Detailing Parts for N-scale locos (including handrails)

[wazzou]

Ed-  Is your method feasible for other models as well? 
I agree that the addition of wire railings is paramount to realism in N Scale models, however I'm skeptical I'd take the time to convert a fleet of GP-9's or similar models employing the conventional methods I've seen before.

[James Costello]

It's sized to completely cover the original sill.  I will first fill in the gaps with styrene, then sand the entire sill flat to remove the raised details, and then glue the entire new sill on top.  As a half-etch, it's only about 0.005" thick,  so it will (I hope) go on without any noticeable gap.  My thought was, that the joint being on the edge of the walkway would be a relatively unobtrusive place for it.

Ed, thinking out aloud, how would folding the flat tab back 90 degrees so it sat flush under the walkway sill unit go?

Can I vote for AC400CW handrails next? 

[ednadolski]

Ed-  Is your method feasible for other models as well? 

I should think it would work for most hood-style diesels.  I'm thinking ahead to do other GEs like the earlier Dash 9's.   At risk of getting way ahead of myself, there is also the AC4400, ES44AC+DC, and Dash 8, plus EMDs like the SD70M and SD70ACE.   (Basically stuff you would see on Tehachapi.... gee, what a coincidence!)     

Ed

[ednadolski]

Ed, thinking out aloud, how would folding the flat tab back 90 degrees so it sat flush under the walkway sill unit go?

The thing about folds is, they will always have a minimum bend radius, at least the thickness of the metal.  So for .010" metal like this, it would add at least 1.6 scale inches to the thickness of the sills (if I am picturing it the same way that you mean).  On some locos (such as say a GP9 or SD40-2) the sill height varies across the length of the sill.

Ed

[wmcbride]

Ed,

This is an answer to my wishes in 34 years of N scaling! Your fortune is assured!

Certainly, the AC4400 and then cross over to EMD and make all those SD70ACe's we have look so much better.

[Catt]

As long as we are dicussing these how about some sets for the Bachmann dash 8-c/cw? I have 6 of these setting on KATO C-30 chassis so they run good but the end railings suck and the sides are to easy to break.

[ednadolski]

Fun with wire grabirons:


IMG_1172.jpg


IMG_1180.jpg


These are all hand-made from 0.005" stainless steel wire.   While shaving off the old ones I ended up taking off more paint than I originally intended, so I will now re-paint the entire cab (or nearly so, I might try to save the silver areas on it).  Anyways I think the results will be better this way, over just trying to get by with a touch-up job.   

To drill the holes I tried one of those pivot-style bits:


IMG_1183.jpg


Here it is chucked in a pin vise, next to a #95 carbide bit, and a 'gigantic' #80 twist bit.   The #95 here is one of those cheaper 'resharpened' bits, and I can't believe how delicate those are.  I could barely drill a single hole without breaking a bit.  The #94 carbide bits that I used in the past were only a tiny bit larger (0.0071" vs. 0.0067") but lasted a whole lot longer than the resharps.  So no more resharpened bits for me.

The pivot drills were way sturdier than the #95 carbides, but a slip still can break them.  I broke two while doing this model...  ah well, I try to be careful but that happens some times...     The other thing with the pivot bits is that on each hole you have to stop drilling a few times & clear the shavings, so that they will keep cutting.  Fortunately the Kato plastic is pretty soft; I am not sure how they would do on harder materials.

The grabs didn't all come out straight and parallel, but I will be fixing that up with some gentle bending.  BTW you might have noticed the cast metal spare knuckles on the rear pilot. Yes indeed, those are genuine Sunrise parts, from among the rare few that I still have on-hand.   

My next attempt will be to make the cut levers from the 0.005" wire. Then I hope it won't be much longer before I'm ready to get some paint onto this thing! 


Ed

[Sokramiketes]

With the soft Kato plastic, you can actually just take a chunk of wire and push it into the shell rather than worrying about drilling.  I've done it with music wire on the recommendation of Vince in our group.  The stainless should be sturdy enough as well if you only leave a stump exposed.  You might need to epoxy a piece into a wood handle as you'll have difficulty chucking it in a pin vise.

