HO scale blacktop pavement

While upgrading my HO layout, I irreparably destroyed some of the roadway at grade crossings. Originally "paved" with sheets of 400 grit sandpaper, it had become brittle and not able to take the flexing required as I replaced tie and rails along the ROW. Additionally, it was hard to get the edges of the roadway to look "right".

What products might be out there to "pour your own"?

As far as my searches could determine, none. All were premade sheets of some sort. Quick and neat, yes, but don't fit into my existing spaces, and are somewhat too pristine. These twisty secondary roads are not well maintained and follow tight turns and non-level ground. 

Thinking about products I had on hand, could I DIY?

So far, yes. The base aggregate was some fine sand, blackened with a diluted solution of Fiebings leather dye, which was also added to my diluted white glue to stick it in place.

First, prep the surface. No unwanted bumps or bits of debris. Trim up the edges with a razor or exacto.

I used a bit of rolled Silly Putty to keep the roadway from covering ties and rails.

Next, I added beads of white glue to act as curbs for the edge of my roadway,  and hopefully keep the sand in bounds.

Next comes the sand. Poured in with a spoon,  and smoothed with a business card. A light touch is required, barely brushing the surface until you're happy.

I carefully brushed away the excess where it got on the re-railer/crossing.

Next, I poured some dye into a scrap plastic jar and diluted it with isopropyl alcohol to 50%. This was carefully "droppered" on to the sand until it was all black. Go lightly near the edges or it will bleed into the surrounding scenery (mine did).

Add the dye solution to your thinned white glue (like gluing ballast) and cover the "pavement" with glue with a dropper. Like the dye, be careful near the edges.

Now we wait until it has thickened.  You can go in and clean up the edges with a razor blade if you like, and use a tool to get any sand/glue out of places you don't want it.

Once it's firm, you can remove the putty and vacuum up anything loose. Looks a bit like fresh laid blacktop (without the stink ;-) Once fully dry, I  will drybrush with some gray to weather it, and add stripes.  Then I'll have to clean up the edges where the dye bled.

Next, center stripe.

Now to clean up the edges.

Slow But Sure - Airfix 1/72 Beaufighter - June 2022

Is this just another typical model build post (yawn)?  It could be, but I hope to add some additional technique for us hand painters, because this is the main focus of this post.  I am not a fast builder, I take my time (I am not fully retired and I have other things that I like to do).  Building a model is like raising a child for me.  I get excited with the anticipation after choosing a project:

"Honey I just ordered a Bristol Beaufighter";

'That's nice dear";

"Just wait 'til you see it - it has INVASION STRIPES!";

'That's nice deat'; 

"IT'S PINK AND HAS A FUZZY TAIL";

"That's nice dear"

Oh well, you all understand, it's exciting, and as I start to build, step by step, I enjoy watching it grow from an infant to a mature individual.  It is definitely
the experience of building, because once it is completed it just goes to display and I see it occasionally.  As B.B. King said "The Thrill Is Gone".

Sharing the experience on this blog extends the good feeling I have and I am hopeful is valuable to others - especially us hand painters.

Of course we must begin with the interior, but after coming off of a 1/32 build I had to get accustom to the fiddlyness of the 1/72 scale.

I added this one because it shows the nice instrument panel decal applied.

Once putting the interior cockpit assembly in the fuselage I saw that there was a warp issue.  I applied thin cement from the tail to the cockpit..

Showing the severity of the warp!  Fortunately I could flex it into position.....

......a twisty tie came in handy to close the deal.

It closed up just fine.

I did add a couple of greeblies inside (cockpit heater pipe for one) as the only DIY.  The rest of the build is strictly  OOB.

The kit lends itself to a lot of on the sprue painting like the cowl interior and Rockets and landing gear.

As painted pieces came off the sprue the wings and tail were assembled and attached. If you are building this kit you know that you need to follow the order of cowl pieces closely to place them around the Hercules motors.

I used tape to hold cowl sections while the thin cement dries.  Then the cowl pieces are glued to the motors and whole cowl assembly is added to the nacelle (as can be seen for the starboard engine).

 .  Note that the cockpit hood frame has been painted and installed.  I used Tamiya tape to mask as is my usual technique.  I do the straight pieces one at a time and let dry before moving on.  Takes time but is effective.

The engine exhaust was also used to heat the aircraft as air was taken in front to a pipe that passed through the finned exhaust housing and then into the wing to the pipe in the cockpit (my aforementioned "greeblie").

I made the decision to build the 404 Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force - June 1944. As I said, I just like Invasion Stripes!  But this then determined color.  I have the Dark Gray enamel and since this is a 1/72 scale I figured I could hand paint this one, but it would be a challenge if I wanted to make use of the fine panel detail.

This underside photo shows the success of the thin flat black wash I mixed. All I had to do was touch the brush tip to panel line intersections and capillary action pretty much took over and the black just flowed down the lines - it was cool to watch.  I also knew I was in for a long haul hand painting every panel in order to maintain those panel lines.  Oh, yea, I filled in the interior green!

In order to do the fine line work needed for hand painting the panels I have to use my trimmed up brushes.  The one on the right is only about 5-6 strands.  A small bead on the tip allows this kind of work.  I have to monitor the paint consistency constantly.  It can't be too thick as it has to flow, yet not too thin to run into the panel lines.  The fine brush on the right is used to draw paint along a panel line usually from top to bottom and on the right side of a panel line (as I am right handed). It works well for me as my hand, at age 72, is still very steady.

As shown above the painting of panels begins with the stripes.  Tamiya to the rescue, as usual.

After white, I fill in the black.  This process is nothing new if you are familiar with this blog.

The other thing I do is have the bottle of thinner open so that I can switch between brushes and keep them from getting "gloppy".  

With stripes completed I dove into the panel painting.  Now is where my technique allowed me to accomplish this fiddly, and time consuming process.

Once the top side was done I decided to put on all of the topside decals so that I could dullcoat before moving to paint the underside - this was for ease of handling.  Note the one panel not painted.

This decal looked to be solid and not just a red square - I was correct, so the panel went down very easily such that after drying I could paint in the center!

See the filled in panel, the roundels and the fuselage markings.  Small information and instruction decals have been applied and dullcoat applied.

The forward view includes the previously painted and assembled props press fit into the engine housings.

The experiment begins with the underside "Sky".  I researched many colors but decided to try mixing my own for the hand painting process.  A new bottle of Testors flat White to which was added drops of green and beige,

The illustration looks as though there might be a bit more beige, but I like my "Sky" mix.

The subtle "Sky" flowed well as long as I kept the brushes in the thinner.  The few times it flowed into a panel line I immediately drew my xacto tip down the line to remove the spill.

With the underside Sky applied, the rockets/rail assemblies are put into the receiving holes and glued in place along with the torpedo.  Formidable looking!

After application of the underside decals it was finally time for the undercarriage works.  A four piece construct, I questioned my decision to paint on the sprue.  I had to scrape off paint at tiny connection points.  Perhaps I should have waited to paint after installation.  The Jury is still out in my mind.  It was more fiddly than expected.  Patience is needed to allow parts to dry before proceeding.

but I "got 'er done".  Now I have to attach the gear doors, and paint touch up before the final dullcoat.  After those procedures all that will remain is the aft machine gun and cupola.....

Which is now done!!!  The gear doors are on also but not painted yet.  After a bit of paint Glamour photos are next.  The hand painting of each panel extended the time frame for this build, but it was very satisfying.