#scratchbuild

Thank you for asking.

The first thing I'd say is to make sure the locomotive runs well. That it has a good chassis and smooth motion. I've had a couple where I didn't, so they ended up looking okay but running poorly.

It helps to have a good idea of where the project is going. Unlike a 3D model on a computer, making a scale model doesn't have an 'undo' function. Parts can be removed, but they'll leave glue marks. These can be removed, but it'll be tricky. Knowing where you're going also saves time and money, as you can focus just on what you need.

For example, my latest build (which I haven't posted here yet) was to make a 'On30 SW9'. With this clear goal, I was able to take a HO model of an SW9, identify what I needed to do to make it an On30 model (new cab & running board) and figure out the steps needed from there.

Having the right tools for the job is important, as well. It's important to keep your hobby knives sharp, as a dull blade will wander and not cut properly. Also, keep a first-aid kit nearby (don't ask 🙂).

Using the right glue for your materials is important as well. PVA/wood glue is good for wood, cardboard and paper. It also dries clear, so I usually use it to stick window glazing in place. Plastic weld cement works on plastic only. Cyanoacrylate adhesive, or CA, is good for sticking anything to anything (including fingers). However, it'll turn clear parts cloudy, hence why I use PVA for those instead. (It also makes them easier to replace if they get cracked or marked.)

It's worth buying some copper craft wire, also known as 'beading wire'. I've made dozens of handrails, grab irons and other bits from it over the years. It's easily found on sites like eBay, and I keep a few different thicknesses of it in stock.

If you're using DCC, make sure to leave space for the electronics - decoder, speaker and keepalive module (if applicable). Also consider if you're going to put lights in the model and where they're going to go.

After my modest success with the 1/64 scale shipping pallets, I was thinking about what else I could try to make, and settled on a Jersey barrier and an arcade cabinet. Turned out pretty well.

1984 Dune Spice Scout

A young dragon that voyages into lost and forbidden parts of the astral plane, or the space between stars, returns transformed into a horrifying star-famished beast. Leaning into cosmic horror, this dragon's theme is the unceasing hunger of a black hole, and the otherworldly awe of pulsing nebulae and dying stars. This is an aggressive beast that locks down its prey with gravitational power and light channeled from beings that live in pulsing, dying stars.

Sometimes, you just need to make a horrid beast. I know this is now incredibly late for Smaugust 2023, but when I saw a vacant-eyed, hollow dinosaur toy screaming at the sky I knew it was right for the prompt "Eldritch". But, I wanted to sidestep the expected 'tentacles like Cthulhu' approach, and so instead I used limbs from a toy lobster and other insects to give it some bony mandibles. The tongue was made by using a leftover tail from the dino that went into a previous build, with a UV resin coat, including a drip along a strand of transparent cotton to give it an icky strand of saliva.

The goal for this build was to gross myself out while making it, and to create a monster that implies something worse out there. And I admit that I love to hate looking at this one.