Living the dream.
Hello everyone, and welcome to a new weekend!
This week my share is straight from the pages on this forum.
In the thread about Buckeye Trucks, JA Bear shared a product I did not know existed. These Du-Bro 2-56 blind flange t-nuts.
This is what makes these forum so great, sharing important information with one another. I ordered 10packs from Du-Bro for less than $35.00 after tax and shipping, and I had them in four days!
-Photographs by Kevin Parson
These are going to solve a lot of problems mounting couplers and trucks on flats, gondolas, and cabooses.
I am looking forward to seeing everyone's photographs this weekend. This thread can always be counted on to be the best of the week.
-Kevin
Nice haul, Kevin. And thanks for starting another WPF.
Finished up more detailing on my NYC 130-ton well hole flatcar this week:
I added some details (e.g. brackets) to the ends that are unique to this NYC flatcar but not included with the kit - including some custom end grabirons out of phosophor-bronze wire. It took a few tries before I could get the bending process repeatable but I'm pretty happy with the results.
As a side note, my small Irwin hobby vise has come in SO handy lately - particularly on this flatcar project. I have to honestly say that it's been the best $35 I've spent in a while.
The above photos were taken after the first coat of primer. I have since sanded the exterior, added a 2nd primer coat, and sanded it smooth again. I also added ~2.5 oz of lead sheeting on the underside of the well. The flatcar now weighs nearly 5.5 oz.
Next step is adding the metal Buckeye trucks to the underside of the ends. I have a plan for installing them that's different from the recommendation in the assembly instructions. I think it will work but we'll see how it goes.
The trucks will add another 2 ozs to the overall weight of the car. (Forgot to take that into account before I added the lead sheeting. ) I guess it will truly be a HD flatcar.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
tstage It took a few tries before I could get the bending process repeatable but I'm pretty happy with the results.
You should be happy. That looks amazing!
tstageAs a side note, my small Irwin hobby vise has come in SO handy lately - particularly on this flatcar project.
I think Irwin might be exclusive to Menards now. The Home Depot and Lowes down here do not carry that brand any more.
That is a shame. Their clamps were my favorite.
I actually got the vise from Ace Hardware. And that's what I used to help secure & bend the custom grabirons.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Good morning from sunny and warm Northeast Ohio!
Kevin, thanks for starting us out I had not used those before, I remember selling them at the hobby shop for the model airplane builders.
Tom, nice looking well hole flat, looks great can't wait to see the finished product.
Bear, before you start another project you should finish my car ferry!!!!!!
Here is the one car I got done this week, a Tangent Sam Rae Shops 4600CF Covered Hopper kit, I purchased two of the decorated cars, but as I had a couple of decal sets for the car I went with the undecorated kit also. As the LV was under PRR/PC control they purchased these at a better price than from an established car builder like PS or ACF.
Last Saturday went to the club with my Rapido FA-2's along with a bunch of my PRR Hopper cars of various classes.
Have a great weekend!
Rick Jesionowski
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
Here is a pic of my Atlas UP H15-44 doing some switching operations near the Borden creamery.
tstageI actually got the vise from Ace Hardware.
Hmmm... the Ace around the corner from my house carries Bessie brand clamps. Too bad. I would love to find a local source for Irwin tools. I have always been happy with them.
JaBearI originally bought them just for the 2-56 screws which are not readily available here but soon realised that the nuts were going to be very useful.
Thank you again for letting me know these exist. They are going to be useful for all kinds of things that had me pulling my hair before.
JaBear“Curse you, Tom!!” That well car of yours is looking so good,
Isn't it though? I mean seriously, it is all WOW!
I was happy with my QCM builds, but nothing came out as good as Tom's project.
dti406Tangent Sam Rae Shops 4600CF Covered Hopper kit,
Beautiful model Rick! The decal work looks great!
RMNRWYHere is a pic of my Atlas UP H15-44 doing some switching operations near the Borden creamery.
That is a wonderful photograph. Thank you for sharing.
All righty, I love those wood projects. Nice to see there are still a batch of us that enjoy such assembly!! A great start to this weekend's review also!
Here is my contribution. A while back when we needed to kitbash a model if we wanted it, I took an Athearn GP50 and made her into a GP60. Although the model is a bit modern fer me, I got a bug and hadda do one. T'was much fun!
Y'all have a great strong beginning; no weak ends allowed.
