Coffee Pot #3 MARCH 2013 NINE years [April 1 is Anniv.] and going strong and its for all to chat. Plenty of coffee and sweet ice tea for all. Come and join us and chat. Grits for the Yanks.

[Hudson#685]

Good Evening!

After Church Service this morning, we sent the day at my wife's sister's house. We had a great time as my wife and daughter took turns at the Ice Cream Shop. Home now and just relaxing.

Ryan: Like you, the wood stove is going as the temp drop. Feels good. If the weather forecaster is right it will be going at night for at least the next week.

Jack: I feel your pain about the entertainment center. Doray wants to replace the living room set, which I agree with her, it has seen better days and it is over 30 years old. Then she also wants to replace the dining room set, including the china cabinet and hutch. There is nothing wrong with the set.

BOC, Barry: That sounds like a great BBQ. Sure you don't want to move to down here.

Kev: Congrats on the 218 replacement win.

Jeffrey: Good luck with the computer.

Chief: The accountant is doing my taxes on Wednesday. This I am not looking forward to.

I am glad that everyone had a Great Easter.

Have a Great Evening.

John

 

[Lehigh Valley 2089]

Good evening. 

Wasn't a bad Easter. Went up to grandmother's today. Red Tails just happened to be on, so I was happy. Got far on my me Bf 109G-10 model. The only things that soured me today was the fact that the weather wasn't great and North Korea obviously just doesn't know when to shut up (don't mean to start a political war)................................

Hope things don't get too sour on that spit of land. 

Anyway, night everyone. 

[Prairietype]

I dredged up most of these images from  two months back when I was working on a custom painted'renovation of a M&St.L 229 ALCO bought as junk on ebay.  The front apron was missing, and I wanted to do something different.  In the pictures below, which were taken in March, you see the progress up to a point where the paint match is getting there but isn't quite ritght.  A further effort with a drop of this and that color finally produced a mix that is very close. Only in bright sunlight, and from certain angles does there might be a little difference in hue but that is only visible in bright sunlight and from certain angles.  It might be my imagination.

 

But the final paint result is in the last picture on this page.  It has been a while since I've had a chance to post, and there have been some other paint mixing efforts, such as an in progress 3464 NYC operating box car that was a real rust bucket basket case.  I may post pictures of it when it is done. 

 

[Almost there, maybe....

The ALCO project continues to rumble along.

Two things:

1. Forget what I said the other day about my paint mix with Testors Red and Orange.  It is close (very close) but I think comes no closer than a good paint mix for the starter.

2. This is really my first foray into paint mixing.

So starting with the basic paint mix,  I began adding aanother pinch here and there of yellow, orange, and green, combining these and testing, and then adding more red, and orange, and yellow drops in varying proportions and test spraying.

The paint match is reaaly close now, but not quite.  In extremely bright low angle sunlight I can see the difference and you will too.  So I think the mixture needs a few drops of a burnt orange to achieve an exact match.

I need to say (also) that that the intent here is not to produce a perfect show-case lcomotive; this shell when acquired was already beat up with nicks and scratches, a missing pilot apron, and other issues.  I have customized this cab unit with a closed pilot and an extensive touch-up just for fun to see how far this project can go.  I just want to make a sad piece better.

The chassis frame was rough and I have re-blued it, the motor is a rebuild, and I plan to put a 3-position reverse unit in it because the 2-position refuses to function. I have a giant weight from a UP non-magnetraction junk ALCO cab that can be installed on this cab.  I want to get a windshield and headlight for the engine as well,  and make it a reliable runner.

So here are some pictures of its progress. Photo 4 is one in which the paint variation is most apparent.  In most light it can't be discerned.  But I can be an obsessive type and I'll probably keep playing with the mixture until I get it right.]

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So, above is before, and below is after.