[peteski]

Pivot bits Ed?  I never head of those. Where do you get them?
(Yeah, I could Google for them, but you already did all the research) 

[GaryHinshaw]

Frustrating process for sure, but the results are looking really good Ed.  The pilot overlay looks really sharp, and seems like a much better approach than carefully shaving a lot of fussy cut lever detail.

[ednadolski]

With the soft Kato plastic, you can actually just take a chunk of wire and push it into the shell rather than worrying about drilling.  I've done it with music wire on the recommendation of Vince in our group.  The stainless should be sturdy enough as well if you only leave a stump exposed.  You might need to epoxy a piece into a wood handle as you'll have difficulty chucking it in a pin vise.

I did try that with the 0.005" SS wire, but it bent very easily.  I might have had too much length, still I felt that it was not cutting quite so cleanly as a drill bit.   Music wire might work better, if I could find some in the right diameter.

Pivot bits Ed?  I never head of those. Where do you get them?
(Yeah, I could Google for them, but you already did all the research) 

This is where I got them:   http://www.esslinger.com/0-004-inch-to-0-050-inch-mascot-flat-pivot-drills-sold-individually.aspx

Price-wise, they do work out better than the carbides.

Frustrating process for sure, but the results are looking really good Ed.  The pilot overlay looks really sharp, and seems like a much better approach than carefully shaving a lot of fussy cut lever detail.

The only frustration was breaking the resharpened bits.  Sorry if I came across as otherwise.  Anyways with the other bits I am thinking of that as a solved problem.

You do need a *good* tweezers to handle the small wire, otherwise it's too hard to pick up, and likely will just go flying off into the carpet (for sure, that would get frustrating in no time).

I do like the overlays.... I can just file down the whole face of the plastic pilot with a broad mill file. Plus, all the holes are already etched in the proper locations.  For filing, just keep it even & square, and try to avoid any rounding.

I am now wondering if I should do anything with the ditch lights.  They are starting to look like oversized, chunky 'cubes' to me.  Altering them of course means I would have to lose the plastic light 'pipes' and go with 402 LEDs if I want them illuminated. (which of course would out-shine the headlights, so I would have to do those too...  )  OTOH, as on the prototype they will be painted red to match the rest of the tread, so maybe they won't be so obtrusive after all.  As I expect to use this unit as a DPU, maybe it doesn't need to be illuminated after all.  Hmmmm, decisions, decisions.... 


Ed

[GaryHinshaw]

The only frustration was breaking the resharpened bits.  Sorry if I came across as otherwise.

That's all I was referring to.  Can't wait to see how the handrails look when installed!

[ednadolski]

Well, here is one to file under "Poo Poo Happens".....   After hobbling around for the last few weeks due to some back problems (and missing my hockey playoffs!), I finally got around to trying to paint this model.  Unfortunately my airbrush job on the cab came out pretty awful...  all grainy and bumpy    I even tested the paint beforehand on a scrap plastic and that came out OK.   Maybe I was just careless, I think I just sprayed on too much after making the initial pass, and it started to dry on the model faster than I thought it would. 


IMG_1188.jpg


The paint is actually rough to the touch, no way I can decal over this...    So now I guess I will go find how easily (or not) the Tru-Color paint comes off with 91% alcohol... 

Ed

[Scottl]

Been there, done that.

[robert3985]

Ed, for my .007" bits, I'm using steel bits I bought over a decade and a half ago.  Had to buy 'em a dozen at a time at my local machinist's supply for nearly ten bucks each, but they're flexible and I've never broken a single one.  I use my "zero" chuck with a 1/8" shaft on it, chuck that into my Foredom tool and then use the foot pedal so it's ticking over at about 200 RPM or so.  Drills through plastic like it's red-hot and with cutting lube, though brass almost as quick and easy.

I've been thinking about using the Micro Mark battery powered screwdriver conversion kit to take the place of my Foredom tool for drilling.  I think that'd be the ideal setup as the shaft on the Foredom is a bit restricting.  We'll see when I get around to it.

Love this thread!  Your work is patently fabulous.  Can't wait to see the finished product and yes, the ditch lights are looking pretty clunky!