Building a Hopper

23/7/2016

A while ago I ordered a handful of
'Steam Era Models - Vline VHGF Hoppers'
and for about 6 months they have been sitting on the shelf just waiting to be built!
I've decided it's about time I got started.
My newest layout will include a grain silo so these should fit in perfectly.

So far I've built one and I have 7 more to go, the good news is they go together quite easily however the first one took a while due to the vague instructions. Nevertheless it went together very well.

The plan is to film a 2 part video on building and painting the models as well as methods for installing couplers and adding weight to the car to bring it up to NMRA standards.

PART 1 - This will encompass the preparation of the kit as well as the actual build and finally painting the model with an airbrush to make it look like a brand new hopper.
PART 2 - This video will be specifically focused on weathering the car to make it look like it has been well used on the railroad.

Filming of the video will start in the next couple of days and depending on the weather (The shed gets very cold!) part one should be finished in just over a week from now.
I'll post some updates here and I'll also post a written tutorial for this build detailing all the tools and materials so should you wish to build the same Hoppers as me you'll have all the information you need.

So stay tuned for the first video :)

1 Comment

Greg

20/6/2017 22:03:21

Hi Luke, very much looking forwards to this - is it still on the list of projects? Absolutely love the rest of your stuff - techniques are very easy to follow and great for incorporating into any diorama or layout. Keep up the awesome work. Cheers

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Future plans:

In the upcoming months I'll be working on a new eBook about getting the most from static grass.
It's only a short 30 page eBook but it will be packed full of tips on using a static grass applicator to get the most out of you scenery!
Once complete this book will be available to purchase or if you become a patron it will be available to read depending on your level of support.
In the mean time, if you want to learn how to build your own static grass applicator and make home made static grass tufts you can check out the tutorial here:

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