Proto-lanced Pennsy: The West Slope

[DKS]

Hey @David K. Smith , got a minute?   
I'll keep saying this every time I post...glad you're back! Look how much I've matured spending time with @Ed Kapuscinski in the negative space zone.
Thanks for drawing up all those great plans for me not to use!

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this thread. It ain't working. It makes me feel like I've been on a drinking binge.

Best of luck with whatever it is you're trying to do. Moving on now...

[chicken45]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this thread. It ain't working. It makes me feel like I've been on a drinking binge.

Best of luck with whatever it is you're trying to do. Moving on now...

That actually makes a lot of sense. It's been a journey.

In short, after deciding on a track plan and never building it, I was gifted @sizemore 's HCD which was currently owned by @btsnyder27. Ben traded it to me for the middle section of @Ed Kapuscinski old NCR shelf (not the kidney).

[Philip H]

That actually makes a lot of sense. It's been a journey.

In short, after deciding on a track plan and never building it, I was gifted @sizemore 's HCD which was currently owned by @btsnyder27. Ben traded it to me for the middle section of @Ed Kapuscinski old NCR shelf (not the kidney).

None of which you have set up in your new space IMHO.   

[chicken45]

So...about that. It's funny how some things work. I resigned myself to not working on trains for a year due to the space...then them Kentucky Boys (  @cbroughton67 ) and Jonathan stopped at my house on their way to Altoona. They brought up this cheap little Tamiya drill. I thought it was so cool that it was a kit...all for $20. Well, Jonathan said he would send me one. And that he did. I sat here at my desk assembling this cool little thing and thought how much less horrible building all those B60b cars I have. I'd have to drill something like a 150 #80 holes for all of them.

I went back downstairs to the basement to reevaluate. I noticed the dehumidifier was no longer running non stop. I moved some boxes around and ended up unpacking all my stuff. I'll set up the West Slope, but I don't think I'll concentrate on building it up this year. It was a tight fit and it will still need to leave the basement in the short term. Maybe I'll concentrate on buildings and such, and possibly scratchbuilding Portage Station after I clear out the queue of projects.

[jpec]

They brought up this cheap little Tamiya drill. I thought it was so cool that it was a kit...all for $20.

What is this drill you speak of, Colonel?

[Lemosteam]

Easy to convert to a wall wart to replace the batteries if you wanted to.

https://www.tamiyausa.com/items/tools-accessories-80/tools-74000/electric-handy-drill-74041



Many years ago @up1950s documeted how to make this pencil drill from the packaged one on the left.  Really nice torque and low speed for plastics:

[cbroughton67]

What is this drill you speak of, Colonel?

This is the bit of magical goodness of which @chicken45 speaks. Sliced bread even says, "This is the best thing since the Tamiya Handy Drill!"


https://www.amazon.com/Tamiya-74041-Electric-Handy-Drill/dp/B000J46WZ4


Chris

[Cajonpassfan]

Hmmm, the handle seems to be designed for drilling horizontally, but a bit awkward for vertical holes, like car sides
Otto K.

[Dave V]

Hmmm, the handle seems to be designed for drilling horizontally, but a bit awkward for vertical holes, like car sides
Otto K.

No more so than a pin-vise...

[wazzou]

So, about these drills.  Does anyone have experience with them enough to know if you can chuck a #79 or #80 bit in there with the supplied collet/s? 

[C855B]

No more so than a pin-vise...

Actually... I've found pistol-grip drills to be less controllable for accurate drilling than pencil-grip. I think it's because fingertip accuracy is better than wrist accuracy. The Tamiya drill looks really interesting for a lot of my modeling, but then I visualize something I do frequently requiring centering a 0.025" drill on a 1/16" wide bit of plastic. I'm instantly dissuaded in the realization that I'll never get my hand stable enough for success without a pilot hole done with a pin vise... and for holes that small, why make it a two-step process?

I do like Richie's solution with the kitbashed screwdriver. I need to put it on the project list. Right now I'm using a micro-sized crank drill I've had for - no kidding - 50 years. For what it is it works great, although it has its own issues with stability.

... chuck a #79 or #80 bit in there with the supplied collet/s? 

I wouldn't even if the collet could. The wrist stability thing again. I can see myself breaking bit after (expensive) bit attempting it. I'd say the smallest you'd want to do with it would be a #60.

[wazzou]

I have a 1/4" wood dowel with a very sharp hardened steel point epoxied into it. 
I use that to make a dimple for use of a pinvise and don't find it all that difficult.
I think I'll stick to that.

[Lemosteam]

Actually... I've found pistol-grip drills to be less controllable for accurate drilling than pencil-grip. I think it's because fingertip accuracy is better than wrist accuracy. The Tamiya drill looks really interesting for a lot of my modeling, but then I visualize something I do frequently requiring centering a 0.025" drill on a 1/16" wide bit of plastic. I'm instantly dissuaded in the realization that I'll never get my hand stable enough for success without a pilot hole done with a pin vise... and for holes that small, why make it a two-step process?

I do like Richie's solution with the kitbashed screwdriver. I need to put it on the project list. Right now I'm using a micro-sized crank drill I've had for - no kidding - 50 years. For what it is it works great, although it has its own issues with stability.

I wouldn't even if the collet could. The wrist stability thing again. I can see myself breaking bit after (expensive) bit attempting it. I'd say the smallest you'd want to do with it would be a #60.

This is why I like the pencil style- virtually no canitlever on the bit.  you are pressing into the material on the same axis as the bit and if you let the drill bit do its job, there really is not much need for pressure.

Every kitbash I have done was done with that General drill and yes it will chuck an #80.

I'll have to dig up Richie's post from the A-board.

[chicken45]

You mean there are are people who don't put a pilot hole before they drill?

I use the tip of a compass needle to make a small indentation and then drill it out with a #80.

@cbroughton67 I haven't tried chucking anything in the drill yet, but do you know if the collets work with those small bits?


As wrist stability goes...well, let's just say I'm a natural.
http://i.imgur.com/wBe4W.png?fb

[DeltaBravo]

What is this drill you speak of, Colonel?

  $16 bucks on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/General-Tools-500-Precision-Screwdriver/dp/B002XZLTQO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1505441625&sr=8-3&keywords=cordless+precision+screwdriver