Narrow Gauge- "What's on your workbench?"

SteamDonkey74 Jan 14, 2013

  1. traingeekboy

    traingeekboy TrainBoard Member

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    Maybe I need to start my own thread. Yet I am not building a layout I'm just messing around with what's on the workbench and right now it's this caboose build.

    Walls are assembled...

    So... adding wood to build up the base. Remember this is a Tyco caboose I cut up for chassis and trucks and couplers.

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    I learned about bending wood many moons ago while watching the wood wrights shop on PBS. Well, I am using tiny wood, but it's the same thing. This was my first time ever using steam to bend wood and it was amazingly easy to do with the steam from my stove top tea pot.

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    ok, there is my roof piece. It's actually not hot, I used the tongs just to show how I handled it while steaming.

    Ok that's it for today. I actually got the model built. Can't locate my pin vise so the grab irons and hand rails will have to wait for another time.
     
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  2. JimJ

    JimJ Staff Member

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    I think this deserves a build thread.
     
  3. traingeekboy

    traingeekboy TrainBoard Member

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    It might be a bit late to do a build thread, as this one is nearly done.

    My workbench is the dining table.

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    I posed the caboose with the rest of the fleet just to give an idea of how it fits in. Everything in my fleet needs the last finishing touches, either paint, details like grab irons, or other things.
     
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  4. Kevin Anderson

    Kevin Anderson TrainBoard Member

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    Completed my tunnel portal and liner for my HOn30 line. Or should I just go with the snow shed idea?. [​IMG][​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jan 21, 2019
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  5. traingeekboy

    traingeekboy TrainBoard Member

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    I say just move forward and do something new.

    You mention Hon30, are you using N scale loco mechs for your models? I am using a larger scale, but N scale mechs turn out to be gauged for about 15 inches. I am thinking I could do a little mine train at that gauge.
     
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  6. Kevin Anderson

    Kevin Anderson TrainBoard Member

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    HOn30 can run on nscale track. The equipment I’m running is actual HOn30 by Minitrains
     
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  7. traingeekboy

    traingeekboy TrainBoard Member

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    Ok, you are using mini trains locos cool. is there a layout thread on here for your layout?
     
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  8. Kevin Anderson

    Kevin Anderson TrainBoard Member

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  9. traingeekboy

    traingeekboy TrainBoard Member

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    Crap Building is a bad habit

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  10. traingeekboy

    traingeekboy TrainBoard Member

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    Cutting some lumber and placing it on the plan for now.

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    Lots of decisions about what size lumber to use where. The plans are actually pretty vague.

    I had been thinking a bull nose on the middle cross section might be cool, but I will stick to how it is for now.
     
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  11. traingeekboy

    traingeekboy TrainBoard Member

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    I have a day to do some gluing. So I am doing just that.

    by gluing right to the blue print I can see one panel may be a bit out of true. Debating whether to even care, as this is CRAP building.

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  12. tracktoo

    tracktoo TrainBoard Member

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    Added a 3D resin printer to the equipment for making my Nn3 mining and various projects. The several year effort to make a complete mine train is coming together rapidly now. Here's the first car I made with it. A tipper, true link and pin coupler, optional knuckle dummy coupler to mate to Z and Nn3 couplers for adaption or convenience, separate hopper for ease of painting as well as staging a scene with the hopper tipped, and removeable coal loads (can also be ore loads). In some of these pics they're sitting on a Code 40, Nn3, (7"x 80" ties at 24" C/L spacing) hand laid track piece made with my own design, nicely detailed, flex tie bed. Lay the bed and add the rails. I'm pretty excited seeing this project finally coming together. :)

    The last pic is a decent view comparing the difference in various track appearance including Rokuhan road bed, regular N roadbed, then two pieces of my code 40 Nn3, and finally Atlas "Z" flex track.

