Parts Plank

I use wooden sticks, often tongue depressors as seen here, with masking tape wrapped around them as detail parts painting handles.  These parts are all Milliput duplicates made in Oyumaru molds.  Milliput isn't expensive but I don't want it to go to waste especially if I've gone to the trouble to get my fingers all sticky mixing it.  So, I have a number of molds standing by to make parts with the excess.  Shown here: books, a clock (minus the face), storm drains, crates of lemons, a typewriter, a basket of oranges and a bunch of bananas.

The clock is the part I needed for the station waiting room and the reason I mixed this latest batch of Milliput.  But the grates will be useful as the street scene is installed, the fruit may find a home on the station platform and the books in the office.  There's already a typewriter on the agent's desk so this one will be stored and used elsewhere and the bananas?  Who knows.  They certainly will bring life to any scene with their bright yellow color.

Japan + Wales =

...successful duplication of a detail part!  Oyumaru + Milliput = part

Since deciding to rebuild the trio of Purina cars, I've been on the lookout for Laconia end sills for what seems like ages.  I had given up ever finding them on their own, or if I did, for a decent price.  Seems like 'nostalgia pricing' for vintage parts is over-the-top high.  My next resort would be to either scratchbuild a pair or find a donor kit to sacrifice.  It would probably be cheaper and faster to buy another Purina kit of the correct number.

But then along came PLASMO, and his video of using Blue Stuff (a Green Stuff World branded oyumaru) to cast parts using epoxy putty.  After hemming and hawing a while I decided to pull the trigger and buy some.  Last night I warmed up the kettle and softened the oyumaru.  I glued the part to a scrap of plastic packaging and pressed on the softened thermoplastic...voila!  A mold! 

Next I cut away a couple bits of Milliput and kneaded them together.  Once I thought I had sufficiently mixed the two components I pressed some into the mold.  And then I waited.  Overnight.  I could see through the clear mold material that I had gotten a good press; it appeared that the Milliput was deep into the recesses of the mold.  But how good?

This morning I got my answer - as Tom Johnson* says - I think it looks pretty good.

*In these uncertain times, I find it very comforting to watch a skilled craftsman rebuild, repair and restore a beautiful piece of furniture to its best condition or former glory.  I hope to do the same with the vintage freight cars I have collected, including the Purina cars mentioned above.