I know that with any modeling there is going to be things that push the limits of your abilities. I got pushed this weekend. I can put an eyeball on an HO figure, no problem. Or cut and paint a feather for an Ind...Native American.
It was a Jordan Buckboard kit that nearly done me in. There were parts on that sucker so small that to pick them up with tweezers, you had to get a utility knife under them. If that was not bad enough, you have to bend them into shape before you glue them in place. Forget putting them in with your fingers, they are about 1/25th the size of your finger tip. And I can't manage them with tweezers. You have to hold them with the very point of the tweezers or you can't get close enough to glue. But you put them in the end of the tweezers those little parts shoot out like a twiddly-winks. I won't even go into what they are like with glue on them.
But that is nothing compared to what came next. First a tip: If you are buy a Jordon wagon of any kind get the one with the horses. They make them both with and without horses for the same price.
I didn't know this, so I had to use my own horse, which of course, did not come with a harness. So first I made the bridle using carpet thread. Under the neck, over the forehead, behind the ears, out to the muzzle...with both sides...then tie them off. I'd get one, then the other would slip I needed both hands to tie the knot and another hand to hold them tight, all withing the space of a quarter inch.
Then came the harness--with the bridle in the way.
By the time I was done I was shaking like a chihuahua on espresso.
Anyone else have a limit?
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
Yup. My fingers are just too big to deal with itty bitty grab irons and such. I just use tweezers for those small parts. I can usually see them just fine, although sometimes it requires taking off my glasss and holding things right upt o my face. I really need one of those magnifier lights on the bench.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Limitations...
Tiny Parts--Fat Finger-- and Tired Old Eyes!
Of course I went from N Scale to HO, and there are still a few more I can go to. I figure I could go blind and still do G-Scale when I'm in my 80's and 90's! LOL!
Good thing I still don't load BOMBS for a Living on Uncle Sams Jets!
Chris
Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum
A little trick that I use for real small parts is to take a piece of styrene sprue and shape the end to a point. I put a small dab of glue on the tip, just enough to bond it to the small part, and attach it to the part. This makes a great way to handle the tiny part and get it exactly where you want it. Once the part is set simply cut away the tip of the sharpened "handle" and clean up any excess glue with a sharp blade. I have used this method for years and it has greatly saved my sanity not to mention the number of times I have to vacuum the floor to find the parts.
Dan Pikulski
www.DansResinCasting.com
simon1966 wrote:I got one of those small parts gripper thingys from Micromark. So far it seems to have been helpful, but I don't think I have tackled anything quite as small as you just did!
You know, there's a whole list of tools I'd like to get from Micromark. It's just that I keep seeing the same tools from other people at a lower price. But they aren't all in the same place so I pay more for shipping. But I figure, I'll find it cheaper and get it then. So I go without.
One of these days, I'll figure out what supply and demand is all about.
Chip,
I have a somewhat similar war story when I was putting the finishing touches on my Suncoast Models Fairbanks-Morse (HO) Coaling tower a couple of years ago. The kit came with four (4) small simulated light shades and light bulbs. The light bulbs were very realistic looking but were quite a challenge to install up into the N-scale size shade. (See upper portion of picture below, just above the handle, for comparison.)
Click to enlarge picture
As light bulbs are, they were smooth all over. And the only place to adequately grab them was at the base of the bulb with tweezers. BUT...that's where I needed to put the glue. Flat-nose tweezers were too big. And even holding them on the bulb end didn't work out well. So the only option for me was using needle-nose tweezers.
The problem? If you didn't squeeze the tweezers hard enough, the light bulb would rotate around your tweezer. (Not good when you have glue on them. If you squeezed them too much - [poing!] - they went sailing across the room. And just like real light bulbs, they were translucent...and I have a white Burber carpet in the train room. Thankfully, the kit gave you two (2) additional bulbs, just in case "something" happened.
Well, I was on my last bulb (last of the four and LAST of the extras) and working tediously to get it in place. At that very moment, my dear wife comes downstair and asks me what I'm working on. I show her, at the same time not moving too much - in fear that it might shoot off into translucent oblivion.
When she sees what I'm working on and how ridiculously minute the part that I'm trying to fix in place, she starts to laugh uncontrollably. "NOOOOOO! DON'T make me LAAAAUGH!!!", I exclaimed - desperately trying NOT to instinctively squeeze down on my tweezers as I'm trying to stifle my own uncontrollable giggling. It was absolutely nerve racking. Thankfully, I finished the project unscatched and with all my "lights on".
