I just came back from the basement where I've been working on an Intermountain tank car kit. I've been adding handrails to the tank and assembling the tank mounts and bands. Amazing detail but heavy breathing can break the details. Even with sprue nippers it's almost impossible to remove the details from the sprue. In this case, there is almost no clearance between the sprue and the part so it's nigh unto impossible to get the nippers between them. I wound up using a new #11 blade with great care and still wound up breaking one of the bands.

This isn't my first intermediate level kit but I can see why people opt for ready to run.

end rant.

Tom

When I first got into HOn3, my first kit was a Rail Line flat car. I never did get it together right, and I found the tiny details and brake gear frustrating. Back then I wished there was an Athearn "Blue Box" style of HOn3 kit. Since then, I have learned a few techniques that make things easier, but they still take a long time. My most success is when I do several at a time, and find a nice relaxing football game to watch at the same time and keep me from focusing too hard If I wanted a train of 30 HOn3 Rio Grande boxcars, I could spend a long time putting together rail line kits, painting and applying decals, or I could fork over 40-45 bucks a piece for Blackstone R-T-R cars. Considering the Rail Line kits will cost 30 bucks after decals and trucks and paint are purchased, I can really see the appeal of RTR there.

Makes you really appreciate the effort when you see all those details on an N scale model.

Hi Tom,

I had this problem at P2K Kits too.
So i got a tip to take a tea candle light where i heat the blade before cutting the parts from the sprue.
If you get the wright temperature it works fine.

GMO-Frisco Wrote:take a tea candle light where i heat the blade before cutting the parts from the sprue.

This is awesome. Such a simple solution, yet I never considered it. Thank you!

Great Idea! Thanks.

Tom

Excellent tip! Thank you.

Eureka !!!!!!!

Finally, a reasonable solution to the "Instantly Disappearing Flying Microscopic Plastic Part"- - - - - AND, a whole lot less time spent hunting through the carpet, and a whole lot more time spent finishing the model

back GMO-Frisco It's been a long, long time since your last visit hock:

Some parts should NEVER be molded in plastic! Heating the blade, why not!

Assembling a P2K is a nerve-cracking process I often delay!

Matt