Ideas for model train enthusiast ?
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RetiredJake
Member
You could do a train decal at the very least.
its_virgil
Member
Picture of his favorite locomotive printed on a label, stick on tube, and clear cast,using a Sierra type kit.
Do a good turn daily!
Don
Do a good turn daily!
Don
I was hoping some of you members could give me some ideas on making a pen for my father who is a model train enthusiast. I am lost for ideas.
wswem
Member
Hut Proucts sells a great looking locomotive logo clip for many different style pens. Click on LOGOS on the menu.
alamocdc
Member
If he is a Lionel guy, you could make a decal out of this:
If he favors another brand, you could use that.
If he favors another brand, you could use that.
azamiryou
Member
Many model railroaders have a favorite flag (railroad company), so a logo decal would be one option. If he has no favorite, a collage of logos could make a cool pen.
If you want to cast actual model railroad parts, most are too big for pens - but there is T scale, 1:450. Track rails are just 1/8" apart, and a car/engine is only about 1-3/4" long. There's not much in the way of US trains available, but there are some 60' box cars (midway down the page at Distributor & Dealer for T-Gauge (1:450 scale) the smallest operating model train scale from K.K. Eishindo (Japan)). One of those sliced in half lengthwise would get you two cars to put on a pen barrel. The track might be small enough to be cast as well (you'd probably have to remove a lot of the plastic roadbed - or get the flex track which has no attached roadbed).
If he's into operations, other decal possibilities would be scheduling diagrams or track schematics. If he's got a favorite model company, you could do their logo (such as the Lionel logo presented above).
One more possibility comes to mind: you could use model railroad scenery materials and paint to make a miniature scene wrapped around the pen - much smaller than any actual model railroad, but using the right colors and materials it would be unmistakable, I think. The tracks and trains would just be painted in. (I'm talking about esentially a birds-eye view of a layout that wraps all the way around the pen.) Of course, this would then be cast in clear resin.
Just a few quick thoughts from a model railroader...
If you want to cast actual model railroad parts, most are too big for pens - but there is T scale, 1:450. Track rails are just 1/8" apart, and a car/engine is only about 1-3/4" long. There's not much in the way of US trains available, but there are some 60' box cars (midway down the page at Distributor & Dealer for T-Gauge (1:450 scale) the smallest operating model train scale from K.K. Eishindo (Japan)). One of those sliced in half lengthwise would get you two cars to put on a pen barrel. The track might be small enough to be cast as well (you'd probably have to remove a lot of the plastic roadbed - or get the flex track which has no attached roadbed).
If he's into operations, other decal possibilities would be scheduling diagrams or track schematics. If he's got a favorite model company, you could do their logo (such as the Lionel logo presented above).
One more possibility comes to mind: you could use model railroad scenery materials and paint to make a miniature scene wrapped around the pen - much smaller than any actual model railroad, but using the right colors and materials it would be unmistakable, I think. The tracks and trains would just be painted in. (I'm talking about esentially a birds-eye view of a layout that wraps all the way around the pen.) Of course, this would then be cast in clear resin.
Just a few quick thoughts from a model railroader...
gbpens
Member
Several years ago I did a series of pens based on the colors of the old diesel engines. The Union Pacific was fairly easy using charcoal grey, yellow and red. I put the letters UP on the top. I also would include a canceled stock certicate from that railroad I picked up on ebay.
navycop
Member
BSea
Member
Here's a pen I made for my Dad. Although the Great Northern Logo was only a part of the pen, he really liked it.
Click on the pic to see the thread about the pen.
Click on the pic to see the thread about the pen.
Harley2001
Member
Make it look like a railroad spike
ttpenman
Member
I have made pens from railroad ties. I believe that I did one for the last pen swap. Try to incorporate the creosote on the outside. The best ones I did were to find the wood right where the creosote ends and the raw wood starts. Makes a nice blank, kind of like getting the edge between heartwood and sapwood. If you use just the outside you get a jet black blank.
Smell when cutting can be pretty strong but the odor is very slight after the pen is finished. Something different.
Jeff in northern Wisconsin
Smell when cutting can be pretty strong but the odor is very slight after the pen is finished. Something different.
Jeff in northern Wisconsin
plantman
Member
Do you have any hobby shops in your area? We have several in town and they have thousands of decals and small parts you could use on a pen. Most would be the correct scale with no need to alter. I was in one of our's today because it seems to be the only place I can buy CA, debonder, and excellerator in 8oz bottles. This is also a good place to look for military decals. Jim S
wouldentu2?
Member
You can CA over the stamps instead of casting.
randyrls
Member
I am in the middle of this now. Verify your process on some 1 cent stamps first. You can get self stick at the post office. I didn't have much luck on putting stamps directly on a blank. Gluing and then casting takes a lot more time but seems to work better.
Glue with CA, and seal the stamps with spray on gloss clear acrylic lacquer.
You can also get images of stamps and make a collage and then glue a single sheet to the pen blank.
Heat the resin gently with a hair dryer before mixing in the catalyst. 4-5 drops per oz is plenty.
This is my Proof of Concept blank:
Glue with CA, and seal the stamps with spray on gloss clear acrylic lacquer.
You can also get images of stamps and make a collage and then glue a single sheet to the pen blank.
Heat the resin gently with a hair dryer before mixing in the catalyst. 4-5 drops per oz is plenty.
This is my Proof of Concept blank: