Darth Santa Fe:
I can hardly wait to see how you have done the power truck.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
I got really brave and decided to hollow out the ceiling of the shell. The casting came with some pretty hefty reinforcing in the ceiling which would have prevented the unique round windows from being modeled in the open position. So, I made a huge mess with my Dremel (wife was not impressed - I told her sometimes you just have to sacrifice!). The ceiling is not perfectly smooth but I don't think that it will show. If it does I will put a liner in it rather than risk cutting the shell even thinner. I managed to cut through the side walls in a couple of spots already . Nothing that a little putty can't fix.
Before:
After:
The initial attempts at modeling the round brass window frames has produced some good results. However, it is going to take a little time to cut all 45 or so rings for the frames from 9/32" thin wall brass tube. There are only 31 round windows but I need a second ring where I am going to model the windows in the open position. Pictures to follow when I have something that actually looks like a window.
I have the brass window frames cut from 9/32" tube. About half of the windows will be modeled in the open position. Those are the frames on the right. All the windows will have glazing.
I received the passenger seats from Walthers. Now to figure out the floor arrangement so that the shell can be removed.
Well, I had a rather successful evening if I do say so. I had been fearing the task of applying the rivet detail decals to the roof because my previous experience with them was a bit negative. Tonight I successfully applied a total of 28 strips of Archer Fine Transfer rivet decals to the roof and the task was far easier than I had anticipated. Photographing the decals in their current state would be futile since they are on a mostly black background. but they seem to be reasonably properly aligned to me. We will have to wait for the finished paint job to really see how they look.
I have to give thanks to a contributor on another post (which I can't find so I can't give proper credit) who suggested using water only to position the decals, and then wait until they dry to apply decal solvent. Previously I had been using Micro Sol to try to keep the decals afloat while getting them into place. Those of you with more experience will know exactly how well that doesn't work. Don't know where I got that idea from but it was bad advice.
Anyhow, the next step will be to apply Micro Sol a few more times and then seal the decals.
Happy happy happy!!!!
hon30critterHappy happy happy!!!!
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Hi JaBear:
Yes I'm happy! You are very astute!
Honestly, I was so afraid of messing up the decals that I almost decided not to bother with them. The advice about using water only saved my butt!
Regards
Here are some shots of the progress to date:
I managed to get a decent shot of the roof rivet details:
The next step was to install the roof details. The exhaust vents (square thingies) aren't as delicate as I would like but what the heck:
Next step was to paint the interior and then install the interior lighting. Here is the LED 'tree'. I used 30.1K resistors so the LEDs just glow:
Here are the lights installed. I will paint the resistors the same colour as the ceiling:
Until I can get a decent sound decoder I am going to use a basic Digitrax unit. It sits quite nicely between the side entrance steps. I don't plan on turning the motor car upside down to show it off, and the wiring fits nicely between the air tanks:
I installed a plug in the cab so the shell could be removed. One lead is for the blue common, one for the white headlight, and the third is for interior lighting. I have decided to not illuminate the cab:
I managed to break two of the chains connected to the rear truck. Putting those back in place was a major pain but I managed to do it. The breakage occurred when I was trying to loosen up the chains after they had been lightly painted. I have decided that painting chains that are supposed to flex is not a good idea. I'll have to invest in some oxidizing chemicals.
I'm getting really close to painting the exterior of the shell, but I want to get as much other work done as I can so as to minimize the handling of the shell after it is painted. Thanks for straightening me out on that Bear.
More to come.
I'm going to post a few of the details on WPF too, simply because i can't get enough of blowing my own horn. David Bedard will have a ball with that statement!
All the best everyone!
Dave,
this is outstanding work!
Will we be seeing a nice video of your rail car?
Really nice work. How did you manage to cut such thin rings off the brass tube.
Sorry Dave for butting in.
Hi karle:
I used a fine tooth razor saw to cut the rings. For the windows that will be modeled in the open position I left a tiny bit of the tube intact between the two rings to act as a hinge and then bent the open window into position. The hinges were rather weak so I used a bit of solder to reinforce them.
I will add that it took a lot of filing to get the rings smooth and of even thickness. I used a round file to smooth the insides of the rings and a small flat file to smooth the fronts and backs.
I will glaze the windows using a hole punch to cut .005" clear styrene. One question I have yet to answer is how to keep the windows clean when installing them. I'm going to try latex gloves, but if necessary I will use some alcohol on a Q tip to get the finger prints off. I'm also having a hard time getting the windows out of the hole punch without damaging them. That I have yet to resolve.
Bear:
Of course I don't mind you interjecting an unrelated question into the thread. What are the forums for if not to communicate.
Hi Ulrich:
Thanks for your comment.
