Ontario Narrow Gauge Show 2019 - Schomberg

This critter model took first in that category.

On Saturday I attended the Schomberg narrow gauge show presenting a clinic, entering models in the contests and displaying some of my On30, HOn30 and structures. The day went really well. My clinic was well attended, I fielded a lots of questions about my display and I did not overspend at the various booths. My haul this year in the contest categories was first in rolling stock and the Mt. Albert, best use of wood award. Both were for my O scale tool car shed made from a stock car. So not a bad day...more to come later in the week...George Dutka

My haul for the day was plaster castings in O scale from my friend Christopher of Schomberg Scale Models.

My display table of On30, Hon30 and various boats, structures and trucks.

This was a last summers project  built by David Woodhead at the lake. The model is built from a Train Troll kit to resemble a boat found in Algonquin park.

A HOn30 Monson boxcar partly built was offered for $15, but I held off.

Following the prototype.

One could stock up on tools.

This O scale structure won first in structures and also best of show awards. The two photos below view more of the model.

The details look very realistic including the tree.

This Weekend

Tree Making

My finished trees are seen on my W&Q module. The tree to the left is the raffle prize tree I won built by Pat Rivard.

In April the WOD’s meet was a Make and Take tree building clinic.  The clinic was hosted by Pat Rivard. He has made hundreds of these tall pines for his layout and we learned how to make our own.

Pat took us through all the steps of tree building and surprisingly we all had at least one finished tree by lunch time. Pat gave out a few extra trunks as take-home projects. I decided to paint and highlight my tree trunk before I left since all the paints and stains are still in front of me. I was lucky to win one of Pat’s finished tree as a raffle prize. So, I went home with two completed trees, a finished trunk and leftover branches from my tree build. These are all in O scale. 

When I got home, I decided to plant my two trees on my W&Q On30 module. My bottle brush tree was replaced. The trees looked great and got me motivated to finish my other trunk. I thought while the steps were fresh in my mind and all my tree making tools were still together in a box on my workbench, I should finish the tree.  After supper in no time at all the tree was done and planted at the loading dock ramp...George Dutka

Mike and Gord shape their tree trunks. All the supplies are laid out for us to complete at least one tree.

Peter Mumby has his trunk coloured and is applying tree branches.

Peter and I are about done with our trees.

One more step Pat applies hair spray to my tree branches then ground foam.

This is my third tree planted near the loading dock on the W&Q. I used all the leftover branches I had.

Another view of my newest trees. I think they turned out great.

Wordless Wednesday No. 130

Coming Soon - Schomberg, Ontario

Well Schomberg is coming up and I am getting ready to attend with a few models to display and a clinic to present.

Wordless Wednesday No. 129

A new On30" Layout?

This is the area I am thinking to use for my Maine narrow gauge layout. The width is 12' with another 6' down one sidewall. Note my On30" module is located in this room also. I am not sure at the moment if I will incorporate this into the layout or leave it as something I can take to shows as a display.

I recently contemplated building a On30" layout in an adjoining room of my White River Division layout. Actually Bellows Falls yard is also housed in the room I am thinking for the Maine narrow gauge layout. With elderly parents taking up most of my winter I have not got past the maybe-I-will stage. This might be happening in the fall once I get back at modeling once again...George Dutka

Lazy Susan - Water Scene

My O scale boat rests on the surface of the Lazy Susan.

You got a sneak peak at this project yesterday in my Wordless Wednesday. I recently painted up a Lazy Susan which I had painted flat black for a display stand. Since I have a few waterfront scene structures on the go and some boats I thought a water scene might be a great way to display them. Here is what I did.

I began with acrylic paints. I mixed a bit of black with blue and a few shades of green together. The mix was done on the Lazy Susan surface as I worked my way thought the surface. This is what give the water a variation of colouring. The paint was pretty thickly applied so once I got it roughly the way I wanted I dragged my brush across the surface side to side to form a bit of a ripple. I was not sure if the paint would dry this way, but to my surprise it did and some small waves and ripples are found on the water surface...George Dutka

Once the acrylic colours dried I applied two coats of high gloss marine varnish.

My FOS scale barges are seen floating away.

The colours I blended to come up with the water effect. All are dollar store paints or equivalent.

Looking down on the water scene with my recently finished FOS scale kit. More on this model shortly.

Wordless Wednesday No. 128