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Heavyweight 6-wheel truck


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I thought I would share one of my methods of making parts. I use Bondo to machine patterns. There are several reasons to use this medium.  Easy on cutters, fast cuts, mistakes are easily cured, just add more Bondo.  I will be adding some details on this pattern, but here is a picture of my rough machined truck. Bob.

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Very cool to see how you do it!  I just wish you liked more modern equipment too. How about making an GE ES44????:D So you have a mill? That bit looks special?

I need to get back into making stuff. I stopped and can't seem to go back?

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For some reason, my loves are F-7s, E-7s , E8s, and Pullman Standard passenger cars.   The reason possibly stems from my riding the Super Chief and the El Capitan when I was about 8.  Those rides impressed me so much, they forced me into building. So far, I have made more molds than cars or locos.  The cutter is a four fluted,  .125 flat end mill, nothing special, very common.  I also use a two fluted .250 mill cutter to pocket the rest of the area.  I still have to contour, by hand, round some of the square edges and add some bolt heads. I am now drawing up the lift arms for the bearing blocks and the springs. I will also make the pattern for those on the cnc also.  I am making the molds out of urethane.  I just poured a mold for the steps and the ends of the car for the heavyweight.  When I get the molds done for the heavyweight cars and get some cars made, I will pull them with an MTH Hudson that I just purchased.  I have so much to do, I am just glad that I like making molds and building cars also. What does an ES44 look like?, Post a picture. Bob.

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Engineer Joe, that is a beautiful locomotive.  I am not familiar with these types, but doesn't MTH produce one that is very similar? If is not the same, it seems that a little kitbashing is in order.  I began an E-8 pattern and parts because MTH, being 1:32, didn't make one and also I made patterns and molds for the F-7 when MTH hadn't came out with it, but they are such good looking engines, it is hard for me to think about building one.  I have built an E-8, with an MTH cab and will eventually build one with my cab that has, in my opinion a more proto look.  I use the "kiss" principle, if they don't make it, I will, but if it looks good, I will buy it and save myself the work.  Here are some pictures of some of the patterns and molds for the heavyweight and yes I am copying some already made  parts, rather than making the patterns, it's quicker, I am not proud.  Who I admire, is the guy that is making, I believe a Genises loco, that Amtrak uses out of brass, it appears to be sheet, what a genius.  These molds that I am showing you are made of urethane, much more forgiving than the hard, fiberglass molds that I have made in the past.  One disadvantage of urethane is that you better have all of the details that you want in the mold, because with a hard mold, when the part is made, you can add detail after the mold is made, such as rivets, or a gas fill or something like that, but with urethane, it is finished when it is poured. Both of these molds are only part one of the mold, as there will be a second part to finish the inside of the part. OK, here are some more pics., more to come as progress marches on. Bob.

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Rayman4449, thank you for your encouragement, it is appreciated.  I don't mind sharing my procedures, I have no secrets. While some of my methods are outside of the pattern making norm, these are methods that I have developed, because I don't know any better. Bob.

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Your mold work looks much better than my results are. I should have got the proper release for that brand of mold material. Who knows maybe they did come out OK, but I scrapped them when they would not come apart.

I haven't heard of any custom brass Genesis? I searched but did not find anything?

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I use 74-20 urethane from BITY mold supplies in Texas.  The mold release is 2300 in a spray can.  I found the pictures of the photo etched Genesis loco, might be a kit, I will find out more. 

Don's 1/32 scale #1 gauge genesis, AKA "The Big Uggly" is built from photo etched steel and brass sheet. Don is building 2 units.

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The name of the builder of this brass Genesis is Don Henrikson, an award winning model builder.  They have a website:  The Guys Hobby Shop.   I will try to post a link to the groups video on YouTube.  Very interesting. Also, on YouTube: Toy Man Television. These guys are unbelievable model builders, very good. Bob.

 

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WOW! That is amazing to me. Custom frame work alone is great. Looks like there's a lot of man hours in that build. I am impressed. I sent a contact email on the link you provided. I don't know who did the photo etch?

