I bought a NIB Proto2000 SW-9/1200 on eBay and received it yesterday. This engine is from the original run, and, apparently from being in the box so long, the delrin handrails along the hood side are wavey, really, really wavey. Any suggestions on how they can be straightened, if that is even possible?
Thanks,
Greg
Just like the OP, I have the same problem. Is brass wire still the only answer?
You may be able to straighten them by heating them in hot water. Let them sit in it for a minute or so, then place on a flat surface with a weight on them, making sure the little pins that hold them into the locomotive side sill aren't damaged.
I've straightened alot of plastic and "engineering plastic" parts doing this.
Carey
Keep it between the Rails
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pirate Just like the OP, I have the same problem. Is brass wire still the only answer?
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
The wavy handrails are due to a manufacturing defect, I believe. They are slightly too long to fit in the holes of the shell, causing them to buckle. I don't think they will ever stay straight.
Yes, it would seem that replacing them with wire is the best solution.
- Douglas
davidmbedard Replace with brass wire.....should be a 2 minute job. David B
Replace with brass wire.....should be a 2 minute job.
David B
WOW!!!I WISH I could model at that speed, Dave!!!Let me wind it down....Cust the stantions from original (twisted) rail...Find approiate Brass or Phosphor Bronse Wire...Caliper it out & find appropriate sized drill bit association.Locate Drill bitCollect Tools, Tweezers, DrillVise, Heavy Pin for Pilot poking the drill centers on Stancions.Performing the Drill holes in StantcionsAttatching Drilled StancionsThreading the Wire, after stopping to 'bullet the leading point, so it goes through the holes drilled in prior steps..Adjusting the misalgined & knocked off stanctions, for the perfect look..Repainting them, & teying to match the look to the rest of the loco..Optional: Making a cocktail to assist in the successes of such an endevour..Dave, you can do that in 2 minutes? Really? You are a God man!!
Am I doing it wrong?
I will discontinue Model Railroading at once, Good bye! Everyone!
Chad, that's funny but true. Even when I would drill/ fit Smokey Valley stanchions and bend fit solder or CA the rails, it would be a couple evening job as least.
And to the OP's question, you may try hot water and straighten, but any real bad bends/ kinks can be slightly over bent. I have had only marginal luck at getting them straight. This would tend to work far better on ones that you know were straight but got mis-shapened from storage or accident. Any inherent manufacturing distortion will always remain in the "memory" of the plastic. You may make them a bit better, but replacement is the best route.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
Bob, Thank you, -appreciated!
All, Here is something you may not want to familiarize with, but it happens.. (to Me!)!
I am there too..Holdups? the handrail situation is certianly one for me, I even got this one sort of decalled! (Acheivement!!)!The FreeLanced GP18 project has to negociate those nice ones.That is 'after' I placed them in a book edge for 11 months now, to hopefully 'naturalize' them into straight...Result: Dimpled wierd looking book edges, & tacky pages... So, I belive I may be able to relate.I doubt I can finish this model in 2 minutes, not at a Chadster Quality...Comments welcomed..
I Am With You.....
Mr B & O This engine is from the original run, and, apparently from being in the box so long, the delrin handrails along the hood side are wavy, really, really wavy.
Greg,A lot of the early SWs had the wavy hold handrails.
Here's my method..I use .15000th wire and replace them.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
ChadLRyan Am I doing it wrong?
Chad,Depends..One can simply measure and cut the handrail..
But,there's zero tolerance for error using that method since the handrails could be cut to short.
IMHO its best to replace with wire.
Brakie,LOL, man!!! As we both know each others style, we know, that we know, how to model, & I think we know, you Know?
'Too Short' has a a really clever & good RAP song called "The Ghetto" check it out, somnething you said triggered that memory..
I do a 'Fit by test' kind of thing, as terms like; Zero Tolerance have connotations, or the the future banning of my personal armory, etc..Hope they ban my Soldering Iron & Kitty too, Phosphor Bronze 0.006 through 0.020 will also be off the table.. Donno...
Thanks for the amusing interest to a serious question!
Actually, only a couple sections are crooked, so I can't see removing it, boiling it, flattening it, and then reinstalling it, just to fix a couple crooked sections. I think it is crooked because some sections are too long, so they don't fit right. They need to be shrunk! If I have to go to that much trouble, I think it would be easier to replace the whole thing with brass wire.
I also think "a two minute job" is a little unrealistic. Unless one didn't mind the "ghetto" look. Still, I've replaced things with brass wire before, so I don't think it would be the worst project in the world.