Detail Parts Wish List

[MichaelWinicki]

I would like to see details for homes and businesses...

Things like gas meters, awnings, electric boxes and outside light fixtures (that won't be powered).

[esa123]

I'm with Steve4 - Ditch lights! Specifically N scale ditch light housings which will accommodate micro LED's, so we can just put them in there, add some krystal clear for the glass covering and be done with it! Please, please, please : )

Thanks,
Erik

[Packer]

Handrail kits and/or stanchions. (HO)

see: http://therailwire.net/forum/index.php/topic,23436.0.html

[DrifterNL]

Ditch lights, pilot and porch mounted.

Single rear light for the AC4400 so the CP guys can correct this.

[sirenwerks]

<70s era...

• Box car sliding doors in a variety of type and size (height and width - free of tack board)

• Box/reefer/stock car ends (sans ladders and grabs) in a variety of types

• Box/reefer/stock car roofs in a variety of type and length

• Replacement tank car ends and domes

[SkipGear]

So far, I like Richies suggestion of air tank ends the best. Make them to fit the various sizes of K+S brass tubing that is available so you can make the tanks any length you need.

The suggestion for various city/home details is also a good one: (Detail Associates does make some of this already though)

Mail boxes
Trash Cans
Electric/Gas Meters
Electric line Weather heads
Fire hydrants

Ditchlights are pretty well covered by Minatures by Eric.

Porch mounted ditchlights are not hard to make yourself with some K+S tubing and styrene sheet.

[Bob Bufkin]

Would like the classification lights/lanterns - kerosene or electric which were hung on the rear of cabooses and passenger trains.

[amato1969]

<70s era...

• Box car sliding doors in a variety of type and size (height and width - free of tack board)

+1 here.  7', 8', and 9' doors (Superior, Youngstown, Pullman) sized to fix Intermountain and M/T PS-1 cars would help us model a wide variety of 40-foot cars.

  Frank

[nscalesteve]

Ditchlights are pretty well covered by Minatures by Eric.

how could I forget MbE, ok no ditch lights...   

with some K+S tubing and styrene sheet

what size K+S tubing are you using (as a metric guy I have no idea what 9/32" or the such means)

cheers...

[Sokramiketes]

David-

I wonder how useful a shot gun approach like this is going to be for a new business venture.  I also can't picture you finding the time to get up to speed on things like the variety of SP lighting packages, or locomotive plows, signal boxes, etc.  I think you need to find a niche and work from there.  Scenic details would seem to be more more your specialty.  So things like sewer grates, or electrical meters, or crossing gate parts, or water main valves, etc, that we've watched you have to cobble together out of various parts on your blog would be ideal and go with the DKS I have pictured in my head.  Work to your strengths, as detail parts manufacturing like this is a labor of love.  You need to stay interested for the long haul, and that means developing a line of parts that fit your strengths.  And sometimes that means making the parts that no one has thought of, but go, wow, I need to buy a couple of those!

[DKS]

David-

I wonder how useful a shot gun approach like this is going to be for a new business venture.  I also can't picture you finding the time to get up to speed on things like the variety of SP lighting packages, or locomotive plows, signal boxes, etc.  I think you need to find a niche and work from there.  Scenic details would seem to be more more your specialty.  So things like sewer grates, or electrical meters, or crossing gate parts, or water main valves, etc, that we've watched you have to cobble together out of various parts on your blog would be ideal and go with the DKS I have pictured in my head.  Work to your strengths, as detail parts manufacturing like this is a labor of love.  You need to stay interested for the long haul, and that means developing a line of parts that fit your strengths.  And sometimes that means making the parts that no one has thought of, but go, wow, I need to buy a couple of those!

Thank you for your concern. It's good to know others are giving my business as much thought as I am. But there's a lot more to it than me just trying to make a buck doing a bunch of detail parts. Unfortunately you're making some assumptions that aren't quite correct. I wish I could lay out my entire business plan for all to see; I can say, though, that spincasting details will be just one part of the eventual product line. I won't be able to make everything for everyone, but it will be useful to know what modelers need.

[SkipGear]

how could I forget MbE, ok no ditch lights...   

what size K+S tubing are you using (as a metric guy I have no idea what 9/32" or the such means)

cheers...

Steve,
 I will have to go measure. I usually don't buy tubing by the size but pick up a bulk pack that K+S sells. It is basicly a bag of cutting room floor sweepings. It includes many sizes. wall thickness, and shapes that they don't offer in their normal metal rack assortment that you see on hobbyshop shelves for around $15. If you are fortunate enough to have a shop that stocks them, check out the bags because what comes in them varries greatly. Sometimes you will get interesting shapes such as triangle, hex and even a 6 sided star patern that works great for ornate lamp posts. I usually look for packages with unusually small tubing or odd shaped tubing. I have gone through 4-5 packages because the tubing comes in handy for steam loco boilers and details.

http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=K%2BS707

 The LED's are Ngineering Nanos (.5mm x 1mm) and they just fit inside the tube so that would make the ID of the tube around 1.2 mm and the OD around 1.4 mm (9 scale inches).

[nscalemike]

I also agree with the city/home details.  Everything listed would be much appreciated.  It seems (or at least I haven't found em yet) there is a big void for modern era type details like these. 

So far, I like Richies suggestion of air tank ends the best. Make them to fit the various sizes of K+S brass tubing that is available so you can make the tanks any length you need.

The suggestion for various city/home details is also a good one: (Detail Associates does make some of this already though)

Mail boxes
Trash Cans
Electric/Gas Meters
Electric line Weather heads
Fire hydrants

Ditchlights are pretty well covered by Minatures by Eric.

Porch mounted ditchlights are not hard to make yourself with some K+S tubing and styrene sheet.

Those are amazing ditch lights on that loco.  Is that with DCC?  Would you mind sharing the wiring and bulbs you use?  When it comes to wiring bulbs/leds/resisters and decoders, I'm lost.  Thanks!

[daniel_leavitt2000]

1. Debris kicker plows
2. Winterization hatches with etched grate (there are several that are not available from MbE)
3. SP and WP light packages
4. Etched metal equivalent of Canon an Co cabs
5. Various AC units
6. Hood mounted bells
7. Postal deposit boxes, hydrants, police call boxes, manhole covers

[rswinnerton]

I like the street/ house detail ideas. Gas meters, electrical drops & meter housings, dog houses, etc.