12-15-2008, 06:33 PM
I managed to get some more done today. The boiler/cab assembly, smokebox front, pilot, tender shell and a couple of other small parts got sandblasted with baking soda. I did this to remove any tarnish from handling and the last traces of stubborn paint that remained. It also left a nice dull textured finish that the paint will stick well to.
Sorry no photos of the parts right now. As of right now the blasted parts are in zip lock baggies awaiting a final dip in lacquer thinner and a wash in soap and water. They will then be ready for painting.
I am still trying to decide if I will prime them first or just spray the black directly on the brass. I am not sure if the primer is needed as the sandblasting gives a good surface for the paint to stick to. I am going to be using Polly Scale acrylic paint. All my painting is done indoors and my paint booth does not vent outside so I avoid using solvent based paints. I have read Polly Scale sticks to brass well and some tests on some brass sheet have shown it does. I also plan on drying the parts with a hairdryer on high to help bake it on.
As mention at the beginning of the thread I am using a new NWSL gearbox with a 36:1 gear ratio and a new NWSL can motor. Strangely the original gearbox had one side axle slot worn. So much so the gearbox would lean over against the frame from the motor torque. It also made a lot of noise.
Installing the new gearbox means changing the axle gear on the geared driver set and requartering all the drivers sets so they match each other.
Here is the axle with the new 36 tooth gear pressed on. Both wheels were removed in order to use a set of machined metal blocks to check to make sure the gear is 90 degrees to the axle. Any wobble will make for a noisy gearbox again.
These are the blocks used to make sure the gear is square to the axle. You can use one block while pressing the gear on the axle. I placed the gear on the block with the hole in the gear over the axle hole in the block and press the axle through the gear. For a press I used my drill press with the axle in the chuck after I made sure the table on the drill press was 90 degrees both ways to the chuck. Careful work payed off as the gear was perfect when checked with both blocks.
This is the puller I used to remove both wheels from the geared driver set and one wheel from each of the other driver sets.
Wayne R
Sorry no photos of the parts right now. As of right now the blasted parts are in zip lock baggies awaiting a final dip in lacquer thinner and a wash in soap and water. They will then be ready for painting.
I am still trying to decide if I will prime them first or just spray the black directly on the brass. I am not sure if the primer is needed as the sandblasting gives a good surface for the paint to stick to. I am going to be using Polly Scale acrylic paint. All my painting is done indoors and my paint booth does not vent outside so I avoid using solvent based paints. I have read Polly Scale sticks to brass well and some tests on some brass sheet have shown it does. I also plan on drying the parts with a hairdryer on high to help bake it on.
As mention at the beginning of the thread I am using a new NWSL gearbox with a 36:1 gear ratio and a new NWSL can motor. Strangely the original gearbox had one side axle slot worn. So much so the gearbox would lean over against the frame from the motor torque. It also made a lot of noise.
Installing the new gearbox means changing the axle gear on the geared driver set and requartering all the drivers sets so they match each other.
These are the blocks used to make sure the gear is square to the axle. You can use one block while pressing the gear on the axle. I placed the gear on the block with the hole in the gear over the axle hole in the block and press the axle through the gear. For a press I used my drill press with the axle in the chuck after I made sure the table on the drill press was 90 degrees both ways to the chuck. Careful work payed off as the gear was perfect when checked with both blocks.
Wayne R