CP Wide vision caboose kit

I'm pleased to know that I am not the only one who has had difficulty building these kits. And Loren we know each other quite well. You arranged for me to send two of my cabeese, to Joe at MTL for repainting in Canadian Road names and colours which I hoped would be completed before the train show I'm in next April. Just to set the record straight, I'm 61, retired with lots of time on my hand. I have lots of light, a magnifier and reasonable desterity for someone my age.
I totally agree that these kits are a marvel at engineering and design and in my younger days, I used to build plastic model cars, trucks and planes of different sizes and description. Some of those I might ad are on display at two local air museums. I learned at a very early age, and from model building classes, what to do and what not to do and how to pay particular attention to detail and so on. Without sounding as if I'm bragging, I got good enough to win a few ribbons at model shows around my old stomping grounds and to teach two of my boys how to build them.
Yes I'm old and on the downward slope of my life and some things don't work as well as they used to, and yes these kits take a great deal of patience and time to put together. I knew going in that building them would be a long term project just from reading the instructions. But I didn't expect that one caboose would take 3 to 4 months to complete. Nor did I expect I could do it overnight either. That being said, I did expect that although complex, I would be able to assemble the kit in a reasonable amount of time and that it would work as it was designed to. The completed one I have which I bought from another z scaler who builds many laser kits does not perform well at all. But I find that I can no longer spend the time to finish this kit as I need to put that time into finishing my layout for a show in April next year and with impending surgery and 2 to 3 months of therapy, I need to get as much done now and trying to put together a complex kit, just isn't in the schedule at this point in time.
At least for me, body mounted couplers are not the best. My track is level, and I've taken great care to have all trip pins at equal height above the track particularly at turnouts. I have 17 cars as well as this caboose with body mounted couplers and I am slowly converting all to truck mounted. They just do not work well on curves over 15 degrees whether they are coupled to themselves or to cars with truck mounted couplers. There just isn't enough swing.
Finally, let me say that I've been in Z scale now for a few years having done HO and N and I know only two well how difficult it can be even at the best of times, especially when trying to put cars on the track without a re-railer tool. If I have to give up Z it will not be because I simply can't handle it. It will be because I am no longer physically able to do it. I hope that day won't come until I'm in my 90's if I make it that far. My dream layout might take that long to complete. Being retired does have it's advantages so long as my "Honey Do List", doesn't get too long.
But I would ask this; if anyone would like to assemble a couple of these kits and send them to me over the next 18 months, I would most happily pay for the kit and the shipping of it to you, and for shipping it to me and your time to put it together. And before anyone climbs on me for suggesting that they give up the time they spend on their own kits and layouts, I don't expect that. A few minutes here or there would be acceptable. I was hoping to have this kit, plus another one built by next April, but I know that's too big of a reach and I have abandoned the idea.
And Loren, thanks for your help in sending those two cabeese to Joe to repaint but I'm going to have to get them back now because as you once said, he is very busy at MTL doing other projects and custom painting cabeese for anyone is of low priority. That's cool. I completely understand. I'll just run them as they are and be satisfied with that.
Anyway, thanks to all for your comments and suggestions.

 

I have to tell you up front that you are a whole lot more experienced at model building than I am and so I humbly bow at your feet of experience.
I was not saying you were not capable of building the kits, but maybe it was just something way out of your comfort range, just like I am very uncomfortable regarding some aspects of this hobby.....and woefully ignorant of also.

Sometimes we do have to hand the reins to someone else to complete certain things. I often wish I could do it all but that is not possible.

I need to get back to Joe and ask him again if maybe he can get those cabooses painted up for you. It's been so long and I am sorry it has drug out like this. If he can't I'll get them back to you pronto.

I'd offer to tackle those cabooses for you, but I have to admit I have built very few kits in my time.........very few and I don't think I am up for the challenge nor have the time. I will gladly step aside for someone much more experienced than me.

And Don, you mentioned setting the pieces aside to dry.....have you ever used accellerator on your CA? Makes the CA set almost immediately and no lag time while glue dries.

Ok guys, back to the frey......

