DRGW SD70ACe UP-D&RGW Heritage unit

david f. Nov 15, 2007

  1. bpence

    bpence TrainBoard Member

    19
    0
    11
    I am still in as well.
     
  2. J o e

    J o e TrainBoard Member

    247
    5
    20
    Still in as well - Joe
     
  3. HoboTim

    HoboTim TrainBoard Supporter

    1,599
    451
    41
    SD70ACe Update!

    I have an update.

    Casting is going slow but steady. Today the mold for the walkways tore beyond use. So many small detail sections on this mold. Had several steps go bad. Luckily I was able to get near 20 castings from it. I started the cabs and main bodies again. These two molds are still looking good but I can tell they are drying out too.

    Tim, What Does All This Mean!!! Well, it means I will not have enough castings to fill everyones wants! But, I also have good news. Yesterday I placed an order for more RTV rubber and some resin. The Best News is David is sending me the 3 Master Pieces of the SD70ACe so I can make another set of molds. This time I will add some styrene to the masters to make casting and cleaning alot easier and quicker. So hold on to your pants guyZ!!!

    Today, also, actually less than 30 minutes ago, I finished tweeking the brass etching artwork to reflect a more accurate set of handrails. I used many actual SD70ACe photos from the web as examples and also detached one handrail from a stripped SD75i that I have to better understand how AZL had them made. My handrails will be of a same design and attach from the side AND under the walkways instead of just along the sides, like the MTL GP35/9 handrails do. Not enough surface space for a good adhesion just on the sides. Great design AZL! Tweeking took about 6 or so hours. Not a simple job. Total re-do of details!! Front and rear handrails will resemble the handrails on the SD70's so you will not have to remove any parts from your SD70 shell except maybe the Horns. I am not making any horns. At least not yet!

    Ok, this leads me to the next issue, I have 4 people from the original list that has yet to state whether they still want a shell or not. Those people are
    Harold Grady
    -HemiAdda2d-
    -bobrnausa-
    Steve -Steve 4 Painting-

    If you are one of these guyZ, please let me know your answer.

    ---------------------------------

    What I would like is everyone who has a request to please send me an email. State your Trainboard Name (as some of you I do not know), your real name, mailing address and How Many of the SD70ACe shells you desire. You read that correctly! Since David is sending the original SD70ACe shell masters to me I will be able to make more than just one per person. If you want two please state so in your email. Send your email to me at tdb@tnt-z.com

    Each shell is $40 which includes the walkway glued to the main body, cab, length of fiber optic line, 2 brass door panels, 2 long side handrails, 2 end handrails, 2 handrails which attach from the cab to the steps on the front, and a small piece of clear plastic to make windshields.

    I will send each of you a payment request thru Paypal. $40 covers shipping to your location, including across the pond!

    Ok, it is time for you to send me your email requests so I can make the definitive list of who gets what!!! Remember to include the info that I stated in the above paragragh.

    Now, it's back to work for me!!!! Gotta get these shells finished before the end of the month!!!!

    Have a great day/evening!

    Hobo Tim
     
  4. craz3474

    craz3474 TrainBoard Member

    156
    1
    17
    Tim,
    Thanks for the up-date. My e-mail has been sent. Looking forward to the final product.

    Thanks, JC :thumbs_up: :tb-cool:

    Sorry I was distracted by the Oregon State thrashing of USC.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 26, 2008
  5. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    22,015
    27,407
    253
    I'm still in.
    I suppose, I should look for an SD70 donor loco soon!
    How about decals?
    I plan on doing an MRL unit.
     
  6. Steve 4 Painting

    Steve 4 Painting TrainBoard Member

    770
    0
    21
    Tim, you've got an eMail...
     
  7. HoboTim

    HoboTim TrainBoard Supporter

    1,599
    451
    41
    Update 10-11-08

    It's Saturday, just after 10pm. I have been etching brass near all day. At 8pm, fellow Z scaler, Jeffrey White, came over for a visit and to see how everything was going. He got to see first hand the kick-a$$ etchings I had just finished etching. After stripping the photo resist I decided to cut a set of handrails and temporarily attach them to a casting. Here is what it looks like!

    [​IMG]
    The Front Left side view. The photo does not do the detail good, especially on the door panels.

    [​IMG]
    Front Right side view. Again, some very nice details. The time spent re-creating the artwork for the brass paid off well.

    [​IMG]
    Right Rear view. The side handrails fit perfect. The rear and front need a minor change in one dimension.

    [​IMG]
    Left Rear view.

    Now, for some bad news. Ugh!!! After etching a pile of brass, which all look outstanding, I screwed up something fierce! Yes, the photos above all look great. Just one thing, Wrong Size Brass. The brass I etched is .007" off and really shows. Too Thin. From the time I started cutting the handrails from the fret I guessed it would be too thin. Once I attached it it was. The real give away is the cab to body fit. Suppose to be flush. I will need to get some .012" brass and etch it to fit correctly and be strong enough so that you can actually handle the loco without fear of the handrails bending.