I bought that mold material. I was too cheap or lazy to buy the release agent. So it was a waste. I'll need to try again.

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OK, I finished the mold for one side of the heavyweight car.  I don't know if anyone is making long molds out of urethane, but here is what I had to do to keep the long limber mold straight.  I always prepare the molds on a very flat surface, in my case, I build on a granite surface.  The first part of the mold must have 2 strips, 1/4 by 1/2 inch,  the entire length of the mold for allignment to the second half of the mold.  In addition, when the lid, on top of the second portion of the mold, must have the same two strips, to keep the molds straight and alligned for the mold to be straight.  The urethane is very flexible and if you don't provide these strips.  your part will come out like a snake.  This is only necessary on long parts, not small ones, however, obviously, indicator pegs are a necessity for the two pieces of the mold to allign, you can see the dowels in the pictures of the mold for the ends. Another thing to consider when making long molds is sag of the top mold part.  The sides are not of concern, because the mold parts touch where the windows are installed, but on a long mold, such as the roof, it is of concern because there is no support of the entire length of the mold, so sagging may occur and thus, make an improper part.  To combat this problem, on the roof, I will mold into the top mold, some dowels to bridge across the mold to stop this from occurring. I will show you pictures when I get to that stage. In the bottom piece of the mold, you can see that it is sitting on a piece of 1/4 inch plexiglass, that ended up being the top on the mold when it was poured and has the two strips, that I explained, and those two strips is what keeps everything in allignment.  IMG_0465.JPG Bob. 

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Here is an end piece made for the purpose of establishing the body or thickness of the part.  I couldn't use the original part for the second part of the mold because of the structure of the piece, so I made this one.  Tomorrow I will pour the second part of the mold. Bob.

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Here are some pictures of the molds for the step and the ends almost ready to pour the second part of the mold.  I am providing these steps for, not you experienced guys, but for someone that might be thinking of making your own molds for cars or kitbashing. Bob.

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Here is the second part of the molds poured and ready to make a part. Today I will get back to the trucks and program the spring arms for the truck, and am looking for bearing for the trucks, any ideas? Bob.

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I got two sizes of mini bearings off ebay, if that's what you're describing? I think they both were shipped from Hong Kong. One fits USA trains metal trucks and the other fits Aristo plastic ones with some drilling.

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I will have to do some research and possibly redesign my journal.  The wheel shaft size is 3.02 mm. and the OD has to be 5 mm..  I don't think they make brgs. like that, , but thanks on the heads up, I will look on Ebay. Bob.

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Ok, I seem to remember looking at Chuck's post about modifying USA autocars.

The 2 bearing sizes I got only are marked as XC060 for the small ones and XC138 for the large in the USA trucks. (edited: I had them listed backwards)

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That's OK,  The Train dipartment has some interesting bearings that are 1/8th id. and 1/4 od, they would work.  I have some axles and wheels with a 1/8th inch axle and the .250 od comes out to be 6.35mm. and the other brgs. that I found on ebay, the OD was 6mm., but both of these bearings would work with some rework of the journals.  When guys on this forum say that they converted to bearings, how did they do it?  I certainly appreciate your help and I will start my designing of the journals as soon as I get some bearings, payday. I read Chucks post and what a nice job he did.  I will have to do something very similar to what he did.  I think I will have to go with the 6mm OD bearings and make the journals to take them, sounds like it will work.  The axles on the existing truck is 3.02mm and they say that the id. of the bearing  is 3mm., so I might have to turn the axles down a bit.  I will have to order some bearings to see, but everything that I have witnessed today, leads me to believe that I will be able to be successful. I thank everyone for their help. Bob.

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I converted a few now myself. I got lucky as no axles needed any work to fit the bearings I ordered. The plastic truck sideframes had to have the holes made bigger. It worked out to match a standard drill bit I had. The USA metal ones fit exactly if I remember correctly? I did not have to machine the axles though.

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