I made the windows separate parts. The 'full cab' option of Climax had two panes that slid across. The only time I've ever seen them slid shut was in builders photos. I was debating on whether to put them on this first one or not. I made it so that they are individual pieces that can be glued slid all the way open, partway like on this one, or both windows completely across. Or leave them off entirely. It's kinda a compromise on how much you want to conceal the motor and inside of the cab. you can also cut the whole mess out above the beam under the window; a significant number of locos were sold with no windows at all. Easier to cut out than to build back in, so I put it in the castings. As is, they were done from masters that were .015x.020; about as small as I could make them and still cast them at all. OMG they are small, so is that headlight! Gregg, bluntly, I don't know how to photoetch yet. Like they say, when the only tool you have is a hammer, the whole world looks like a nail. I would have also liked to photetch the footboards and the headlight bracket - I've always used hand-cut brass on my other locos, but not practical here for a semi-mass produced effort. I talked to a couple photoetchers and was given lead time in months to a year, and I'm not that patient.
Well, I think I'm about done here. I was able to successfully make black "Climax Mfg. Co." laser decals. I don't have much material but I do intend to include them in the kits. Black lettering only, numbers and letters and the Climax name. Woodpile is split elm scraps to 30" long glued over the woodpile weights, that worked. Engineer is a LaBelle after some radical surgery that would have killed most N scale figures. Other than finish the instructions and get some packaging boxes in, I'm think I'm ready. Considering how white and waxy-looking the castings are until painted.... I'm as surprised as anybody how well the detail picked up - particularly the rivets and woodgrain. Remember, I've never done this before either, and I'm not a particular big fan of resin kits myself. So...... I'm doing a couple up to sell assembled on Ebay, because I had to photograph them for the instructions. I'm not sure how many people are really interested yet, I have a couple so far, but if you are, let me know so I can get an idea how many I should be making. Contact me offline to 'reserve' and get your Kato Critters in advance while you can. May take me a little while here, but this is a 'go', the Copyright is filed, etc. My intent is to finish the instructions so I can put those out in advance as a .PDF so you can see EXACTLY what you're getting yourself into before you pay and commit. I'll sell the parts & materials for $49 + shipping. If you want custom-made-to-fit weights I'm charging an additional $5. If I decide to make any more built-ups I'm not sure what to charge yet - I suspect Ebay will help me there. For the trivia buffs: The only 'local' Class A Climax was to Collins & Watson in 1892, Climax Sn #101, a vertical-boiler, wood-frame 13-tonner that was almost all-enclosed. But they sent it to construct their 'new' common-carrier railroad that connected to the Hickory Valley Railroad at Ross Run, PA. The 'new' railroad was the Tionesta Valley & Hickory Railroad, and only existed until it was merged into the Sheffield & Tionesta in 1904. So, if I'm going to have a Class A on the "Hickory Valley", this is the likely choice, even if it is likely a) it never did ths, b) wrong locomotive/era, and c) no evidence ANYTHING was ever lettered TV&H RR!
For the inevitable question.... Here's the size comparison. 1. Climax Class A 2. Atlas Shay 3. Atlas 2-6-0 Yes, at 27', it is TINY.
The instruction sheet is just about done. If I have your e-mail address as being interested, you'll get an advance copy of the instructions as a .PDF. That way you can be sure you want this and want to take it on before you ever order. That's just a personal pet peeve of mine that you never know what you're in for with a craftsman kit - particularly when it might need odd tools or materials to complete.
Randy, That Climax is excellent looking.:thumbs_up: Good ldea to take a photo with a shay & 2-6-0. they do look tiny.
OK, here's a quick update as of Friday night. I JUST THIS MINUTE got the CD-ROM in with the prototype Climax images.... so launch for the instructions will be this weekend. I'm casting as fast as I can, ordered more material, because I got about twice as many inquiries as I expected. But the best I can do during the week is one about turn per day per mold. I'm making additional molds as backups and to increase production. I've discovered it's REALLY a good idea to have a backup mold in case you have an unexpected tear-out and have to do a mold repair. Also, the locomotive I assembled with the square tank on it (for the instruction sheet photography) is finished. I'm listing it on Ebay effective tonight. Depending on how this does, I may do more built-ups, but it takes me like 3-4 evenings to finish one kit to this level, so we'll see. But if you've been watching this and want to take a shot at it, hey, it's out there. I'm really not sure if I'm going to repeat this, or just sell kits. Here's the square-tank one: I think it looks better with the square tank, even if that is the rarer configuration.
