LGB coaches - repainting

[Eaglecliff]

I want to repaint my "starter set" LGB four-wheelers and alter those b..... "open" windows! How much brute force is required to remove the "window" moulding without breaking it? Is there a technique? Acrylic sheet is no problem if damage is inevitable but I don't particularly want to go there if I can avoid it.
I have also considered chopping them up to make a 5-compartment bogie vehicle and a 3-compartment parcel van (freelance, of course.) Anybody been there?
Eaglecliff

 

[pugwash]

Surprisingly easy, you have to put your fingers through the open windows (aaaah, so that's why they're open) and push the roof up to pop it off, the windows are just a snug fit at each end so push them inwards gently from the middle and ease the ends out of their fitting. Some, if they aren't tight, can just be pulled straight up and out. The seating is a similarly easy removal.

What's this I see? Yet another Derby member? :admire: We're taking over, there will soon be more of us than the Lancastrians!

 

[JonathanJ]

I've had a similar idea, and started cutting one up experimentally, but not got any further (I was going to use two coaches to make a seven or eight window bogie coach). Think someone (Tim?) posted a thread making 6 wheelers and centre entrance coaches, but that might have been on the old GSM forum.

Somewhere in an old continental modeller (early 80's) there are pictures of some really nice metre gauge french bogie coaches made from the planked wooden version of the four wheeler.

Jonathan

 

[Eaglecliff]

My windows appear to be glued in... there appears to be a dob of glue between the windows themselves, hence my query following failure to extract them.
Derby? Yes, turning into a retail desert, tho' - first C&B, now Trainlines is up for sale and likely to close. I know another three Gscalers in Derby through the East Midlands Group.
Regards,
Me
Surprisingly easy, you have to put your fingers through the open windows (aaaah, so that's why they're open) and push the roof up to pop it off, the windows are just a snug fit at each end so push them inwards gently from the middle and ease the ends out of their fitting. Some, if they aren't tight, can just be pulled straight up and out. The seating is a similarly easy removal.

What's this I see? Yet another Derby member? :admire: We're taking over, there will soon be more of us than the Lancastrians!

 

[Eaglecliff]

I'm having technical trouble - third time of trying.
The glazing in my coaches is stuck in - dobs of glue between the glazing and the coach side, hence my reference to the need for violence.
Derby - Trainlines is following C&B - up for sale, if no white knight, closing in October. I know three local members of the East Midlands Group of the G Scale Society..? Been to a couple of their open days this Summer. Eaglecliff LLRR is a bit small - and I haven't finished the wiring yet... and it's going to rain some more... must go and water the tomatoes otherwise we may starve this winter.
Regards,
Eaglecliff
aka Mike

 

[dutchelm]

Most of the windows are stuck in with a few blobs of glue. Just run a blade or thin screwdriver between the coach & window above the glue & prise them apart The glue will usually break before the window.

Disclaimer, I've never broken one but cannot claim its fool proof

 

[Spule 4]

Yes, the windows are glued on the four wheelers, some pop out with ease, others pop out in shattered bits in the several I have taken apart. Some, like the 3040, they just fall out on their own!

One trick I did learn on the train set coaches is to sand blast the bodies before painting, if you try and paint over the gloss paint in some cases, the paint will not adhere and bead.

 

[pugwash]

Strange, on the basic coaches I've never seen glue, on some of the more expensive ones certainly. Either way LGB is built to withstand boys (even 40+ year old boys) attacking them, so give it some grunt, I doubt you will break anything more than a fingernail.:thinking:
To make sure I just went out and checked on 3 of my basic coaches, AOK!

 

[pugwash]

One trick I did learn on the train set coaches is to sand blast the bodies before painting, if you try and paint over the gloss paint in some cases, the paint will not adhere and bead.

This is pretty obvious really, but don't blast the windows. When I repaint or weather my carriages I take the windies out first, the one exception was a wagon with a tiny window in the corner which I wanted to look dusty. It wasn't glazed, but I glazed then dusted it.
Sorry, no pictures at the moment as I have managed to kill my drive with all my digital images on. Lots of them. I am not allowed to say how unhappy this makes me.

 

[Eaglecliff]

Thought you might like to see a bit of the Eaglecliff L&LRR...

 

[stevedenver]

i believe that, depending on the era of the car, some have glue-typcially brown goop on the older-some have clear glue

the later ones actually have welded points-these are really tough

heres what ive learned from removing window in engines and coaches-

as mentioned start with a sharp knife -or modelers chisel-UNDER CONTROL-or if you have-a blade with a tiny saw edge

second
lgb windows, often if not always, have a rib or edge that fits into the window opening-which makes getting a knife in more tricky if the glazing is also wedged in say by seats-a common LGB assembly technique-so you have to make sure the glazing will come free or be flexible by not having it pinned to the wall by the seats

the temptation is to prize the window-it will feel like it will pop or give-with old brittle glue it might-more often youll crack the glazing, depending on where the fulcrum point  is -the rib i mentioned may stop it-BUT NOT ALWAYS


so try to get in and work the glue area with a knife, or get in close and gently prize right next to the glue spot-keeping an eye on the wall for deflection or other damage from your pressure against it

-if its a relatively new coach it will likely take a great deal of pressure and this can be dangerous with a knife pushing thru-when you are really pushing those modelers knives will go right thru you or can break and fly up

 

[Spule 4]

Strange, on the basic coaches I've never seen glue, on some of the more expensive ones certainly. Either way LGB is built to withstand boys (even 40+ year old boys) attacking them, so give it some grunt, I doubt you will break anything more than a fingernail.:thinking:
To make sure I just went out and checked on 3 of my basic coaches, AOK!

These were 1980s coaches. Not sure if the newer ones are the same. Not brown glue, but the solventy-melty kind.

What I did find on the two coaches was one the door glasses almost just fell out, while the others I gave up upon. So it may have been even a matter of who was working that day!

 

[Spule 4]

Had to go into the loft for something else, and dug out the box of broken up LGB coaches.

First shows some "trainset" windows removed, and some of the damage. I did the flat screwdriver method. Also note the "flush" inset as Steve pointed out.

The second shows the body where they glue in. Breaking the glue joints allows the seats to come right out.

 

[Eaglecliff]

That method of attachment looks very familiar. Thanks for taking the trouble to dig them out. I shall proceed with caution!

 

[Spule 4]

Good idea. This is all the Luran era stuff, not sure how the newer plastic takes such abuses!

 

[hornbeam]

worse case, ive got some spare windows and frames if you need them. gently with a screw driver works for me. Light rum down and use plastic primer. I only ever use halfords paits, use lotsof thin coats shold be fine,

si

 

[themole]

I have run a Dremmel over the bit thats glued to the coach and that also works as a way to release the window moulding. Alyn

 

[Spule 4]

I have run a Dremmel over the bit thats glued to the coach and that also works as a way to release the window moulding. Alyn

Brilliant! I would flag this as helpful, if I knew how to do it!

 

[themole]

The part of the window moulding, normally the small oblong where the glue is applied, just run the Dremmell and cutting wheel over this area. This area heats up and you can pop the window out. Alyn. I hope that makes it a bit clearer.

 

[Spule 4]

The message was clear Alyn, just wished to "tag" your message as helpful, but cannot figure out how to do that step on this forum, I guess I was the one not clear,