    Take a close look at the front and rear end handrails. You can see how thin they are in the photos. If I sneeze too close to the loco the handrails will look like a hurricane hit them. No kidding. I am ashamed and embarrased that I did this. It took 4 days to prep all the brass, cut it, expose it, develope it, etch it and strip it. 4 days I wish I could get back.

    Here is my solution to this problem! I have some items that I am going to get professionally etched real soon. I am going to throw the SD70ACe handrails in so they too will be etched, and on .012" brass too. Jeffrey calls me a perfectionist!!! Had to calm me down when I realized the &^$*-up I did. Ugh!!!

    Please don't ask me to just send the castings and the thin brass for I will not. You will thank me for this decision. Just ask Jeffrey!

    I extremely apologize for this mess!!! I was so looking forward in decorating my SD70ACe in the BNSF "Swoosh" scheme. 'sigh!'

    Castings update, due to uncontrollable circumstances, the masters for the new molds arrived a little late. The mods have been done and new molds are a working. Actually going to make a second set of molds so that I make enough castings for all interested parties and myself.

    Job Update; I got the call this week. Be there on Monday! Due to Hurricane Ike, the job I was suppose to work was cancelled/postponed till further notice, if at all. That left me home in a bad way. Well, I threw my name in the hat for a short term project where I had just returned from, in Lousy-ana, I mean Louisiana. Lucky me got the job. It is suppose to last 5 weeks, maybe less since they are planning to throw more people on the job. We'll see. TIC= Tim in Charge, for day shift!! This time I will be living in a hotel/motel so I won't get to bring much Z stuff to work on. Just laptop and Corel artwork. Give me time to put the SD70ACe brass artwork in with the other artwork for brass etching by a professional outfit.

    I feel like @#!%& right now. Sux to be me! 4 days wasted. I apologize for the inconvenience. I'll find something or some way of making the added wait time up to you who have a vested interest in this project. Sorry!

    Hobo Tim
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 12, 2008
  8. Kez

    Kez TrainBoard Member

    755
    665
    32
    That is stunning Tim. I can't wait to see a few painted up!
     
  9. subwayaz

    subwayaz TrainBoard Member

    3,222
    106
    44
    I saw this post and had to stop in and see how things were going. EXCELLENT amazing to me the Craftsmanship at work here.
    NICE Job!!:thumbs_up::thumbs_up:
     
  10. shamoo737

    shamoo737 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    4,596
    550
    72
    Tim, it looks like a Ace to me. :D
     
  11. HoboTim

    HoboTim TrainBoard Supporter

    1,599
    451
    41
    2 parts in one!

    Guyz, you spoke too soon!

    Trainboard locked up on me and would not let me finish the Update so I had to "submit reply" and then edit it. The first part sounds good, it is the second that you did not want to hear!!!

    I am so sorry for the delay!!! Kicking myself hard right now!! I don't drink, but this makes me wanna!!!

    Hobo Tim
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 12, 2008
  12. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    22,015
    27,407
    253
    Tim,
    Don't worry about it. I am working ludicrous amounts of hours for the last several months, with a tiny pinprick of light at the end of the tunnel. I just hope that light isn't a freight train... I have little/no time to work on it, anyways. No rush from me.

    Many thanks for the incredible work you have invested in this project!
     
  13. craz3474

    craz3474 TrainBoard Member

    156
    1
    17
    Tim,
    Don't worry about me, I'm OK with the delay. Gotta do what ya gotta do. I won't be able to get to mine for awhile anyway. Just gives us more to look forward to. You've done a great job and we will trust your instincts.
     
  14. jdo

    jdo TrainBoard Member

    181
    0
    20
    Same here Tim, looks fantanstic

    JD
     
  15. BNSF Dash 9

    BNSF Dash 9 TrainBoard Member

    537
    0
    16
    Any updates on this?
     
  16. shamoo737

    shamoo737 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    4,596
    550
    72
    Eddie, Tim is doing another job in Louisiana. I dont think there will be any updates until he finish his job.
     
  17. BNSF Dash 9

    BNSF Dash 9 TrainBoard Member

    537
    0
    16
    Oh ok. Thanks.
     
  18. junior_2

    junior_2 New Member

    3
    0
    10
    I would like to have one or two, too. Please get in touch with me, Tim. You have an email.
     
  19. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    22,015
    27,407
    253
    junior_2,
    Welcome to Trainboard! I am unsure how often (if at all) Tim has access to the 'net. So please don't get angry if he doesn't reply for a month or more.:lightbulb:
     
  20. shamoo737

    shamoo737 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    4,596
    550
    72
    Welcome to Trainboard Junior. Right now, Tim is on a job contrac in New Orleans, and has limited access to the internet. He will reply when he gets back.
     

Share This Page