Steam Builders!!

[peteski]

Loren,
your labor of love is a great news to N scale scratchbuilders everywhere!

I do have a question: Suppose that superturbine sells out of the rods and hangers quickly, since the artwork and films are already done, would it be easy to produce another sheet of those parts (for less money than the 1st one)?

[Iain]

Dear God in Heaven!

Seriously, though, I could use a gazillion of the hangers.

[peteski]

I think Loren will be ok with me answering this
We are not going to run out of rods anytime soon.  And I strongly doubt once we do that they will ever get rerun. The main reason these rods where run is because he wants a 2-10-2 and a 4-12-2 and he is a great enough guy to contribute his time money and expertise for our benifite.  It would be best to think of this as a one time run and buy all that you want and can afford.  Perhaps if they sell really we will be able to convice him to run some other parts we have always deamed of..    I can dream pretty BIG

I guess I should have been more specific. I realize that siderods for the custom-built 2-10-2 and a 4-12-2 locos will not sell out anytime soon. But the hangers can be utilized by pretty much *ANYBODY* who is into detailing any custom-built or even out-of-the-box steam loco models.  Hangers are the ones which I'm afraid will sell out rather quickly (unless you force people to only buy those items along with siderods).  So my question was pretty much about the hangers.  I'll order a bunch once you give the price and breakdown of how you'll sell them.

[Chris333]

I bet those same sheets would have been around $100 at PPD, just sayin'.

[peteski]

I bet those same sheets would have been around $100 at PPD, just sayin'.

Check http://www.ppdltd.com/web_site_3/Costs__Delivery.html

[superturbine]

I guess I should have been more specific. I realize that siderods for the custom-built 2-10-2 and a 4-12-2 locos will not sell out anytime soon. But the hangers can be utilized by pretty much *ANYBODY* who is into detailing any custom-built or even out-of-the-box steam loco models.  Hangers are the ones which I'm afraid will sell out rather quickly (unless you force people to only buy those items along with siderods).  So my question was pretty much about the hangers.  I'll order a bunch once you give the price and breakdown of how you'll sell them.

I agree...... the hangers are going to be great.  Perhaps with some other ideas and money we can have them run again!!

[draskouasshat]

Check http://www.ppdltd.com/web_site_3/Costs__Delivery.html

Let us know when youre done designing the siderods and everything else on these sheets. Also dont forget the correct measurements for the 9000 class rods. Thanks so much!!!

Oh and dont forget that this isnt etched out of brass sheet.

[Chris333]

I'm not saying that you guys are ripping us off. I completely believe that the sheets cost you $400. Just saying that it could have been cheaper. If you happen to do a similar project again why not try PPD or at least get a quote.

https://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/HarlemStation#5645049525546378818
https://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/HarlemStation#5650300009461612658

I use them for my own personal etching because their costs are less and they have no minimum.

[superturbine]

Chris, the sheets at PPD are just about half the size of the etching Loren had done and I have two sheets. Many of the parts are not shown because they are for the 3800.  I understand you are just trying to be helpful but you are comparing apples to oranges.  Besides Loren did not ask for money...... I just think he deserves it.  I   

[peteski]

Ok, since this thread took a turn towards costs of photo etching, do we know if Loren etches his parts in-house or farms it out to an outside photo etching company? The reason PPD was mentioned is because they seem to offer pretty affordable pricing on very small runs (even of a single sheet).  Most commercial photo etchers do not run single sheets (or can do it bu they charge lots of money for it).

I think that the point missed here was that if there is enough interest in the photo etched hangers to consider re-running them, using PPD for etching that  possible 2nd run might be a cheaper option. 

[superturbine]

Ok I got it..... I agree the hanggers are awesome and we will need a lot more.  I will mention the demand to Loren. 

[Loren Perry]

Loren,
your labor of love is a great news to N scale scratchbuilders everywhere!

I do have a question: Suppose that superturbine sells out of the rods and hangers quickly, since the artwork and films are already done, would it be easy to produce another sheet of those parts (for less money than the 1st one)?

Yes. The cost would be less seeing as film tools are done and on file. Metal and set-up costs would remain the same. Cost would be probably in the area of $70 per sheet or so, give or take. This would have to paid in advance by someone other than me - sadly, I don't have Mr. Romney's wallet to rummage around in

[Loren Perry]

I'm not saying that you guys are ripping us off. I completely believe that the sheets cost you $400. Just saying that it could have been cheaper. If you happen to do a similar project again why not try PPD or at least get a quote.

https://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/HarlemStation#5645049525546378818
https://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/HarlemStation#5650300009461612658

I use them for my own personal etching because their costs are less and they have no minimum.

The costs my etcher charge me are not the cheapest because they work on an industrial scale. Some of their customers include NASA and other aerospace conglomerates. I happen to get along very well with the owners and we've worked together for almost 20 years now. Small jobs like this one tend to "gum up the works" when they are running hundreds of sheets at a time. Economy of scale works when I can order ten or more 12" by 24" sheets per order, and that brings the cost way down. To do that, I need to be certain I can sell hundreds, maybe thousands of sets over the following year or two to recoup my investment. A small  job shop can work cheaper with less overhead and maybe match the quality of what I'm getting. My etchers will give me a break now and then for my own personal projects, but not often. They have their own bills to pay and working with acids in California is not conducive to an inexpensive regulation-free business climate if you know what I mean.

[Cajonpassfan]

I, for one, am very GRATEFUL to Loren and Jason for taking this on. It is truly a labor of love to produce unique high quality items such as these with an extremely limited commercial value, and there are costs involved which am more than glad to help in covering. If someone wants to step up and actually produce these or other unique parts we all need for less money and make them available to us, more power to them and I will support them also.

I think we have the makings of a talented core group of steam modelers and a productive way to get involved is to share the talent, work, parts, masters,  castings, accessories, etchings, ideas. I know there are parts that have been made, either commercially or scratch built, that would be great to have replicated and catalogued through this group. Imagine if you needed say a Worthington BL feedwater heater or a Delta traing truck or standard sand domes for road X and you could find someone on the "Steam Builders!" group who has that part available as a casting, or a master available for someone else to cast.

Anyway, nuff ranting. Thanks Loren, thanks Jason.
Regards, Otto

[Loren Perry]

Let us know when youre done designing the siderods and everything else on these sheets. Also dont forget the correct measurements for the 9000 class rods. Thanks so much!!!

Oh and dont forget that this isnt etched out of brass sheet.

Be advised that I designed the 9000 class siderods in two versions: one (short version) with uniform axle spacing to more easily accommodate the Kato mechanism as-is, the other (long version) with the No. 1 axle spaced an additional 18 scale inches away from the No. 2 axle as found on the prototype. This was done to provide enough working clearance for the center cylinder's piston rod. For those interested, the prototype's No. 1 and No. 2 driver sets both had cranked axles. No. 1 was cranked to allow clearance for the oscillating action of the center piston rod that was actually connected to the No. 2 axle crank. Because the drivers were linked by siderods, the cranks always remained synchronized. Jason believes (as do I) that most modelers will take the easy way out and use the shorter version, but I had enough space to include the closer-to-scale rods for those among us who are really into pain and suffering. There's a bunch of each on the nickel-silver sheet.