After finishing my Walthers Medusa Cement kit for future place-holding on my layout, I found an older P2K kit on the shelf, that I had for a few years that caught my eye. It's a Covered Hopper lettered for the D&RGW (Bernie K said I should have a few more Western cars - well, he said I should switch to the UP, but that's for another thread).
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I'll try to post my progress pixes. These darned pieces parts are (seemingly) getting smaller to my eyes, so I'm going to go slow and using magnifiers.
R/,
Norm
Step 1 is complete and now setting aside to dry. Needed in Step 3.
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Now, a question for folks that may have built one or several of these kits before... does Plano or someone else make a replacement for this walkway piece?
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It's not bad, but I like the 'see through' metal ones.
R/,
Norm
Norm,
Nice looking covered hopper, I'm along for the ride. I built a few of the Tichy 10,000 gallon tankers. Talk about small parts. Or maybe my eyes are getting smaller so I see parts smaller. ;D ;D ;D
Tom ;D
Norm,
Plano does in fact make a roof walk for this exact car. Here's a link.
http://www.planomodelproducts.com/instr/088instructions.pdf
Quote from: jerryrbeach on November 18, 2018, 07:00:20 AM
Norm,
Plano does in fact make a roof walk for this exact car.
Jerry, many thanks. I also see they make a drill template for it. Plano #10889. Gonna try and get them both!
R/,
Norm
These Proto 2000 kits are really nice. I'ver built one, a gondola, and it was loads of fun.
I like how you model with a reference photo in front of you, Norm. Maybe I should buy a computer for my modeling workbench ;D Ha ha ha, as if I need more computers ...
I'm looking forward to the end result.
Jaime
I'm following along as well. Great topic for a thread! :D
Thanks guys! You're comments help greatly! So, an update, but not a lot of progress, of late, with the craptastic Monday the wife & I had. Hope to do more over this long holiday weekend. Maybe even get it done! Doubtful, but gonna try!
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I'm in Step 2, sub-step 3, with installing the thin styrene rods for brake levers, etc. I've done one of these kits before and I usually wind up breaking the lines, even just getting them off the sprues, so I decided I'd dig into my stash (that's what it is there for, I guess) and decide on either DA brass wire or Tichy phosphor bronze wire to replace them. Which do you guys like? I hope to use the plastic brake lines as bending guides/templates. Wish me luck!
R/,
Norm
Try the brass wire.
Good luck.
Jaime
Quote from: jerryrbeach on November 18, 2018, 07:00:20 AM
Norm,
Plano does in fact make a roof walk for this exact car. Here's a link.
http://www.planomodelproducts.com/instr/088instructions.pdf
I ordered one & he already shipped it to me! Hope to see it on Friday!
R/,
Norm
Quote from: NEMMRRC on November 20, 2018, 05:11:01 PM
Try the brass wire.
Good luck.
Jaime
Jaime,
Thanks, mi Compadre! However, the Brass wire is NOT the challenge... Stinking microscopic eye bolts from DA! *@$#_%_#@-+;!!! :o
Norm,
Two things. First. Harbor Freight has a very inexpensive Optivisor type magnifier. Magnification is very strong, I use it only for very fine detail work and I find it helpful for installing DA eye bolts. Of course I usually manage to launch a couple (never to be seen again) if I don't get them gripped evenly in my tweezers.
Second. I have never attempted to fasten a Plano roof walk to a plastic car. I have read that a glue with some flex to it works best, i.e. Canopy Glue. Apparently the expansion coefficient of plastic and the etched Plano roof walk is different enough over time to break the bond if ACC is used.
Hey Norm:
Haven't assemble a car kit in years. Looks like you are doing a fine job.
Karl
Quote from: postalkarl on November 21, 2018, 08:34:12 AM
Hey Norm:
Haven't assemble a car kit in years. Looks like you are doing a fine job.
