Holy Cheeses, this ain't no shakabox.

[NevinW]

Space Mouse:

Once you get going with these you'll love it. The satisfaction from seeing these run will make you want to improve all of your other cars. Once you start really building things the hobby goes to a completely different dimension. I'm proud of you. - Nevin

[reklein]

Make rubber molds of everything and replicate a string of a hundred. You must master the resin kit before you move on Grasshoppa. Actually what model maker51 said seems to be the most reasonable approach.

[R. T. POTEET]

It's called modeling.   As in railroad modeling.  As opposed to model railroad purchasing.

That's what it's called!!!

I am sure that somewhere on that box - I have never assembled one of the F&Cs - it says 'ltc' and that don't stand for 'let's try chicken'; I tried assembling somebody's wood kit one time way back in my HO Scale days and I even purchased a pair of Central Valley trucks and good ole' Kadees to go with it. An acquaintance of mine always had one of these 'Craftsman Kits' under construction - he made it look so easy!!! - and I couldn't resist the temptation to order one from Walthers and have-at-it. Perhaps if patience were one of my long suits I would have fared better; anyway when I vacated HO Scale for N Scale almost ten years after my original purchase I still hadn't finished it; eventually I boxed it up and mailed it to this acquaintance, who, I guess, did finish it.  After that fiasco I settled on 'shake-the-box'.

[R. T. POTEET]

. . . . . . . . . . Make rubber molds of everything and replicate a string of a hundred . . . . . . . . . .

This is somewhat what I have in mind doing but just a little different.

One of the first articles I remember encountering on the use of RTV involved a modeler who wanted/needed a large number of boxcars of a non-commercially available variety; he took somebody's shake-the-box boxcar, spliced two together to give him a 'close' representation of his prototype, constructed a mold and then cast dozens of these for his use.  I am giving heady consideration to doing this same thing in N Scale only I want to create a non-prototype prototype unique to my house road.  

[marknewton]

Chip,

Wadda ya complaining about? These are possibly the simplest resin kits out there...After that, try something REALLY challenging, like a flat kit for an ex-NYC boxcar turned into a rider car: 106 grabs!

VERY nice looking model, Ray, all 106 grabs of it!. Who makes the kit?

Cheers,

Mark.

[tstage]

Mark,

I think Ray does.  He's a scratch-buildin'/kit bashin' junkie.  Just check the [train] lines in his forearms...

Tom

[SteamFreak]

Welcome to the wonderful world of urethane, Chip.

I agree with Ray; a flat car is the perfect place to start your resin building career. As was stated before, fine resin parts can be more brittle than styrene, depending on the type of urethane used, so be careful.

I don't know if soap and water is enough to remove mold release. I generally used a solvent like Bestine to degrease the parts.

[Gandy Dancer]

After that, try something REALLY challenging, like a flat kit for an ex-NYC boxcar turned into a rider car: 106 grabs!

And then a wooden (LaBelle type not resin) stock car.  I started an HOn3 about 5 years ago.  Finally getting close to being done.

[orsonroy]

Chip,

Wadda ya complaining about? These are possibly the simplest resin kits out there...After that, try something REALLY challenging, like a flat kit for an ex-NYC boxcar turned into a rider car: 106 grabs!

VERY nice looking model, Ray, all 106 grabs of it!. Who makes the kit?

Cheers,

Mark.

Hi Mark,

It's a private stock kit from one of the pattern makers from Sunshine. I'm trying to get it released as a production kit through the NKPHTS, but it's slow going (it'll happen, but who the heck knows when)

I've taken the "core" of this car (ends and underframe) and tuned it into a NYC/NKP boxcar kit with new sides and roof. That one will likely get released first!

[orsonroy]

Mark,

I think Ray does.  He's a scratch-buildin'/kit bashin' junkie.  Just check the [train] lines in his forearms...

Tom

He he he....no "track marks" Tom; I've just got itty bitty rivets stuck where they really don't belong!

[exPalaceDog]

Have at it, Chip!  Give it your best shot and enjoy!

F&C comes here to NE Ohio every year in October for the NMRA Divison #4 train show.  They sell their kits buy one, get one free.  I've been tempted to try one but haven't as of yet.  Those short PRR flat cars ought to look nice when completed.

Chip, I'll be interested in how you like putting them together.  If they end up bustin' your chops, I'll be glad to buy them off of you and take a crack at them myself.  If you end up enjoying them, let me know.  I can keep my eye out for any kits that your are interested in at the show in October.

Make sure you add the wood planking on top of the cars... 

Tom

http://prr.railfan.net/diagrams/PRRdiagrams.html?diag=F23.gif&sel=flat&sz=sm&fr=

http://prr.railfan.net/diagrams/PRRdiagrams.html?diag=F23-E442738A.gif&sel=flat&sz=sm&fr=

The above equipment diagrams seem to indicate that the cars had steel floors. So wood planking might not be appropriate for all F23 flat cars.

Have fun

 

[tstage]

I don't know if soap and water is enough to remove mold release. I generally used a solvent like Bestine to degrease the parts.

Nelson,

I've used Ivory dishwasing liquid and warm water on my Sylvan resin car kits and it works just fine.

Tom

[exPalaceDog]

Picked this up because I wanted to try a resin kit and I got it for cheaper that resist. But there's no paint, no, trucks, wheels or couplers, a zillion white parts, white decals on white paper with lettering smaller than I could read with a microscope, sticks of wire...

What the heck did I get myself into?

