Best Of Scratchbuild Project - Van Iron Woodchip Cars

[BCR 570]

The tip for applying the adhesive with a pin is what I was looking for.  I have always applied it using the bottle it comes in and always have excess adhesive that ends up spreading out and becoming visible when the model is painted.   I will try the pin method and see if that improves my efforts.

Thank you for the reply.

Joe

Oh gosh no, I never apply directly from the bottle.  I have a container of small sharp pins which I use as applicators.  I put a few drops of CA into a small container (I usually use the plastic from small blister packs (like the ones MT couplers used to come in), dip into the drops with the pin, and then apply the CA usually to the part, but in certain applications to the model.

With grab irons I put one or two dabs on each mounting pin; with the ladders I put a little more on the pin and spread it along the backside of the vertical ladder posts.

The pins eventually accumulate a ball of CA on the end and this is easily scraped off with a hobby knife.


Tim

[jpf94]

Oh gosh no, I never apply directly from the bottle.  I have a container of small sharp pins which I use as applicators.  I put a few drops of CA into a small container (I usually use the plastic from small blister packs (like the ones MT couplers used to come in), dip into the drops with the pin, and then apply the CA usually to the part, but in certain applications to the model.

With grab irons I put one or two dabs on each mounting pin; with the ladders I put a little more on the pin and spread it along the backside of the vertical ladder posts.

The pins eventually accumulate a ball of CA on the end and this is easily scraped off with a hobby knife.


Tim

Thanks again Tim.   The tip about the thicker adhesive was also very helpful I had always used the thinner faster setting stuff.  Never again.  Appreciate the tips.

Joe

[BCR 570]

Detailing (Part 5)
With the end details largely installed, I have moved on to the side details.  First up are the grab irons at the left end of each side.  Again, I drilled the holes while the parts were still flat so this was just a matter of ensuring the holes were clear, removing the parts from the fret, applying CA, and inserting them into place on the model:




The Series 1 cars had eight rung ladders at the right end of each side.  After cutting and trimming the ladders, CA glue is applied to the rear of the vertical posts on the ladders and they are placed on the model:




BCOL 9590 had the right end ladder on the right hand side of the car cut down to four rungs, so I cut a shorter ladder of the right side of this car:




The Series 2 cars had grab irons at the right end of each side in place of the ladders:




Here are the six cars after installation of detail parts to both sides.  These are the right hand sides of the cars.  There are now some interesting differences between the cars with features such as safety fittings, handbrake arrangements, vibrator plates, letterboards, and dump doors:




Next up are the undersides of the cars.


Tim

[craigolio1]

These cars look soooo good Tim.

Craig.

[BCR 570]

Thank you!

Detailing (Part 6)
This instalment covers the underside detail parts, which include the major brake appliances, connecting piping, and sill steps.  I use the Precision Scale Co. #6713 brake equipment set, which is available in either brass or plastic.  The package comprises four sets of AB reservoirs, brake cylinders, triple valves, and air hoses:




Here are the parts out of the package, along with samples of the Detail Associates .012" brass wire which I will use to connect them with each other:




The brake cylinder and triple valves have mounting pins with which to secure them to the car, so one only needs to drill a #66 hole in the desired location.  The AB reservoir lacks a mounting pin.  These were usually suspended from brackets beneath the car so I fashioned these from small strips of styrene and tapered them to match photographs:




This underside view shows the mounting pads and holes for the brake cylinder and triple valve, and the mounting brackets in place for the AB reservoir:




The three brake appliances are then secured in place with AC glue:




The connecting pipes between the appliances were bent from Detail Associates .012" brass wire and trimmed to the exact length required:




Two pipes extend across the car from the triple valve to the AB reservoir.  There are actually two tiny sockets for these wires on the inside of the triple valve.  Another socket above this pair is for the line out to the brake cylinder.  I drilled a hole in the rear of the cylinder to accept the wire from the triple valve:




I looked into installing additional brake rigging but it was going to foul operation of the trucks and wheels, so I left it as is.  The next step was to install the sill steps at each corner.  The correct style for these cars is included in the BLMA set #402 but I only have one set and there are none to be had anywhere.  The correct style is available at one end of the Micro-Trains boxcar stirrups, and while I would have preferred to use etched parts, these appeared to be the best option at present; hopefully the Delrin will adhere to the styrene with AC glue:




I cut the sill steps I need from one end of the Micro-Trains part as seen here:




The sill steps were then glued into each corner with ACC.  I am hoping that the Delrin will stay fixed in place:




You will notice in the photograph above that I elected to drill the holes for the coupler mounting screws at this time.  It was easier to place a scale rule across the end of the car to ensure the mounting hole is centered prior to gluing the sill steps in place.  I will cover the coupler installation in a later instalment.

There are some additional parts to add to the underside of the cars at each end.  These are the cut levers and air hoses, and these will be installed after the couplers are on.


Tim

[bbussey]

It's nice to know that the Precision Scale detail parts are still available.  Looking good Tim.

[garethashenden]

There's a trick I learned recently, I don't remember from whom, for getting slippery engineering plastic such as delrin to stay in place when superglued. Take the piece of delin, glue side up, put a piece of tissue on top of it, and touch it with a dry hot soldering iron. The tissue will bond with the softened plastic and it will hold the glue much more reliably.

[wazzou]

I’ve had good luck just sanding the Delrin surface and gluing with ACC as normal.

[BCR 570]

Thank you for the suggestions; sanding the surface makes perfect sense to give the glue something to bite on to.

Tim

[craigolio1]

Thank you for the suggestions; sanding the surface makes perfect sense to give the glue something to bite on to.

Tim

Tim, for a while I've used a Loctite product, Super Glue with Activator.  It has a felt tip sort of primer pen and it makes the glue bond with all plastics.  I used it with good success for the first time on my BCR slug when I followed your how to.

It looks like its been replaced with a LePage product as that's where I'm directed when I go to the Loctite consumer site link.

https://www.lepage.ca/en/lepage-products/fix-stuff/super-glue/liquid-super-glue/super_glue_all_plastics.html

Craig

[BCR 570]

Thank you - I checked the first car I installed the sill steps on this morning and they appear to have adhered really well so will proceed with the remaining five after getting the couplers installed.

Tim

[BCR 570]

It's nice to know that the Precision Scale detail parts are still available.  Looking good Tim.

Hi Bryan:  I assume they are still available.  I have had mine on hand for some time.  Some of them are in redesigned packaging (orange in lieu of the gray).


Tim

[BCR 570]

Couplers
You know a project is approaching completion when the couplers go on!  I need to install these now prior to adding some final details such as the sill steps, cut levers and air hoses.  I selected the Micro-Trains #1023 coupler (now sold as #001 02 009) for these cars as I am also using them on the CS Models chip cars I am building concurrently:




These couplers have a flap which extends over the end of the car, which is a great aid in locating them correctly.  I place the coupler upside down on the end of the car (which is also upside down).  I insert a sharp pin into the mounting hole of the coupler and prick a pre-drill mark on the underside of the car:




I then use a scale rule to verify that the pre-drill is exactly on the centreline of the car; if not I will skid it toward the centreline.  Usually they are not too far off:




I then begin drilling the holes for the mounting screws, starting with a #80 drill and progressing through #76, #72, #68, #64, and finally #62.  During this process I go fairly slowly and monitor the drill bit to ensure that it is perpendicular to the car on both axis:




After tapping the #62 hole with a #00-90 tap, I use a small screwdriver to attach the couplers to the car.  The couplers are then tested for correct operation:




After all the couplers are on, I will return to installing the sill steps as shown in the previous instalment.


Tim

[jpf94]

Tim,

i have used the MT steps as you show here for several years.   Mostly to replace broken factory original steps and have never had any fall off.   The CA adhesive has worked well for me, so I don't think you will have a problem with them.

Joe

[BCR 570]

Hi Joe:

I got the remaining couplers and sill steps installed last night.  They all seem to have adhered well so am inclined to agree with you.


Tim