In hindsight, I should have used a small piece of double-stick tape at the end of the blunted tooth pick to install the lights bulbs. That would have made things go a lot smoother. Actually, installing real N-scale lighting in them last year was probably an easier project. (And I had to fabricate my own wire hook out of a paper clip in order to pull the wires down through the middle of the tower and out the base.)
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Chip, I don't know how old you are, but I just turned 54, and with my contact lenses and presbopia(that's the lens hardening that requires one to have to use reading glasses when you get to my age) near vision is an issue. I'm a newbie, so my main projects so far have been coupler conversions to Kadee's and adding the enclosed plastic grab irons on my Stewart Baldwin switcher. There was some pretty small detail and gluing work there; don't know how I'd have done without my Opti-visor and set of tweezers.
I agree with the comments about Micro-mark, I've ordered a few things from them just for the reasons you all mentioned--convenience/availability all in one package.
Jim
jbloch wrote: Chip, I don't know how old you are, but I just turned 54, and with my contact lenses and presbopia(that's the lens hardening that requires one to have to use reading glasses when you get to my age) near vision is an issue. I'm a newbie, so my main projects so far have been coupler conversions to Kadee's and adding the enclosed plastic grab irons on my Stewart Baldwin switcher. There was some pretty small detail and gluing work there; don't know how I'd have done without my Opti-visor and set of tweezers.I agree with the comments about Micro-mark, I've ordered a few things from them just for the reasons you all mentioned--convenience/availability all in one package. Jim
Just turned 53. I do everything under my magnifying light.
Dan, Tom,
I keep forgetting the trick of using some stick'em on the part. You'd think I'd learn.
Tom, nice work on the coaling tower. You need a new kit.
I just finished their buckboard and horse drawn hearse. The buckboard was way easier. :) Marty
Chip, I hate to say this, but fat fingers won't help in your forthcoming foray into N scale.
My fingers are pretty fat and they're a liability in N. Working on valve gear on a steam engine whose boiler is narrower than my index finger... whoo boy! Get ya' some good tweezers and keep that hand steady!!!
Modeling the Rio Grande Southern First District circa 1938-1946 in HOn3.
When I was growing my father, with short stubby fat fingers, would call on me frequently. I had inherited my mother's long, thin nimble fingers with good nails. I could grow long ones like she had if I wanted to.
Now entering the hobby much later, but not as late as you are now, I find the my eyes are NOT what they used to be (which explains why I have worn glasses for more than 20 yrs) and my "nimble thin long " fingers arent as nimble as used to be. Unfortunately, I am turning into one of those things I swore I would never become.......a maturing adult!!!!
-G
Modeling the RAILS system...
the Rural Allied Industrial System, where any and all may join the collective, share and lease equipment and ROW use for the betterment of mankind and profitability of all .
While I have papers to prove I'm not all in my head, the RAILS SYSTEM is All from a world inside my head, but its ok, they like me there.(I think)
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
NDWEEDS wrote: I just finished their buckboard and horse drawn hearse. The buckboard was way easier. :) Marty
I've got the hearse to do. Plus a couple three delivery wagons. At least the rest come with horses. Have you tried that fancy-dancy carriage. I don't like the looks of that one.
Dave Vollmer wrote: Chip, I hate to say this, but fat fingers won't help in your forthcoming foray into N scale.My fingers are pretty fat and they're a liability in N. Working on valve gear on a steam engine whose boiler is narrower than my index finger... whoo boy! Get ya' some good tweezers and keep that hand steady!!!
Anything I can't see is good enough. That'll be my N-scale rule. It looks like I won't start that layout for a year or so anyway.
My fingers aren't too fat, but my eyes are not what they used to be. That is the reason I am modeling in HO rather than N-scale.
My toughest project was putting the grab-rail on the top of a Walther's NYC caboose. The tiny little ring-bolts on the top that hold the rail nearly drove me crazy. Put them on the rail, align the first two or three, try for four and the others would come out. I spent hours trying to get that rail on the top of the cupola.
Here's a not too good picture of the caboose in question:
I finally solved the problem by cheating. I glued in all the I-bolts and then put a piece of soft copper wire through them, rather than the steel wire rail supplied by Walther's.
In the future I will remember some of the tips offered here.
I sympathize with your problem, believe me.
Remember its your railroad
Allan
Track to the BRVRR Website: http://www.brvrr.com/
My hearse won't have a coffin...