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jbvb
Fireman
Premium Member
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 Posted - 03/25/2021 : 10:16:38 PM
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Thanks, Pete. Very likely, Rob.
Today I did the brake staff. I cut another wheel off the Cal-Scale 190-289 sprue and confirmed it was cored for an .020 shaft. I punched a .0625 disk of .010 brass with a Micro-Mark die set, drilled it and soldered both to a phosphor bronze shaft, about 40" apart. The stirrup support and chain must wait till the deck is done. So, I tried out my 2nd hand ultrasonic cleaner, using well water and a sprinkle of trisodium phosphate for fluid:
The brake gear's epoxy was setting as I shot the photo. I used some extra to better secure one of the truck mount tubes; the frame had risen up when I retracted the drill bit, making the hole a bit loose.
If everything looks good tomorrow morning, I'll airbrush it. Deck and handbrake will follow in another day or two.
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James
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Country: USA
| Posts: 6899 |
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CNE1899
Engine Wiper
Supporting Member
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Posted - 03/26/2021 : 06:59:55 AM
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James,
Really nice brass work! Thanks for taking the time to describe your process.
Scott
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Country:
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Bernd
Fireman
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Posted - 03/26/2021 : 09:30:21 AM
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James,
Just catching up with your project. I like your method of making those cut levers. They look really nice, as does the rest of the car. Nice to see someone doing some scratch building in brass. One of my favorite materials to work with.
Bernd
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| New York, Vermont & Northern Rwy. - Route of the Black Diamonds |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 3993 |
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jbvb
Fireman
Premium Member
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Posted - 03/26/2021 : 5:14:53 PM
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Thanks, Scott and Bernd. I add details so others can get a better idea of how it's done, but also so I can re-read it to check important points down the road.
Today I fired up the spray booth:
I applied ancient Floquil Boxcar Red from a 'paint can' package that's probably almost my age. I'd added some Xylene recently and it went on nicely. But I neglected my own advice and didn't blacken the steps, grabs and stake pockets; there are already a few small chips.
Once the paint is really dry, I'll try a dot of blackener on them. Then touch any damage up, weather the car, get it evaluated and consider whether I want to strip the vulnerable edges, or just blacken them as they get chipped. I don't really need another flat in my operating fleet, so its first few destinations will be train shows.
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James
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Country: USA
| Posts: 6899 |
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Orionvp17
Fireman
Premium Member
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Posted - 03/26/2021 : 7:14:15 PM
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James,
This is an elegant work, but if I may be bold here, I'd like to suggest that your schedule include decking, markings and perhaps installing the brake wheel before you go for the evaluation.... It's a concept....
Pete
in Michigan
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Country: USA
| Posts: 7568 |
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Michael Hohn
Fireman
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Posted - 03/26/2021 : 7:33:54 PM
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It looks so real. You’re doing a great job modeling this car.
Mike
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Country: USA
| Posts: 7455 |
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jbvb
Fireman
Premium Member
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Posted - 03/27/2021 : 10:30:20 PM
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Thanks, Pete and Mike. Yes, I have a scheme to make the deck, the brake staff/wheel are blackened and awaiting the deck, and decals I think will work are at hand.
This evening I've been planning my next couple of scratchbuilds while listening to the NMRAx. Kevin Marks has just finished talking about soldering. If you were watching him, you may have noticed we differ on several points:
1. He uses NoKorode flux. I haven't used that for models or track work since I discovered Tix flux 25 years ago. I find the grease base very tricky to clean up. I haven't been bothered by Tix going where I don't want it; you can always use a smaller brush than the one that comes with the bottle. And there is Tix 'Anti Flux", which keeps solder from wetting surfaces. I first used it a bit on this job, but I can't say I'm expert yet.
2. He doesn't like sweating parts together. I couldn't have done this without sweating - only the flange/sill joints were heated and touched with wire solder. The coated parts don't fit perfectly until I apply pressure to the joint as I heat with the tweezers. When 360F is reached, it all liquefies and the parts go to their final positions.
He doesn't mention solder type, but I'm using 63/37 Tin/Lead, which is 'eutectic': melts all at once at 360F/183C. I had a .032 diameter rosin core Radio Shack roll upstairs, so that's all I used. Downstairs I have a finer Kester dispenser, because that was where I built most of my signals. Yes, you mustn't put your fingers in your mouth while working with it. I find 50:50 inferior, and wouldn't even use it on full size air brake piping. And I was once sold a coil of 'lead free' that I only use for filling in switch frogs. I think lead-free plumbing solders have improved in 25 years, but I haven't experimented.
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James
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Edited by - jbvb on 03/27/2021 10:50:39 PM |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 6899 |
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BurleyJim
Fireman
Premium Member
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Posted - 03/27/2021 : 11:07:33 PM
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James,
Nice job on the flatcar. The 'complexity' will certainly keep your eval in the high end. 
Jim
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| Take the red pill |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 6316 |
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Glen Haasdyk
Fireman
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Posted - 03/27/2021 : 11:59:54 PM
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I love what you've done with this scratchbuild. Anyone who says that flatcars aren't complex should see this thread.
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Country: Canada
| Posts: 2535 |
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George D
Moderator
Premium Member
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Posted - 03/28/2021 : 09:06:53 AM
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Nice looking flatcar, James. Interesting discussion on soldering.
George
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| Fly Army |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 16931 |
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jbvb
Fireman
Premium Member
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Posted - 03/28/2021 : 10:19:59 PM
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Thanks, Jim, Glen, George. After spending a while researching the next car to build, I cut the deck. Tomorrow I'll stain it and let it dry in the sun before attempting to assemble and attach it.
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James
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Country: USA
| Posts: 6899 |
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k9wrangler
Engineer
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Posted - 03/28/2021 : 11:24:38 PM
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Excellent and intriguing project.
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Mega Dittos
Karl Scribner
Manistique, Michigan |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 12063 |
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jbvb
Fireman
Premium Member
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Posted - 04/01/2021 : 8:53:59 PM
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Thanks, Karl.
I stained the HO scale 3x6 basswood deck with Minwax Dark Walnut on Friday and let the wood sit on a window sill till it felt dry. Today I spent a little while thinking about how to assemble the deck. I played with transfer tape, thinking about putting it on the underside of the wood. I decided the exposed stickum would accumulate dust.
Next I tried thinning Walthers Goo with MEK. I squeezed a blob of Goo into a metal palette dish and tried mixing MEK in. Mixed results; MEK is way too volatile for a stable mix, the texture was changing every couple of minutes. And even with the window open, the fumes were noticeable. Seems some are dipping a brush in Goo, then in MEK. I was dipping a wire in the Goo/MEK mix and painting the tops of the stringers.
At any rate, I like how it turned out - few threads and no blobs or threads visible from below:
The Goo bond has stood up to some handling, including drilling the brake staff hole.
My next puzzle is forming and mounting the stirrup that supports the bottom of the brake staff. The outer leg can easily go on a stringer, but the inner can't just go on the coupler box. I hope I can install it without removing truck and coupler.
And the stirrup will need chain, and paint, and I must mount a retainer valve before I start decaling.
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James
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Edited by - jbvb on 04/01/2021 9:00:19 PM |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 6899 |
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wvrr
Fireman
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Posted - 04/01/2021 : 9:05:44 PM
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Looking good, James!
Chuck
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Country:
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Orionvp17
Fireman
Premium Member
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Posted - 04/01/2021 : 9:44:43 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by wvrr
Looking good, James!
Chuck
What Chuck said!!
Pete
in Michigan
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Country: USA
| Posts: 7568 |
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