Weekend Update 9/4/16

[Cajonpassfan]

I got a very good price on a nicely detailed but somewhat tarnished brass business car
Suggestions on how to clean it up and prep it for painting would be appreciated. No I do not own an ultrasonic cleaner...
Thanks, Otto K.

[sirenwerks]

Thanks for the info!..the pic didnt seem very "steam era" to me is why I mentioned it.....I've never heard of an elevated loco area before....

You're one up on me, I still can't spot the elevation alluded to in the pic.

[Philip H]

I got a very good price on a nicely detailed but somewhat tarnished brass business car
Suggestions on how to clean it up and prep it for painting would be appreciated. No I do not own an ultrasonic cleaner...
Thanks, Otto K.

Bar Keepers Friend

[mu26aeh]

Still working at Ag-Com

20160903_183351[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

[jmlaboda - RIP]

I got a very good price on a nicely detailed but somewhat tarnished brass business car

Hate to tell you but that isn't a business car... though you probably could get away with using it as such.  Its a Santa Fe parlor observation car.

[Wutter]

Built up a few new revision Wutter Signals masts in single, double and triple configurations (with N scale proof)

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[Chris333]

Just read over on th Nn3 yahoo list that Nelson Gray turned 100 years old 

[skytop35]

I've been doing a lot of mold making recently with mold max 30 from Smooth-On instead of my usual 1:1 stuff (accidentally ordered the wrong thing ) and it bubbles more than what I'm used to so I made this cheap vacuum pump contraption:

Anyone have any cheap ideas to make this better?

The mold goes in a pressure pot too. More is better, IMO.

I've made a lot of molds with Smooth-On Mold Max and don't bother with vacuum degassing the rubber. I just let the mold cure in the pressure pot ! Never had a problem doing it this way.

[Cajonpassfan]

Hate to tell you but that isn't a business car... though you probably could get away with using it as such.  Its a Santa Fe parlor observation car.

Right you are Jerry, as usual, thank you, the photo is of an ATSF 3224 parlor obs. I also acquired the ATSF #9/10 business car, in a similar condition. So, I still need advice about cleanup and prep work ... anyone?
Bar Keepers Friend? really? Thoughts?
Thanks, Otto

[nkalanaga]

That's Othello, WA, about an hour from where I grew up.  By the time I could drive,  the electrics were gone, although the wires were intact.  I doubt that they ever had an elevated ashpit, and am sure the enginehouse wasn't elevated.  The yard was basically flat, as is most of  the area, but not table-top flat. as can be seen in the picture.  Today, the railroad is still there, but nearly all traces of the yard are gone. 

The picture is taken from the passenger depot, which I believe was on the west side of the tracks, at the north (timetable east) end of the yard.  If I'm right, that seems a little strange, as the town was on the east side, so anyone going to or from the depot had to cross the tracks.  Maybe they did that so that passenger trains wouldn't block the industrial sidings on the town side?

[dougnelson]

I removed the MT couplers on my A-B-A set of Intermountain F7s and installed Intermountain pressure-fit draw bars for close coupling of the set. I had to modify the drawbars to work with the F7s, but the work very nicely. I wish BLI had used a similar system on the Centipedes rather than the screw drawbar. 

[havingfuntoo]

Hi Otto, to prep brass prior to painting firstly place them in some paint thinners to remove any clear coatings that might exist, remove any plastic diaphragms and details that might exist on the model as the thinners will wreck them, let the item soak for a few hours. Take the item out of the thinners and thoroughly wash with mild alkaline detergent or a good quality dish washing detergent, rinse the item clean and check for any contamination that has not been removed. Once you are satisfied that the model is clean take a 5 to 1 ratio of water to white vinegar and a couple of drops of dish washing detergent to act as a wetter, use water at about 50 degrees Celsius, heat up the model in warm water, once it is warm immerse the item into the warm vinegar/water mix and watch the item develop a bright fine etch. Heating up the vinegar mix speeds up the process.  Do not leave it unsupervised as this mix can quickly result in a coarse etch that will show through the finish as a rough texture. When you are happy with the appearance rinse it off with warm water first then cold, no detergent is needed at this stage. Dry the item off, and give it a quick wipe with alcohol prior to painting to ensure there are no water marks that you have missed. Make sure to rinse the items as soon as you take them out of the vinegar as the brew will keep reacting on the model  if you don't.   

You can use a variety of acids to brighten the brass, but keep away from sulfuric and hydrochloric acids, they are not suitable and will damage your item.

I think I might have been watching those on the bay, I was tempted but they don't fit my collection, have fun.

If you feel unsure take a scrap piece of brass and play so you can get a feel for what you are doing. 

[mplsjct]

Still working at Ag-Com

20160903_183351[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

I like the road, particularly how it blends into the grass, instead of ending abruptly where the two meet.

[John]

Had the Mike McGrattan Memorial Train visit this week:

Nicely done

[powersteamguy1790]

Had the Mike McGrattan Memorial Train visit this week:

Nicely done Dave.

Bob.......