iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

SimonB. @buchanansj.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Tale of two orchestras. Picked up over the weekend from a seller at a local show (Vancouver) So, Mahavishnu I discovered recently going down a rabbit hole following Jan Hammer. I was 7 when this was released! What a gem! ELO, this record my parents had and somehow it became my soundtrack, age 11.

Two vinyl records.
Mahavishnu Orchestra - Birds of Fire
and
Electric Light Orchestra- Out of the Blue

Birds of Fire is a quadrophonic mastered record and is very listenable on stereophonic. Amazing jazz fusion with prog and a hint of funk.

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SimonB. @buchanansj.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I may have bought a thing today. $10 at a toy and comic show. No idea when I’ll build this and I have no surface space for it. For the price, I couldn’t pass it up.

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SimonB. @buchanansj.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Next distraction project. A boxcar build for my mate's business (Kaslo Shops Distributing). Already started, some scratch building needing, primed and ready for painting of the box itself. This will be a Canadian Pacific grain box car. And I've learned a few things on that subject!

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SimonB. @buchanansj.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

A trip up to Squamish yesterday to the BC Railway Museum for some research photography, beer, and food. Have to make the most of this weather while it lasts.

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SimonB. @buchanansj.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Reading Isaac Asimov’s Foundation. There’s a captain somebody or other who has received an important message, he states: “Teleported direct from the capital. Commdor’s own stationery” Can’t help but hear Hyacinth Bucket’s voice….

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SimonB. @buchanansj.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Finally completed, MTK white metal kit of a Class 40 diesel locomotive. So many side projects over the course of this build. It's taken two years up to now. The final tedious hurdle was cutting and placing 20 clear plastic windows. Here are pics of where it started, up to today. #modeltrains

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SimonB. @buchanansj.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Part 2 of “goddamn the pusher man”. This distraction of a side project now complete, photos done for box art, etc. And now given a couple more side projects to build…. Oh, well the proceeds will go towards buying a better airbrush.

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SimonB. @buchanansj.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Stop scrolling and post two characters who bring you happiness.

Richard Richard and Edward Hitler, Bottom

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SimonB. @buchanansj.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Goddamn the pusher man. Good friend has a side business producing scale model railroad kits for locomotives and rolling stock. He's just sent me four kits to build as samples, no pun intended but derailing current projects. Work in progress doing a proof build on a cement hopper. #modeltrains

Kaslo Shops scale model kit (HO) of a GATX cement hopper.
It's a proof build, a couple of minor issues to resolve.

Kaslo Shops scale model kit (HO) of a GATX cement hopper.
Argh, fiddly photo etch details.

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SimonB. @buchanansj.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Where did the month go? This Class 40 project getting ever so close to being done. A chunk of the month spent scratch building the small details that never did arrive from an online order. My daughter thinks I’m crazy. Justifiably so. #ModelTrains

MTK white metal kit of a British Rail Class 40 diesel locomotive, early 1960s era.

Lots of swearing fitting these small scratch built details.

The beginning of mocking up small scratch built details.
The entire idea of ordering these details online was to save time….but they never arrived.

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SimonB. @buchanansj.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Class 40 project (MTK kit) update: Still waiting on detail pieces to arrive from a vendor and now have resorted to disputing a refund. A part of this project remains on hold. Moved ahead with touching up the paint and getting the decals applied. Now in need of some more decals! #modeltrains

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SimonB. @buchanansj.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

Tense moments masking and painting this Class 40 project. Masking the yellow warning panel with all the fiddly bits I added was maybe not the best idea and could have been painted last. And using a paint I haven’t used before; some potential to mess it up. Happy with the result. #modeltrains

White metal kit of a Class 40 diesel locomotive primered and masked for painting.

White metal kit of a Class 40 diesel locomotive painted in the British Railways livery of the late 1950s, early 1960s.

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SimonB. @buchanansj.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

HMS Hood project…well I’m accustomed to resurrecting beaten up brass and white metal kits. Now I’m in the process of cutting pristine plastic…removing the degaussing cables from the hull as they are incorrect. Photo etch details to be added. #histscalemodels

Upper hull section of HMS Hood scale model. Highlighting the plastic moulded section of degaussing cables that are incorrect and in need of removal. Taking a sharp knife to what is an unblemished piece of the model kit!
(degaussing cables used on warships to reduce their magnetic signature on mines and torpedoes)

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SimonB. @buchanansj.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

Back to the Class 40 locomotive project, still waiting for 3D printed chassis details to arrive. Because the kit is a white metal kit with no interior, naturally it needs something passing as a cab(s). Scratch built two cab interiors....and they will barely be noticeable once in place....

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SimonB. @buchanansj.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

I started the Hood build a couple of weeks ago. Haven’t built a ship since I was about 10, and nothing of this size. Had been reading about reinforcing the hull to prevent sagging or twisting over time. I’m ok with over engineering somethings. 😎 Mounted on pedestals and temp base. #histscalemodels

HMS Hood scale model, reinforced hull to stand the rest of time.

HMS Hood scale model, lower hull mounted on brass pedestals and a temporary base.

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SimonB. @buchanansj.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

So, while one project is paused, this HMS Hood project has been waiting for a couple of years. Gifted to me from a colleague for helping his team on a year long project, this build takes on bit of personal tone through the connection of my family in WW2 and the Royal Navy. 1/3 #HistScaleModels

Trumpeter 1/350 HMS Hood scale model ship (in it's box).

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SimonB. @buchanansj.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

An update on the Class 40 locomotive I'm building....it's almost a stalled project. Waiting for some detail pieces from a small hobby business where I've learned they're not the best at shipping or communication. 🙁 The chassis for this has gone through more surgery, all the big problems solved.

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SimonB. @buchanansj.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

Making supper tonight, playing a record from The Beat and this furball thing, in the same room, slept through it.

A cat who slept through the playback of the aforementioned album from The Beat.

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SimonB. @buchanansj.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

A grim day when this lot turned up at Vancouver FanExpo. I was eleven when Star Wars first came out and eleven year old me would have been stunned to see so many of the characters assembled together. #fanexpo

Darth Vader and co. meet up at Vancouver FanExpo.

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SimonB. @buchanansj.bsky.social · 11/02/2026

I don’t post often. Ha! Even writing the next sentence is a struggle. The reality is I’m happy to observe and comment but never really a need share my own content. However, when I’m not on the bike (I used to compete) I will work on scale models, mostly #modeltrains. This is one particular project

MTK white metal kit of a Class 40 diesel locomotive. Second hand and very beaten up.

Latest progress on the Class 40 locomotive. Countless hours cleaning, filing, sanding, scraping and then soldering to build the shell. Finally adding details, some purchased and some scratch built. Primer applied to show any flaws overlooked.

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SimonB. @buchanansj.bsky.social · 24/12/2025

Not often I’m defeated on a repair. Bought this vintage music centre as a #ChristmasGift for my wife. I restored the play function of the tape deck (and a new drive band). But overall sound on the right side is dead-ish and after a couple of theories I can’t trace it. Wrap it! ….the joy of Xmas.

1970s Sanyo Music Centre (phono, radio, and tape deck). Portable too if you’re willing to lug it with six D cell batteries!

A look inside at the electronics of a Sanyo music centre.

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SimonB. @buchanansj.bsky.social · 24/12/2025

Christmas Eve and it’s legitimately beer o’clock any time of the day. Have this favourite waiting …. Happy Christmas all! #BskyBeer

Strange Fellows brewery Krampus ale for the season.

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Reposted by SimonB.

rob pike @robpike.io · 22/02/2025

Repost if you have tinnitus.

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