Coffee Shop XXXV-12/3/2012

[Trussrod]

To: Burlington Bob & Jeffrey,

Thanks for your birthday wishes!
It's always a lot of fun and interesting here on the forum with like minded guys and gals.
Gals, what gals? Well there used to be Flo and Francine that Bill used to post.

Thanks and take care,

 

[Larry]

Hi Gang, the Innocent Bystander is here. I finally sold everything out of my Trainroom this week. Got 4 large boxes for Will Landers to ship out this week by UPS, another large Box going to Ohio w/22 engines that he is paying in time payments & will ship the middle of January & a small box of lights & switches(electrical) going to Alabama. Still have a mess of used track going to Will that I haven't wrapped & boxed yet. That will go out the same time the 4 large boxes go. I only kept 3 items. A Schnabel car, a CSX MP15DC that a buddy gave me as a gift about 3 years ago & a kitbashed Bobber caboose. I have it sitting on a track nailed to a 1by3 on the bottom shelf of my TV glass cabinet. I have some Malibu trucks & lowboy trailers w/equipment loads & some box trailers that will probably go out as gifts to my biggest buyers after the 1st of the year. I'm now officially out of the Model Railroad Hobby after 51 years.
I'm thinking very seriously about buying a Plasma Cutter & going back in the Metal Sculpture business. The guy that bought all of my welding equipment about 5 yrs. ago told me I could use his shop. That's real good for me because I won't have to buy all new equipment to get back in that business, other than the Plasma cutter.
I'll be lurking around here some days or nites or mornings.

 

[tootnkumin]

Happy birthday David from down this way as well. You're only a young fella. We've got an osteoporosous TV ad here where this 40-50 Year old guy say's he was told he had the bones of a 70 yr old. I've been getting visited by Arthur Righteous just lately so went for a bone scan the other day, my Doc tells me mine are good for my age (74), so at least I can be happy with that.

Hand laying of switches is one of the things I'd like to do, have looked at the Fastrack jigs etc, quite attracted to their Twist Ties method which allows a certain amount of flexibility, i.e. either building them straight or curved as suits the application. The only drawback being that they really need to be built "in situ". Now you appear to be building yours "off layout" using presumably cardstock patterns. Do you use any point filing jigs to get your points, closing rails and stock rail reliefs accurate?

 

[Trussrod]

That might look good at that. Problem #1, I don't have an old pickup. Only pickup as such that I have a Chevy S10 tucked away in a box somewhere.

I was mainly wondering if you felt it was something that could be made up? I've done some things but haven't attempted to make something like this. Part of the problem, to look somewhat authentic, in using the old Bachmann mechanism is that it has double Axeles/wheels being a simulated hand car although I suppose the non-drive Axel wheels could be removed if the mechanism was supported although if they could possibly be used for the front drive they also look ok too. But come to think of it I do have an old Mack Rail bus that has double wheels on the rear too!

I do know that I have seen some 1930's style cars called High Railers that were for sale but nothing in a earlier time period, probably due to concealing the size of a standard HO motor?

 

[Boris]

Happy Birthday, David, and many more to follow.

 

[FCL2117]

you need to keep your feelings on certain subjects out of this forum,if you dont like it dont respone THANK YOU, now back to trains please

If you feel that way (feelings, you know), I suggest you read the post I quoted.

I'm done.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I've been working on some freight cars today. I installed body mounted #5 Kadee couplers in #242 draft gear boxes on a Life-Like ICG flatcar and a Life-Like TOYS 'R' US boxcar. I also added #5's to an Athearn 62' tank car. I'll be putting #5's on a Tyco Erie 34' hopper when I mount a pair of #242 boxes on it.

I was tearing down a Model Power F2A when I chanced to look at the axle gears. I'll have to look at the gears in the C628 to be sure but they appear to be the same. If that's the case I'll have four wheelsets that'll fit the C628 that don't have pizza cutter flanges. I have a Model Power GP9 chassis around here somewhere that I can get the other two wheelsets from for the idler wheels. Only four axles on the C628 are driven.

I looked at the motor in a Bachmann F9A. It's a pancake motor, looks like from the early 90's and I have to say it's a complete wreck. It's twin in the other F9A is in great shape which is surprising since it is a pancake motor.

I'm toying with an idea about using the motor from the Model Power loco to replace the aging motor in the C628 or I may see if I can put an Athearn motor in it. Either way it'll be an improvement over the small 3 pole motor that's in it at present.

Well that's it for now. Time to call it a day. See y'all tomorrow.

 

[railfan]

Hi Gang, the Innocent Bystander is here. I'm now officially out of the Model Railroad Hobby after 51 years.
I'm thinking very seriously about buying a Plasma Cutter & going back in the Metal Sculpture business. The guy that bought all of my welding equipment about 5 yrs. ago told me I could use his shop. That's real good for me because I won't have to buy all new equipment to get back in that business, other than the Plasma cutter.
I'll be lurking around here some days or nites or mornings.

