tender frame

[union pacific 844]

does any know how to make tender frame to fit under a bachmann gs4 tender shell or where to get one cheap im trying to make a water tender

[Doneldon]

844-

The easiest thing would be building one from styrene and then weighting the whole package. I'd use some fairly heavy styrene sheet, like .060" or thicker, cut to the size of the opening on the bottom of the tender shell. You can glue strips of styrene (say, 1/8"x1/8") around the inside of the shell in order to glue the bottom to the shell. You can use larger chunks of styrene, say 1/4" square, to make pads for the bottom and use screws to hold the bottom in so you can remove it later. I'd probably just glue it. Then add brake fixtures, styrene pads to mount the couplers at the right height and bolsters for the trucks. If you set the bottom up from the bottom edge of the shell, you'll have room to use styrene to fashion a "proper" frame; use pics from the Inet to see what it should look like. Insetting the floor will also partially conceal your brake fixtures, similar to the way things are on real tenders.

I think that freelancing your floor/frame will be quicker in the long run, and easier, than tracking down an appropriate size bottom and jury rigging it to the shell. You'll also have the enjoyment of knowing that you designed and built your water bottle frame from scratch. I'm not sure many modelers can claim to have scratch built anything these days.

Good luck with your project.
                                                   -- D

[rogertra]

Donald is right in suggesting you build your own frame, it's dead easy, you can just use I beams following the design of tenders you already own and glue the I beams to a solid tender deck.

However, I'm a big kitbasher of tenders.  I've done at least half a dozen or more as American tenders tend to be longer than Canadian tenders.  I've taken six scale feet from the Bachmann 2-8-0 style tender for use behind various engines, I've replaced the P2K 0-8-0 tender body with a sloped back tender body I picked up on a junk table at a local show and kitbashed the P2K chassis to fit and I've converted several Bachmann "Hickman" oil tenders into coal tenders for use behind locos I've kitbashed to replace the original cabs with all weather cabs.  A regular tender just isn't right behind an all weather cab.

What's my point?  Go to your LHS or local MR show and look for a junker engine.  Kitbash the tender body to make a water cart and or use the chassis on which to mount a scratched built body if you don't feel comfortable building the whole water cart from scratch.

[jbrock27]

Matt does not have a LHS.
And he does not want to paint his own locomotives, so the chances of him building this thing are about as good as the chances of you accepting that some people enjoy watching their trains go roundy round.

[rogertra]

Matt does not have a LHS.
And he does not want to paint his own locomotives, so the chances of him building this thing are about as good as the chances of you accepting that some people enjoy watching their trains go roundy round.

Ah, then Matt is going to have a problem if he needs to scratch build, isn't he? 

Painting is not difficult.  All of my repainted locos and rolling stock, and that's quite a few, have been sprayed using rattle cans.  It's not difficult if you are spray one colour.

As for people watching tail chasers?  Doesn't bother me, whatever turns their crank.  I just find it boring but that's my opinion.  I'm into prototype operation with train orders and timetables and car-cards and waybills and will shortly switch from CC&WB to switch lists.  But that's my choice and I don't force that onto anyone else.  They can run 4-4-0s pull stack trains for all I care.  It's not prototypical but if it gives them enjoyment, go for it.

[jbrock27]

'Know your audience'-isn't that important in theater as well?

I don't see Matt asking about scratch building.  I think you put that there as an opportunity to post about what you have done.  Very helpful.

[union pacific 844]

in a few day im going it temp to paint one of  my three  union  pacific overland 4-8-4 after i get the dcc santa fe 4-8-4  shell  and bell and whistle and Bell Housing and paint it to look like this http://www.steamlocomotive.com/northern/up806.jpg  not sure on how to paint the wheel and rods tho  and where online can i get decals ?

[union pacific 844]

right now i don't a preeminent place for fully built layout   right now my 4x8 layout is temporary with 2 loops of ez track   for now

[Doneldon]

I don't see Matt asking about scratch building.

jb-

Well, not in so many words but he did write "does any know how to make tender frame to fit under a bachmann gs4 tender shell" (underline mine).

