1/48 Steel Side-Tip Dump Cars

[marc_reusser]

This project began by cutting up three inexpensive Grandt Line "Koppel" dump car kits that would otherwise build into these:



The finished cars will be freelanced, but based on prototype concepts and a combination of images from period catalogs. They will 30" Gauge.

Two in progress modified dump bodies  (The painted piece, on the left, in the upper image is a larger car body from an earlier/different project, that I will be using as an example for these side dumps.)





One of the frames:



Test fit of a frame with one of the dump bodies:



The coupler pockets for the cars are fabricated using Precision Scale ?Heisler Coupler Pockets?. The original plastic coupler pocket part is shown on the left. This is then made into two individual coupler pockets by cutting the center out of the original part. A hole was drilled through top and bottom for the ?pin?. A small strip of styrene was formed and glued to the underside (thinner of the two edges on the remaining parts), to create a ?buffer surface?. The edges on the part were then slightly eased and given a radius at the corners. The finished part ready for paint can be seen on the right.



The car on the right in the image with all three cars was built to represent a "damaged" car that has been scrounged for a part or two. The coupler is missing on one end, and only the bolt remains, the door on one side is also missing, and the steel guard has been bent/damaged in an accident. The door that remains was a pain in the rear, as I want to be able to show the car in a tilted position with the door swinging free, I had to build an operating hinge for it that matches the ones on the other cars. I also had to build half a hinge on the side that is missing the door.



One of the frames:



Side and end of one of the cars:





In this photo of the wheels you can see the two patterns I was playing around with. The left is the original Delrin kit wheel, and the two to the right are more "prototypical" "holed" wheels. (I went with the three hole). To clean and prep the surface of the Delrin after drilling was a major pain in the rear. They were primered with Mr. Surfacer 'Resin Primer'.



Beginning the painting process:
The rust base color was done in multiple layers. The first coat was done with a mix of Tamiya 'Hull Red' (XF-9), 'Red Brown' (XF-64, and a couple of drops of 'Flat Black' (XF-1). The second coat was done with more 'Flat Black' black being added to the mix, and applied irregularly. The last coat was done using only 'Flat Brown' (XF-10) being irregularly from a distance of 6-8 inches, so that when it fell on the surface it would be slightly "dry" and create a surface texture.



...a closer view




Marc

[marc_reusser]

I can't even begin to describe how I got to this point...but to do all 3 cars took about 6 hours....basically it involded lots of thin rust toned acrylic washes, some mapping with the washes, and some light rust toned washes with white pigment in them.....all dried with a blowdryer to expedite the process.






Originally I was going to do these in "better" condition...but after looking at a good number of photos one can see that dump cars on small operations really took a beating, and seemed to have only the bare necessity of maintenance. I'll dig up the prototype pics to show the look I am shooting for....has a ways to go....just need to figure out how to get there

Marc

[finescalerr]

Show-off! -- Russ

P.S.: Keep 'em comin'.

[RoughboyModelworks]

These are looking great Marc - especially like the effect on the frame and channel pieces.  Now, if I can just get you to publish this kind of material on our forum   http://www.roughboy.net/index.php

Bill

[HectorBell]

Marc, no offence,mate, but when do you actually work/sleep/eat!?
Hector

[TRAINS1941]

Marc

Outstanding work!
But like Hector I'm wondering when you work,sleep & eat??

Jerry

[marc_reusser]

Thank you guys,

  I always thought the hours for sleep are from 3 or 4 am, to 10 or 11 am.....

....hence my disfunctionality in the corporate environment

Marc

[marc_reusser]

Some progress on one of these also....the weathering is driving me nuts....and I am not really that sure about the results/effect....but oh well...it be what it be ......two more to get to this stage...and then I will be halfway home.

Still need to add journal bearings, wheels, and complete the chain retention system/detail.




End view with faded chalk marking on dump body. Still need top build latch/lever assemblies for dump body ends.



