used for vertical as well as horizontal blinds with good results, BTW.)

 

 

Here is another example of the blinds - this one on my scratch-built Archery Club shelter.

 

 

 Thanks again for your nice comments.

Alex

Alex,  in <MO>

 

Really like the viaduct, that is running across, pics with Santa fe,

I am struggling for finding information, ( i have seen many),

Well , how did this one get made !!!!!!!!

thanks

 

 

Alex

What is the kit number please?

 

You said a open area in the middle, is that against a wall? If not what o you do on the other side????

Alex,

Thanks for sharing your project.

Brad, Mike -

 

Yes, it is Ameritowne No. 876 First National Bank.

 

Berg,

I have three open accesses plus nine hatches. See layout, below.

 

Terry,

By 'viaduct' I take it you mean my L-Train. I built it early on (July 2011), wanted to get it done in a hurry, and had planned to add walks on either side of the track 'later on'. But all I have added to it so far has been two passenger platforms (small one shown, below).

 

I used plastic moldings from Home depot: 1/4" x 1" for the stringers, 5/8" square cut in 1-1/8" lengths for the spacers between the stringers, and Railking Elevated Subway Trestles for support. I added a 1/4" high base to the trestles for proper clearance.

 

The bridge for the L-Train was a 42" long span section from a 52" long bridge I built for my previous layout in 2008. The left over short section is shown in the construction pictures, and the long span is shown in the finished pictures. Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

Layout and temporarily attach on large sheet to glue section of stringers to the spacers. 

 

When sections are complete, trial fit on floor.

 

L-Train Bridge and Small Platform

 

 

Lake Chiemsee (both sections) and the turntable are hatches as well.

 

Thanks!

 

Alex

Alex,

Ok, I 'll be at the Hd, this week, and do some review,  what it looks like'

in the pics , this stuff is bendable, correct!

and I see the Railking trestles on the internet,  thanks a bunch

Fall project !!!!!

Here are a couple more shots of the buildings and their actual locations on the layout. 

 

 

 

 

Alex

Alex,

Thanks for sharing your ideas and the great "how to".

The blinds are ingenious!

Now all I need is a table saw.