Ale-8-One Reefer

[John McGuyer]

This has been an excellent series. You have taken a commonly built kit and have shown new creative ways of assembling it (I like those angle blocks). You have also shown methods of research for information to improve your model and originality in making it significant to a road name that pleases you. After all, we do this for fun and who cares if it never existed.

I applaud you efforts and echo Unc's request to make this an article. We want to reach out those who don't visit building forums and turn them on to a new facet of the hobby.

John

[Ray Dunakin]

That roof looks great!

[EZnKY]

Thanks Ray.
I got the base colors on the car body over the weekend.  My initial reaction is that the yellow is too thin, and the mineral red is too opaque.
But there's still a lot to do...

John,
Thanks for the kind words.  The research part has really helped me with the details.  Cars of this vintage were gone long before my time, and unless I've seen it in a museum, old drawings and photos are my only resource.

Russ,
I take "quite satisfactory" as high praise.  I still have a long way to go, so let's have the article conversation later.

Dallas,
Thanks for your comments too.  I'm finding my tendency to be "neat and clean" to be a problem when it comes to weathering and the final finish. 

[EZnKY]

And in case anyone was wondering, here's a shot of the finest thing every to come from Kentucky.

With the possible exception of bourbon.

And maybe Ashley Judd.

[Malachi Constant]

Dallas,
Thanks for your comments too.  I'm finding my tendency to be "neat and clean" to be a problem when it comes to weathering and the final finish. 

Well, there is a really BIG pay-off in doing that during the assembly ... it shows clearly in your work.  I'm going for a somewhat "stylized" appearance on weathering efforts, so I won't make too many suggestions there ... BUT ... the variations in board colors here look great ... AND ... I think you might do well to experiment with gouache when it comes to weathering.  Why?  Well, for one thing, it's water soluble ... so, if you don't like the effect, you can wash it off and try again.  When you do like the effect, you clear coat and seal it.  (See Chuck's thread for outstanding examples.  If you spell it "gwosh", he'll probably give you any pointers needed!)

If that works out for you and you feel confident with it, then you could consider going back and applying some effects to the caboose (which does look wonderful).  You'd have to carefully mask the windows to avoid getting any matte spray on those before setting the effects.  I think that some very SUBTLE gouache/gwosh washes between the boards (to highlight the separate parts and downplay any red that appears there) and some more very subtle touches of dusty color washes right around the detail parts would do well.  BUT ... make sure you're comfortable and confident with it before trying anything on the caboose.  On the reefer, you could take advantage of the "washable" aspect, get some experience and decide where to go before it's really "done."

Cheers,
Dallas

[finescalerr]

You are correct, Eric: The yellow is too translucent. I think it needs another coat, and maybe slightly attenuated with white. The contrast between the lighter and darker boards is too great; it should be more subtle. And don't forget, before you paint, that a little lightly scribed grain on those "darker" boards might help ... if you don't overdo it. -- Russ

[Philip Smith]

And in case anyone was wondering, here's a shot of the finest thing every to come from Kentucky.

With the possible exception of bourbon.

And maybe Ashley Judd.

Nice build.

Were you aware nelson county, Ky has the highest national rating of colon cancer?  So I was told at my colonoscopy yesterday. The RN said it was in the water, the run off from the bourbon...hic! I have no idea why I added this statement. Oh yeah, Get a colonscope gents, It didn't hurt a bit! I had an old friend die last month because he was to mule headed and waited to long!

Philip 

[EZnKY]

I'm going to keep working on the yellow before dealing with the graphics.
I really hate decals, but I don't have a lot of options for the Ale-8 logo and the maroon text.

Philip - it doesn't surprise me about the cancer.  I'm constantly amazed at the poor health of my fellow Kentuckians.  (Your company excluded since we've never met.)  Living bad is some sort of cultural tradition.

[EZnKY]

I've put another very thin coat of yellow on the car sides, and it's amazing what a difference it made.  The color variation is more subtle, and it now looks like painted wood instead of yellow stained wood.
I'm happy with the results anyway...

I've finished the decals on one side and am waiting for the first application of Micro Sol to dry.  I brushed-applied two coats of Future to the yellow before applying the decals, so the car is weirdly shiny right now.
The decals are a combination of sheets printed by Stan Cedarleaf and mine printed on MicroMark decal paper.  I found Stan great to work with and his prices were reasonable, but the maroon text printed on my laser copier at work was smoother than Stan's.  He can print white though, which I can't do.

I'm glad I painted the white field behind the Ale-8 logo instead of printing this in white.

[EZnKY]

I don't have much experience with applying decals, so here's my method.  I could use some pointers if someone has a better way.

Basically I use low-tack painter's tape for vertical reference points on either side of where I'm applying the decals.  I then measure from a reference point - in this case the bottom of the car side - and make marks on both pieces of tape.  I use another piece of tape between the two marks for my reference line as I apply the decals.  You can also see how I marked the center point of the layout.

Is there a better way?

[EZnKY]

Anyone have a better photo of this kind of door hinge?
I'm thinking about making my own hinges just for something different.

[EZnKY]

A few minutes with Google patent search gave me a good starting point.

Interesting how the hinges changed over time from fairly typical barrel hinges to the reefer-specific type I'm used to seeing.

[EZnKY]

Last two...

[Ray Dunakin]

Looking good. I like your method of aligning the decals.

[EZnKY]

I spent this afternoon building some brake beams for the AMS trucks.  I'm following an older style brake beam from the 1895 Car Builders Cyclopedia.  I've simplified things a bit, especially on the brake beam struts, so I could fabricate most of it from telescoping brass tubing.  The brake shoes are from Bob Hartford.  I used a bit of styrene rod for the tapered washers on the ends of the tension rods.

Most of this will be back in the shadows in the trucks, so I think it'll be detailed enough to be believable.

I'm planning on painting the trucks black, which is a real challenge for me with weathering.  (Even more so than the rest of the car.)  I spent a couple of hours taking pictures of things with black painted finishes so I have something to go from.  We'll see how it goes...