ScaleStructures LTD Cinder Conveyor

[postalkarl]

Hey Bob:

It's coming along quite nicely.

Karl

[Oldguy]

Got a little more work done.
First up was to get the wheels on the "ash wagon".  The instructions say to add the wheels and use that to set the rails.  Another hmmmmm.  Really?  Okay, how to set the wheel base.  There are two intermediate support pieces and I had already added one and was waiting for the glue to dry when I decided to install the wagon wheels.  Oh, Oh, just use the other support as a guide.  Note, that the upper right wheel hasn't been glued on as yet.

Then on to the slanty, between the rail thingies.  One end sets on a tie and then slopes down 18".  The instructions call to make up the side pieces, glue to the flat slopey bits, flip over and add a bunch of 24" ties to the top.  Then flip it back over and insert the whole assembly on the pit side.  Welp, another issue.  The end that slopes down into pit isn't going to be 18" deep.  I know the photos are hard to see, but the micrometer shows the needed depth and it just ain't there.  But before I get too froggy in cutting anything deeper, I need to assemble the two rail support system to better verify actual versus needed depth.

As I mentioned before, my tie height is 0.73" so code 70 rail would be perfect.  So I did a quick  set up and yeah.  The distance between the the rail heads is 0.088.  My code 83 rail base is 0.067 wide.  It'll work, but if I am off by just a little, the running rail base could be hanging in the air.  Now I see why they wanted the two rail supports to be placed upside down.. Not prototypical, but a lot more wiggle room for any track laying errors.  As of this moment, I am thinking of removing part of the base of the joining rails to reduce the span distance of the two heads.  If I can get the two heads closer together, and if the running rails are off just a bit, at least it wouldn't be hanging free.

[Oldguy]

The instructions call to thread the wire rope though the top of the tall tower and  . . .  tie a knot?  


I started at the ash car instead.  as to the wire rope.  I took demery's advise and got some beading wire at JoAnns.  I bought 19 strand (flexible) and 47 strand (most flexible).  And yes, they do look like galvanized wire rope, albeit with a nylon coating.  I decided to use the 47 stand. 


It took a bit of time to be able to gather it close to the cart, added a couple of wraps of small thread, and ACC'd it together.  To string the cable, I had to first glue the cart in place.  Then follow the wrapping diagram, pull the first wrap over the pulley, ACC it place.  When dry to down to the next pulley, hold the wire up, ACC it in place, etc.   I got real lucky in estimating the length needed as I had just enough to feed it up through the top cap   It was also a good thing that I didn't glue it in place as it aided in feeding the wire through it.

I ACC'd the wire that ran through the top cap and when dry used some Hypo cement on the underneath side to hold it permanently.  Once it sat overnight I cut off the excess wire and filed it down smooth.  Then I added a large NBW casting after cutting off the "bolt" end.  A quick oil wash and called it a night.

[PRR Modeler]

Looks great Bob.

[postalkarl]

Hey Bob:

It looks just great.

Karl

[Oldguy]

Curt and Karl, thanks for the responses.
I guess I need to read the Chopper II instructions again.  Massive operator error.  I cut several dozen short ties and just about every one of them were of different lengths.  I dug out several old razor blade cutters just to shave a bit off the long ones to get them half way the same length. 

Then it was on to removing the ties off a length of code 83 track, adding rail joiners, and Pliobond it to the two rail supports and short ties.  I did spike down the extreme ends to keep it in place.  Then some dabs of medium gel ACC for the remainder.  Note - Micro Engineering recommends super glue to hold down their flex track.  It was set aside with lengths of marble to hold everything down over night.
The kit includes a good looking air compressor.  While I was waiting for the short tie glue to set up, I thought, what the hey, I could add a belt to the compressor.  I does have room for two of them.  Kind of hard to see the belt, but it is there. 

I thought I'd mention some containers that I ran across at JoAnns.  I love the Bragdon weathering powders, but hate the tall containers.  The containers I found (they have several different sizes) are bigger than a Pan Pastel container and hold an entire Bragdon container's worth of powder.  I labeled the side of each one and now can easily apply the material on small parts over it and reduce spillage.

[Oldguy]

Now it was tome to tackle the air lines.
The instructions has one route the airline from the cylinder to go up and along the left hand cart rail.  Well, if my rail exactly followed the rail it could have been easier to get the exact bends in the 0.032" provided wire.   As much as I tried, it just wasn't going to happen.  So what was plan B?
Looking at the original March 1969 MR article showed the air line being run underground.  The same held true for the Frisco prototype photo.  So, that will become my plan B.   I needed to slightly drill out the 3" elbows.  Note to self - on the next one (and yes, I have to build a second one) leave the elbows on the sprue.
Next came on how to mount the wire to the valve.  Hmmm, it has little nubbins cast in where the wire is to be glued into place.  Well, that ain't happening.  I found some small wire and the insulation looks like it might work as some sort of pipe connection.  Okay that's solved.  He first photo shows what I am working with. 

