What's on your NG workbench?

[nkp_174]

Gents,

I thought I'd start a thread for what's on your NG workbench. To start off, I've uploaded a few photos of things I've been working on...


This coach is the pilot model for my first passenger car kit (an Oahu Railway coach). Being that it is a pilot, their are a few small wrinkles to work out. Additionally, a few of the parts were produced in molds which aren't up to production grade (in other words, they aren't as crisp as the production parts will require). The only commercial parts are some of the NBWs, the turnbuckles, the trucks, and a single seat in the car. If you look really close, you can see that the interior walls are detailed to match the woodwork on the prototype cars...right down to the moldings.


Here are most of the parts that I still need to attach.


My first freight car kit, a 23' Colorado Central flatcar with the incomplete optional gondola sides. All "wood" surfaces have a very nice grain. My goal is to make this kit cheap enough (and easy enough to produce) to attract both On30 and On3 markets ($20-$30ish). The prototype cars were built for the Colorado Central starting in 1872. At 23' long and 7' wide, they were amongst the smallest prototype flatcars. The Colorado Central interchanged extensively with the South Park after the Golden-Denver connection was dual gauged, and probably interchanged with the D&RG (afterall, the DSP&P did quite a bit of interchange with the D&RG).


Other than the NBWs (for which I've received permission to use), every part was scratch built.

Otherwise, I have an incomplete 1:20.3 scale model of a D&RG 2-4-0 which was my 2yr old's Christmas gift (it runs, he was excited, but much cosmetic work remains). This past week, I didn't get much work done as my wife delivered our second child...a daughter.

Michael

[ocalicreek]

Congratulations, on both the prototype and the new kiddo.

Galen

[nachoman]

Since my shay is now put back together and running, my narrow gauge workbench has only two projects in partial completion: A brass 2-4-2 which I hope to resume work on this spring, and one more wood hopper car. I've got a few other items that need repair or a few more detail upgrades, and plenty of things in the "daydream" stage. I need a fleet of 5-6 boxcars, and I think I will use labelle kits for those. I also need a fleet of 5-6 flatcars, and I haven't decided if I will support the HOn3 RTR market, or scratchbuild. After that - my fleet will be complete.

By the way, now that you have a daughter, you should just go to the drugstore and buy a bottle of gray hair dye and beat nature at its game. It only took my dad about 5 years after my sister was born

[WT fan]

Great looking car. Wonderful.
But I'm into Hon3. I'm just building a 90 deg corner module of two segments for my Silver Valley RR.

Wolfgang

[P5se Camelback]

Michael
My primary goal is a large Oahu Railway layout in On3
My secondary interests are modeling the Denver, South Park, & Pacific in On3 and NKP in HO
http://thesoutshparkline.blogspot.com/

Michael ...
I'm a retired Industrial Designer who suffers from COPD and has had to give up all manner of activities which require physical stamina (which, believe it or not, includes sanding bodywork or turning wrench on a hot rod engine ... it takkes my breath away - literally!) However, my brain is still extremely overactive and I do have more than a little knowledge in the area of pattern making and mold making. I was starting to think about the possibilities of doing something along those lines to keep me mentall occupied, something that I could do mostly sitting down that wouldn't get too strenuous physically.

I clicked on the link in your signature in hopes of learning a bit more about your materials and processes (fear not ... I have no interest in doing anything slim gauge!) I was somewhat disappointed when I got the "Blog not found" message and the invitation to start a Blog named, "thesoutshparkline"

Of course, when I looked closely, I realized the typo, removed the misplaced "s" and got to your Blog. I have saved it in my IE Favorites and will review it later this evening when the lack daylight has curtailed my ability to paint brass diesel parts with an airbrush in the garage.

I just thought you'd like the opportunity to fix the link to your Blog.

[nkp_174]

I just thought you'd like the opportunity to fix the link to your Blog.

Thank you!

Wolfgang, BTS has a kit which can be used to build the flatcar in HOn3...but it is pretty simple to scratchbuild unless you want fabricate the centerplates and such...especially in HOn3! Considering your precision in handlaying track and constructing kits, you'd have no problem building it either way!

I forgot to post the DSP&P windows...here's a photo of the first 54...



Michael

[WT fan]

Thank you Michael. Good to know the source.

I've got an old KIBRI kit and have to built as is. It's a fast way to get some structures for my module Salina. Next meeting is in February!



Wolfgang

[WT fan]

Now I'm busy building a corner module. It will have a tunnel. Here's one site:

I have still to shape the foam and get some earth.



Wolfgang

[modelsof1900]

Michael,

all the best best for baby, your wife and increased family!

Nice to see also a few new activities of your modeling jobs,

Greetings ...

[AF350]

Wow NKP 174,

that passenger car is coming along nicely.

My own projects have been neglected due to working on a small club layout. I have to complete a bunch of toy conversions to On30 rolling stock along with a few GFC(generic flat car) that I made. The main hold up is trucks and couplers(have to order some).

[nachoman]

Michael,

I've been thinking about a fleet of flat cars - maybe around 10 total. Would making a mold and casting be worthwhile, or would scratching all 10 be a better option? I really want to get into casting, but I don't think I have anything I want enough copies of to make economically viable. I figure scratching 10 flat cars won't take too long if I use commercial castings for the stake pockets and other hardware. Any advice would be appreciated.

[nkp_174]

Kevin,

HOn3 flatcars would probably cost you around $5 in rubber for the molds and run under a dollar a piece for resin if everything goes well. The problem is that you'd likely be forced to spend around $50 to get set up. The other issue is labor. I'm not sure if there'd be savings in time with resin casting since you're using commercial hardware. If you have a high percentage of good castings, then you'd come out ahead. If you had many rejects, then it would be more expensive, time consuming, and frustrating (material selection helps with this).

Michael

[nachoman]

That's my worry - spending a bunch of money to get set up resin casting only to have a disaster and things not come out right. Being a flat car, I may be better off casting out of metal in order to have enough weight. As Gary has shown us, scratching 10 of something need not take too long if one has dedication and an assembly line.

[AF350]

Just an observation from casting a few things myself, a must have is a dry gas spray can to prevent moisture damage to the casting resin- moisture will cause it to cure to a spongy state, to avoid moisture damage spray the dry gas into the part a and part b bottles with each use and cap bottles right away after pouring the amount needed to do the casting.

Casting can be fun and a hobby in its self but it does have a learning curve. The rule of thumb is if you need more then 3 of something it may be worth making a mold.

[AF350]

Just to clear up the info dry gas that I am referring to is actually called a dry gas blanket and comes in an aerosol can under the brand name extend it not the stuff you put in a gas tank.

Hope I did not confuse anyone.