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...

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.

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...