The Frame:





The Dump Body Interior:




Marc

[TRAINS1941]

Marc

Glad to see you back at these.  I'd almost forgotten that you working on them.  The weathering is coming along very nicely I can't wait to see them all done and with some kind of engine pulling them.  Just an outstanding job on this project but one would expect that.

Jerry

[marc_reusser]

Thanks Jerry.

Yep, it has been a while since these last saw the glow of the workbench lights...heck I had to even dig back a page or two here to find the thread!

They may end up just by themselves on a siding...or coupled to the tractor loco......in either case they will pretty much be static, since I never actually run anything.

Marc

[Krusty]

Very nice. You're definitely getting the hang of this finishing business.

[Shadow Pines RR]

Marc,
  What kind of camera do you use when photographing your great work? I'm trying to get a good picture with my digital camera and it always come out with little detail maybe somebody can help with this problem (fyi: my camera is  a canon power shot digital) Thank you for any info...

Regards.

[finescalerr]

As a start, try shooting your models outdoors in sunlight. Use a tripod. If your camera has manual settings, set the f/stop to the highest number (e.g., f/9). Use the 3 or 5 second shutter delay feature when you shoot the photo (the thing that lets you shoot a self-portrait) to avoid moving the camera with your finger as you shoot. Motion will blur the photo and obscure detail. With sufficient light and a steady camera you should get better results.

Russ

[morgan Hill models]

Beautiful work Marc, love that rusty, grundgy, grimey look you do soooo well. Really warms the heart!!
-Jon

[marc_reusser]

SPRR;

I am far from a competent or knowledgeable photographer....I tend to just muddle through and have learned over time what works for me. I basically shoot several different ways....depending on what I am shooting, how important the shot is (IE. is it just for a quick post, or is it for the website or a mag.)...and depending on how lazy I am.

The camera I use is an "older" (or so they mock me at the camera store) Nikon 8400, with 8-megapixels. And like Russ, I almost always shoot with a tripod, and with the the "timer" funcion, or the remote shutter release.

"QUICK SNAPPIES"

For the "quick snappie" of stuff on the bench (like the railcar photo in the Tractor Loco thread), I shoot in "Automatic", with the "Macro" setting, .JPG format,  lighting was with my workbench lights which are old 2 bulb drafting lights (easch light has a 60w incandesc. and a flourescent ring). This gives a pretty good color balance.

The recent dump car and tractor-loco pics (also just some quick shots)  were shot in natural daylight (overcast), in "Automatic" mode, with "macro" setting, .JPG format, on a curved white photo "seamless" background.

INDOOR SHOOTING:
For images that I plan on using on the website, or submitting to a mag (or that I just want to look more "professional") I shoot indoors at night (so I don't get any color conflict from sunlight coming into the space).....I use 3 500/1000w halogen worklights for lighting (1000w for primary source, 500w for secondary/fill source, and 500w aimed up at ceiling for ambient/bounced light).  I set the camera to "Manual" settings, and then adjust exposure and depth of field as needed. Then I do what is one of the most important things, and that is to properly "adjust the white balance", also rember to set the camera to "macro"  .......now the final factor that needs to be decided is "image type".....I prefer to shoot as .RAW, in the highest mode/resolution possible, as this will give me the best type/highest quality and information image to work with in a photo editing program such as Photoshop.  If I don't feel like dealing with the editing of a .RAW image (or if your camera doesn't support that), I use .TIFF format (which is still far superior to .JPG in file/information quality)

OUTDOOR SHOOTING:
Like Russ, I also tend to occasionally shoot outside in the shade or in direct sunlight, if I feel the image/model calls for it.  Here I use pretty much the exact same settings and process as described for the "indoor" shots above. Just always be sure to re-adjust/re-set your "white balance" if switching between shade and sun.  Also...when shooting in shade, make sure that there is no sunlight or specks of sunlight hitting the model or the "seamless" background (or visible anywhere in the camera lens/viewfinder) as this can throw off your color  and white balance.

Hope this helps.

Marc