Just some stuff I'm working on....

[conrailmike]

A few things I've started to do.

This will become CR 9552, have to order the AAR sideframes as I can't find them anywhere. Going to detail it and weather it too.


Managed to get the windows covered and the old stanchion holes filled in, the prototype has the single handrail down the side of the hood.


Yeah, I know CR never had one in this color but I like it :mrgreen: I will eventually add some weathering to it. Maybe add some details.


This I screwed the paint up on so it's going to become another CR 86', the paint has been totally stripped now.


The project list is forever long now, there's 17 other models of CR diesels I want to build and/or superdetail. There's another 20 paint schemes that I want to do at least one unit from......."goals" I suppose :mrgreen:

[Gary S]

Looking forward to some progress photos, Mike. And with 17 locos to do, you have some ambition, I must say!

[tomustang]

Subscribing... I like any conrail builds

[Green_Elite_Cab]

Looking forward to some progress photos, Mike. And with 17 locos to do, you have some ambition, I must say!

Agreed, I love to detail stuff, but i think i wouldn't get to wrapped up with rushing them. it gets overwhelming fast!

[conrailmike]

Looking forward to some progress photos, Mike. And with 17 locos to do, you have some ambition, I must say!

Agreed, I love to detail stuff, but i think i wouldn't get to wrapped up with rushing them. it gets overwhelming fast!

Oh no...no rush on them. The amount of time I can spend on them makes it even more fun, plus I want them to look right.

[conrailmike]

I had a little bit of time to work on the switcher today. A few grab irons installed along with some lift rings and the handrail along the hood. After looking for a match to the handrail brackets on the prototype, I ended up using the coupler lift bar brackets from Detail Associates. I think they look pretty good. I have to go get more #80 drills....dang things break so easy.

[Gary S]

I've broken a few myself. I read somewhere that chuckign them up short will help, even have the flutes up in the chuck.

[P5se Camelback]

After having looked at the photos above, I've gotta ask ... what's with that (those) boxes?

It (they) appear to be wood with some kind of lining inside. So ... is this some sort of soft cradle used to lay a model in without disturbing the fine detail on the side?

[conrailmike]

After having looked at the photos above, I've gotta ask ... what's with that (those) boxes?

It (they) appear to be wood with some kind of lining inside. So ... is this some sort of soft cradle used to lay a model in without disturbing the fine detail on the side?

Yeah, I built it awhile back. I wanted something that I could set cars/locomotives in to work on and not ruin the details, but I just couldn't bring myself to pay the $$ they wanted for the ones in the hobby shops. Just some 1x2's, 1x1's, and a piece of Luan for the backing. I had some scrap carpet padding and just glued it in there and painted it white so I could see parts easily. I really need to build a bigger one as the longer pieces don't really fit in it.

[Green_Elite_Cab]

I've broken a few myself. I read somewhere that chuckign them up short will help, even have the flutes up in the chuck.

absolutely. the greatest problem with thing bits is the flexing, and so only let as much of the bit out as you need to make your hole, nothing more. Its incredibly difficult to hold your hands steady, and the more the bit "flexes", the more likely it will snap.

I wish there were some sort of solid drill press or something that could take the #80 bits, even if it were a hand powered operation. not only would drilling holes be more accurate, but if you have the work held steady, and the bit held steady, it removes alot of the forces that cause them the crack so easy.

i wonder if its possible to make one.....

[P5se Camelback]

How 'bout the Dremel ... don't they make one that you chuck the Dremel tool into and it has a little drill table and a crank to move the Dremel tool up and down ... or did I just dream that one night when i had snapped off a bunch of #78 bits and the next day was a Sunday (Pennsylvania had "Blue Laws" back then!)

[conrailmike]

They do have a drill press for the dremel, although sometimes the dremel is just too big to get in the small areas. I don't even use mine as it's not a variable speed model....talk about melting plastic

[Green_Elite_Cab]

I do have the dremel press but i would NEVER use it on a plastic model, even at a "low speed" (mine is variable). Its just fine for drilling holes in my brass stock for the catenary and such, but it doesn't have the precision and safety you can get by hand. The dremel press doesn't hold the dremel tool absolutely solid, it can still shift a tiny bit, and thats more than enough to mess up a model.

I've only ever used the dremel press on plastic when i intended to do major surgery, like removing molded on fans of EMD models with the plan to replace them with cannon & Co versions, etc.

i think if you doing little details, like lift rings, we need something with a more delicate touch, something that won't run away on us so easy as a dremel will. thats just my thoughts.