The perils of following instructions

[Jetrock]

A possible follow-up to the BB option: Drill a small hole in the bottom of the model. Pour in a suitable quantity of #8 birdshot. Tape the hole shut, and shake the model a bit to evenly spread the birdshot. Peel off the tape and gently squirt just a bit of "wet water" (water with a little bit of detergent) into the hole. Then, carefully insert a tube of glue (I imagine Elmer's white glue would work fine) and gout a few gouts of glue inside, sufficient to soak the shot--the "wet water" will help the glue spread throughout the mass of shot.

With a little luck and careful application, one should be able to secure the shot with the mass of glue, resulting in a nice heavy model and only a tiny hole in the base.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cjcrescent

My favorite how not to follow instructions came from a Japanese kit for an HOn2.5 model of an SR&RL 2-6-2. The included Engli***ranslation of the original Japanese came out, "First glue on some parts, then glue on more parts."
Simple, Huh????

R
O
T
F
L
M
A
O
!

At least they aren't misleading! [:p]

[cjcrescent]

My favorite how not to follow instructions came from a Japanese kit for an HOn2.5 model of an SR&RL 2-6-2. The included Engli***ranslation of the original Japanese came out, "First glue on some parts, then glue on more parts."
Simple, Huh????

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cacole

"Just hold push hammer and power it!"

[%-)][(-D][(-D][(-D]

ROFL!!

Google translator does the same thing...

"Welcome to our world of I stretch all would want to receive it favorably and to speare that you had divertimento here. The members are freindly and useful. It thinks I pray libreo to add your observations and immagiini. Make all the dominade that you have and that you have divertimento here!"
^ my favorite google translation [(-D]

[on30francisco]

That's why I prefer scratchbuilding to crafttrain kits. I make my own instructions and put it together my way.

[Anonymous]

The first thing I do is throw the instructions away. I'll eventually figure it out hopefully. [:D]

Thanks,
Jeremy

[Anonymous]

Try this. Find a way to put the hole in the top, in a location where it can be covered, even if you have to lift off a roofwalk to do it. Before you pour in the bb's shoot in gobs of slightly diluted Elmers or RC56 and swish it around a little to get the glue everywhere. Then after it set, do it again. May take 2+ times to get it all. Did this on some antique cars (assembled when I got them) years ago and it seemed to work. Just be careful when you do it.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Eriediamond

Watch the curves, all those BBs roll to the outside, you'll be calling the wrecker crew out to clean up the mess!!! [(-D][(-D][(-D] Just a bit of humor there, I do like the idea of plaster though.

I had the problem with a box car. it had a lose square wieght and it kept tiping over. LOL

[IRONROOSTER]

I learned a long time ago to weigh all the parts, trucks, and couplers before I start. Still have a very light boxcar somewhere. My scale has a little dish and I just pile everything in and add weights (usually pennies) unitl it meets NMRA RP.

On instructions I love the ones with exploded diagrams. I really hate the ones that are for two or three "similar" cars - like a fishbelly boxcar, a truss rod boxcar and a reefer.

Enjoy
Paul

[Anonymous]

Hehe,,
reminds me of the old addage, If at first you don't succeed, read the destructions!

[cacole]

The biggest problem with instructions are that they are usually written by someone who can't explain anything in plain, everyday English. They know what they are talking about when they use technical words to describe everything, and assume that you do too. Or, as someone else mentioned above, the instructions are in "Chinglish" -- someone in China using a dictionary to translate instructions one word at a time into English, thereby coming up with what I consider the all-time classic: "Just hold push hammer and power it!"

[Eriediamond]

Watch the curves, all those BBs roll to the outside, you'll be calling the wrecker crew out to clean up the mess!!! [(-D][(-D][(-D] Just a bit of humor there, I do like the idea of plaster though.

[ndbprr]

Just drill a hole in the bottom and pour in BB's until it is heavy enough for you. then seal the hole. I had the same problem with some covered hoppers I made years ago so I drilled a bigger hole and poured in plaster. Worked like a champ and sealed itself when it set up.

[AntonioFP45]

I'm with you ErieDiamond.

Just as annoying. Purchasing a nice model kit (train or otherwise) and the instructions are in "small, blurry" font that look like they were made on an old worn out type set![:0][B)]

You go over the diagram with a magnifying glass and it's still hard to make out the critical pieces like washers, screws, shafts, etc!!!!![|(][|(][:-,][(-D]

After a few minutes of fuming, you then use common sense and perform good old fashioned, scientific (yeah, right!) Trial "hope this fits" and error. With patience it usually works.

Now days, with e-mail I'll fire off a "cordial" letter telling a manufacturer that my friends and I spend quite a bit of money on the hobby, and that if they want to keep our business to spend a few quarters and retype the instructions![soapbox][#wstupid]

[Eriediamond]

Aaaaahhhhhh-------- those learning experiences[(-D][(-D][(-D] Been there, done that. Ever assemble a model from China and the translated instruction read like a comic strip???[:O][:O][(-D][(-D]

[dknelson]

Terry Thompson's MR Express this week talks about following or not following kit instructions. He makes good points.
Here is a little story on myself. Years ago I commenced a rather difficult craftsman kit of a Pennsylvania Rail Road wood caboose (the tiny four wheel kind). Windows and doors and grab irons added to the usual craftsman kit challenge but I was following the instructions to the letter (and had read them thoroughly several times before beginning -- it is a big mistake to just start at the beginning without knowing the entire picture up front). The instructions were well written and thorough - not always the case. But after I had fully assembled the body, glued on the woof and end steps and was just beginning to solder the end railings -- a gnawing thought struck me. How much was this thing going to weigh, since it was all thin wood and a few tiny metal parts? Answer: next to nothing! Light as a feather! Nowhere did the instructions mention adding weight at the stage before gluing on the roof. I guess they figured only an idiot would fail to think about proper weighing of the model. And they were right.
The sad thing is that even though this model represents some of my best and most careful work, once I realized I would never be able to operate the caboose as a practical matter I did nothing more with it. The jig I built to help solder the end railings remains, never used. And now I have switched prototypes and have no need for a PRR caboose at all.
So what should I have done? While reading the instructions I should have noted when they called for the body to be enclosed and I should have written in "add weights" (and/or detailed interior) at this stage." Likewise I should have written "add glass to windows and doors now" and "paint grab irons yellow at this stage."

Lesson: even if you follow the instructions in sequence, do your own thinking, add to them if needed, don't rely on memory but scribble in what you are thinking. If you are thinking, that is.
End of sermon. Go thou in peace, and do something other than likewise.
Dave Nelson