Li'l Bash

[Andrew]

That is a nice loco! I am heading into my shed now with inspiration for the day!
Tip: On cold days, stand any rattle paint can in warm water for 10 minutes before using, then shake, this makes a nice smooth mixture, & easier to clean the nozzle when finished.
Andrew
Sandbar & Mudcrab Railway

 

[trammayo]

Thanks for your comments both.

Andrew - I did warm the can in the house but it was so cold in the shed the paint wasn't drying. My fingers start to seize after about 20 minutes - roll on warmer weather (notice I didn't say summer).

 

[playmofire]

Andrew - I did warm the can in the house but it was so cold in the shed the paint wasn't drying. My fingers start to seize after about 20 minutes - roll on warmer weather (notice I didn't say summer).

In the past, I've warmed not only the spray can but also the item being painted using a hair dryer and this has worked quite well with the paint drying quickly before it can acquire the "bloom" that results from damp conditions.

 

[trammayo]

Andrew - I did warm the can in the house but it was so cold in the shed the paint wasn't drying. My fingers start to seize after about 20 minutes - roll on warmer weather (notice I didn't say summer).

In the past, I've warmed not only the spray can but also the item being painted using a hair dryer and this has worked quite well with the paint drying quickly before it can acquire the "bloom" that results from damp conditions.

Which is what I did (well with the hot air gun) - which is why I ended up with masking tape adhesive stuck to the cab. Maybe too much heat I suppose.

 

[playmofire]

Could be, Mick. I've only found masking leaving a sticky residue if I have left it on too long. I also shy away from the car shop type and use Tamiya modelling masking tape on the plastic itself and the car shop tape on that or the newspaper doing the masking off.

 

[3Valve]

Truly inspiring stuff Mick. There's one of these little babies on my xmas list now

 

[trammayo]

Could be, Mick. I've only found masking leaving a sticky residue if I have left it on too long. I also shy away from the car shop type and use Tamiya modelling masking tape on the plastic itself and the car shop tape on that or the newspaper doing the masking off.

There's one thing for sure, I've learnt something (that is providing I don't forget)

Thanks Gareth - good luck with yours, I don't think you will be disappointed!

 

[trammayo]

When I was looking for pics (trying to find an excuse to retain the split tank), I came across this pic which was a source of inspiration ...

Having asked, in another post, for details of Bachmann's side tipping ore car - and received pic and measurements - I decided to buy one. It arrived yesterday and I must say it's a nice little model.

I was intending to scale it down a little for my next project (building four or five of them completely from scratch) but I do not think the ore car is out of proportion to the loco. I don't what anybody else thinks?

Anyway, taking a leaf out of the Chinese manufacturer's book, I unashamedly intend to build some copies - albeit with a distressed and well used look!

 

[yb281]

Looks spot-on to me Mick.

 

[trammayo]

Thanks Mel.I'll make a start in the new year (or even sooner with usual repeats on telly)!

 

[Madman]

Mick, you have done a masterful job on the loco. However, in my pea brain, tank locos don't have an extending roof at the rear. This is not to say that I speak from gospel, but I prefer tank type locos, that is without any type of tender, to have a cut off roof line.
Ok, you can all jump on my now

 

[tramcar trev]

I think its very nice, looks great with the ore car.... I fully support your efforts in ripping of some poor Chinaman who is making those wagons for less than $1ea and sells them for $40+ ea... looks an ideal project to practise some resin moulding....

 

[Madman]

I think its very nice, looks great with the ore car.... I fully support your efforts in ripping of some poor Chinaman who is making those wagons for less than $1ea and sells them for $40+ ea... looks an ideal project to practise some resin moulding....

:timeout:Caution, temporary thread drift.:timeout:
This should really go into it's own topic. But I can't see starting a topic just to bash someone's entranpenuership skills. While shopping for LED's on Ebay, I find tons of great buys directly from China. Then I'll come across an American seller, stating that the product he is selling is being shipped from an American location, which indeed it is. But what he isn't letting you know is that he purchased the very same LEDs from the Chinese and is reselling them for alot more money. A couple of years ago I was looking for Thumb Drives. The guy in China had them for a starting price of one dollar with an eleven dollar shipping fee. The US seller was selling them for twelve dollars and up and still charging for shipping. Where do you think he was buying them. So the bottom line here is if you can make money by ripping off the poor Chinaman, go for it.

 

[tramcar trev]

Plus of course there is the inestimable value in making something yourself...

 

[trammayo]

I think its very nice, looks great with the ore car.... I fully support your efforts in ripping of some poor Chinaman who is making those wagons for less than $1ea and sells them for $40+ ea... looks an ideal project to practise some resin moulding....

:timeout:Caution, temporary thread drift.:timeout:
This should really go into it's own topic. But I can't see starting a topic just to bash someone's entranpenuership skills. While shopping for LED's on Ebay, I find tons of great buys directly from China. Then I'll come across an American seller, stating that the product he is selling is being shipped from an American location, which indeed it is. But what he isn't letting you know is that he purchased the very same LEDs from the Chinese and is reselling them for alot more money. A couple of years ago I was looking for Thumb Drives. The guy in China had them for a starting price of one dollar with an eleven dollar shipping fee. The US seller was selling them for twelve dollars and up and still charging for shipping. Where do you think he was buying them. So the bottom line here is if you can make money by ripping off the poor Chinaman, go for it.

Isn't that always the case? In business, the maxim is;- "Its not how little it costs but, rather, how much can you sell it for?"! Me, I'd rather sleep with a clear conscience than none at all. I don't subscribe to the 'Never give a sucker an even break' philosophy

Ruthless (to me) is when the wind's blown the shed roof off.

But the main problem is budget constraints. I paid £28 for the truck and £13 for the postage. As no one as more than an odd one in stock (if any at all), an extrapolation of those costs - for a rake of five - construes at over 200 smackers. Now I could buy three L'il haulers and have some change!

To be honest (also), I couldn't foil to carve up such an excellent little model - let alone five of them.

They won't be 100% accurate copies but, hopefully, will look more like the ones in the photo and, given artistic license, this should compensate for any shortfalls in my knowledge and skills.

AND DAN - you are right about the roof. I have two options - extend the body of the cab or chop the roof! Doh1 But thanks for pointing out that little (but now obvious) fact! Every pic I looked at, I concentrated on the tank and the motion. I will sort it

 

[MRail]

AND DAN - you are right about the roof. I have two options - extend the body of the cab or chop the roof! Doh1 But thanks for pointing out that little (but now obvious) fact! Every pic I looked at, I concentrated on the tank and the motion. I will sort it

What about adding a coal bunker? Would it spoil the overall effect? Make it too "British"?

 

[trammayo]

Hi Rob - I'd have to alter the cab completely if I did that (side doorways) - which I had contemplated - but then that would also involve moving the drawbeam back and so on. So the easiest is to crop the roof I guess.

And, no - not too British - bunkers were also used in the US.

 

[MRail]

I went down that road with a couple of Porters...

 

[mbiff]

great little loco for bashing - i got something welsh in mind

 

[trammayo]

great little loco for bashing - i got something welsh in mind

I look foward to that Mark!

Rob - yes the pair of Porters look great like that.

Anyway, inbetween helping on domestic chores and supping coffee, I attacked the roof with a razor saw and then a file, and then smoothing off with a fine sanding block. A quick spray over with red oxide (paid attention to masking tape this time) and then checked over.

I had revealed some of the blue base where it should be black. Touched up and a slight sign of bloom. Anyway, I now realise it looks better with the roof shortened (minus about 20mm).....