So I have a kit reefer where the body keeps sliding off the under frame/chassis because it's too loose. The body wasn't securely assembled (there were small gaps between the ends of the car and the sides), which I fixed with glue, but now I'm not sure what to do in case the body still slides off. Is gluing the body to the underframe best practice, or is there a better way to go about it?
If the gaps are large, glue styrene strips to fill in the gaps and trim the excess. If the gaps are small, apply layers of Kapton tape at a time. If it's slightly oversized that's fine. You want a little pressure pushing outward to hold the shell to the underbody.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I have implemented several methods depending on the situation. I hope you can understand them in the following pictures. Crick to enlarge.
Kotaro Kuriu, Kyoto, Japan
BN7150
EXCELLENT PHOTOS!
Thanks for posting them as your post is a good example of the phrase:
"A picture is worth 1000 words!".
I've downloaded your photos to use as reference. I have this very issue with 2 of my favorite freight cars: a Milwaukee Rd 54ft Covered Hopper, and a Cotton Belt 54ft Centerflow Hopper. Both are 1970's production Athearn Blue Box units that I spruced up and weathered but have had stored for years. The frames on both shells drop off when either car is picked up from the sides, LOL!. Started happening after I filled the frame cavities with weight.
With my budget focused on newer locomotives, DCC Sound and metalizing passenger cars, I've decided to keep most of my Athearn and Roundhouse BB freight cars and continue sprucing them up.
High 5 and thanks!
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
Hi Antonio!
Please check your PMs. I have an RDC ready to ship to you.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Any of my rolling stock with poorly-fitting floors get material added to the inside of the bodies which will allow for drilling and tapping so that the underbodies can be screwed in place, with access available if ever needed.
This one was a train show basket case, with improperly-installed details, and a floor severely damaged by improper use of contact cement to secure the car's weight to the floor. Many areas on the car and underbody had generous amounts of ca smeared or spilled on it, although most of it was removeable with some judicious scraping. The running board was also seriously deformed, and I replaced it with a scratchbuilt one.
Most resin kits also suggest that the floors be cemented in place, but I prefer to treat them the same as is shown above, as it's often useful to have easy access if repairs are needed.Here's one that is destined to eventually get a load...
...which will be at least partially visible...
Wayne
Wayne,
That's an excellent suggestion about using cleats and screws to hold the shell to the underbody. One question for you: How do you align the cleat inside the shell so that it is flush with the bottom of the underbody floor when fully inserted into the shell itself? I hope what I'm asking makes sense?
Thanks, Tom.
I usually measure the floor's thickness from the top surface to the bottom of the underbody crossmembers and/or truck-mounting bolsters, which are usually not visible because of the car's sidesills hiding them. In some cases, those crossmembers end at a tab on the sill, also otherwise not visible from a side-view. I use a dial caliper to take the measurement, then lock the sliding pointers on it and use it to transfer the measurement to the interior of the car's sides, making a light scratch with the pointy bits. A set of draughting dividers would work for the measurement and the marking, too.
Hello Doc!
Excellent work as always. What type of adhesive are you using? I know that the standard CA's can yield bonds that become brittle with time.
Thanks, Antonio.
For plastic-to-plastic bonding I use MEK. About the only thing for which I use ca is to secure metal to plastic, and pretty-well every time, that includes a mechanical fit...grabirons and sill steps, brake rigging or other metal details which cannot be soldered, but are fitted into suitably-sized drilled-holes. For these tasks, plain old Krazy glue works just fine.I also use ca with the "prep" solution which allows making bonds to various engineering plastics, but that's mostly for securing small pin-type plug-ins, like the ones in this Bachmann tender, which are part of a "Dead Rail" installation for a friend...
While at one time I used silicone sealant to secure weights in house cars, over time, the bonds failed. Contact cement worked better, but nowadays, I usually hold the weight(s) in place with pieces of styrene which "trap" them in-place...