I've always wanted to try this - and finally got around to doing it. Most of my interest is in narrow gauge and pre-1920, and that means tons of kitbashing and scratchbuilding. And that means I need detail parts - some are available already, some not, some are just not exactly what I need.

So - here's my first creation!!!

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I've been converting many standard gauge flea market cars into narrow gauge. I know Tichy and Grandt line make fine K style airbrake kits, but right now I just don't have patience for adding all the brake rods and levers to an underframe that is barely seen. I just want the most visible part - the brake clylinder. So, I created some on shapeways that can just be printed off and cut apart and glued on!

I've got a few more ideas I am working on next. First up will be a coupler box that will allow the easier use of Kadee 158 "scale" head whisker couplers in HOn3. The boxes they come with are too big and interfere with the movement of the narrow gauge trucks unless they are cut down and modified. But if I can make boxes that will work as is, then I can order the 158s in bulk!

Anyway - this really wasn't that hard!
Kevin

Kevin, that's a good idea for getting the main component of KC-type brakes at a reasonable price. If you purchased commercially-available brake gear sets, you'd pay about the same for only two of those parts, and end up with a bunch of left-over parts for which you have no need.

Kadee does offer "scale-size" draught gear boxes in their #178 package, but even those might be too large for some narrow gauge equipment. If you can design a box that would attach to the car with a single screw, you could use the unthreaded shank portion of a suitable screw as the pivot-point for the coupler, rather than including a passageway for the screw as part of the box. That would simplify the design and possibly be more durable than the printing material. If you opt for a flat-headed screw, include provision for a countersink in the design of the box lid - that way, the screw head will be virtually invisible when the car is on the layout.
I attempted to countersink for the screws on this Accurail car's couplers (this was originally one of their press-in box covers), but should have gone a little deeper...



....still, it looks better on the layout than a big round screw head.

Wayne

Wayne -

The 178 box is both too long and too tall to work for HOn3. I've used them, but had to cut away everything in back of the screw hole, and trim the two "ribs" off the one side of the box. It didn't take long to make a 3-d drawing of one and submit to shapeways - I need to make a few edits to it, but I think it should work well. I'll post a link to it once I get the bugs worked out.

Kevin

Here is an example of how a 178 box needs to be modified. This is an AHM flat car converted to HOn3. As you can see the rear of the coupler box had to be trimmed behind the screw. As for the screw itself - this is a 2-56. I suppose an 0-80 would be much less visible. But I like the 2-56 because I can buy them relatively cheap at the Ace Hardware up the street. That's an advantage if I run out and need a few screws to finish a project .

So here are my coupler boxes - these should allow the use of Kadee #153 or #158 with HOn3.

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That really is a limited area in which to work, but your shortened design should work well.

Wayne

Well, i ordered both. Cant wait to see how they work! Now thinking of what to make next...

Well shapeways says they are both printed and on their way!! Can't wait to see how they turned out.

Ooh and now I made a whole flat car!

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I'm really starting to get the hang of this!

Here is a tender frame I made for HOn2 2-8-0 tenders:

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Next challenge is to make the tender tank!!

Kevin

nachoman Wrote:I'm really starting to get the hang of this!

Here is a tender frame I made for HOn2 2-8-0 tenders.....

Nice if you can afford it, I suppose, but a sheet of Evergreen scribed siding (and perhaps a similar-sized sheet of thicker styrene onto which it could be cemented for increased thickness) would be cheaper and likely give you enough material to build similar frames for a number of locomotives. The cutting and assembly would likely take less time for all of the required frames than what was spent doing the drawing for the one shown.

I do see applications where 3-D printing could be useful, but I wouldn't have chosen it for such a simple shape.

Wayne

doctorwayne Wrote:

nachoman Wrote:I'm really starting to get the hang of this!

Here is a tender frame I made for HOn2 2-8-0 tenders.....

Nice if you can afford it, I suppose, but a sheet of Evergreen scribed siding (and perhaps a similar-sized sheet of thicker styrene onto which it could be cemented for increased thickness) would be cheaper and likely give you enough material to build similar frames for a number of locomotives. The cutting and assembly would likely take less time for all of the required frames than what was spent doing the drawing for the one shown.

I do see applications where 3-D printing could be useful, but I wouldn't have chosen it for such a simple shape.

Wayne

Agreed on all points But...consider:

1) The best way to learn how to make more complex shapes is to start with simpler ones.
2) If I was making a few just for myself, an assembly line and some styrene would definitely be quicker and cheaper. But if others want to build one, too, they may not want to go through the trouble. The tender tank comes next. Combine the tank with the frame and a pair of trucks and one then has a complete tender.
3) I don't have as much time to spend in my workshop these days. I've got infant twins at home :mrgreen: and it's much easier to mess around on a laptop while the kids nap than it is to get all messy in a workshop .

You are right. Building a flat car, or a tender frame, or even a tender tank isn't that difficult. But for some reason, most people would rather not do it these days...

Kevin

I do see your points now, Kevin, and you're right...we make our choices to suit our individual wants and needs.

Wayne

And here is the tender tank to go with it..

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It's kinda fun figuring out how to draw all this stuff out.

Kevin

Here is the complete tender - this printed all as one piece! I added some wire details and gray rattle can primer. Not bad?

[attachment=28114]

I also designed a Christmas ornament (or other kind of decoration) based on a steam locomotive builder's plate:

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[attachment=28113]