Coffee Shop XXIX

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Good Morning

Had my coffee out on the back deck...at 5:45am this morning..all dark and cold...all of 32F...yay. Why was I out at that ridiculous hour of the morning?

Because I felt like it...
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...that's why. I know, I'm being a little weird today..I was spending a bit of time in my so-called recording studio putting a few pieces together..namely my instrument tracks...:eek::eek:

Anyway-it is supposed to be a high of 46F today-in the sunshine and varying degree of cloudiness...

Oh well, I'm also putting a blog together with some of my own music, and modeling photos-eventually. Note it is in a 'primitive' state right now as I've just started the thing a few days ago....:eek::eek:

Have a good day.
 
Good morning. It's 40° and partly cloudy. The high will be 68° and it will be sunny..

Last night I turned the heater on before going to bed thinking that it would be cold overnight. I was right. It was 34° when I woke up at 6:30. It was a nice 70° in here. The heater is off now. I discovered this morning that I have two covered hoppers of the same size that carry vastly different loads. They're in this mornings photo. Now I know that granite even in a powdered or pulverized form (used in cement/concrete mix) is very heavy. I had no idea that beans could be heavy enough to require such a compact and rigidly built hopper. Who says beans aren't a heavy meal!:eek::D

Today I'll be applying the L&A decals to the Front Range hopper and making some skirting for the Bachmann mobile home. I figure card stock should be good enough. After that a general cleanup of the layout and maybe I'll run a train today.

P1012561.jpg
 
Well today I'll be receiving a Tyco 'Old Dutch Cleanser' reefer and a Woodland Scenics 'Rusty's Regret' vehicle. That should look good parked amongst the trees behind Ezra Johnson's tourist train station and pizza joint. If it doesn't I'll find another place for it. I should also be able to get a start on making a step by step posting with photos for a friend on how to remove truck mount coupler boxes and body mount Kadee boxes and couplers.
 


Hi everyone and a very good weekend to'ya!
Thanks to all for the congrats. I did my usual and got Carolyn her dozen red roses and we went out for a quiet dinner. The BIG one (50) will be coming up in five and I already have had strong hints that a new diamond ring will be needed to take it past that mark. (Hummph! I think the money would be better spent on my layout, lol :rolleyes: :D)

Karl: man, with a new layout starting, you have a golden opportunity to complete AP certificates by meeting qualifications as you go. My biggest hurdle is getting all my notes, scratch pad scribbles, and cobweb memories into a presentable form. I shouldn't have too much problem getting three more with what I have completed, but the remaining certificates needed will require doing work different than what I have already done with new knowledge and skills.

Steve: Just found out one of my Greatest-Grandfathers was born in Staffordshire, England, in 1680.
 
Patrick: As promised hare's your step by step for converting cars with truck mounted couplers to body mounted Kadee couplers. I put in links to the photos so I wouldn't blow the dial-up guys out of the water. This is for anyone who needs it.


Today's topic is about how to get rid of the truck mounted coupler boxes on Tyco cars and how to body mount Kadee #242 coupler boxes and #5 couplers.

First, the subject of today's exercise. A Tyco 50' reefer with truck mounted coupler pockets and horn hook couplers, both of which I find undesirable.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z471/j56616-142/P1012582.jpg

This car needs additional weight so I'll do that first. I may not be able to later. First I remove the shell from the frame.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z471/j56616-142/P1012583.jpg

Next I set in a piece of lead sheet and secure it by threading electrical tape under the existing weight and folding it over on top of the lead sheet. I do this in two places.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z471/j56616-142/P1012584.jpg

Now I snap the shell back onto the frame and turn the car upside down.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z471/j56616-142/P1012585.jpg

Now I remove the trucks by simply grasping them and pull them straight out of their sockets. They can also be pried out with a flat tip screwdriver.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z471/j56616-142/P1012586.jpg

Remove the first wheelset from each truck.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z471/j56616-142/P1012587.jpg

Next, holding the truck upside down I carefully place the jaws of a pair of 4.5 inch wire snips so the tool is under the side frame then carefully clip that side of the coupler mount. I repeat for the other side.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z471/j56616-142/P1012588.jpg

After that's done the truck should look like this one.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z471/j56616-142/P1012589.jpg

Now I put the wheelsets back in the trucks.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z471/j56616-142/P1012590.jpg

Now comes the fun part. I get to play with a power tool. Notice that this car has two frame ridges where the coupler box needs to be. These have to be removed. A Dremel rotary tool with an abrasive disk will make short work of them.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z471/j56616-142/P1012591.jpg

Care must be taken to insure the mounting area is flat.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z471/j56616-142/P1012592.jpg

Now it's time to install the #242 coupler pocket. It comes in two pieces. The box and the cover. Remove any flash from the cover now.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z471/j56616-142/P1012593.jpg

Now for the adhesive agent. I use super glue gel. It stays where I put it and doesn't run into any and all cracks and seams.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z471/j56616-142/P1012594.jpg

Now I apply a single drop on the frame just back of where the frame and shell meet.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z471/j56616-142/P1012595.jpg

I then press the #242 couple pocket onto the frame making sure that the lip on the front edge of the box just overhangs the shell.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z471/j56616-142/P1012596.jpg

I give the glue about 15 minutes to dry. During this time I'm removing the abrasive disk from my Dremel and putting in a drill bit that's slightly smaller than the screw that will hold the cover plate. When the glue has dried I insert the bit into the screw hole of the box and drill a hole through the cars frame.

