Very thin leather?

OK, but probably won't stand up to the buffeting of the exchange apparatus

Still, what is a pyrogravure but a TC soldering iron with a suitably filed bit.

David

A piece of a cheap chamois leather , and a coat of acrylic + weathering/wear effects.

What sort of texture would you be able to see at 4mm scale ?

Cheers, Simon

I don't know what's available in that scale but if a manufacturer makes them in the right coloured plastic, you can dull them with a toothbrush and toothpaste.

A trick that makes plastic not look like plastic, in situations where paint would get chipped off in normal use.

Good clue, so 4X as much :-)

Actually, if you are talking areas it's 16x as much; for volumes it's

True, but why stop there...time, 5th dimension :-)

Was only thinking about length really cos in 4mm scale even if you have a bit of material that sticks out an inch which would be 0.3333... mm then can a texture be seen with the naked eye ?

CHeers, Simon

Very fine leather. Pair of fine ladies gloves.

Or slice the top layer from a wide belt or strap.

Just viewed the 1936 film "The Night Mail" (available on DVD from Camden Miniature Steam Services), and the mail bags seem to be about

Not seen any commercial products available.

In any case, a lot of what happens in 16mm is artistic licence (or pure whimsey if you prefer) and I've not yet encountered a 2' gauge slate quarry railway with any such postal service, just seems like an interesting idea.

Swinging out the net and the bag to be dropped is fairly trivial, but what I haven't yet twigged is the reload mechanism for the next bag to be dropped. ISTR that the Hornby Dublo set merely ejected the previous one picked up.

The other description of that is a bit of fun - good for you, what about an unofficial local arrangement between the quarry and local stationmaster - sure a lot of such things went on although more usually local produce as well as post/parcels. Would nylons (ok tights) be made of a suitable material for a hessian sack ? Soak in PVA glue to protect it and maintain shape, fill with a variety cardboard shapes, slither of lead at base give proper projectile properties.

Cheers, Simon

An interesting idea.

Talking of lead, I wonder what is the soft metal that tubes of medicinal creams come in (for those of us past a certain age!). I've just binned one this morning, and perhaps the heat of melting it would destroy any biological agents anyway?

If it is metal, and not a layered plastic/alu/whatever composite, then it's most likely aluminum, sorry, aluminIum. Lead is no longer permitted for this use.

Wolf K.

Free lead in excellent strips available to all - just look for house where roofing work in progress.

Cheers, Simon

Thanks. I've found that fine wet and dry is too abrasive - I got the toothpaste idea from an Argentinian modeller who had my spare room once.