Nachoman's spring 2010 challenge- reefer.

[tetters]

The new grabs look great Kevin.

[nachoman]

Hey! Quit making fun of my truck painting tool!

[TrainNut]

So Vlad, now how are you going to clean the paint off the parts of the wheel that make contact with the rail? I know how I'd do it but I bet you've got an easier way.

[nachoman]

I will take a paper towel, soak it in some kind of solvent (mineral spirits or alcohol), lay it across a piece of track, and roll the trucks back and forth across it.

[TrainNut]

Oi. I must be getting old. I forgot that trick.

[nachoman]

I got the trucks painted up. I still need to clean the paint off the wheel treads. These are tichy arch bar trucks leftover from some hopper kits. I converted the hoppers to narrow gauge and did not need these trucks.

[nachoman]

I finished of the brake end of the car, and touched up the paint by spraying polly scale "d&rgw building brown". Most of the detail parts for the brake staff came leftover from a kit, with the exception of the hanger at the bottom that i made from brass, and a small piece of chain I wrapped around the bottom brake staff.
   

I also put the trucks on a took a photo of the side. I still need to mask and spray the bottom using the same techniques I used on the trucks, and lastly apply the stirrups (less chance of the breaking if I apply them last), and painting the side grab irons brown. I haven't decided whether I will put on coupler release levers.

[doctorwayne]

Nice work, Kevin, and nice that you've included the retainer valve, too. That's a part often overlooked by modellers and sometimes by manufacturers, too. Many of my cars lack that detail as I'm usually too lazy to make the part and not aware of a source for them without having to buy the entire brake gear set.

Wayne

[nachoman]

Wayne, I have bought the Tichy brake kit, sometimes just for the brake cylinder. Buying the whole kit is sometimes just a few cents more than the individual part. So, I often have parts left over - such as retainer valves.

[nachoman]

I put on the stirrups, painted the grab irons brown, and did a little airbrush weathering. I will probably dullcote the whole car when I get done with my other projects. Other than that, it is done. Sorry for the lousy photo. I will take a photo outside in better light when the rain lets up.

[Ralph]

Very nice intricate work Kevin. My hat is off to you! The car looks great!
Ralph

[Charlie B]

Kevin, That is a very well done project. I have many of these old cars to convert when the time comes. I bought many after Christmas sale cars from one of my jobbers that sold HO trains too. I was giving 75cents per car and still have many that can be quite usable with a lot of work.
Charlie

[nachoman]

As promised, here are better photos of my completed reefer. I built a small diorama on a scrap piece of plywood that I can set outside and take pictures on.

[doctorwayne]

Very nice work, Kevin. The improved lighting shows off those details to good advantage.

Wayne