Your epoxy-rod for turning idea is just great! The rod additionally leaves a method of handling the item, and for permanently securing it to the boiler later.
Hemi, Thanks for the nice comment. I put in some time last couple of nights and worked on some more boiler details. I picked up 100 #00-90x.125 brass slotted fillister head screws. I am going to use these for the Baldwin badges and hand clean-outs. I chucked these up and turned them to the correct diameter, .05 for badges and .047 for clean-outs. I ground the heads down for the badges to .01 thick. The heads for the clean-out I ground down to leave just a bit of the slot. Next I turned a shoulder into the clean-out heads. I drilled a hole in some scarp wood to just leave a bit of the head sticking up. I then took a piece of .010 brass wire, cleaned it, fluxed it, then soldered the tip into the screw head slot. My first try, I put too much solder on and lost the detail. Second time I remembered a video I had watched, and added just a bit cut from the solder tip. That worked! Remade a second one. I marked and drilled out the holes for the badges and the clean-outs. In one image I show the screw and the first two solder attempts. Next up, paint the wheels and rods. Scott
WOW Scott! Great work at the micro level. Thanks for including the dime. It keeps things in “perspective”.
Waltham is still known as Watch City, though they stopped manufacturing them a long while ago. The buildings are all still standing and have been repurposed. Waltham is a great little city. Jim
Well, After a way to long and stressful interlude, I started putting some time on the loco. Painted the wheels with Poly Scale Steam Power Black(found some extra at my dad's house). I also discovered some very nice cast metal trailing trucks, my dad had made by London Bridge. There are two or three types. Next up, more stanchion holes, pilot work, and gluing the cab to the boiler. Scott
Nice Scott, way to kick of Model Railroading Season. Don't worry, you can rake leaves in a couple weeks and get a head start on all the action!
Rob, Thanks for the support. Leaves are already pilling up, and I still have a lot of wood to split. My wife thinks I need to get a splitter. Can't wait for winter! Scott
The wheels look great and agreed the trailing truck is really good. While all details make the model those two create a major difference. Nice!!
Joe, Funny you ask, I was just trying to sneak in some time this holiday season. It has been pretty hard to find time due to a year of serious family health situations. Hopefully these will be resolved in the coming year, and and I will be able to do activities in the lighter realm of life. I will post more shortly. Scott
Hang in there Scott. We can all relate to some degree. Been in a bit of a funk myself, especially with the weather hitting us so hard here in South Dakota. One would think winter lockdown would be the best time for getting some Model Railroading done. But it’s exhausting just digging out every morning to get to work and back. Once the weekend comes, you just collapse on the couch. May the Good Lord make 2023 a better year health wise for you and your family as well.
Definitely hope the new year finds you dealing with positives with family Heath Scott cause you have always been very positive. You’re another one of those guys that motivates me. Your style of work is cool to see. We got people with lasers, printers, lathes, and good old fashion milling and I enjoy all of it.
I was able to put a little time in this paste New Years weekend. I cut and epoxied in some 1/32 metal pins from Mcmaster Carr. First I placed them into the boiler and then filed them until the the Belpaire/cab section sat flush. I used a Hemostat to hold the pins while I filed them. The pins were epoxied into the boiler with the Belpaire/cab on top to hold the pins in position. I am going with the big cast pilot. Earlier I had reduced the size of the cylinders, the pilot beam, and removed some cast in steps. To give the cylinders more detail, and to get them to the correct length, I trimmed end sections off another pilot with an X-acto saw, and sanded them down, on a sanding board, to the desired thickness. I'll epoxy them on next. Scott
