The NMRA Special Forces

So after Day 1 being really quite action packed lets see what can happen during Day 2, I had been busy on the NMRABR facebook page of which I am one of several admins, posting about the event so i was going to be out early anyway but starting Modelling with the Masters at 7:30am and running back to back till 10pm these MMR’s are tough! Like the special forces of the NMRA that they are, they just don’t stop.

Modelling with the Masters – Building a Plastic Structure & Painting with Acrylics and Pan Pastles

So whats did I have instore today well it all started with a clinic on building and painting a plastic structure kit led by Fred Headon the NMRA Canada Director so for this blog entry we will use our U’s and S’s in the correct places.

So the chosen kit is a City Classics house, for this clinic we didn’t have a built sample for me to grab a photo of finished structure from their website.

So as with Day 1 I can’t give too much away here but, the clinic starts with the kit and then the MMR’s follow you through each step of the construction process. there are lots of helpful tips from the MMR’s in the room.

So ready for part two we have all the part primed and ready for painting.

Modelling with the Masters – Building Structures with Styrene

Jim Gore MMR, took the lead in the afternoon session with scratchbuilding in Styrene a great clinic that took a step by step approach to a subject that fills most modellers with fear and dread. So what are we trying to produce well here we go prepare to be scared just a little bit… ok I lie alot, here are Jim’s efforts.

O Scale

HO Scale

So what do you start with, will Jim provided a sheet of .020″ styrene and a sheet of .040″ Clapboard Styrene with some trim sections and also some angle section for trim and stength. There was also comprehesive instructions, a bag of windows and doors and some simulated tar paper for the roof and lamp & stack detail.

This clinic involves alot of measuring, marking and learning to cut straight i can do the measuring thing but tbh cutting straight lines in styrene is a challenge. But if you take your time and make light cuts it turns out you can cut lets say straighter. The top tip I learned today was drill the corners of windows and doors as this stops the knife blade and helps you get nice square openings, ok thats the theory but it does help.

So here are my photos from this really fun little clinic.

NMRA Social Media

I have done the Social Media for the British Region of the NMRA for about 6 months and throughout the NMRA 2017 convention in Orlando I have been trying to put out updates on what has been happening. Just before walking into the PM MWTM clinics I bumped into Christina Ganzer the NMRA Marketing Consultant who was getting her hands dirty with probably the most scary project she could attempt but hats off to her she did a great job. Christina was a great classmate and it was a good opportunity to turn the social media lense onto someone who is in a hidden role for most of her time.

Other Photos from other activities at the convention