Mother Nature just kicked me in the shin. Tonight I went out to the garage where my paint booth is located to put the colour coat on my Roundhouse Galloping Goose 3 in 1 project. Simple task, or so I thought. What I failed to notice when I put the Goose into the spray booth was that it was rather contaminated with cobwebs. I started merrily spraying away and then I noticed tiny lines across the shell and similar strings on the foot rests. I was able to get the cobwebs away from the footrests and most of the body before doing too much harm but I still managed to incorporate a couple of strings into the flat panels.[:(!][banghead][banghead][banghead][banghead].
The moral of the story is, if you haven’t used your spray booth for a while, take the time to clean it out before starting to paint. Seems too obvious when you put it in writing but unfortunately I’m a bit slow (read lazy) when it comes to these things.
[banghead][banghead][D)][:'(][xx(][#oops] Dave [(-D][(-D]
P.S.
As an aside, I recently watched a video of Howard Zane’s layout. In one of the shots the camera momentarily focused on a truss bridge and guess what - it was covered in cobwebs! I hope that means that i’m in good company. If I had his layout cobwebs would be the least of my concerns.
Witness the stringy stuff all over my turntable handrails…
I didn’t notice it until I was getting the photo ready to post in Show-Me-Something.
Besides the cobwebs I get dabs of spider manure on the tops of some of my rolling stock! It looks like little splotches of mud and is really tough to wash off.
Then, just last week I looked into the casting floor of the blast furnace and found that the mice have been pouring iron while I wasn’t looking. The little buggers left pieces of bird seed, carried in from outdoors, in the molten iron troughs coming off the tap hole!
I should set up a camera sometime to record the little critters having fun in their little scale-sized world! Mind you I have seven cats in the house but they’re too fat and lazy to chase mice out of the train room.
I hope you get your Goose paint looking spiffy again!
I’m going to build my layout in the garage so that obviously will invite all sorts of critters to move in. I already have a problem with some sort of huge ‘daddy long legs’ spiders hanging out in every corner. I really try to limit my use of pesticides but I guess when it comes to the layout I will have to take no prisoners!
If only I could figure out how to dress them up and turn them into some sort of animated scene. Then again, that would likely turn into a horror movie so I’d better hold off.[swg][(-D][(-D][:o)]
As for the Goose paint job, its one of those ‘good enough’ situations for now. The problems aren’t all that noticeable.
I’ve gotten into the habbit of keeping my painting area clean and clear, otherwise “multi-legged” critters try to make themselves at home and move in!
Just two suggestions for those of us that paint in the garage, attic, or workshed.
1. For spray booths: Between jobs (if it’s going to be more than 3 days) wipe your booth out with windex or iso-alcohol, then cover it with a clean lawn trash bag. Inexpensive and only takes a few seconds! When you’re ready for your next job, just pull the bag off, set your shell down inside of your clean booth, and fire up your airbrush or rattlecan! [Y][8D]
I’ve always been skeptical about pesticides, but following a friend’s tip I purchased a gallon of “Home Defense” at Lowe’s. Comes with a battery operated gun attached. I followed the directions and sprayed as recommended. Within a few days I was amazed at how many dead critters started popping up. After a week, no more creepy crawlers in my paint area (nor did I become sick)
Mother Nature just kicked me in the shin. Tonight I went out to the garage where my paint booth is located to put the colour coat on my Roundhouse Galloping Goose 3 in 1 project. Simple task, or so I thought. What I failed to notice when I put the Goose into the spray booth was that it was rather contaminated with cobwebs. I started merrily spraying away and then I noticed tiny lines across the shell and similar strings on the foot rests. I was able to get the cobwebs away from the footrests and most of the body before doing too much harm but I still managed to incorporate a couple of strings into the flat panels.
I just vacuum the layout and my work area every week. Keeping things clean prevents any critters from moving in. Never seen a spider or others on my layout or work bench.
I generally don’t mind having spiders in the house, but usually remove ones found in the train room.
The icehouse in the upper left of the photo below is switched regularly, but because it’s behind the turntable and shop area, isn’t really a focus of much attention otherwise:
However, I often take photos by placing the camera directly on the layout. This allows views which would otherwise be impossible on an around-the-room-style layout.
One day, I was taking a few such photos, and didn’t notice the added details until I was choosing ones to put into photobucket:
Here’s one looking in the opposite direction, sans cobwebs:
Oh yea, I get those, usually between trees and the backdrop. I have a detail kit for a small 1 gal. shop vac, and I do some careful cleaning a couple times during my “train season”, which is slowly coming to an end, as better weather approaches, and outside projects call my name.
Rainy days, that are a complete washout, find me back at the layout.
I too had a room full of spiders when I began fixing up the room, and small flies. The spiders took care of the fly problem and I took care of the spider problem. The other day I found ceiling tile particles on the layout. Seems I have a new pest living in the sky above my room. Mr. Squirrel is now on my list for relocation (think hole in ground) if I can capture him. I see him running around the yard. Last fall he was throwing pine cones at me, not so bad. But moving in, bad news.