Best of luck Larry. The coffee here is always hot and ready!

Mike

 

[railfan]

To: Burlington Bob & Jeffrey,

Thanks for your birthday wishes!
It's always a lot of fun and interesting here on the forum with like minded guys and gals.
Gals, what gals? Well there used to be Flo and Francine that Bill used to post.

Thanks and take care,

Happy Birthday David!

Mike

 

[bnsf971]

If you feel that way (feelings, you know), I suggest you read the post I quoted.

I'm done.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

If you find a post offensive, or feel it's in violation of the forums rules, simply click the little "report post" icon in the upper corner of the offending post. The icon looks like an international caution sign. A dialog box will open, type the reason you are reporting the post, and click "report post". The moderators will take it from there.
If you do this, the moderators will be the bad guys, and you will not be in the position you are in now, with others adding to the fire.

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I'm thinking very seriously about buying a Plasma Cutter & going back in the Metal Sculpture business.

I've used an oxy/acetylene torch and an arc welder but never a plasma cutter. I've seen one in action and they look like fun.

 

[blownoutcylinder]

Happy Birthday David!

Mike

Happy Birthday David!!!

 

[tootnkumin]

I've used an oxy/acetylene torch and an arc welder but never a plasma cutter. I've seen one in action and they look like fun.

Their big advantages are the lack of distorting heat and the clean cut. I used to use them when I worked with stainless steel. The only discoloration is along the edge, but they do chuck out copious amounts of brown smoke and crud.

 

[Trussrod]

Happy birthday David from down this way as well. You're only a young fella. We've got an osteoporosous TV ad here where this 40-50 Year old guy say's he was told he had the bones of a 70 yr old. I've been getting visited by Arthur Righteous just lately so went for a bone scan the other day, my Doc tells me mine are good for my age (74), so at least I can be happy with that.

Hand laying of switches is one of the things I'd like to do, have looked at the Fastrack jigs etc, quite attracted to their Twist Ties method which allows a certain amount of flexibility, i.e. either building them straight or curved as suits the application. The only drawback being that they really need to be built "in situ". Now you appear to be building yours "off layout" using presumably cardstock patterns. Do you use any point filing jigs to get your points, closing rails and stock rail reliefs accurate?

Hi Tootnkumin, Toot if that's ok?
Thanks for the BD wishes, it appreciated especially from your location, nice to know someone from Australia.


Well, time for more coffee and I'll get to answering your questions.
Say Francine, Flo, more coffee where did they go? Oh well, I made Chicken broth and a Burrito instead.


Toot you mentioned: 'The only drawback being that they really need to be built "in situ".' I'm not quite sure what your referring to unless you mean built in place? No they don't have to be and actually better if built on a template as the PC strips give them added strength as well as points to make electrical contact easily.

Again, I'm unsure about the twist tie method, which I assume is the way FT holds the PC tie strips in place while your solder the rails to them in their jigs?

Yes Toot, I do build my switch off the table for the convenience of working on them easily. I printed out the appropriate switches using an FT CD and then attached them, two of each switch, to a board and then covered them over with clear packaging tape. I then cut the various lengths of PC Tie strips from a phenolic board and attach them to the packaging tape over the various locations on the template. Actually I double up on the PC/tie strips in the frog area and even prior to the frog to give it extra rigidity.

As you can see on the back template I prebend the rail to somewhat match the the template. Then I'd cut the rail to length per the template or a bit shorter if I didn't need the longer lead in or longer tail rails or conversely leave them longer as needed.

Once you determine the length hold and mark the rail where the bottom inside web needs to be cut into the center >I< point to allow the Point on that side to seat against the center >I< section. Use a Dremel Tool with a cut off wheel grind the bottom web away till you get down center I but also the bottom web needs to be tapered back enough to allow the points to freely mate with the Stock [Outside] rail and the same applies to the top of the rail head to as it needs to be ground even with the center I too as well as tapered back slightly also.

Likewise the outside of the point rails need to be ground off so they will mate cleanly with the cutout in the Stock rail. A Dremel tool with a cutoff wheel handles this job fairly fast. The light rail does heat up considerably so a hand vise or pliers should be used to hold the rail while grinding on it.

When you get to where you want to make the angled pieces along side the point of the frog mark where you are going to bend them and use the dremel tool again with the cutoff wheel and cut in on both sides of the bottom web to allow this bend to be made easily. I don't think much if any of the bottom web needs to be ground off on either side of the point.

