Hi all: What has been anyone's experience with Heljan trestle kits? I guess they are plastic? but how do they end up looking with some wearthering etc?
Thanks for your input
Dwight77
Thanks for your input
Dwight77
Heljan trestle kits
- Thread starter dwight77
- Start date
You are right, Heljan trestles are styrene plastic kits.
I haven't built a trestle, but here is a pic of the Heljan coaling tower wich also has lots of "wooden" beams. It is a bit annoying that there are lots of flat, round dimples which are produced when the part is pushed out of the mold. First I rasped them all away with knive and my Dremel.
For weathering I took a metal saw blade and scratched all the beams lengthwise. Then I painted the plastic with acrylics - a mix of brown, black and some red. I leave it to your judgement, if this looks 'woody' enough for you. (BTW: I'll tone down the plastic shine later - still obvious when photographing with flash - with Dullcote, when the model is complete.)
The disadvantage: You need lots of time and patience for all that, especially I you have to do all the timbers of a big trestle!
With some good music or a nice TV program this can be a bit easier! 
Ron
I haven't built a trestle, but here is a pic of the Heljan coaling tower wich also has lots of "wooden" beams. It is a bit annoying that there are lots of flat, round dimples which are produced when the part is pushed out of the mold. First I rasped them all away with knive and my Dremel.
For weathering I took a metal saw blade and scratched all the beams lengthwise. Then I painted the plastic with acrylics - a mix of brown, black and some red. I leave it to your judgement, if this looks 'woody' enough for you. (BTW: I'll tone down the plastic shine later - still obvious when photographing with flash - with Dullcote, when the model is complete.)
The disadvantage: You need lots of time and patience for all that, especially I you have to do all the timbers of a big trestle!
With some good music or a nice TV program this can be a bit easier! Ron
Attachments
I have a web article on making plastic look like weathered wood at:
http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/weathered_plastic/
I paint the plastic white and stain the paint
An HO IHC old time water tank frame
Hope that helps and thank you if you visit
Harold
http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/weathered_plastic/
I paint the plastic white and stain the paint
An HO IHC old time water tank frame
Hope that helps and thank you if you visit
Harold