Randy: You've done a wonderful job on that loco. I'm totally amazed at what you've been able to accomplish building this tiny gem. Thanks for sharing with us on Trainboard. Stay cool and run steam.....
As someone said earlier, I'm in awe!! It takes great skill to make a one-off as in the first picture. Doing it in a way that you can replicate it takes way, way more... as it seems you've realized. Yet you mastered that, too!! Kudos, kudos, kudos!!!
Thanks...! It's hard to type with resinnn on myyy ffingers.... It's 2X harder to make patterns than make a model, true enough. But I think that 'everything' I do from now on will at least have this idea in the back of my mind. A quick update - Sample instructions went out to everybody that's expressed an interest to date. If you didn't get one, I don't know you're interested!
Hey, thanks. Frankly, I'm still rather shocked, but considering what I've seen some stuff go for, I suppose it's not impossible. I've got kits ready, if you haven't already contacted me then do so. Needless to say, I think there's a market in built-ups - at least a few, and it's worth the time to do it. Not for everybody, for sure, but the Great Wise One that told me to maybe try it this way was right.
OK, here's an update. I'm going to do a few more builtups, and probably sell them on Ebay, but only one at a time and slowly. I've got the initial 'rush' of kits out the door, you know who you are. I've got a few more kits leftover, but not many - like enough parts for five more on-hand. I'd really like to 'shut the production line down' here to reclaim my workbench. It's not that I'm never going to do it again, just that it would be nice to not have 50% of my workbench solely devoted to this project. Once I'm really 'out' of parts I probably won't get everything back out again just for a single order, so if you still want one and don't want to wait a while, let me know here so I can at least make some parts up ahead. If you looked at the instructions and went 'whoa....' that's OK, too. This has really gone pretty well and has been very encouraging for me to want to do this kind of stuff, just that these low-production resin projects are SLOW... the best turn you can get out of molds is maybe three turns a day if you push it hard. One mold tear-out, re-do, or repair and you've lost a couple days there, too. But at least for the moment, it's like same-day shipping!
A 'gotta' have logging engine! I really must say you are an exceptionally talented individual! Just looking at that built-up model next to the Shay and Atlas Mogul was facinating... then seeing it next to a PENNY... leaves me speechless. I don't know what skills it would take to build this little critter... but I'm definately interested in getting at least one... built or unbuilt. How can I contact you to acquire one of these gems????
I can send the order form and instructions via e-mail, so just PM-me. Next project up for casting 'may' be an SW1. The chassis is difficult, but the body is so sweet that I may do it anyway as a resin shell and let people figure out a mechanism on their own. I've heard the Con-Cor split frame mech is easier to deal with than the LL.
Yes, that CERTAINLY deserves a whole string of the lil guy bowing down! (I REALLY miss the old smileys!!)
A bunch of people have asked - and I can confirm - that despite any information confusion on various e-tailers, there is NO DIFFERENCE in the wheelbase between the 11-105,6, and 7. In fact, the 11-107 has the 11-105 part number cast on the frame. It's only the sideframes. I've got two more done, and when I get them finished, they'll hit Ebay. I went into the first Critter project- the GE 44-tonner, and swapped the original low-voltage pager motor out for a Motorman 0816, 8v. These are narrow enough to fit in a diesel hood at 8mm width. He also has them in dual shaft configuration. It's a tight squeeze at best into the Climax - square tank, but it was duck soup in the 44-tonner: I discovered by accident that LEAVING the 100-ohm resistor in to limit the voltage to the Faulhaber motor gives you great slow speed control. This has the OEM clunky resistor, and is the only one I did this way, but it fits and there's no need to change it now.
