Tuesday 19 July 2016

Where it all started...

This photo just popped up on my Facebook memories - seven years ago today! - with the caption: "Have wanted to do this for about twenty-five years..."


It's come a long long way since then...


Sunday 17 July 2016

New barrier signs

The barrier signs I've used for several years are quite modern, like in this old photos of the pit building:


But I wanted simpler bolder signs like in the vintage Scalextric sets:


The current ones are printed on self-adhesive paper, having upgraded from printing on paper and gluing them on.  Self-adhesive was easier, but didn't stay on any longer, eventually drying up and coming loose.

So I thought I'd try printing on self-adhesive gloss vinyl, which is used for making home-made stickers.  The first attempt didn't go well:


I then found some self-adhesive gloss vinyl sheets which are coated with a layer which allows inkjet printing, and unsurprisingly got a much better result.


These have come out really well and stand out much better on the layout.  Fingers crossed that the self-adhesive is stronger too.


Sunday 10 July 2016

Spray booth

I've still only had a couple of tries with the airbrush Andy got me last year.  Neither spraying indoors or in a poorly ventilated garage seems sensible, so I invested in a portable spray booth.



The box opens up to provide a spraying area with sides and roof, a turntable and a long tube which connects to the fan output at the back to take the fumes away.  I cut a letterbox hole in the wall of our metal garage and slid the tube nozzle into it.


Seems to do a good job.  Now I just need to get better at using an airbrush...