OLFA Utility Snap-Off Knife | First Impressions
Once I started watching more videos on foam crafting, I began hearing about the OLFA utility knife model with the ratchet wheel. Over the years I’ve had a collection of utility knives but never really gave the quality or features of the knife a lot of thought, if it held a blade it was good […]
Raildig Scratchbuilder’s Calculator
Here’s a tool that can help you establish and maintain scale accuracy when scratchbuilding your next scale building, piece of rolling stock or pine tree. To show you how this calculator works, let’s say you wanted to know how large a 75′ prototypical tree would be in HO scale. Step 1: At the top of […]
Add Tungsten Putty To Your Model Trains
We’re always working on simple ways to improve the Z scale Rokuhan Shorty locomotive’s performance. In this video we’ll look at basic ideas that can help most model trains, regardless of scale, operate more effectively and hopefully make your train running more fun! This video started out as a tungsten putty video to increase model […]
Micro-Trains Line | Z Scale Weathered And Graffiti Rolling Stock
I wanted to pick up some new rolling stock for use in our videos over on our YouTube channel, so I looked to Micro-Trains for some of their weathered and graffiti pieces. I have a few pieces in N scale and Z, but none of the more recent pieces. Once I got a new batch […]
Reduce Stalling With The Rokuhan Shorty Chassis
I’m a huge fan of the Rokuhan Shorty Z scale locomotive chassis. It’s very reasonably priced, it’s a great platform for small projects and overall it very reliable. If I have one complaint it’s the weight of the chassis, it’s incredibly light! The lightweight nature of this chassis can reduce the contact between wheels and […]
Adding Color On Our Rokuhan Shorty Board
I think this goes to prove the old saying that a train layout is never really finished, even if it’s just a loop of track on a paddle! Even though this board was only meant to test cheapie DC controllers with the Rokuhan Shorty Z scale chassis, after finishing it (I thought!), the more I […]
Rokuhan Z Scale Shorty Test Track
I wanted to put together a little (and I do mean little!) Z scale Rokuhan Shorty locomotive test track with some odds and ends I had kicking around the house. Some track, clear decal sheets, scale palm trees and a craft store paddle, that’ll do! Using the mighty tight Rokuhan 45mm curved track, we’ve got […]
USB Powered Vacuum For Model Trains
On one of my late night shopping trips on AliExpress (or it might have been eBay, I do these shopping “trips” way too much!) I picked up an $8.00 USB powered vacuum. I thought it might be a useful little gadget when building my small scenes and layouts. I’ve had it in its box for […]
Build A Diorama In Z Scale | Step By Step
Here’s a great project for getting away from the TV for a few nights, build a Z scale model train diorama! All the techniques and materials used here will of course work for any diorama. At the center of this build is our use of OrthoTape plaster cloth. This is a great alternative to some […]
Proxxon Thermocut Hot Wire Cutter Unboxing And Setup
I recently went shopping for new utility knife to cut foam with and ended up with a Proxxon Hot Wire Cutter… and the utility knife too! I was watching a video here on YouTube on a channel called Black Magic Craft (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2Rlv-ug-mtnXuMwlpcqFgg) where the owner, Jeremy, writes “I build terrain and models for Tabletop RPG’s […]
