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Model Making Quick Tip | Laser Cutting Materials

Posted on by Dave Meek

 

Let’s take a look at the laser cutting sheet materials that I commonly use in my builds. Laserboard, MDF, Basswood, Plywood, Chipboard and more, I describe what I use them for, why I like them (or not), and share a few tips on designing for them. Links to all the materials mentioned are below.

Thanks for watching, amigos!
Dave

Basswood and Model Airplane Plywood: https://www.nationalbalsa.com/
Laserboard, MDF, and Polybak: https://encompass-media.salesvu.com/index.html
Chipboard: https://a.co/d/cw2wPYc
Construction Paper: https://a.co/d/8QkRqQl
Basswood Plywood: https://a.co/d/4EdoNlX

A Bridge of Skulls | Gruesome Gulch | GGRR 17

Posted on by Dave Meek

 

In this installment of the Gruesome Gulch build, I create a macabre “Bridge of Skulls” for the trains to cross deep inside of Cadaver Caverns. Loads of tips and techniques covered in this video, including carving Polyurethane foam, making realistic rocks from Extruded Polystyrene Foam, painting and finishing with acrylics, and even some track ballasting!

Thanks for watching, amigos!
Dave

Gruesome Gulch Water Tank | GGRR 16

Posted on by Dave Meek

 

Even haunted steamers need water, so this time out I'm building a dilapidated wooden water tank for Gruesome Gulch - complete with a spooky glow and skeletal occupant! Using an old, out of production craftsman style kit as a starting point, I demonstrate the steps, techniques, and changes made to bring this latest structure to life for my On30 project layout.

Thanks for watching, amigos!
Dave

Miniprints: https://www.miniprints.com/

The Rainbow Ridge Saloon | Building a Structure from Disneyland’s Past

Posted on by Dave Meek

 

This week, I return to the Little Mining Town of Rainbow Ridge to build Pat Casey’s Last Chance Saloon! My version of Rainbow Ridge is an homage to the original town that once stood near the load area for Disneyland’s long gone Mine Train thru Nature’s Wonderland attraction. Some of the structures still survive in the Big Thunder queue, but this one has sadly passed into Yesterland. The kicker here is that I’m using the same plans and parts that I used to build the Dead Eye Saloon in Gruesome Gulch a few weeks back. This is a build with lots of unique details!

Thanks for watching, amigos!
Dave

River of Lost Souls | Gruesome Gulch 15

Posted on by Dave Meek

 

It’s time at last to take a deep dive into the underworld realm of Cadaver Caverns! In this episode we move on to the “dark ride” side of the layout, as I go step by step through the rockwork, lighting, and spooky digital projection effects for the River of Lost Souls. Follow along, if you dare, as I turn a small mountain of pink foam into an otherworldly landscape from regions beyond!

Thanks for watching, amigos!
Dave

Polyurethane carving foam: https://www.dickblick.com/products/sculpture-block/

Atmos FX: https://atmosfx.com/

Philips Picopix Nano: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SXV136F?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_product_details

Foam Filler Putty: https://www.amainhobbies.com/beacon-adhesive-foam-filler-putty-8-oz-bcxfoamfiller/p979485

The Maggie Mine | Calico Boomtown 8

Posted on by Dave Meek

 

Sometimes you gotta change things up! This is a little story of the mine that moved – from Hanging Rock to the boomtown of Calico. I built the mine back in 2019 but recently decided that I like it better in a different spot. In this video, I show how I blended the model into the town of Calico and added a few more details to turn it from a background model into a foreground model.

Thanks for watching, amigos!
Dave

Polyurethane Carving Foam: https://www.dickblick.com/products/sculpture-block/

Building a Spooky Trestle Bridge for Gruesome Gulch | GGRR 14

Posted on by Dave Meek

You can almost hear the old trestle creek and moan as the train crosses – no telling how much longer she’s gonna last!

This week I’m building a broken down old wooden trestle bridge for Gruesome Gulch that looks as if it might collapse at any moment. Wooden bridge construction, spiking rails, building trestle bents – it’s all here, plus a few tips and tricks for making it spooky! Stay tuned for more from Gruesome Gulch coming soon!

Thanks for watching, amigos!
Dave

Building a Haunted Saloon | Gruesome Gulch Pt 13

Posted on by Dave Meek

 

As the sun sinks in the west, all is quiet at the Dead Eye Saloon in Gruesome Gulch. Or is it? Legend has it that ol’ Dead Eye Dan was cut down by a coward’s bullet through the upstairs window (you can still see the bullet hole in the glass). And now, on moonlit nights like this, Dan’s restless spirit is rumored to haunt the dilapidated saloon still, plotting his terrible vengeance.

It’s time for another spooky structure build for the On30 Gruesome Gulch layout! This time, it’s the notorious Dead Eye Saloon – said to be haunted by the restless spirit of ol’ Dead Eye Dan himself! The Saloon features a simple animated ghost effect that makes Dan appear to drift by the broken down butterfly doors every 3 minutes or so. Follow along as I build the structure from the ground up, including the motorized mechanism for making the ghost appear. Stay tuned for even more from Gruesome Gulch coming soon!

Thanks for watching, amigos!
Dave

Calico Mountain Ore Cars | Calico Mt Pt 13

Posted on by Dave Meek

 

It’s back to Calico Mountain this week to build a string of rustic On18 ore cars inspired by the Knott’s Berry Farm original! These cars take advantage of some commercially available 3-D printed HOn30 frames, and some laser cut parts of my own design, to model credible recreations of the classic Calico Mine Ride “ore cars.”

Thanks for watching, amigos!
Dave

3-D Printed Car Frames: https://www.shapeways.com/product/JQQCTK6Z2/hon30-mann-s-creek-frames-4?optionId=61798964&li=shops

Grandt Line Hardware: https://www.grandtline.com/products/miscellaneous-hardware/

Micro-Trains Wheels and Couplers: https://www.micro-trains.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=63