One of the SLD’s key objectives is to provide an environment that nurtures the sharing of knowledge and the development of new modelling skills by the membership. Delivering on this objective provides an anchor to our activities through out the year including potential projects, activities and clinics.
This section of the Web Site captures the information related to key Projects and Clinics that have taken place over the years and whose information is often referred to by modellers.
Clinics
The Clinics are typically delivered during a SLD Meet nominally consisting of a presentation of 45 – 60 minutes in duration including a questions and discussion component. Sometimes, depending on the subject, hands on clinics are delivered where the audience is encouraged to participate. The presenters are often members of the club who are knowledgeable in the subject matter and are energized to share their knowledge with the membership. Clinics are meant to be an interactive learning experience and often progress quickly into an interactive, constructive discussion with the audience, very positive learning experience.
KitBusters
The SLD’s KitBuster Workshops initially provided a forum for the members to work on their individual projects in a open, collaborative environment where ideas/ approaches can be shared and support provided to the individuals.
With time, the KitBuster’s forum evolved to become a vehicle to facilitate execution of the “annual” SLD KitBuster Project. The SLD Executive would select a modelling topic each year that would be of interest to the membership that would provide the opportunity for the membership to acquire new skills and to experience aspects of the hobby they would not normally undertake on their own. These “projects” are often a season long activities that include such things as Leader Lead Construction activities and clinics covering certain aspects of the project.
By its nature, multiple members participate in these projects, all building the same (or similar) models.
The following sections have the KitBuster Projects and Clinics (presentations) sorted by common themes. The clinics are often a single presentation while the KitBuster Projects may be more extensive multi page step-by-step instructions.
Track
- Scratch Building a Turnout – Introduction (2017/18 KitBusters Project)
- Building a Turnout Using FastTrack Jigs (2017/18 KitBusters Project)
- Building Turnouts without Jigs (Presentation)
- Building a Stub Turnout (Presentation)
- The Railway Right Of Way (Presentation)
Rolling Stock
- Modified Rolling Stock (2020/21 KitBusters Project)
- Assembling a Wooden Freight Car Kit (2015/16 KitBusters Project)
- 21st Century techniques to model a 19th Century locomotive. (presentation)
- Weathering with Acrylics, PanPastels and Weathering Pencils
- Presentation (47 MB)
- YouTube Video
Bridges and Buildings
- A Concise History of Residential Architecture. (Presentation)
- Adding patina and weathering to our structures (2024/25 KitBusters Project)
- Taking Structure Kits To The Next Level (2021/22 KitBusters Project)
- Building a Laser Structure Kit (2008/09 KitBusters Project)
- Building a Plaster Structure Kit (2009/10KitBusters Project)
- Building a Paper Structure Kit (KitBusters Project)
- Detailed Interiors (Presentation)
- Fisherman’s Wharf (Presentation)
- Beautiful Bridges (Presentation)
- Simple Bridges (Presentation)
- Bridges around the Ottawa Valley (Presentation)
- Railway Station Architecture (Presentation)
- Scratch build a Loading Dock (KitBusters Project)
- Kit bashing structure kits (2018/19 KitBusters Project)
Scenery
- Scenery Techniques (2023/24 KitBusters Project)
- Modelling the Canadian Rockies Canyons (Presentation)
- Casting plaster rock molds (Presentation)
- Presentation by Bernard Hellen about 3D printing and the many small animals and other items he has created in several scales. YouTube Video This is a NMRAx video, this clinic appears at the 1:58 min mark. (Presentation)
- The Art Of Urban Scenery
- Presentation (19.5 MB)
- YouTube Video This is a NMRAx video, this clinic appears at the 59.17 min mark.
- KitBuster Bridge Project Scenery (Presentation) Malcolm describes adding scenery to his bridge diorama. Includes creating bushes
Electrical
- Arduino (KitBusters Project)
- JMRI Blocks & Signals (Presentation)
Tools
- Using a Cricut Maker to build model structures (Presentation)
Historical & Reference Material
- Local Industries You Can Model – Hull Industries (Presentation)
- An Introduction to Railway Documentation (CP Historical Association) (Presentation)