Marvelous looking units!

Hey Andy,

Great looking units - marvelous paint job. Thanks for posting the photos - been wondering how things are coming!

Thanks.   Its was a great

Thanks.   Its was a great color scheme on the prototype too.   Things are progressing well on the layout.  I am inspired to push ahead with benchwork and track so that I can give these units somewhere to run.  

Any advice on the best, safest way to drill through the metal nose light detail part, into the shell in order to run DCC lights?.  That prospect makes me nervous, not to mention repeating the process to light up the ditch lights!

Any time you drill through

Any time you drill through any type material that is delicate or fragile it is best to back up the area so that you get a clean hole without collapsing the area around it or causing damage to the rest of the model. don't use old warn drill bits buy new sharp bits and also use a pin vise and take your time. There is no race when building class A Models. Power tool are great for Multiple holes but when building very delicate material that you want perfect, slow and steady is the only way to do it and check your work as you go making sure the hole is straight and in the proper alignment. Drill all of the holes at the same time making sure of the fit of the lenses or bulbs and don't try re-assembly until your 100% satisfied with the fit and alignment as well as clearance of all internal parts before finally doing the re-assembling. It is good to test fit the body over the frame a couple times making sure everything lines up. Once again work slowly and TAKE YOUR TIME. You've done such a great job on these Engines so far I know your wanting them to be perfect. one last think DO NOT use your fingers as the Back up piece carve the back up piece out of a small block Balsa wood and carefully fit it inside the body and you don't need to use alot of pressure when drilling New Sharp Drill Bits will work fine with minimal effort and a steady hand.

Dan

Light Castings are Brass - Any special considerations?

Hi Dan
Thanks for the detailed description.  Sounds like you have some experience with this delicate task.  I should have mentioned that the nose and ditch light detail parts are brass.  Are there any special tools or considerations I should be aware of when drilling through a hard brass light housing and into a soft plastic shell?.  

Thanks

Andy

Same advice as I said in my

Same advice as I said in my last post! Use a new sharp Drill Bit and take your time. Brass is a lot softer than it looks.I would try the pin vice first if that doesn't cut the hole then, If you have a variable speed dremel tool that runs at low speed you can use it but, take your time or it will tear the details off of the engine in a second flat. just let the drill do the work and don't use alot of pressure. at high speed dull drill bits have a tendency to grab the work rather than cut it. Make sure its a good sharp bit. as soon as your through the brass the drill wil zip right through the plastic. Good luck !

Dan

Nice work!

From the 1:160 world - those came out really nice!

Joe, it would be interesting to add some sort of call-out function for blog posts so folks writing this type of thing have a place to list parts, paints, etc incase any of us want to duplicate work.  Not that I drop hints . . .

Define "call out function"

Define "call out function" ...

You know you can attach files to your posts, right? So if you have an excel spreadsheet that has a parts list or a word doc with notes, you should be able to attach them to your post. Let me know if that's not showing up for you ...

What else where you thinking of?

How about this:

Joe,

When I read kcsphil's sugestion, I thought of a "helpful hints" thread in each of the forum sections, that would always be at the top of each section so as to be easy to locate.  Every so often, we could peruse it as a memory jogger or idea source.

E.G.  "how to use the text editor and post photos"; or  "Here's how to paint an SP bloody nose, with so-and-so color of XY brand of paint, and such-and-such decals"

Now that I'm writing this out:  sounds like it could get ot of hand quickly.  How about just some pointers to the appropriate post node number.    I'd like that better than a google search.

Honestly

I was thinking about the call out boxes that sit in print mag articles with the parts lists.  I have had success adding images, and I am sure the file attacher works too.  But from a visual standpoint (and with so many "how to" articles showing up in the forum) I thought it would be useful and visually appealing.

But no sense in reinventing the wheel, so to speak.

Question

Andy, are the ditch lights and all detail parts off of one site? I'm looking for some ditch lights that I can use for housings. Thank you for the great post.