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OST Publications: Fine scale modeling in 1:48

07/12/2022

When an hour and a half of real time only feels like thirty minutes, you know you're on a good path. Air reservoir brackets scratch built from 0.003" brass. -Mike

31/10/2022

A new blog post with what it takes to solder small parts and raise your skill level. Hope you enjoy. -Mike

The knee jerk choice in a post like this is to convey how pleased I am with these pieces, how they weren’t that big of a deal and went together with relative ease. What utter nonsense that would have been, because it minimizes the process of learning I experienced. So, here’s an overview of how ...

28/10/2022

A lot of delicate and fussy work in soldering the small parts on these. And yes, I know the gap between the fl**ge and the bolster plate is there. Solder didn't make good filler in this case, so I left it. -Mike

14/10/2022

Locating and soldering the center sill was a pain, until this bonehead simple solution presented itself. More on the blog next Monday. -Mike

10/10/2022

I can nerd out on jigs. I'm not a designer or engineer but I love the ingenuity that makers put into a well designed fixture. On the blog this week, I cover the evolution of this soldering jig and others I recently made. -Mike

https://www.ostpubs.com/thinking-about-jig-design/

06/10/2022

Working with brass has always felt intimidating to me, until I just chose to plunge in, accept that the first efforts would be lousy, and keep striving to get better. After a few years now, the process is beginning to show positive results. I'm happy with how this assembly turned out. -Mike

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Why I Model.

The giant echo chamber of magazines, blogs, online forums and podcasts gives the perception that model railroading means the same thing to everyone and that we’re all on the same path chasing the same goals. While the repetition of similar ideas and concepts suggests a homogenized view, it’s just one of many stories we tell ourselves about model trains. With that thought in mind, author Seth Godin has a very useful concept to consider: people like us do things like this.

Applied to our craft, for example:

People like us, who enjoy operations, build layouts like this.

People like us, who enjoy the craft of scratchbuilding, build models like this.

People like us, who appreciate finescale modeling, approach the hobby like this.

Three different stories about model trains, where the important thing to understand is that each person chose the story that’s the most attractive and satisfying for them.

The operations enthusiast isn’t that concerned about fine details, while the model builder may not want a layout at all. Both are focused on what they find the most interesting. The finescale modeler tells himself yet another story about model trains, one that’s perfectly suited for him but maybe not the others.

When we understand that the story around model trains isn’t the same for everyone and doesn’t have to be, we can focus on the one that’s right for us. OST Publications speaks to people (like us) who enjoys a more thoughtful discussion about modeling and who appreciate the craft as a journey. My books take a nontraditional approach that encourages a deep understanding of what your real interests in the craft are along with a focus on artistry and craftsmanship. This approach isn’t for everybody but it might be for you.

Mike Cougill