New brass Milwaukee Bipolar EP-2 clinic- part 2

[u18b]

I appreciate the encouragement.

Still need to etch the wheels so that I can then blacken them.

Figure out what I'm finally going to go with re: the headlight.

Finalize some documentation.  Maybe one more video.

Final test and speed matching of the decoders.

And then all of the final photography. 

So the end is in sight.  Maybe finish in another couple of weeks.

[u18b]

Inching closer with more done the last couple of days.

Worked on some documents.  Getting them closer to being finished.

I air erased the wheels.    Then I blackened them with JAX selenic acid.   This is always a big improvement.




After cleaning and installing the newly blackened wheels, I lubricated and did some test running.  Not great, so I did the final tuning over again.   In these locos, the worm gear mesh is critical.  It was just a tiny tiny bit too tight on one of the cabs.

When I was satisfied with the performance improvements, I then speed matched the Cabs.  I found the use of something like the Accutrack II speedometer made this process a WHOLE lot easier.




I used my headlight lens tool I created to cut out some new lenses.  And in the process, I discovered something.

Here was the first ones I did on the first EP-2.  Looks pretty good from the front.




But as you can see from the side, the lens is rather thick.   This is not a big deal, but I got to thinking.....




Finding the right clear acetate is tricky.  When you whack some of it to cut a lens.... it turns milky white.  Just because something is clear does not mean it is usable.

But I saw the MicroScale acetate they use on their decal packaging is REALLY thin.

So I consolidated decals, tore open one of the decal envelopes and started punching lenses.  And they are PERFECT for this project.   Just the right size.   The thinness allows them to slip INSIDE the brass rim of the light casing.

I attached them by installing them and then adding a micro-drop of the Acryll clear coat.   The rim sucked the clear coat in perfectly.



And when dry, it looks great.  Like it really belongs.

[peteski]

The other EP-2 has a silver headlight reflector. Not this one?

[nscaler711]

Im going to be a  here so bear with me...
I LIKED THE THREE HEADLIGHT VERSION BETTER!!! 
(excited yelling not anger  )

But seriously the LED looks a little out of place... but when its lit most will not notice it because it will be blinding them if they look dead on...

Any way i just wanted to say, I loved this whole build... i wish i had a quarter of your skill...
what amazed me (i am ashamed to say because of this entire build) is that you designed and constructed a great solution to the headlight issue and then scrapped it... i was sad to see it go.
I had a thought that you could redo it but instead of gluing it in, you could have soldered it and no light would have bled through. Then build a back plate to access the LEDs or installation of LEDs... but that would have meant making a new cast or drilling out the back... but it was already mounted and painted... and i dont think i was noticing this thread pop up at the time... sorry!

[u18b]

Just when I though I was done.....

Yes, I was going to leave the insides black.

I did explore again (for the third time) what I could do to get the 3 light look.  I was not satisfied.  So (for the 3rd time) I scrapped the idea.  The multiple light variation was only used for about one year before the 1953 rebuild.

But....... I decided to look at it a fourth time.   I'm still not entirely satisfied, but I gave it a go and may be at a workable solution.

Stay tuned for more asshatery.   
Lots of photos and write up to process.

[u18b]

And now more Adventures n Micro-surgery.   

I decided to perfect my mask insert for the headlight to give the appearance of three lenses.

I start with some K&S brass tubing.  This one measures out at 3.18 mm diameter.



I chuck the tubing in my motor tool......




Turn the motor tool on, and run a good file over the tubing.   I need to remove about 3/10ths of one millimeter from the diameter.




OK.  About 3/10 of 1 mm removed.




Test fit in the headlight casing.

[peteski]

If I was trying to come up with a solution for this, I would try to etch the face with 3 openings from a very thin piece of copper (pulled off a copper-clad circuit board).

[u18b]

I use a round file to gently clean the inside for soldering.




I take some 5 mill brass sheet.  Pretty thin.   The sand it lightly clean, flux this flat piece and the inside of the tubing.  Then tin just the flat sheet.




Use a pair of pliers to hold the tubing onto the sheet, and apply a small micro torch.  Melts the solder and it runs inside the tubing a bit.




Trim the excess off.




File the outside edge smooth.  So I have successfully soldered a 5 mill cap on this tubing.

[nscaler711]

Im so sorry Ron!!  i didnt mean to send you down that path again! 