The point is made fairly simply by grinding off the inside web down to a slight point and doing the same with the mating rail so they come together to form the point you may have to test fit them while holding them over the template and taking off more back from the actual point till you get them to mate properly. Then clean the bottoms good unless you did that before and tin the bottoms as well as the PC strips unless done prior and solder them together and place them on the PC strips and and while holding down on top with a small block of wood solder them in place. Check your gauge to the outside rail and adjust the outside rail accordingly with your gauge.

Before doing any soldering the PC strips need to be cleaned good with something like a Bright Boy abrasive eraser to have true copper look to them as well as the bottom of the rails need to look shiny if using the weathered rail like I am and even nonweathered should be cleaned too to ensure a good solder joint. both the PC strips and rail should be tinned or a lite coat of solder applied where the two will be soldered together. This way when the two are placed together over each other and held in gauge and some heat is applied the solder should melt and solidify together.

Hope I didn't didn't confuse you with my explaination.


Tools you'll need:
Rail in the code of your choice, I prefer Micro Engineering weathered rail for it's prototypical appearance;
I also like their fine rail spikes
Some track gauges at least six to hold the rail when working with the 3' sections or even in doing smaller sections. I have Kemtron brass three point gauges but I don't think they are still available?;

Rail cutters of Razor saw;
Dremel Tool, I highly suggest the Cordless Dremel 10.8v Model 8000-03 At Amazon;
A set of HSS [High Speed Steel] or better drill bits

A soldering iron and medium thickness solder and flux;
A small pair of needle nose pliers

Track templates which you can make yourself;

 

[Trussrod]

Thanks also for the birthday wishes to:

WJLI;

Mike;

Barry;

It's appreciated. I didn't get what I intended done but it was fun anyway.

 

[Bill Tidler Jr.]

Good Morning...

Good Morning! from Tipton IN.

It's Sunday, December 16, 2012

TIPTON

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Their big advantages are the lack of distorting heat and the clean cut. I used to use them when I worked with stainless steel. The only discoloration is along the edge, but they do chuck out copious amounts of brown smoke and crud.

I know they'll cut through some thick stuff too. The one I saw was being used to cut a transfer case from an American LaFrance fire truck in two. The cutter went through it like a hot knife through warm butter!

 

[tootnkumin]

David.Thanks for your detailed reply to my questions. Your methods are very similar to those used by Fastracks but without the expense of their jigs. I have a Dremel although not cordless (which I agree is more useful) and recently bought a soldering station after making do with just a 40W iron. Yes the "in situ" did mean "in place." Just me bein' a smart-***.

Fastracks make 2 different types of turnout products, the off layout ones assembled in there aluminium jigs using some PC board ties to hold everything together in the same way you have and then you can either purchase their ready made wooden ties to complete it, or your ones you have cut. Theirs are called "Quicksticks"

The Twisticks are different in that they are an all wood set of ties which can be curved to any desired radius or left straight without changing the chosen frog angle. The only place a PCB tie is used is for the drawbar, the rest of the track is held in place by rail spikes (ME track and fine rail spikes being their choice) and that's the reason they need to be built in place. Could be very awkward at times I would imagine but also very useful for a turnout that has to be made to fit an unusual radius.

Sounds like I'm doing a promo for fast tracks, but no, I was interested to see your methods.

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning. It's 67° with 100% humidity. The high will be 72°. There's a high chance of rain.

There's a severe thunderstorm watch in effect until 1 pm. At the moment we're getting just a light rain but that's due to increase in severity around sunrise. Severe storms with locally heavy rain are possible. With the power company's track record there's a fair chance I may lose power at some point. Chances of cable going out are fairly good too.

This morning I'm working on the Mehano (IHC) Alco C628. After doing a direct comparison I found the wheelsets from a Model Power F2 are a perfect match for the C628. The axles and gears are identical as seen below and they have the slightly smaller flange needed to clear my turnouts.

That leaves two wheelsets needed for the idler axles, one per truck. On those I can carefully turn down the flanges on a couple of the pizza cutter wheelsets. I have six to work with, I should be able to get a couple right.

The plan for the rest of the day is to work on a few more freight cars and watch a couple of movies and/or documentaries. Failing that I can always use this weather for what it seems to be made for. Sleeping.

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Well I'm deep into the C628 remotor project. I had intended to use a motor from a Model Power loco but that turned out to be too wide. I'd often wondered why Model Power still uses the ala Athearn wide hood body shells. Now I know. Their motor is too dang fat to fit in a scale width shell! So, change in plans. I had to do a bit of cutting on the C628's frame to do it but I shoehorned in a motor from an Athearn SW1000. I was able to reuse all the shaft pieces from the C628. I had to trim the male spline shafts a little to make up for the flywheels but everything looks to be fitting in place.

In the two photos below, the first shows the original motor in place. The second shows the Athearn motor set in place with the shafts connected.