 

Yes, but it STINKS !!!

...don

 

NewtoScale

Age is not really a factor, but what you think about it might be. I retired at 60 and I will be 68 in thirty days. What counts is what previous experience you have had with laser wood kits first and second with building them in Z scale. Very different animal from plastic or brass. I can build them but struggle with the painting. As Loren said we don't all come with the same set of skills. We don't all use AC glue with kicker either and there is a learning curve with that stuff as well.

 

Yes Garth, a learning curve which can sometimes be painful. I have on more than one occasion sat patiently and nervously while I cut my fingers apart. A surgeon I am not but by necessity.

Don, I used to use airplane dope when I was a kid to put airplane kits together. No, I didn't sniff it intentionally, but I got my fair share.....maybe that explains a few things about me? )

 

I never used any CA glue on any of my kits, always diluted white glue, so those little tools are quite handy.



http://animekmodels.com/Caboose_Tips.html

Ben

 

I haven´t started on my caboose yet. Until now, I have only built rolling stock from Ztrack and Loren. What is the caboose compared to them:
a) more difficult
b) much more difficult
c) a different dimension
Mattias

 

Robert,

I had to chuckle when I read......"and they are pretty easy to build. He has some really great design features that simplify construction."

You're going to have some guys think you are either nuts or a genius.

But for you, a master model builder, the adjective to describe you would be 'genius.'

 

Ben --

You "got me"... I do use a lot of Elmer's on wooden kits and also some CA. Best tool I have found to use to apply the glue is a toothpick - sharpened to a fairly long point - and then sort of roll & slide the glue onto the surface. The toothpick allows very small quantities of glue to be applied in the proper location..

...don

 

Yep! tool number 2. from my tips page.

 

Actually, use wire cutters to nip off the top of the eye of the needle, you then have a little fork that will hold the glue for application. Works for me.

 

All these tools are familiar to me. I have a few modifications I make to my needle applicators. I use a micro jet propane torch to but a hockey stick bend in my needles and I have several made some with the eye at the ice end of the hockey stick for applying larger amounts of glue and others with the eye buried in the handle. Most needles will not bend unless heated to red hot almost yellow colour. Wear safety glasses or full face plate because if you miss on the heat and snap the needle flying hot metal is very dangerous.



I also have several pairs of tweezers with bent points which make it easier to get the parts into tight corners.

 

Thanks guys for your comments and suggestions. I think I'm just going to leave this kit in the drawer and forget about it at least until summer of next year. I need to concentrate on getting my layout ready for the show next April. Perhaps after that I will have the time to work on it then.
Loren:
Don't press Joe to get those cabeese done. It'a not a huge deal. True I would have liked them for next April, but I know he is far too busy without projects and I sure don't want him taking time away from his family or other outside activities to get these done. Just please ask him to send them back to me and I'll use the one caboose as it is. At least the colour scheme is right. There won't be any road name or number on it, but I will live with that. As for the other, I'm going to take the chassis off it and stick the body in a yard somewhere to use as an office of some type. It doesn't fit in with my lines.
Again, thanks to all.

 

My version of the Widevision Caboose

built for Gunnar Haeberer.
Some customization plus additional decals, different road# and weathering.

 

I was wondering if it would be possible to get the decals you use for your CP cabeese? I would like to purchase some undecorated cabeese from MTL, paint them in the CP yellow and then put CP decals on them. If you could spare are few sets, I'd sure appreciate it. I'd like the logo, the CP Rail and car ID number. Doesn't matter to me that they are all the same. I know somwone who can change numbers like turning 6's into 8's and so on. If so, how much is a set?
Second, have you ever considered adapting you kits to run with truck mounted couplers as opposed to body mounts?
Thanks

 

Wow! Gerd, you've assemble this kit like a champion, and those rust spots are looking so real.:bear-err:

Regarding the road numbers, I never said this, but all the CP kits available have a different road number decals with them, I've downloaded all known CP Caboose pictures around the net, wrote down their numbers and printed the list of each individual number, ya! it took a wile, but I thought it would be a plus value.

Ben