Screwy Nick Posted November 19, 2020 Author Share Posted November 19, 2020 Worked on the front lighting. At the hobby shop I picked up a clear plastic rod, made head lamp lenses. Using Evans products fiber rod, slightly melted the ends for marker lights. Using all 3V LED's with a voltage limiter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted November 20, 2020 Author Share Posted November 20, 2020 Sean, thank you, I like the outcome also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry B44 Posted November 21, 2020 Share Posted November 21, 2020 You are sure good with figuring out electrical stuff. I stumble around and some times succeed! Did get the Zephyer going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted November 22, 2020 Author Share Posted November 22, 2020 Jerry, analog yes, trial and sometimes error. Errors are followed by a POP, smoke and foul odor. Good part is the burned component is easily seen and replaced, unlike newer stuff where whole board has to go to a SUPER TECH, like Ray, that has the special equipment to isolate fault. How about a video of the Zephyer, a real gem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 Yes looking good! You and Rob really did a nice job on those! That closeup of the nose shows how great of a model that really is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted November 22, 2020 Author Share Posted November 22, 2020 The credit goes to Rob, I just cut and spliced and had fun. What I do requires no special talent or materials, just stuff around the house or at hardware store, and lately the net. I couldn't help myself. Found a 3V 100RPM motor on line and connected it to the same circuit I am using for the LED's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted November 28, 2020 Author Share Posted November 28, 2020 Made a little more progress. The number boards are layers of clear plastic adhered to make blocks, then ground to fit into the openings. The numbers are part of the decals that Stan Cedarleaf printed months ago. As you can see his work it top notch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dash 8 Posted November 28, 2020 Share Posted November 28, 2020 I like your work, and it's well explained. I haven't done anything for a long time. In the summer we got a new roof. That has given a lot of dirt. Now everything is clean and tidy again. I haven't been running for 7 or 8 years. I was amazed that everything still works. But I'm ditherof from the subject.... Sorry. Again, Great work. jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted November 28, 2020 Author Share Posted November 28, 2020 Jan, I like your two companions, thank you for posting them, names please? I do know what you mean about the dirt from a new roof, had mine done couple of years ago, have a ridge vent and so much more came in from that. From what little I can see you have a beautiful lay out, can we see more of it? Thank you for the compliment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dash 8 Posted November 29, 2020 Share Posted November 29, 2020 These are Cairn Terriers, on the left is Max and the other is called Moritz. Moritz is fixated on me and pursues me every step of the way.Max is the boss and watchman or keeper. My layout is almost 30 years old. I built the track and turnouts myself. I also have German rolling stock, but I like the US trains more. I want to get that for the grandchildren, I don't do anything new. I still have to remove the dust of the last years, the cat has slept on the tracks and the axles of the freight cars are full of hair. I still have enough to do. I'll be doing pictures soon. Thank you jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted November 30, 2020 Author Share Posted November 30, 2020 Jan, can see in Max's stance that he is the 'Alpha'. My Bug is more like Moritz, has to be near me 24/7. I am in awe of anyone who can build their own turnouts, way beyond me. When you do get it cleaned up please post, or send me a PM and I'll send you my Email address. Stay Well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted December 1, 2020 Author Share Posted December 1, 2020 Learning how to make windows in odd shapes, that actually fit. Like the foil on the Mac Trailing car, I wasted more than actually useful. I'd appreciate any tips, thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry B44 Posted December 1, 2020 Share Posted December 1, 2020 I just traced around the window, cut some thin plastic and used the pattern and cut it close. Then put the plastic in the hole and traced on the plastic, took awhile, but sanded it down to fit. I did not attempt any rubber seal look at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted December 2, 2020 Author Share Posted December 2, 2020 Jerry, thank you. My first attempt was to use 'tin snips' to cut a thick piece of plastic, total disaster. What's in there now is .020 Polycarbonate, think that's good enough? or should I go thicker. EDIT: I may go for the black boarder on the large side windows as it looks like they will be adhered to the outside, mostly just to darken the edge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted December 4, 2020 Share Posted December 4, 2020 Seems that's what I use is .020 clear...think that's what some manufacturers use. Boy, making windows fit is a lot of work but looks the best. I'd think there's a way to cast them out of clear resin but man that would be way more work than I'd want to do. I've had luck "painting" the border gasket with a black sharpie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted December 4, 2020 Author Share Posted December 4, 2020 Chuck, thank you, confirming the .020 is a big help. I used the black sharpie to darken the blades on the fans, worked out fine. Running it along the edge should give windows the effect I am looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted December 7, 2020 Share Posted December 7, 2020 Well now I checked and I've been using .010 lately but MTH & USA both use thicker .020 and .030 in their passenger car windows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted December 8, 2020 Author Share Posted December 8, 2020 Chuck, only thing I can think of is: We are cutting and shaping them out to fit an opening, and they are casting them to a predetermined size, and to cast them that thin may make them too delicate to handle?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted December 21, 2020 Author Share Posted December 21, 2020 While air driven fans were working well, I didn't feel secure that the system would be durable. The little fans are sitting on needle point in a small pool of graphite and each fan is unique to it's position in the air duct due to different baffles. Seeing how well the toy motor worked in the baby shark, I installed them in the big one. Outwardly looks the same but I feel this system will endure, and is more likely to stay in sync. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted December 26, 2020 Author Share Posted December 26, 2020 Something as minor as adding cab ladders, can lead to major adjustments if not noticed early enough in a build/bash. The truck leaf springs struck the ladder on very sharp curves. Could have ground the leaf springs thinner but didn't like that idea. Decided to move the front truck fwd by 3/16". Doing that brought the side frame dangerously close to the front cowl, so a minor adjustment was made there also. Happy with the outcome, and no detail was sacrificed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted December 27, 2020 Share Posted December 27, 2020 Looking good! Yeah I've been caught up in about the exact same situation before...those dang ladders! After moving where the trucks swivel also changes where the coupler is located in a curve...get's to be quite the project at times. I've seen some engines where the builder choose to mount those ladders on the truck frames. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted December 27, 2020 Author Share Posted December 27, 2020 Chuck, good point about the turning radius, hadn't thought of that, lucky for me it is the front. Found a pic where the loco had coil springs in place of leaf. If I could have done that would have been OK, but would have had to do that on all 4 side frames. While doing something else, laid the loco on one side and promptly broke one of the ladders, so will now make them using brass and replace the USAT plastic ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry B44 Posted December 27, 2020 Share Posted December 27, 2020 Nice ladders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted December 28, 2020 Author Share Posted December 28, 2020 Jerry, just didn't last even 24 hours. Today will be spend trying to make them from brass like I did for the Salvage Tug. These should be easier, bigger scale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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