More Boxcar Projects

[jbrock27]

Thanks for the response Jonathan and you as well Wayne.  I had previously come across your tutorial for making your own lead weight molds; very resourceful and clever.  I now have an idea for all those banned lead fishing sinkers I have .

I like to use 2 part epoxy when gluing a car's stock metal weight to the plastic frame and find that Tacky glue works well when adding weight in the form of such things as pennies or fishing weights, when I am securing those on top of car's stock metal weight or on the inside of a hopper that is going to be covered (or the bottom of a hopper where the weight can't be seen).

So Wayne, it is possible to get good pulling power from only one powered truck?

BTW Jonathan, I find clear 2 part epoxy inexpensive at a store called Big Lots.  Don't know if they have them in your part of VA.  They are a step up from a "dollar" store, which probably also has inexpensive 2 part epoxy.  Is there a reason you prefer Devcon?  I never thought of any difference between one brands 2 part epoxy and another.  Never had anything but success with the least expensive stuff I could find.

[Len]

For things I want to shape, drill holes in, tap for screws, etc., I always use the JB Weld. Once it's set up for a day or two, I find it can handle those things better than most other two part epoxy.

For holding weights, etc., I use the clear two part that comes in a double barrel syringe. It hold fine, and it's not quite as obvious in situations where the inside of a car might be seen. There are a couple of different brands, I just get whatever's cheapest when I go looking for it. Most often that's 'Big Lots' (We actually have one here!), 'Roses', or 'The Dollar Tree'.

Len

[jbrock27]

For things I want to shape, drill holes in, tap for screws, etc., I always use the JB Weld.
Len

Oh I agree 100%.  JB Weld (traditional cold weld variety) works great for something you are going to shape, file or sandpaper over and also tap for a screw such as mounting a truck screw or coupler box, but it is not something I would use to hold weights in a car when I can use inexpensive 2 part epoxy from brand X for that job.      

[jonathan]

We do have Big Lots here.  I will have to check there for the Devcon.  I prefer it because it's economical and comes in tubes that are big enough to last a while.  The JB Weld stuff is great, but a bit pricey for the tiny tubes and a bit of overkill for my applications.

Anyway, here is the old-timey refer with the first set decals applied.  So far, so good.  The stem of the pickle disintegrated, but I can do a little paint striping to fix:



If the rest holds up as well, I should be OK.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Len]

Do you use 'Solvaset', or something similar to get your decals to mold into the groves of the scribed siding?

Len

[jbrock27]

...Devcon.  I prefer it because it's economical and comes in tubes that are big enough to last a while.

Nothing is more economical than brand X from Big Lots or the "dollar" store.  I actually prefer to go through it faster using smaller tubes for much less $$  I don't want to keep 2 part epoxy around for longer than I need, the longer that stuff is kept around, the more difficult it can be to get the 2 compounds out of those syringes.

[RAM]

Jonathan,  You do nice work.  Who's to say what color a box car should be.  Is it one day out of the paint shop, or six years out.  I have two B&O wagon top box cars.  The instruction sheet on one of the car says the cars can be any thing between red and orange, depending on the age. 

[jonathan]

Agreed!  I am now in the process of scribing all the grooves.  Then another coat of solvaset goes on.  Hope this car turn out alright.  I think it's a true keeper so far.

I like your work, as well Wayne... the photography, too.  I've just started playing with lighting a camera angles.

While I'm still finishing the reefer, here's few shots of the NYC car I just finished... using my basic camera.  I like these kits in general, but this one has rivet details that are a bit overdone... too bumpy for me.  Anyway, it's still a nice car:









Regards,

Jonathan

[jonathan]

OK, finally used up most of the boxcar red paint.  There might be enough left for one more car, but I'm not in the mood to build one. 

This car turned out pretty nice despite the challenges.  On the left of the pickle, you can see where I had to hand paint the stem and the white stripe around said stem.  Also, the car is only 4 1/2 inches long.  The details are tiny. And the decals wanted so badly to fall apart on me. whew

Anyway, enough excuses here is my last boxcar red car:





Regards,

Jonathan

[J3a-614]

Wonderful work on all these cars, almost enough to want to start a backdate to the 1920s and 1930s! 

Most interesting that Jonathan hand-painted the stem and border on the end of the pickle; I can imagine him not even using a brush for the border, but something like a toothpick dipped in paint to get the control needed!  I should know, I've done that myself.

One other trick I once did was to use a white pencil to mostly duplicate some chalk markings by a conductor on a caboose on the C&O.  He was a strong union man, and chalked in large letters his local hall initials and numbers on his car. 

[jonathan]

Thanks, J3a!

Regards,

Jonathan

[rogertra]

Must congratulate everyone on these excellent boxcars etc..  Makes me jealous.

Cheers

Roger T.

[Len]

Looking good. Did the hoppers just come from the wash rack?

Len

[jonathan]

Your river looks so real, I want to go fishing there.  Wow.

Here's a long-term project I tinker with on the side:



A friend and fellow club-member gave me two old Eastern Car Works kits.  He knew my fondness of B&O, he also knew the B&O had a unique depressed center flat car that used two-axle trucks.  This kit makes such a car.  However, the details are so different, that I can only use the frame.  I will have to scratch up the exterior details to match some photos I received of this car.  Anyway, to keep the profile low, like the prototype, I have to use undershank couplers:



To get the necessary weight, I'm using some kind of cutable weight material I got at hobby lobby (long drive).  I'm using this stuff to fill up the frame:



My intention is to build two identical cars and present one to my friend who gave me the kits.

Not box cars, I know...

Regards,

Jonathan

[electrical whiz kid]

Wayne;
Some years ago I picked up about four of them-I think at a hobby shop somewhere.  They had some serious warpage to them, I had to straighten them out with an incandescent lamp.  I took my eye off one of them for a minute-so now, it is a wreck sitting atop a flat car in my wreck train.  Being as I do not have photobucket (I am too cheap...) I will send a photo via Roger T. 
I liked the concept the cars represented.  They are the right size, capacity, and era.

Rich C.