You could try this!

http://prr.railfan.net/diagrams/PRRdiagrams.html?diag=FF-gun.gif&sel=flat&sz=sm&fr=

http://prr.railfan.net/diagrams/PRRdiagrams.html?diag=FF.gif&sel=flat&sz=sm&fr=

The FF class flats appear somewhat like the F23's, hence they might have been used in a similiar fashion.

For scratch building, try

http://prr.railfan.net/diagrams/PRRdiagrams.html?diag=FG1.gif&sel=flat&sz=sm&fr=

Or

http://prr.railfan.net/diagrams/PRRdiagrams.html?diag=FG2.gif&sel=flat&sz=sm&fr=

Have fun

 

[SpaceMouse]

Dog,

Now that's what I call a revenue car....They don't pay the bill and they bring out the revenue car.

[SpaceMouse]

Ray,

I still have to build a bunch of ore cars/wood sided gondolas. When the time comes next year some time, you know I'll be looking for advice.

[csmith9474]

I don't know if soap and water is enough to remove mold release. I generally used a solvent like Bestine to degrease the parts.

Nelson,

I've used Ivory dishwasing liquid and warm water on my Sylvan resin car kits and it works just fine.

Tom

Yeah, Tom is right. Solvent is not neccessary. I have been using Dawn for years, with no problems.

[exPalaceDog]

Ray,

I still have to build a bunch of ore cars/wood sided gondolas. When the time comes next year some time, you know I'll be looking for advice.

Ore Cars! You might try some of these

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/frt/erie-13p65.gif

Have fun

 

[exPalaceDog]

Dog,

Now that's what I call a revenue car....They don't pay the bill and they bring out the revenue car.

Wrong! These are "revenue" cars

http://www.worldwar1.com/foto/ft062a.jpg

http://www.aopt91.dsl.pipex.com/railgun/images/Railguns/USA/WW1GUN4.JPG

http://www.worldwar1.com/pharc005.htm

http://www.aopt91.dsl.pipex.com/railgun/Structure/Railwayguns/Railguns%20index.html

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/490-9163

Have fun

 

[SteamFreak]

I don't know if soap and water is enough to remove mold release. I generally used a solvent like Bestine to degrease the parts.

Nelson,

I've used Ivory dishwasing liquid and warm water on my Sylvan resin car kits and it works just fine.

Tom

Yeah, Tom is right. Solvent is not neccessary. I have been using Dawn for years, with no problems.

I think the only advantage of Bestine is the drying time. It's what we used on the job since we could throw it into paint right away without worrying about any moisture lurking in crevices. It's also the way to remove hot melt glue, by the way. It breaks the bond instantly.

[reklein]

What is BESTINE and where do you get it??

[SteamFreak]

What is BESTINE and where do you get it??

It's rubber cement solvent, but as I said it works as a great parts cleaner, breaks up hot melt, and removes label adhesive and other gunk without harming plastic. It's available from art supply companies.

Bestine: Google Search

[SpaceMouse]

Ray,

I still have to build a bunch of ore cars/wood sided gondolas. When the time comes next year some time, you know I'll be looking for advice.

Ore Cars! You might try some of these

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/frt/erie-13p65.gif

Have fun

 

Interesting. I saved the drawing. The plan is to scratch the first and create a mold for the others.

[SpaceMouse]

Just an FYI guys, I'm watching this conversation and greedily soaking up hints and techniques.

[on30francisco]

Just wait until you try a LaBelle kit, chip...it's basically a box of sticks and wire with an instruction sheet.

If that's all there is you'd might as well buy your own wood and details and scratchbuild it. At least you can build and customize it YOUR way. I find scratchbuilding much more enjoyable and less frustrating than trying to assemble a craftsman kit with zillion of parts and incomprehensible instructions.  

[SpaceMouse]

Just wait until you try a LaBelle kit, chip...it's basically a box of sticks and wire with an instruction sheet.

If that's all there is you'd might as well buy your own wood and details and scratchbuild it. At least you can build and customize it YOUR way. I find scratchbuilding much more enjoyable and less frustrating than trying to assemble a craftsman kit with zillion of parts and incomprehensible instructions.  

I certainly found that to be true of Craftsman structure kits. Now I take the plans, use the window and details and adapt it to my specs with styrene. Much easier. The leftover wood becomes handy for other projects.

[reklein]

"Just an FYI guys, I'm watching this conversation and greedily soaking up hints and techniques"Spacemouse exclaimed innocently while busily taking notes.

[SteamFreak]

Chip's webcam caught his reaction when he first opened the kit.

[exPalaceDog]

Ray,

I still have to build a bunch of ore cars/wood sided gondolas. When the time comes next year some time, you know I'll be looking for advice.

Ore Cars! You might try some of these

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/frt/erie-13p65.gif

Have fun

 

Interesting. I saved the drawing. The plan is to scratch the first and create a mold for the others.

That has the Old Dog wondering. First, you seem to be fairly well set up for wood working, so why go with a plastic master? Second, why go to reisin casting to make the copies. Wouldn't it be just as easy to make extra parts using jigs and fixtures when you build the master, then just assemble the copies?

Have fun

 

 

[SpaceMouse]

Chip's webcam caught his reaction when he first opened the kit.

ROFLMAO!

[SpaceMouse]

That has the Old Dog wondering. First, you seem to be fairly well set up for wood working, so why go with a plastic master? Second, why go to reisin casting to make the copies. Wouldn't it be just as easy to make extra parts using jigs and fixtures when you build the master, then just assemble the copies?

Have fun

Two things I learned in my years in construction.

1) Nothing replaces good tools.

2) Use the right materials for the job. I'm pretty well convinced that plastic is superior to wood in most scale applications. I can be enlightened however.