Yes, I will do a video, but it will be silent until I can get an appropriate sound decoder.
hon30critterOf course I don't mind you interjecting an unrelated question into the thread.
hon30critterI'm also having a hard time getting the windows out of the hole punch without damaging them. That
How about punching some other material, like cardboard and use that as a pusher to ease the clear styrene out of the puncher???
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
George!
You are brilliant!!
'Ask and ye shall receive'.
Thanks
Hi Bear:
The windows are 9/32" in diameter, and they stick very firmly in the punch. I tried a number of things to push them out but anything soft enough to not mar the surface simply broke, and anything hard enough to pop the windows out also damaged them. I think George Paine's idea should work, although I will try .040" styrene as well as the cardboard he suggested.
Your comment about Georges suggestion is vey appropriate.
OOPS!!!!
I decided it was time to test my decoder installation. BIG short! After a little testing I determined that I had the rear truck wired to the wrong tracks.
The easiest solution was to switch the wires on the front truck and add 1 to CV 29. Worked like a charm!
Jabear: thanks for remembering me and the Transfer project. I have been pretty much "off line" due to work and other priorities but have noticed occasionally that you are working on your ferry. Guess what, I have completed the Transfer and it came out better than anticipated. I will post some photosin a new thread in the near future though I am not much of a photographer . It was a long and challenging build.....as I am sure you can understand.
Thanks for the reply hon30. You must have real patience. I have often tought it would be good if there were a scratch builders website or category here to share techniques.
karle......I have completed the Transfer.....
karle....and it came out better than anticipated.
karleI will post some photos in a new thread in the near future
karle It was a long and challenging build..
karle:
I went beyond patient! I miscalculated how many rings I needed and I cut 10 too many.
hon30critter I cut 10 too many
Now you can model a ring toss game
.......or use the extras for HO Hula Hoops.
I'm just trying to be helpful.
Tom
George and Tom!
Actually, I had thought of the hula-hoop thing, but I'll be darned if I plan on filing another 10 rings smooth
I have painted the exterior, and I have installed the brass window frames. Glazing the windows hasn't worked out as I had hoped, and neither did the modeling of the open window frames. I managed to get a couple of the open window frames installed but the rest wouldn't let the fixed part of the window frame sit flush with the outside of the car sides. I'm not going to worry about installing any more open window frames because the truth is that they are very hard to see, and trying to see them would result in a lot of unnecessary handling of the car with the resulting toll on the paint etc. This is a situation where there is too much detail.
I'm also thinking of leaving the round windows unglazed because so far my efforts to cut clean, unmarred window glass haven't worked satisfactorily. The clear styrene is either damaged in the cutting process or it doesn't fit flat in the frame. Actually I'm quite happy to leave the windows unglazed because that it how I have modeled most of my other projects to date. Having said that, I do have some real glass window glazing from Ngineering that I think I will install in the square windows in the cab, that is if I can figure out how to get the glass really clean, i.e. no finger prints.
The wee beast is approaching completion. I have ordered some custom decals with both the 'McKeen Motor Car' lettering and the 'Cuyamaca Motor Car' lettering plus some stripes to go along the bottom of the shell. The Cuyamaca car was a predecessor of the Southern Pacific designation on their McKeen motor cars. SP had quite a number of the McKeen cars in various configurations. I haven't decided whether or not to use the Cuyamaca name because anything SP would be totally out of place on my railroad, not that the Mckeen car fits in any better.
hon30critter Hi Bear: The windows are 9/32" in diameter, and they stick very firmly in the punch. I tried a number of things to push them out but anything soft enough to not mar the surface simply broke, and anything hard enough to pop the windows out also damaged them. I think George Paine's idea should work, although I will try .040" styrene as well as the cardboard he suggested. Thanks Dave
Hi Wayne:
Thanks for the offer. By all means have a go if you wish. Again, it will be no big deal if the round windows aren't glazed. I'll glaze the square cab windows and just pretend it is a very hot day for the passengers.
Just to clarify, the window glazing is 1/4" diameter. 9/32" is the OD of the brass window frames.
Part of the problem with the clear styrene is that the punch doesn't cut cleanly through. The styrene tends to fracture leaving a small amount of flash around the outside edge. Perhaps I'm not using a solid enough surface to allow the punch to work cleanly. I was worried that I would dull the punch if the surface was too hard. I have a piece of oak which I will try.
EDIT:
I just tried the oak and the results were worse.
I don't think I'm trying too hard, but what I won't accept is window glazing that is not clear and flat. I can get flat discs by punching multiple discs before removing them from the punch, but the last 4 or 5 are damaged by the force needed to push them out. Unfortunately, the ones that are flat are fractured slightly around the outside edges enough that the damage would be visible, and the fracturing leaves bits on the edge that increase the diameter enough that when the disc is pushed into the frame it is curved. The curvature is minor but still enough to be noticed.
If I could find a source that could laser cut the discs from Lexan that would work perfectly. I think I will give American Model Builders, makers of LaserKit glazing, a call.