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mwbpequod
Fireman
   

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Posted - 02/08/2019 : 08:39:04 AM
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I very rarely use any air hose castings other than those from Precision Scale (Kemtron) and always in brass.
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In a time like ours seemings and portents signify. Ours is a generation when dogs howl and the skin crawls on the skull with its beast's foreboding. |
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Country: USA
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Joe-SVL
Section Hand

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Posted - 02/11/2019 : 5:11:54 PM
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I'm wondering if anybody has had their cars Merit Judged lately and if so have the Merit Award Judges been lenient at all wrt the size of the brass wire used for the piping etc. of the brake system. There seems to be an absolute dirth of 0.015" and 0.022" brass wire these days. I do ave a good supply of 0.012" and some 0.019" brass wire which it looks like I'm going to have to use. Does anybody see any problem with using the 0.012" and 0.019" wire w/o being penalized?
thanks
Joe
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mwbpequod
Fireman
   

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Posted - 02/11/2019 : 7:07:25 PM
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Unless you're grossly out of scale, I doubt that there's a problem - they are not going to have a micrometer handy. It's by eye and by golly that looks about right. That you have it at all and it's in correct or at least plausible locations connected reasonably correct should be adequate.
I honestly never worried about using a size other than "that's looking ok".
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In a time like ours seemings and portents signify. Ours is a generation when dogs howl and the skin crawls on the skull with its beast's foreboding. |
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Country: USA
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BurleyJim
Fireman
   
Premium Member

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Posted - 02/11/2019 : 11:27:13 PM
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What Martin said. 
Jim
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Take the red pill |
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Country: USA
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jbvb
Fireman
   
Premium Member

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Posted - 02/12/2019 : 08:36:09 AM
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I didn't buy any, but I saw that Tichy brought a full rack of their phosphor bronze modeling wire to the Amherst Club show last month. They sell both pieces about 6" and pieces about 36", though the latter will be inefficient to ship safely.
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Country: USA
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Michael Hohn
Fireman
   

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Posted - 02/12/2019 : 10:34:47 AM
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Joe,
I think if you checked other modelers and the better kits you’d find variability in wire sizes used for brake rigging. For instance, the Tichy box car kit uses 0.010 wire for brake rods and 0.020 for train line and brake staff.
Mike
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_______________________________________ And we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashin' — Bob Dylan |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 6974 |
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Joe-SVL
Section Hand

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Posted - 02/12/2019 : 6:05:18 PM
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Grab Iron Standoff I've found some pretty good information wrt the width of grab irons; but I haven't seen any information wrt the standoff distance of the grab iron from the side of a car. Any help would be appreciated.
Joe
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Country: USA
| Posts: 97 |
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mwbpequod
Fireman
   

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Posted - 02/15/2019 : 09:40:42 AM
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I think both width and stand off distance is pretty variable and if you use the pre-formed wire or brass castings for grabs that set both of these dimensions that no one will ever argue on this dimension.
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In a time like ours seemings and portents signify. Ours is a generation when dogs howl and the skin crawls on the skull with its beast's foreboding. |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 2292 |
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Michael Hohn
Fireman
   

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Posted - 02/15/2019 : 11:30:40 AM
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When gluing grabs in place I usually slip a scale 2” piece of styrene under the grab. The resulting standoff looks right to me.
Mike
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Country: USA
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Joe-SVL
Section Hand

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Posted - 02/17/2019 : 2:52:34 PM
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AB Brake kits I'm installing my first Cal-Scale AB Brake system and need some hole. I bought the brass version of Cal-Scale brake system and am trouble drilling holes to more securely hold the various size wires I plan on using for the piping. Has anybody had success with drilling into the brass pieces of the Ca-Scale set; OR have people generally used the Cal-Scale plastic AB brake system kit? thanks
Joe
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Country: USA
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BurleyJim
Fireman
   
Premium Member

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Posted - 02/17/2019 : 8:23:39 PM
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Joe,
Drilling into a brass casting is difficult, especially for the diameter carbide drill you would use. Brass is much harder than aluminum or 'pot metal'. Use the plastic, once it's painted nobody knows or measures a Rockwell number.
Jim
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Take the red pill |
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Country: USA
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mwbpequod
Fireman
   

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Posted - 02/18/2019 : 09:21:15 AM
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quote: Drilling into a brass casting is difficult, especially for the diameter carbide drill you would use. Brass is much harder than aluminum or 'pot metal'. Use the plastic, once it's painted nobody knows or measures a Rockwell number.
If you're using a pin vise to drill brass, you're going to be there close to forever and will probably end up breaking a few drill bits, too. If you have a small drill press, this gets a lot easier a lot faster.
If you have the option of plastic castings that are good, go there. If they look right, then they are right.
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In a time like ours seemings and portents signify. Ours is a generation when dogs howl and the skin crawls on the skull with its beast's foreboding. |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 2292 |
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jbvb
Fireman
   
Premium Member

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Posted - 02/23/2019 : 4:02:03 PM
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I've drilled quite a few #78 and finer holes in brass and plated brass passenger car sides without a lot of difficulty. Patience, a quality HSS drill & pin vise, maybe a tiny bit of oil for lube. It won't go fast.
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Country: USA
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Joe-SVL
Section Hand

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Posted - 02/26/2019 : 09:24:53 AM
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Thank you for your inputs on using plastic AB brake kits instead of the Cal-Scale brass kits. I've just returned two brass kits to Walthers and will be ordering 4 more plastic ones to go along with the plastic kits I bought along with two brass kits some time last year. If anybody would like the two brass kits I have I'll be glad to mail them to you. One of the reservoirs has one or two #78 holes drilled into it.
Question: When the main brake line crosses from one side of the under frame thru/under the center sill is the angle that the brake line subtends a standard angle such as 45-degrees? IS the angle subtended a "detail" point that the judges look for?
thanks
Joe
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BurleyJim
Fireman
   
Premium Member

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Posted - 02/26/2019 : 10:05:48 AM
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I don't.
Joe, I applaud your absolute attempt at strict adherence to exactness. I really hope you are getting some enjoyment out of building these models. Take one of your cars, have it 'evaluated' by some of the folks in your Division. Fill out the paperwork Forms 901 and 902. See how the evaluation is done. You are allowed to be there, it's not a 'contest'!. They should ask questions of you if they have any, and afterwards they write comments on the various areas that are evaluated. The whole purpose is to encourage you to be the best modeler you can be. If the model doesn't gather a Merit Award, you should have pointers to get you there. I've had cars that have 'failed' the exam. With the tips and comments received, everyone of them with just a little tweak here and there passed. How you present the model (write up) is important. Describe what you intend to show. Don't go into so much detail, that the evaluators think their "heads are about to explode".
I've judged at the past two National Convention Contests and am planning on doing it again in Salt Lake City. We all learn by doing. Relax, and enjoy the ride.
Jim
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Take the red pill |
Edited by - BurleyJim on 02/26/2019 10:07:14 AM |
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Country: USA
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