Fox Valley Loco Detail Parts: HOW?!?!

[MetroRedLine]

That little bag of detail parts that come with Fox Valley locomotives --- aside from the sunshades, which are pretty straightforward, HOW DO YOU INSTALL THEM?!?!
I've tried in vain to drill and install the microscopic grabirons to no avail (the paint always scrapes off whenever I use a tweezer  ). I don't even know whether I have the right size drill bit. You would think they'd have this information somewhere but it's one of the great mysteries of the universe. Please share with me any videos or how-to guides or voodoo spells for installing these detail parts, or if there's any secret society (it's obvious one has to join one in order to gain this knowledge, because it's apparently more closely guarded than military secrets) that requires membership in order to learn the secrets, please let me know of the initiation process.

[ednadolski]

I don't recall offhand what the wire diameter is,  but a #80 bit might even be a tad oversize.   If you're not that comfortable with a pin vise, I suggest practicing on a scrap shell.  Since it is a skill it does get easier after you've done a few.  Don't press too hard (the plastic is relatively soft) and let the bit do the work; your hand is really there just to guide things so try to brace against the table edge or some other stable surface. The FVM shells have the dimples to help locate the holes, I also like to press into it with the sharp tip of a machinists awl to give the bit a place to start (without slipping).   If the bit fills up with plastic shavings then slowly pull it back out of the hole and clear away the shavings before resuming.

Have a small supply of extra bits on hand as some breakage is inevitable esp. while learning (and even afterwards --- these are inherently delicate parts after all ).   It's no big deal, don't be discouraged (some bits are just weak/defective anyways) just change the bit and keep going.  Keeping the side loading to a minimum will help keep the breakage down.

Of course you must have sufficient light and magnification, otherwise you are just setting yourself up for frustration.  Remember tho that at the end of the process you will have a model built to a level that few others will match

HTH,
Ed

N.B.  Don't use the carbide bits.   They are meant for presses and generally are too brittle for hand work.

[ednadolski]

Another note, it's much easier if you have good tweezers and flat-nose pliers.  Cheap/Crude tools are another recipe for lost parts and aggravation.   I use the Xuron tweezernose pliers, and the Excelta precision tweezers.

My wish list is for a set of surgical loupes, but those cost even more than a ProtoThrottle

Ed

[wazzou]

I always have a cheap wax tea candle at my bench that I stick the bit in prior to drilling into the shell. 
This acts as a lubricant for the bit much the same that oil would, if drilling into steel.

[peteski]

My wish list is for a set of surgical loupes, but those cost even more than a ProtoThrottle

Ed

Optivisor (the genuine one) with #7 lens plate is almost as good as the surgical loupes, for fraction of the price. I use mine all the time.

[ednadolski]

Optivisor (the genuine one) with #7 lens plate is almost as good as the surgical loupes, for fraction of the price. I use mine all the time.

The OV has a much shorter focal length, so I have to hunch over my work a lot more.  I did find that raising the bench to chest-height helps (and is better for my back).

Ed

[tehachapifan]

Also, with at least some FVM locos, the grabirons are skewed....meaning you can't drill for them the same way you would for, say, BLMA grabirons.

[bobdobbs]

How about FVM charges $20.00 more for the engine, and these parts come installed..

[MetroRedLine]

How about FVM charges $20.00 more for the engine, and these parts come installed..

They actually sell them for $135 each on the Fox Valley website. I recently bought a fully-detailed NS SD70ACe from there with some extra virtual cash I had lying around in my Venmo account. They seem to be popular, most of the UP models are sold out.

[MetroRedLine]

Another note, it's much easier if you have good tweezers and flat-nose pliers.  Cheap/Crude tools are another recipe for lost parts and aggravation.   I use the Xuron tweezernose pliers, and the Excelta precision tweezers.

My wish list is for a set of surgical loupes, but those cost even more than a ProtoThrottle

Ed

I'm using those sharp-ended precision tweezers. I bought them at a hobby shop. How do I keep the paint from peeling off the parts when I handle them?

[wazzou]

I'm using those sharp-ended precision tweezers. I bought them at a hobby shop. How do I keep the paint from peeling off the parts when I handle them?

Put some Masking Tape tightly around the tweezer points.

[MetroRedLine]

I don't recall offhand what the wire diameter is,  but a #80 bit might even be a tad oversize.   If you're not that comfortable with a pin vise, I suggest practicing on a scrap shell.  Since it is a skill it does get easier after you've done a few.  Don't press too hard (the plastic is relatively soft) and let the bit do the work; your hand is really there just to guide things so try to brace against the table edge or some other stable surface. The FVM shells have the dimples to help locate the holes, I also like to press into it with the sharp tip of a machinists awl to give the bit a place to start (without slipping).   If the bit fills up with plastic shavings then slowly pull it back out of the hole and clear away the shavings before resuming.

Have a small supply of extra bits on hand as some breakage is inevitable esp. while learning (and even afterwards --- these are inherently delicate parts after all ).   It's no big deal, don't be discouraged (some bits are just weak/defective anyways) just change the bit and keep going.  Keeping the side loading to a minimum will help keep the breakage down.

Of course you must have sufficient light and magnification, otherwise you are just setting yourself up for frustration.  Remember tho that at the end of the process you will have a model built to a level that few others will match

HTH,
Ed

N.B.  Don't use the carbide bits.   They are meant for presses and generally are too brittle for hand work.

I believe I'm using a #78 bit. No hobby shop I know of sells anything smaller than an #80 and they looked at me funny when I asked for a #80. You'd think it would help a lot if Fox Valley had an actual installation guide! I can find the dimples for the top of the ES44AC's nose grabirons, but the ones on the front, I can't see the dimples from the 3rd one down from the top (the UP wings/shield logo complicates things). I assume I also have to disassemble the entire shell as the front handrails are in the way? So they are press-fit in and not glued? I'm using the end of a needle to apply CA into the drilled hole. But I have the feeling I'm still breaking many rules which don't exist anywhere on paper. Seriously, how do you people even do it? You were born with magic powers, right?

[Steveruger45]

...r. Seriously, how do you people even do it? You were born with magic powers, right?

Not quite, but good light, a steady hand, quality tools, a bit of practice on something you don't care about and an "endeavor to persevere" frame of mind.   I have none of those so I don't fit the details.   
Good luck.

[samusi01]

Amazon has metric sizes smaller than #80: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PGKFT1E/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[High Hood]

I got my #80s from Drill Bit City: https://drillcity.stores.yahoo.net/.