Now I set the centering spring and coupler in place as shown.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z471/j56616-142/P1012597.jpg

I put on the cover and install the screw to hold it. It needs to be snug but not so tight that it inhibits the couplers movement. Make sure the raised lip on the cover is against the couplers shank. If it isn't the couple will sag.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z471/j56616-142/P1012598.jpg

Now I put the trucks back on.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z471/j56616-142/P1012599.jpg

Then check the coupler height with a Kadee coupler height gauge.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z471/j56616-142/P1012600.jpg

This can also be checked with an NMRA standards gauge if you have one. It has a hole in it that's at the proper height recommended for the coupler head. On nearly every Tyco car I've converted the coupler height has been either dead-on or very, very close using the steps I described above.
 
Thanks Mikey. The first two weren't that easy for me but as time progressed it became easier.


Time for me to head for the bed, See y'all tomorrow.

DSCN1641.jpg
 
Good morning. It's 42° and mostly cloudy. The high will be 69° and it will be sunny.

Mainly cleanup today. Never did get around to putting the L&A decals on the Front Range hopper. I had more important family concerns to attend to. My mother fell yesterday and couldn't move. She's had previous back injuries and we dared not attempting to move her. Paramedics were summoned and she was taken off to the hospital. I haven't heard anything yet on her condition. She was incoherent and only vaguely responsive. Her blood sugar turned out to be nineteen and that can't be good. The lowest mine has ever been was in the twenties and I remember how that felt. I'm hoping to hear some good news today.

For sale: 1958 Plymouth Fury. Name: Christine. Last registered owner: Ezekiel Johnson (deceased). Car has been parked for ten years. Was running when parked. Be aware that the car had a sinister effect on all who have owned it.

P1012613.jpg
 


Good morning everyone.

I have the day off but my wife has to work. I guess that means I'll have to do whatever I want today!:cool: I think it will have to be a traintastic kind of day. :D

Jeffrey, it seams that the Fury is hiding in plain sight with a different paint job. Sneaky, evil thing!

Time to inhale glue and paint fumes!

Have a good day folks.
 
Late Good Morning to all,
It a nice Sunny day at 62* in the shade and feels like 70* in the Sun with clear skies but fairly hazy down in the San Joaquin Valley.

Say Jeffery: That's quite a tutorial you put together, thanks!



I Reposted my ad again about joining the forum
 
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Evening All hope your well

Rex Congratulations on your anniversary and the cert's, So,,, your English after all, maybe a few generations ago but English all the same, maybe your relatives new the people who lived near my house who went by the name of Myles Standish
 
Well my mother is back home and is her usual self. She has some bruises but apart from that she's OK. She was in a borderline comatose state due to low blood sugar. Maybe she'll be more mindful of it now. I'm not holding my breath.
 
Unfettered said:
As a question, what should the weight be on a typical car? I know the Blue Box kits came with weights, as does the Accurail kit. But a lot of the older "toy" cars I have in my boxes of stuff do not have weight, which can easily be added.
Click to expand...
The NMRA RP 20.1 tells all. For HO 1 ounce initial car weight plus a half ounce for each inch of car length. A 50 foot car is 7 inches long. Using the NMRA weight chart that cars optimum weight is 4.5 ounces. A 60' car is 8.25 inches long. A weight of 5 ounces will be sufficient.
 
Good morning folks

It was 29 F as I headed out this morning. Our high will be 52 F.

It has been one crazy weekend. We got hit with snow on Saturday. We got a couple of inches on the grass. Depending on how hard it was snowing the roads either were just wet or slushy. I wonder if all the snow will be gone for the trick-or-treaters tonight.

We got a new kitchen floor on Saturday during the storm. The new floor looks great. I am so happy to get rid of that ugly white floor.

My daughter attended another volleyball open gym on Sunday. She still is trying to shake off the rust from not playing for four weeks. The talent level at this open gym was below what she has been used to lately but she was glad to get some touches on the ball and court time.

Tonight we will be handing out candy. I wonder how many trick-or-treaters we will get. We are usually the only house on our side of the street in our block that hands out candy. We are also the only one that decorates including Christmas. My wife says that we live on Scrooge Street. The kids put out about 40 bags for Scouting for Food every year along our street. They are lucky to get back 5 bags. It just amazes me how uncharitable our street is.

Rex congratulations on 45 years!

I hope everybody has a good day.
 
Good morning. It's 60° and sunny. The high will be 75° and it will be partly cloudy.

Maybe today I'll finally be able to apply the L&A decals to the Front Range hopper. I also have a very glossy Tyco Old Dutch Cleanser reefer that needs dirt, rust and grime added. There's a few hoppers that have the same problem.

P1012631.jpg
 


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