                                                     -- D

[Doneldon]

844-

Look for your decals here:

http://www.microscale.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=87-63&Category_Code=UP&Product_Count=25

I suggest that you wash your loco shell in some warm, soapy water -- dish washing soap is good but not the automatic dishwasher kind -- and rinse it well. Use an old toothbrush to be sure you get any contaminents off. Let it air dry overnight. You can use any of the railroad colors of flat black, depending on your taste and how new you want your loco to look. If you're using a non-model rattle can, make sure that it is plastic safe. The existing paint should protect your model but anything which gets inside will have the potential for crazing or melting the plastic. There's also a possibility that a non-plastic-safe paint will peel or blister the existing paint. That's why I strongly encourage you to use model paint in your preferred color.

Whatever product you use, practice on an old box or newspaper first. Keep the paint can at a consistent distance from the model by moving your whole arm, not just turning your hand back and forth. Ten to twelve inches is usually good, or whatever the can directs. You will get runs and smears if you are too close and a somewhat grainy finish if you are too far away. Always start and stop painting away from the model to avoid runs. Remember, several thin coats will produce a better final job than one or two heavy ones. Be sure to wait as long between coats as the can says.

Let your paint dry overnight and then either squirt a little clear gloss or some Future floor wax where your decals will go. Let that dry and then do your decals. There's some excellent information about the best ways to do this on the Inet. Using Solvaset or another decal fluid will make your job easier and better. Once the decals are fully dry and any bubbles fixed, spray the whole shell with some clear flat so you have an even finish.

I've never tried it myself but I suppose you could use gloss black for your first coat and omit the clear gloss or Future. Use clear flat over the whole thing to finish up.

Good luck with your project. Be sure to let us know how it goes.

                                                                                                   -- D

[rogertra]

in a few day im going it temp to paint one of  my three  union  pacific overland 4-8-4 after i get the dcc santa fe 4-8-4  shell  and bell and whistle and Bell Housing and paint it to look like this http://www.steamlocomotive.com/northern/up806.jpg  not sure on how to paint the wheel and rods tho  and where online can i get decals ?

A suggestion.  If I were you, I'd take your locomotive apart to paint it.  Remove the body from the chassis.  It is possible to repaint a locomotive with the wheels etc., in place but it takes a fair bit of masking so that you do not get paint in places where you do not want to get paint.

If the wheels are already black, you do not need to paint them.  Also, you generally do not need to paint the motion, unless you prototypes were painted.

Follow what Donald suggests below, it's really good advice.

As for what Donald says about flat or gloss I'd suggest flat paint as I've found, to my dismay, that gloss paint tends to run much easier than flat paint.  Then use Donald's suggestion regard Glosscote or Pledge Future, or whatever it's called these days before you apply decals.

Best of luck.

[Doneldon]

If I were you, I'd take your locomotive apart to paint it.

Roger-

He's lucky in a way because he is just painting his new AT&SF shell and the light housing.

Your suggestion that he disassemble the model before painting is ordinarily a very good one. It is, indeed, difficult to mask everything and you don't necessarily know if you were successful until you pull the masking off, maybe a couple of days later. I prefer to leave the rods and valve gear unpainted because it makes the motion that much more visible. I'd paint it if I were working on a model which I wanted to be totally accurate but otherwise I like to watch the works work.

                                                                                                                                            -- D

[jbrock27]

Matt, glad to see you are going to give painting a try!

Doc, I don't view modifying a frame being one and the same as scratch building.

[rogertra]

I prefer to leave the rods and valve gear unpainted because it makes the motion that much more visible. I'd paint it if I were working on a model which I wanted to be totally accurate but otherwise I like to watch the works work.

                                                                                                                                            --

Donald.

Good suggestions.

[rogertra]

'Know your audience'-isn't that important in theater as well?

I don't see Matt asking about scratch building.  I think you put that there as an opportunity to post about what you have done.  Very helpful.

See Donald's comments about him writing "does any know how to make tender frame to fit under a bachmann gs4 tender shell."  To me, that means scratch building.  I offered suggestions, which I believe is called "trying to help"?

Over to you.