35n2 Loco Bash -- "thinking out loud" (1/35 scale)

[michael mott]

Hi Dallas , nice work so far, regarding the but joints between the styrene and the metal, I have had some failures with these types of joints I would still be tempted to add a wafer of brass shim-stock say .0015" or .002" over the sides of the joint which will greatly add to the shear strength. With such a thin wafer the joint would hardly be noticeable to anyone except maybe yourself.

Just a thought.

Michael   

[Malachi Constant]

Michael --

I was very concerned about the weakness of butt joints ... that's why I did all the fancy overlapping and interlocking joints! 

The metal tab underlying "C" acts as a biscuit -- it's sandwiched between the styrene overlay (which is solvent-welded to all the adjoining styrene pieces) and the styrene cross-member that ties the two sides together.  As a separate assembly, the modified metal/plastic frame will withstand some pretty substantial clumsiness ... in practical use, it gets screwed and sandwiched against the metal frame which further reduces any stress.  The sucker is sturdy!  (There will be a variety of delicate details on the loco that my big clumsy mitts might destroy however ... that's a separate issue.) 

Cheers,
Dallas

[Ray Dunakin]

Very interesting!

[Malachi Constant]

Hi Dallas , nice work so far, regarding the but joints between the styrene and the metal, I have had some failures with these types of joints I would still be tempted to add a wafer of brass shim-stock say .0015" or .002" over the sides of the joint which will greatly add to the shear strength. With such a thin wafer the joint would hardly be noticeable to anyone except maybe yourself.

Just a thought.
Michael   

Well, Michael ... I decided to take your advice afterall ... on the next little bit of the project!    Had to shorten the Delrin brake assembly shown above.  So I added a splice plate as shown on the rear portion, then wrapped the joint twice around with very thin paper saturated with ACC.  That creates a sleeve around the joint and backing plate and stands up very nicely to "the flex test"    Also beefed up the brake shoes and used little slices of styrene rod to suggest hardware on those.



The joints are a little bulky ... but conveniently hidden behind the rear drivers.



Them's the brakes! 
-- Dallas

[michael mott]

Dallas, thanks for the more detailed explanation, of the joints, I did not realize how interlocked the joints were. It is amazing how long these little conversions take isn't it. I would also agree with the time taken to allow for still being able to disassemble for maintenance etc. It is so easy to go one step to far and be locked in.

Michael   

[finescalerr]

Gott in Himmel! Wouldn't it be easier to scratchbuild?

As I look at the meticulous effort that has gone into reworking the frame and superstructure, it appears you have retained relatively little of the original, less than ideal, Bachmann components. I would think somebody with your skill and talent could scurry to a computer, crank out a few parts to photo etch, maybe 3-D print a couple of other odds and ends, build up the boiler and cab with your hot and dexterous little hands, and wind up with a virtually perfect replica of whatever it is you are replicating. Or freelancing. Or whatever.

The drive could be a Faulhaber motor and maybe Serv-O-Link chain. The thing would run better than anything Bachmann could mass produce.

These rambling thoughts are not to belittle the excellence of your accomplishment. Nope. Not one bit. They are to prod your obvious creativity: Look at what ol' FichtenFoo does with those, uh, "things" he imagineers. You could create similarly "perfect" and unique works of art from your heavily fertilized (and/or tranquilized or otherwise drugged) mind. I suspect they would be something to behold.

When the mood strikes, consider it.

Russ

[Malachi Constant]

Gott in Himmel! Wouldn't it be easier to scratchbuild? ... When the mood strikes, consider it.

Russ

Heh, heh, I was surprised you didn't come back with this recurring thought sooner!  I already had an answer prepared.  

It's just different kinds of puzzles ... what I'm working on is kinda like a jigsaw puzzle ... someone took a pre-printed image, cut it into bits, and put it all together ... now, I'm taking it all apart, rearranging and redesigning some of the bits and putting it all BACK together again ... differently.

