All Projects
Mixing and matching Chinese 2.4GHz radio control equipment
Post last updated 5/11/2018 – E-Fly ETB62/ER61 and ESKY ET4 results added — This article is regularly being updated as I purchase transmitters and receivers. Some entries in the table may be blank pending arrival of new acquisitions. Please check back frequently. — Unlike the days of AM or FM radio control, 2.4GHz RC controllers […]
A myriad of Maunsell Express Coaches
*The following is a compilation of posts and content originally posted on Twitter back in 2017 whist discussing the original Thomas & Friends Express Coaches with Jam Filled Studio* Not long ago, I acquired a rake of 1980’s-era gauge 1 Tenmille Maunsell coaches. In addition to an ongoing (if mostly sporadic) attempt to make vaccuformed […]
When Season 12 Attacks: CGI 3D Face Tracking
Well, they say everything has a good reason, and indeed, there is a good reason for a creepy, eyeless Peter Sam face to be on the front of Gauge 1 James: When I was developing the idea of using the Bandai models for a new series, I knew that a 3D printed face would simply not […]
First (real) tests with the periscope lens
Tonight, I breath a sigh of relief at results that aren’t even that good – but I’m just relieved that the whole disaster of getting the periscope lens mounted to the Canon EF mount is behind me. Truth be told, the “RAF Camera” EOS-to-Arri “B”/Bayonet mount adapter from eBay is still loose (the allen set screws […]
Motorizing the Bandai TECS Skarloey
Shortly after motorizing the Bandai Sir Handel model, I decided to motorize a Bandai Skarloey I had on hand. However, not content with the appearance of the Bandai Skarloey out of the box, I modified the Skarloey model extensively. As with Sir Handel, the build is on YouTube, and I’ve added a gallery of photos from […]
Motorizing the Bandai TECS Sir Handel
For the new series I’m working on, I needed to recreate the narrow gauge models from Season 4. Due to space limitations and ease of access to models, I chose to build the characters from pre-existing, Japanese Bandai TECS models; motorized with Bachmann drivetrains. The first of these models was Sir Handel. The build is […]
Gauge 1 James: The video series
Almost all of James’ build was chronicled in video long before the Sodor Scratchbuilding website came into existence, with exception to the (still pending, because I never finished it), Part 6. In the meantime, enjoy the five-part build in the videos below:
Cinema lens mounts, milling machines, and other things that cost too much.
After a three week wait for a BNCR-to-EF adapter to arrive from Poland, it arrived – and there is no hope at all of it fitting; the BNCR end of the Hajnal Snorkel interferes with it. Granted, that’s not the end of the world. Just because an adapter doesn’t fit doesn’t preclude me from looking […]
A snorkel (periscope) lens arriveth…really dirty.
The Hajnal Snorkel lens arrived, and it’s been a taxing little bugger. According to the previous owner, it was part of a lot purchased about 17 years ago, and it had sat most of the time since. And to look inside it, it certainly had. Each lens element had a slight bit of fungus on […]
Not one, two periscope lenses to choose from. What to do?
In an earlier post, I explained about how virtually every choice in a small 10-bit, 4K-capable camera would run almost the same as a periscope lens built for the job of capturing miniatures to a S35-sized camera sensor. And so began my search. And shortly thereafter, an opportunity presented itself in the form of a Century Optics […]