Karl
Karl,
Thanks! Coming from you, high praise indeed! I'm definitely not as quick and thorough as you, but if I do this slow and steady, I'll hopefully get a decent product to run revenue on my rails! ;)
R/,
Norm
Quote from: jerryrbeach on November 20, 2018, 08:36:19 PM
Norm,
Two things. First. Harbor Freight has a very inexpensive Optivisor type magnifier. Magnification is very strong, I use it only for very fine detail work and I find it helpful for installing DA eye bolts. Of course I usually manage to launch a couple (never to be seen again) if I don't get them gripped evenly in my tweezers.
Second. I have never attempted to fasten a Plano roof walk to a plastic car. I have read that a glue with some flex to it works best, i.e. Canopy Glue. Apparently the expansion coefficient of plastic and the etched Plano roof walk is different enough over time to break the bond if ACC is used.
Jerry,
Thanks! I've got cheaters from Walgreens working for me now, but will have to break out the optivisor I think. Also, that launching of eyebolts has been the biggest problem, even with needle-tipped tweezers. Maybe that's the wrong type to use?
I'll definitely look at another glue for the walkway; I make a super mess with CA glue, anyway. So, either Canopy Glue or Aileen's Tacky glue will be tried. We shall see, after the holidays. Happy Turkey Day!
R/,
Norm
I built one of their tank cars within the last year. They are a vision/coordination test for sure. Especially trying to glue a black grabiron into a black hole on a black car body. :o
Jeff
Norm
I'm following along - I have a few of these in a box somewhere - on the build list. It's a long list. ::)
Hi Norm- I've built a number of these with the Plano roof walk and I have have always had good results using the old stand by Walthers Goo, but I think any rubber contact type cement(Weld) would work. My layout is in an unheated shop so the temps vary from around -10 in the winter to 70 in the summer and I have not had any problems with these roof walks. I would suggest drilling your mounting holes slightly over sized so the roof walk does have some room to "grow".
Doug
Built one of these before. You are doing a great job!
All I can say is...
Quote from: Rail and Tie on November 21, 2018, 01:59:28 PM
Built one of these before. You are doing a great job!
All I can say is...
:o ::) ;D
Well, it took a bit (and many 'extra' eye bolts), but I think the brake line is installed and "good enough". May put an eye bolt on the side of each of the coupler boxes. We shall see. Once painted in similar color to the car, it should be a nice, more durable detail, than the thin, cast plastic.
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As always, comments are welcome.
R/,
Norm
Norm,
It is the addition of details like this that lift a freight car model above the ordinary. I'm looking over your shoulder long distance.
Not rushing thru this, and unfortunately, (I still feel) I am making sloppy mistakes. :P However, I think this is "good enough" as Mr. McClelland used to say. Weathering should cover up most, if not all, of my boo boos. :o
Worked on the B end stuff today, between holiday visitors and dog walks. Adding the Kadee brake wheel from the stock kit one, makes a big difference, IMO.
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I think it'll do. Bending those fashtoonkina grabs was mind numbing and stroke causing. Lol!
Norm
So, I'm getting to the end... Car is all but assembled.
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I spray painted the hatches Wal-mart flat white and the clamps and pins/latches Krylon Chrome (Short Cuts Metallic Paint). I figured it'll all get coated with Dullcoat, and have the right look.
Just have to do the walkway, after filling in the holes - not quite sure how to do the ovals. Using Plano's paper template and after taping in-place, I'll 'give it a go', hopefully after dinner.
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R/,
Norm
Norm,
The easiest method I have found to plug the roof walk holes in a car body is to cut the pins from the old roof walk and use those as plugs. Unfortunately, some manufacturers use round pins with oval holes. In that case I use a slightly larger size of sprue or Evergreen rod to plug the holes for the roof walk pins. I sand it to shape by placing a piece of sandpaper on my work surface and using my fingers to move the rod back and forth lengthwise to flatten the sides into the oval shape. Once I have it close I insert it into the hole, tapering the end slightly if needed to get it started into the hole. I tack it in place with a little cement, then I cut the plug slightly above the hole with pliers, add cement and push on the plug with a screwdriver blade to get it to spread out and completely fill the hole. After the cement dries, I use a #17 X Acto chisel blade to shave it flush with the carbody. It is tedious, so if anyone has a better method I'd love to know (and I think Norm would, too).