[u18b]

Test fit once again.




I like these drill bit from Harbor Freight.   I'm going to use all of them starting small and getting progressively bigger.
Green is .60 mm,   purple is  .65 mm,  red is .70 mm, and brown is  .80 mm (I'm missing one).




Take a fine point Sharpie and mark 3 holes.




I carefully drill out the holes.   This is tricky because I want to be right up against the inside wall of the brass tubing.  Also, while the 5 mill sheet is pretty thin, I'm quickly drilling through the solder that pooled on the inside.




All 3 holes are drill at .65 mm. 



Now progressively larger.  Staring small allows me to control hole placement easier.




Now I'm at brown,  .80 mm.  And I have sanded the surface smooth.

[peteski]

Im so sorry Ron!!  i didnt mean to send you down that path again! 

Just admit it - you love it.
What I really enjoy is that Ron is always up to the new challenge. Ron: you rock my world! 

[robert3985]

If I were making your headlight look as real as possible, I would:

(1) Get an MV lens as close to the proper diameter as possible and drill a scale light-bulb sized hole in the rear of it.

(2) I'd flatten the face of it, and polish it so that's it's clear as glass.

(3) I'd find a strand of fiber optic, and melt one end of it to form a small blob, fitting the "blobbed" end into the drilled hole in the back of the MV lens, and attaching it with canopy cement.

(4) I'd cut the protruding strand of fiber optic flush with the back of the MV lens

(5) I'd either glue the LED to the back of the modified MV lens, or attach the LED to the back of the headlight casing, depending on how much room there is, centering it with the cut piece of fiber optic at the back of the modified MV lens.

(6) Glue the modified MV lens into the headlight casing and secure with canopy cement like you did previously.

I think this will look and function as good as anything...with the possible exception of using an ultra tiny incandescent Axial Light bulb instead of an LED.

EDIT: This would also work for the three-light version by making the flat larger (painting the flat part the appropriate color which would also make it opaque except for the drilled holes)  and drilling three holes, each filled with fiber optic pieces to gather light from your source in back.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[nscaler711]

Just admit it - you love it.
What I really enjoy is that Ron is always up to the new challenge. Ron: you rock my world! 

I do... it is impressive work.

I wonder what he could do in Z scale...
*ducks* 

[u18b]

Now comes the tricky part!

I cut the end off.




WARNING!  Asshatery at work.  I do not recommend you do the foolish and dangerous things I do.   I'm just reporting.
Normally, I trim my nails for photo in this thread.... but here I need them to hold onto this small part.
I hold it as shown, and then use a motor tool with cutoff wheel to smooth and take down the back side.
Obviously I can only do about a third at a time and then reposition.
And yes, this is a bit dangerous.




Now I've smoothed the back side fairly even.  I can then use a file to get it more smooth.




I keep trimming until I get to a thickness of about 1 mm.







Then I do something dangerous again.  I hold this tiny thing and gently cut out the solder on the back side with a motor tool.
Actually, I was more worried about a fresh offering to the carpet gods than hurting myself.
But patience paid off.




I made two of these headlight shrouds.   The one on the right was made first.  Trimming got carried away and I made it a bit too small.
Those are less than 3mm diameter and about 1 mm thick.

[u18b]

Now for test fitting.
I really hate the extra handling of a finished model... but here goes.   

It turns out that the larger new one was just a fraction too big.  So I filed the circumference manually until it would go into the headlight casing.
As you can see,  1 mm is still a little too thick.  I need to remove some more from the back side so it will sit a bit deeper.
But it's in, so let's test it out.




This photo is sort of why I did not want to pursue this.   This is sort of what it looks like to the naked eye.
It's so bright, that the three lenses blend into each other.




But when my eyes adjust (and with this really darkened shot) yes, you can make out three holes.
Light leakage is still present like before, but not nearly as bad.
Maybe this is something I can work with.




That's all for tonight.  I'll do more experimenting in the next couple of days.

I could build a new one and see how holes that are only  .65 mm (where I started) might work better.   The "3 lights" will not look right in close macro shots, but you might be better able to see three distinct lights when running.

But then, the real ones are so bright, I doubt you could see "three" lights either.
So maybe it's ok the way it is.

I could thin the disc and then paint it silver.
Hopefully there will be room to put the clear glass back on.