Don; Prez, CEO or whatever of the Wishram, Oregon and Western RR
Hello Railfans)
Heres one for ya Im calling 'what do I do with this?'. As you can see, this car has alot of character and potential. I couldn't refuse rescueing it from the 'bay'.
A ventilated refridgerater mostly of wooden construction. Previous owner having replaced couplers and trucks. Though nothing is broken on the car, as seen, it is missing a few things.
Most notably grab irons (easily replaced), and markings. And thus my quandry as to what to do with this car. Details such as grabs and other minutia are no problem, but how am I gonna letter this thang?
The car already has a great weathered look to it. This wasnt added, its actual age on the original paint (prolly as old as me!). I dont do weathering on my rolling stock so I an totally uninformed on such matters.
Being one of the few cars I own that has weathering (something I do like) I want to keep it this way.
I have given thought to using dry lettering thus eliminating the coating processes of wet/slide decals (dead giveaway). I have the strange suspicion that would ruin the weathered look.
Only 2 problems left to solve - where in the world would I get custom dry transfer lettering. And how in the world would I ever get the lettering to match the weathered look. As in painted lettering on a car that has faded and ran over decades.
Any ideas would be muchly appreciated. For a weekend project its in the clean up, true up, check it out stage. In the future it will be another weekend-or-two project when I get it figured out.
A#1 North!
PMR
Kevin & Bear,
Thank you for the very kind words and encouragement. I'm enjoying the project. It's been a little over 10 years since I put together a craftsman kit and this is the first rolling stock kit of that ilk. All the others kits have been structures.
And I guess I'm a glutton for punishment. I haven't even finished this kit yet and I just ordered two more QCM kits this evening off eBay: A PRR 50' auto boxcar and a PRR 51' covered hopper. I'm sure those will be equally as challenging and rewarding to put together.
Kevin, Thanks for opening the WPF with some WFF; weekend-fastener-fun.
Tom, Fun seeing your build progress, the vice does indeed look very handy.
Rick, Good to see ya' 'back in business' with the LV covered hopper.
Don, Handsome GP. I previously owned an Athearn B/B GP50 & GP38, both good haulers as I recall.
RMNRWY, Diggin' the switching action shot, and the foreground Ford truck.
PMR, Like your quaint little reefer'. Clover House has a nice selection of 'old time' dry transfers, not sure about custom work. Echoing the Bear in using chalks to blend the weathering after lettering. But wonder how a dry transfer job would turn out, nor how well chalks would adhere without the use of sealer clear coats?
Bear, I get it. A fair amount of time passed before I had a good piece of 'water' to float my finished tug-boat upon.
Thanks to all the contributors and viewers. Have a good weekend and happy Truck Driver Day. Regards, Peter
Bear and VeLo) I chose dry rub lettering because....
1- im pretty sure the grooves in the wood siding are too deep for a water slide decal to set all the way down.
2- having to prep up the surface to shiny for a water slide, would IMO, ruin the finish even before i got her finished.
3- Ive no clue but can you chalk weather a model after youve applied all the decal sets and clears - only to seal it again? -Or- am I out of step?
This is where my lil red caboose hits the ground every time!
Kinda stuck my foot in it before i lQQked where I was uh steppin! Just couldnt let this 'impulse buy' get away. It begs to be finished.
I was dawdling over the idear of posting a thread soliciting some of the experienced weatherers amongst us for ideas.
Decalling wet or dry isnt the hassle. Weathering, down right gives me the heebie jeebies! When it comes to art work, I try to get my Mona Lisa on, all I get is stick figures. I can only imagine what my weathering would turn out to be!
Have fun indeed!
Riding the Yellows!
Douglas
PM RailfanJust couldnt let this 'impulse buy' get away. It begs to be finished.
Bear) Ok, I watched that whole video just now. All I saw was Bob Ross painting a mountian!
Holy fruit flys Batman it cant be that easy, hands in the way or not! Wow what an improvement though aye! Night and day!
Thanks Bear!
I didnt wanna start a whole post just to post one picture of an idea we talked about last weekend (already?). I didnt have time to make this picture before the weekend ended.
I can give the lettering age, but I cant make it look like it has faded and ran. Curious how youd do that to dry transfer lettering.
PMR, Your transfer job looks good. I lightly brushed a small amount of white pan pastel to streak down from the big B, but factory lettering isn't as delicate as transfers. Best to sneak-up on such effects, ez to go overboard.
Regards, Peter