Friday, October 30, 2009

The Podcast Layout...


...is nearly complete ( pics above). The layout is finally coming together; today Jimmy, Dave, Scott, Anna Maria and myself spent the day adding final touches. Mainly trees and details. The last items on the list include another structure, more trees and water.

The main draw back was that Dave' s bullet proof Lincoln Town Car was in the shop - he has the shag carpet in the back changed every year; he's always changing the color. Besides, on those sharp turns the hot tub water spills out - things get moldy. So when I arrived I had to help Scott clear out the picnic table from the backyard and paint a 20' yellow circle in the grass so Dave's helicopter had a place to land. It's flown automatically, except for today. Since Jimmy has been driving lately, Dave let Jimmy land the "Little Bird" as Dave calls it ( it seats ten people, usually super models). Jimmy used a special remote control he operates with some free software he found on the internet. This time he only clipped a few branches.

We were nearly blinded when Dave stepped off the chopper. He'd been to the optometrist and was sporting his new gold plated eyeglasses, and on the side arms where you usually see the brand name, it just said FRARY, all lit up with small LED lights. It was kind of tacky but I didn't say anything, he seemed happy with them.

His assistants Monica and Candy were no where to be found; we later found out Dave had fired them after he caught them sniffing Canopy Glue. Instead Dave arrived with his pride and joy, a white Bengal Tiger on a leash, he called Sparkles, after a stuff animal he had when he was a kid.
Scott didn't get much work done because he's afraid of any animal larger than a chipmunk. At one point I heard him crying under the bench work. He probably won't sleep a wink tonight.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

CSS Draws Near...


It's that time again, the Annual Craftsman Structure Show is just two weeks away. While I definitely think the elves here at the Fos factory could use a vacation, I'm certain our laser cutter does. It's an unbelievable work horse. Considering most goods and products these days are designed with built in, planned obsolescence, our Epilog cutter does not fall into that category. For a machine that is subjected to countless, repetitive moves every day - and ours runs 5 to 6 days a week - it doesn't show it. It just keeps doing what it was designed to do. I wish my PC would run even half as good.

So, we like to take advantage of it by coming out with more unusual, different structure kits. If time permits, we'll have a new HO kit ready for the upcoming show in Mansfield ( see pics above).

If you're registered for the show, you'll be able to see the diorama for our Limited Run Kit, Canal Street and Third. You'll also get to see and meet dozens of vendors and their models; like Crow River Products, Seaport Model Works, Rail Scale Miniatures and more. You can also attend clinics by some of the best modelers in the country like Dave Frary, Dave Revelia and Brian Nolan. On Sunday, you can tour some of the finest layouts in New England, that you may have only seen in the magazines like Dick Elwell's Hoosac Valley or Jimmy Deignan's Pennsy layout.

If you haven't registered and would like to head over to www.css09.com.