The piping to the right is line from the air compressor.  Now what to do with the unit.  It doesn't make sense to me on just mounting it in the open.  So, I'll build a three door shed to house it out of the elements.  Three door meaning the top opens up and there are two swinging doors in front.  I'll need to have the top propped up and the doors open to show the compressor inside.  The second photo shows a proof of concept using parts from the wood scrap box.  Since it is going to be open, I'll need to scratch build the shed using 2x4 framing, two swinging doors with bracing, and a plywood roof covered with tar paper.
Well, this process was halted with tornado sirens going off and need to get back to the house before the monsoon hits.

[Oldguy]

Between the tornado warnings, loss of electricity due to storms, and generally waiting for the glue to dry, I finally managed some progress.
As I previously mentioned, I decided against running the air line along side the cart rails and to bury it instead, per original article and a prototype photo.  The hardest part was getting the elbows to glue to the piping.  I was able to use a bit of Hypo cement to basically hold it in place and then apply Bondic to keep it in place.
Then is was a matter of checking clearances.  And yep, it was close, but doable.
Then onto the air compressor shack.  I just used some scribed siding and added  2x4 framing.  First it was a matter of checking to see if it would work and look right, then on to building the little bugger.  It will have a tilt up roof and two front swinging doors.  As Frisco used to paint auxiliary buildings black, it was a no brainer as to color.  As an aside,  I just can't imagine having section houses in the lower Midwest and South painted black, but they did.  I found an ancient tube of black oil paint from my wife's painting supplies from when she was in high school.  And the stuff is still good.  I used a stubble brush and scrubbed the oil into the siding, let dry for about 20 minutes, then over coated it with some soot weathering powder.
Next it was adding the compressor and piping that goes out the back.  I misjudged the location, so it is off set to the right. I'll eventually add some tools on the left to balance it out.  I messed up on getting it set correctly on the first go, and the Pliobond removed the concrete Pan Pastel on the floor.  I should mention that except for the black oil paint, it was colored just using Pan Pastels and various weathering powders.
The shed roof underside is shown.  The top will be tar paper.

[PRR Modeler]

Really nice Bob.

[postalkarl]

Hey Bob:

It's coming along just great. Can't wait to see it finished.

Karl

[Oldguy]

Curt and Karl, thank you for the support.

[Oldguy]

I managed to build the compressor shed doors.  I used the left over front side piece and colored it using Pan Pastel Neutral Gray as a base, then scrubbed on Bragdon Dust Bowl brown followed by Old Yeller yellow.  I couldn't get the weathering powders to do much on bare wood, hence the grey base coat.  I then added the upper and lower rails, then the left and right stiles.  I found the center and added the two center stiles.  Then the cross pieces were added and when all was dry, cut between the two center pieces to get both doors.  The side were colored and then propped up by some fine wire, they were glued onto the front section.  As one can see in the photos, I use two different single-edge razor blade tools as my fingers just can't handle the blades by themselves.
After the doors set up overnight, I added the roof.  I needed to prop up the building and angle the roof a bit to get the slant that I could live with.  Then it was a matter of added the two roof props.  I won't set this into the base yet, but one can get a general idea of where it will go.
I finally got my order of extra elbows from SS Ltd so I can add the remaining piping.  I also got some Loctite 430.  I watch a TrainmastersTV video on adhesives and Pierre Oliver mentioned using the 430 for metal to metal contact.  Just what I needed for the pesky elbows.  And he was right.

Now I could finish off the valve assembly.  And %^^%# it, I see that it is crooked.  Oh well.  Apparently the railroad plumbers  aren't all that good on stationary objects.  The last piece to go in is the exhaust pipe.  I'll cut off the excess tomorrow.

[Oldguy]

Six photo limit caught up to me, so this build is pretty much done.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this build, the Robertson conveyor is the first of two structures for this board.  The  next structure will be converting a Sheepscot conveyor into a Red Devil Coal loader.  A quick look as to how it will fit is a bit disconcerting.  It is a bit too long.  It needs to end at about the end of the left hand ties.   Of course, why would anything be all that easy.   To be continued . . . . .

[PRR Modeler]

Excellent modeling Bob.

[ACL1504]

Bob,

You've really done a great job on a very "testie" kit. I never got this far on mine.

Well done sir.

Tom