Looking for a good model RR news group

What question did you ask? This group is quite responsive to questions. You also might have gotten quick answers if you had posted your question with this message.

What are the people running the hobby shops clueless about; your question or the newsgroup issue?

Yes sir, that is fast. I still would like to know if there are any busier news groups. I was surprized to see that the NMRA site did not have a newsgroup. I have posted a couple times here without getting any response. Well dont mean to sound like a spoiled child, but it worked.

Thanks Charles

Hey Frank I asked a question yesterday morning about the flex paste. I answerd my own ? after trying to smooth it out. It does not sand smooth. So I started over using hydrocal but ran out and I asked about substituting it with joint compound.

The hobbyshops in my area are clueless to woodland scenics products.

Well, I'm not a fan of the NMRA, but they do have a modelling mailing list. Some of the regions do as well. IIRC, you do have to be a member to participate. When I was, I don't remember them being much busier than this group.

Your best alternative is the Yahoo "groups". There's one on layout construction, one on structures, one on handlaying, one on small layout design, and probably over a hundred more. Take a look.

If you had come into the hobby shop that I worked in, I would not have been able to answer your question either. I have had no personal experience with it, nor had any of my customers come in and relayed their experience with it.

OK, I just looked at the posts with your name as poster. The date sent (looking at Outlook Express "sent" column shows you first posted on the

21st, yesterday at 10:49 am. There is a response from today, the 22nd by Charles Kimbrough Telling you he has not used it for the same thing you did.

Then you asked about Joint compound over hydrocal, and got two answers. on the same day. Within minutes or hours of your post.

Yes, it has been quiet here lately. It will get busier in the fall. Keep asking questions, more than once, if necessary. We are here to help, but it is voluntary, if we know the answer.

Another suggestion if find out how stuff works is to do what I do: experiment. You did that with the flex paste: you determined that you cannot sand it smooth. That is good info for the rest of us, thanks for posting it. WRT joint compound, again, try it and see.

I keep a small work table which is use exclusively for experiments like these: how does something look (hydrocal, roads, roadbed, track ballasting, etc.). Sometimes even this fairly active and easy to search newsgroup doesn't have all the answers; unless your hobby shop has active model railroaders in your scale working there (and many don't, just like Radio Shack doesn't have EE's on staff for the most part), you are mostly on your own, along with various books, newsgroups, and the aforementioned experimental station.

Ed

in article ulpOe.4057$ snipped-for-privacy@fe06.lga, Frank Rosenbaum at snipped-for-privacy@charter.net wrote on 8/22/05 12:04 PM:

There you have it... you got an answer in less than a day.

Part of the problem is that many experienced modelers do not use Woodland scenics products. Most of their stuff is repackaged products made by other manufacturers. Why spend $9 for a 1/2 gal of hydrocal when you can get much more at the hardware store or home depot for the same price?

As for sanding flex paste, flexible things tend to be soft and thus don't generally sand very well. That should have been your first clue. :-)

Eric

Best model RR newsgroup is that of Kalmbach Publishing. It's free membership. Go to

and click on "Forums" at top of page.

I don't use "flex paste" at all... I get lightweight spackling from the hardware store (a big bucket for a few pennies more than WS charges for their little tub) and use it for smoothing foam contours... and the spackling IS sandable.

Yeah, if you don't mind all the kiddies, polls and stars!

I'd go with the Atlas Forum. . .

But nothing can beat a *good* Yahoo Group/List, IMO.

Paul - "The CB&Q Guy" (Modeling 1969 In HO.)

Ya Eric that is common sense, but it states clearly on the bottle that it can be sanded. They lied, it can not be sanded!