Web Site

Hi All

Having just started out building my N Gauge layout, I have been trawling round the internet looking for various bits and pieces I came across the following web site for buildings and scenery that might be of use.
The web site is Scale Model Scenery OO Gauge Laser Cut Model Railway Accessories
It is a site where you can download card buildings at a very reasonable price and print them off time and time again. Once you have registered you will receive a Newsletter once a week and the site has some very useful information regarding printing and scaling down the models.
I have purchased some low relief terraced cottages and I have to say they are very good quality.
Hope the web site is of some use to some of you.

Regards ElTel

Here are a few more sites for you to look at :  http://scalescenes.com/ , http://www.smartmodels.co.uk/ ,

http://www.wordsworthmodelrailway.co.uk/ & http://www.scenerybuilder.com/modelbuildingkits.html 

Cheers, Gary.

Downloadable "kits" can be good - e.g. Scalescenes - many others are not so good, if the windows and doors are printed as part of the whole thing then they don't look so good, I've not seen any printed windows that look as good as separate glazed ones, you just can't print transparent "glass" nor anything that looks convincing.

Etched brass window frames and doors look best, a number of places produce them

Welcome to Peedie Models - Peedie Models                      Etched windows   

 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ratio-310-Domestic-Windows-various/dp/B00D45A5F8

Printing on acetate only seems to work with black frames unless you have a printer that can print white (Metcalfe must have one!) An alternative is to use a fine line paint marker, Amazon or Ebay  list quite a few types.

Low Relief Terraced Houses ....first attempt

Looking good, only one small point, corners and door and window openings showing white edges, cure for that is to run a red or brown (depending on colour of brick) felt tip round the edges of the openings before fitting windows and doors; best done from the back, not the printed side then if the felt tip slips it doesn't mark the print.

Other things you can add to enhance the appearance  is gutters and down pipes, a down pipe could disguise the join between the two buildings

This terrace was cut from Slater's plasticard but the same principles apply, adding things like bay windows and dormers (cast white metal from Scalelink) to some houses can also add to the overall effect (but make sure the slope of the roof matches the slope of the dormers! The edge of the paving has since had the felt tip treatment)

Thanks Mike for the comments… I just did these to see what quality they would come out like….many more to do. I have found that the Metcalfe Kits are very well detailed.


ElTel

Printing on acetate only seems to work with black frames unless you have a printer that can print white.
Mike you can put the widows into a photo software and change the frames to any colour you want then print them,
:thumbs;-):cool:

I know Fox, I've tried it, however for me the colour(s) are not "solid" enough to show well. I did a couple of whole sheets using a wide range of colours, dark and light, none really satisfactory, they show up against a white or pale background but not otherwise. (I use a colour laser). I'll stick with etched brass for the majority of mine, and a few maybe with fine line ink marker, probably for buildings near the back of the layout.

I use a photo editor a lot, changing colours of downloaded brick, tile. stone, planks etc, preparing building wall outlines - positioning or resizing windows and doors etc for use with a plotter cutter

take your point,I have only done a couple myself they were solid green so not too bad
:thumbs;-):cool:

Has anyone tried an old printer driver setting for printing out overhead projector slides?
This used to allow printing the ink onto transparent sheets for use in sales presentations. If so does it allow the printing of solid coloured window frames onto acetate.

You must use the correct transparency for the printer - those one can get cheaply from newsagents and the like, and for use in copying machines, are no good for ink/bubble jet printers- the ink just runs off.