    And a few pics from my phone:
    Nn3 reveal group 1.jpg Nn3 reveal group 2.jpg Nn3 reveal group 14.jpg Nn3 reveal group 18.jpg
     
    Last edited: Feb 7, 2019
  13. traingeekboy

    traingeekboy TrainBoard Member

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  14. Kurt Moose

    Kurt Moose TrainBoard Member

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    Wow, looks like solid wood! That beam across the top must be heavy!
     
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  15. traingeekboy

    traingeekboy TrainBoard Member

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    I have a tendency to not finish projects, so I decided to sneak some time here and there working on the caboose some more.

    Work has been hectic and draining , so model time is more like a 15-45 minute session every few days.

    - Painted the caboose red

    - painted some printer paper black

    - Cut up the paper

    -Today I glued the paper on the roof to simulate tar paper

    Lots still to do, but it's taking shape.

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    I haven't glued down the ends of the roof yet. I don;t really know how the prototype was done, but I am assuming they would fold the tar paper over and under and nail in place to create a drip line on the ends.

    Cutting and folding left some bare section. I will need to do some touch up with black.

    Really all that is left is painting the underbody a good dark rust color and adding minor details: glass, door knobs, end rails, brake wheels, and a chimney for the stove.

    Gonna try to stay on track with this before tackling the final steps on my loco and baggage car. And of course it's all too tempting to start building more rolling stock like some Gilpin Tram ore cars, or some C&S log cars.
     
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  16. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member

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    For sure, I agree!!
    I like these little rolling stock builds all great stuff! Shows real innovation!
     
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  17. traingeekboy

    traingeekboy TrainBoard Member

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    I appreciate the enthusiasm for my builds guys. I just don't really think I am any kind of expert at this. I build what I can with limited tools and skills. I ignore any details that are too hard to do as well.

    And also, since I am really cheap some of the detail parts like my gear toothed brake wheel, aren;t exactly kosher by most people's standards.

    One thing I want to explore soon is hand laying track. There is a guy who uses walthers Goo to hold his rails and his layout is just beautiful. I think some hand laid track with these models would be very nice looking. the big fear is hand laying short radius stub switches.
     
  18. traingeekboy

    traingeekboy TrainBoard Member

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    I have wanted to build a steam engine, but all the ones I truly wanted as the basis for my model were too expensive on ebay. (Man, I remember when ebay was a the place to go get a deal on something.)

    So I spotted a small loco that was for sale as a Make an Offer and I haggled it down to 8 bucks total for shipping and handling. It is not my ideal model by any means, but I am a CRAP Builder and I cannot be choosey.

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    Here is a photo of the cheap piece of junk loco. It sold as non working, but most mechs are easy to fix and this ran right away. It just needs some oil on the gears. the light works too.

    I am going to remove the entire boiler and cab.

    I am thinking I can use an Old Tyco tank car to fabricate a boiler. Add a wooden cab to it. And use some detail parts off of an old mantua 4-4-0. I also prefer and older looking stack like the Mantua has on it.

    It won't be exact, but the over all look I want for the loco is in this style here:
    http://www.catskillarchive.com/rrextra/porter07.Html
     
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  19. traingeekboy

    traingeekboy TrainBoard Member

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    Decide to do some of the busy work in model railroading: figure painting.

    I used Humbrol Paints as I do not like acrylics. And forgot how long they take to cure and smeared some colors.

    I've never found a commercially painted figure to match my own ability.

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  20. JimJ

    JimJ Staff Member

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    73A3C360-6202-4AD4-B1B6-B52C54F3697F.jpeg AD2E8B3D-54F7-40E1-8E04-B4988ECEA73F.jpeg Starting my Nn3 semi-micro mining layout. It’ll be a figure eight over and under set in southern Arizona somewhere. Totally freelanced and just an outlet to model some rugged desert/mountain scenery and provide a display for my Showcase Miniatures geared locomotives. The will be around 1890 or so.
     

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