Peter's Model Railroading | My Library | Magazine Authors
Magazine Articles By D. Derek Verner

Deluxe Cutting Board

The author describes how he built a portable board that contains slots for common modeling tools and the center is a rotating board to make it easy to draw or cut items. Includes several of photos of the board in use and under construction.

How To Simulate Flickering Fires

Provides several ideas to solving the same problem, i.e. creating the illusion of flickering fires, be they in a trash barrel, a burning building, or a machine shop. All the circuits are very simple. They all use the idea of a small transistor radio that drives a lamp of some sorts. The lamps suggested are plain bulbs, LED's, and neon lights.

Modeling a Camp Fire

The author describes how he built a painted turntable, through which light shines and is reflected above in the scene that simulates a camp fire.

Zap-texturing for Foliage

After explaining how zap-texturing works, the author describes his experiences with the Wimshurst Electrostatic Machine, and then shows how he uses the tool for making trees.