Vine and Branches Line

 After watching Luke Towan's Chain link fence video I was inspired to create my own version.  Since not everyone has soldering skills or styrene readily available I decided to create a 3d printed version. Here's a comparison of the materials used in the different methods: Metal: 18 Gauge Galvanized Steel Wire  Nylon Tulle  Solder (60% Tin 40% Lead) Flux  Super Glue (Thin and Gel versions)  32 Gauge Jewelry Wire  Rustoleum Winter Grey Spray Paint  Dull Coat  Styrene: 0.8mm Styrene Rod  Plastic Cement Nylon Tulle  Super Glue (Thin and Gel versions)  32 Gauge Jewelry Wire  Rustoleum Winter Grey Spray Paint  Dull Coat   3D Printed: 3d Printed posts (thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4712473 ) (Uses approximately 290mm of filament for 60 scale feet) Nylon Tulle ( Amazon ) Super Glue ( Amazon )  Thread or 32 Gauge Jewelry Wire  Silver or Grey Spray Paint  ( Michaels ) Dull Coat  .One advantage of the 3d printed version is that it is cheaper and quicker to create.

While trying to come up with material to use on my diorama I realized I needed some different sized filters to sort the materials by size that I was preparing for it. I came up with a filter lid for TreeTop applesauce containers, of which there is no shortage in our house. I've posted the model on Thingiverse and it can be customized to your needs. Parametric Filter Lid

Part of the reason for creating the VnBJan2021 Diorama was to figure out to to connect my bridge to the layout. I found the HO Scale Bridge Shoe (Pedestal) by bkpsu on Thingiverse and printed it out but it looked too big, so I decided to use OpenSCAD and started over. One of the reasons that I love OpenSCAD is that if you create it right you can incrementally adjust things until you get them just right without having to manually move lots of little points. Since all values are calculated it is also easy to revert back to a previous version and try a different combination of settings.  I started with the basic upright shape which is a hull of a cylinder and a cube. I adjusted the position so that everything was centered so that it would be easier to position later.  Next I put that in a module with the option to add a nut and remove the center. After that I created three uprights for the base and added base a plate underneath. I chose 0.8mm because it would give me three layers at a

Here is my entry for the VnBJan2021 diorama challenge. This post will be updates as I make progress on the diorama. Setting: An old abandon railroad that some campers are scoping out the ability to turn it into a Rails to Trails bike path. Materials: Ross Foam board - similar to Adams Readi-board Cardboard scraps from shipping boxes. 3d printed track - straight  & curved Woodland Scenics - Campers - Scenic Accents(R) -- With Tent & Accessories Black and brown acrylic paint. Atlas Arch bridge - Will not fit within the diorama but I want to test how to make the bridge connect to the main track. Final Finished Diorama: <placeholder> Build Log The track was printed with white PLA because it was what was in the printer and it's what I have the most of. Next time I'll probable print with black and then weather with the brown. Comparison of black track with brown weathering.

I've starting to finalize my track plan on the Vine & Branches layout, but before I finish up, I would like to make sure that I'm headed the right direction with how I do my scenery so I decided to make a small diorama to test out different techniques and challenge you to do the same and share your creations. Rules:  Must be realistic in nature.  Base dimensions less than 12x12. Inexpensive - As this is a test area for different techniques expenses need to be kept to a minimum as it will probably get either thrown away or given away. Post your entries with the hash tag #VnBJan2021 Contain: Some mountain/hill terrain with a rock face. Has a spot to connect the track to an Atlas bridge such as the  Through Truss Bridge . Some trees. Leave a comment here with a link to your post on Instrgram, Twitter, or whatever platform or forum you chose to post your entry on. Make sure to post your comment linking to your entry before January 31, 2021 as comments will be disabled after tha

Every available shipping option has been put into service to keep up with the shipping demands this holiday season, even after the holiday season has come to a close.