What project have you given up on?

[daniel_leavitt2000]

We get to show eachother the best of what we do. For me, I fail as often as i succeed. What projects have gone sideways or become too problematic to finish? I have a few:

Guilford GP40-2LW: This started when I picked up an Athabasca Scale Models Canadian wide cab. After finishing the cab which never quite fit right, modifying a GP40 hood and walkways, and attempting to attach the cab to the shell, nothing squared up. The cab was meant for a wide body like a bachmann GP40 and would not fit on the atlas shell. I had to cut the frame under the can just to cat the cab seated but then there was nothing to glue it to. After months of working on the thing I took to the tool shop at work and put it out of its misery.. with a rubber mallet.

NYS&W F45: Grant/SAR produced am F45 kit just before Athearn announced theirs. I always liked the engine and had an extra Kato SD40 laying around so I purchased the kit. I had the shell built, detailed and painted into NYS&W's yellow jacket scheme. Then the shell melted. There was no heat or harsh chemicals used. it was over a week after painted and if the paint was going to attack the resin, it would have done so sooner. Its like the resin lost all structure and ended up as a pool of yellow and black goop. I told Grant about it, but I never did get a replacement.

Island Model Works passenger cars: These have been sitting on my workbench for years. The walls are so thick its impossible to make them look right. And that underframe... uhhh. Don't get me started on the "trucks"

[GaryHinshaw]

Well, I've given up my Tehachapi layout dream due to the lack of a basement (and the likelihood that I will never be able to afford a comparable space in Vancouver).  But I am starting to doodle more reasonable sized plans for the new space.

I do shelve a lot of projects that don't go as well as hoped.  The most recent example is replacement handrails for my locos.  I could never get the solder joints as crisp as I demand, so the material gets put aside until those fires burn anew, which might be pretty soon.

-Gary

[John]

ever getting the M&O to a presentable stage

[MichaelT]

Getting a presentable HO layout in this room space. Just too many wants that don't add up for this room space. So, I'm "almost" to the point of ripping everything HO out of here and pulling the Mopac Hoxie Sub layout that David Smith helped with, and starting to work on that...

In the meantime, I'm having a blast with this HCD layout, and have plans to start a second one to connect this one to.

Seriously considering taking most of, if not all of the HO stuff to the April train show at the Cotton Belt Museum to try and sell or trade away....then I'd not be tempted with having HO stuff in a box somewhere here...LOL

[seusscaboose]

airbrushing
a skill i have no patience for.


p.s. John, I'll trade ya a visit... Tortise Know How for Scenery Manual Labor (me)...  

Hey Tim (Sizemore)... what have you given up on?  ;D

[ednadolski]

I've got myself a pile of weathering failures, most recently a failed attempt at the salt masking technique.  I've also got an O-scale GP9 that I had high hopes for, but has big drive train issues.

Ah well live and learn.   :'( :'( :'(

[ednadolski]

Well, I've given up my Tehachapi layout dream due to the lack of a basement (and the likelihood that I will never be able to afford a comparable space in Vancouver).  But I am starting to doodle more reasonable sized plans for the new space.

I do shelve a lot of projects that don't go as well as hoped.  The most recent example is replacement handrails for my locos.  I could never get the solder joints as crisp as I demand, so the material gets put aside until those fires burn anew, which might be pretty soon.

-Gary

Gary do you have even a spare bedroom?  My Loop fits on a 4x6, plus the staging which could be adapted to fit a given space.

For soldering - what kind of iron are you using?   I've got one of those Weller stations with the adjustable temp and fine tip.   Have you tried the paste solders?  Also, unless you make pretty big blobs, they look a lot smaller after they are painted.

Ed

[wm3798]

Modeling the Laurel Valley as a stand-alone layout.  Might make an interesting door layout at some point...  Dave Vollmer's would do, but he doesn't retire for another umpteen years...

Lee

[DKS]

More than I can count. From individual models to whole layouts. Although some projects are aborted because I realize they're doomed, usually I drop projects because I'll reach a point where I have too many of them competing for my attention, and my energies are getting too diluted. So I'll do an inventory, and axe a few that maybe aren't doing all that well so that I can focus more on those projects with more positive potential.

[GaryHinshaw]

Gary do you have even a spare bedroom?  My Loop fits on a 4x6, plus the staging which could be adapted to fit a given space.

For soldering - what kind of iron are you using?   I've got one of those Weller stations with the adjustable temp and fine tip.   Have you tried the paste solders?  Also, unless you make pretty big blobs, they look a lot smaller after they are painted.

Ed

Your loop layout is *exactly* what I have been thinking about for my new space.  We have a spare room downstairs with a nice 6x10 alcove that's a good candidate.  I'd love to learn more about how you close the loop offstage - in particular, do you have a small staging yard in your setup?  Of course, I'll need Bob's new Walong signal bridge for this plan.

You're right, I need to get a new stock of paste solder.

-Gary

[DKS]

The most recent example is replacement handrails for my locos.  I could never get the solder joints as crisp as I demand, so the material gets put aside until those fires burn anew, which might be pretty soon.

Try a liquid solder flux, such as Stay Brite from Micro-Mark (http://www.micromark.com/STAY-BRITE-SILVER-SOLDER-AND-FLUX-1and2-OZ-EACH,7556.html). It helps draw the solder into the joint more quickly. Joints like that should take about a quarter of a second to complete.

[ednadolski]

Your loop layout is *exactly* what I have been thinking about for my new space.  We have a spare room downstairs with a nice 6x10 alcove that's a good candidate.  I'd love to learn more about how you close the loop offstage - in particular, do you have a small staging yard in your setup? 

In my case I just made a pair of very simple, three-track, balloon-type return loops about 3'x8' and stuck them at each end, and called one "east" and the other "west".   IIRC the radii on the balloon loops were 15", 16.5", and 18".   Each track could hold a train of about 4 engines and 30 or so cars.  Since it was all very quick-and-dirty and I fortunately had the space I just stuck the loops off the main layout without trying to fit them into any specific footprint.   I used the Atlas Code 55 flextrack and #7 turnouts, now Atlas has those new curved turnouts which would be handy for saving space.   I think it could certainly be made to fit into a 6x10 footprint, esp. if you consider stacking the loops somehow.  If the alcove you mention is open to a room or hallway on one side (preferably the long side), then that would increase your options.

Ed

[AlkemScaleModels]

A shorter list would be what have I completed.

[TiVoPrince]

Pair
of 70% completed Bachmann Spectrum 'DD40AX'.  After other priorities shelved the project for awhile the new models meant that I would have excellent mechanisims but butt ugly bodies.  Why carry on when I can buy models with ugly trucks (with better pickups) but a better body...

[central.vermont]

Can't say that I have given up on any, it's just some of them take a really, really looooooooooooooooooong time to finish!!! ;D ;D

Jon