Now, that said, having all those starting bits does make it considerably less work than scratchbuilding from the ground up ... and, with all my many (very) slow-moving projects ... that is a very important expedient.

However ... your point has great merit ... I do want to build one of the little WW1 2-6-2T locos (several of which actually ran in West Virginia where I plan my fictional line) ... that might turn out to be a scratch-building project ... AFTER I finish the sammich shop and the repair shop ...

Meanwhile, this little beastie will give me something to run around on the tracks that pass by the repair shop (when we get that far) and give me a "feel" for building in 1/35 scale.

So, yeah, read you loud and clear!  Good point ... scratchbuilding is one kind of puzzle, kitbashing is another ... doing the latter first and the former later.  (That makes sense, doesn't it?)    -- Dallas

PS -- We had a palpable earthquake here earlier today ... 5.9 centered in Virginia ... yeah, I lived in LA briefly and know that's a small one ... but really unusual to "feel" and earthquake here ... and heard it was felt all the way up into Canada!

[Malachi Constant]

Well, despite the earthquake and hurricane, no earth-shaking progress here ... just little bits and pieces as time permits, like some fittings on the cylinder assemblies.  Made the lubricator fittings from styrene rod, styrene strip cut to (approximately) hex shape for the taller bits and a Vector Cut nut in the center ...

Snifter valve made from Vector Cut bits, fine wire, styrene rod and a tiny little photo-etched washer for the cap on the rod.  Puffing Billy cylinder shown provides some inspiration for the details ... not going for an exact match, just going for the right "feel" to these details.



The PE washers came from Alliance Model Works LM35027 Nuts & Washers -- which is a VERY nice set ... lots of parts and they're on a FILM backing, so there's NO cutting to release the tiny bits!  Anyway, while getting those bits, some little bolt-head/washers caught my eye ... had a look thru the pix again and decided to go for the look shown on this little 0-4-2T Baldwin (also an Aussie loco).

Other than that, some occasional little progress with putty, prepping for paint and such ... nothing earth shaking, but thought I'd better show some signs of life!  (Kinda tied up getting ready for the "busy" season at work.)

Cheers,
Dallas

[Junior]

Excellent work on that cylinder Dallas! The Alliance details looks great - I have the screw head set as well and used those on the doors for my current diorama (locks, hinges etc.) highly recommended! You can even mix them with the Vectorcut nut and bolts. Order some extras - you will loose some..... even in 1/35 scale this is TINY stuff.

Anders

[Ray Dunakin]

Dallas, what did you use to texture the surface of that cylinder?

[Malachi Constant]

Dallas, what did you use to texture the surface of that cylinder?

Um, I think that's just the combined effect of an extreme close-up and some Rustoleum auto primer sprayed just a little too dry (too far from surface)

Anders -- I have the screw heads too, and those are very nice.  Wish they made some of those even smaller.

BTW -- I found that Vallejo mat varnish is a really good light adhesive for applying the PE bolt heads, screw heads, etc.  Just put a tiny dab in the location, let it go slightly tacky and place the part.  It gives you time to move the part with tweezers or tip of knife and doesn't give you the nasty traces left by a smear of ACC, etc.  Let the parts applied with mat varnish set for a while ... 30 minutes or so ... then come back and go over the entire surface and over the top of the applied parts with a thin, slightly diluted coat of mat varnish to make sure that everything is secured.  (Let them set first, or the second coat will float away the parts!) 

-- Dallas

[Ken Hamilton]

This is coming along REALLY nicely.  Love the cylinder detailing.

[michael mott]

I like the way you are detailing this Dallas, what are vector cut nuts?

Michael

[Junior]

Michael, here is www.vectorcut.com. Owner Dave Krakow.

Anders

[finescalerr]

Dave is an active member of the forum. His user name is "Dakra". If you are unfamiliar with his products, you should rush to his website. He is an artist with a laser. -- Russ