Explains alot

Neil...that's a pretty foo foo drink sitting there....probably full of a sugar high to get that kit done !!! That is going to look great once you get it finished. Are you going to stain it or paint it ?

Michael

Stain or paint

Thanks Michael. 

I think the caffeine levels are always high here! Hawaii grown coffee makes great espresso and I rarely add anything to it but had some Ready Whip left over so ...

Paint or stain? Unfortunately the pieces should have been stained before assembly as the alcohol and India ink doesn't do much once the glue has dried  The frame got a shot of grey and boxcar red before moving on. The upper frame along with the sides and slope sheets will get a soaking before I move on. 

This is actually a simple kit despite the gazillion pieces. It is tempting to cut some members to size as I go and lay out a few more frames and bodies. The hardware looks all like Grant so would be fairly easy. Will see how I feel after this one as my layout is crying for some ground cover!

Neil

Mmmmm

Hawaiian Kona...specifically Koa Kona ! You lucky devil ! Always takes maximum coffee for a maximum effort. I agree with you, I think I would set up an assembly line process to make several at a time. The castings do look fantastic, detail you cannot get any other way. I can see these as fairly beaten and battered and a great addition to your railroad. Hopefully we will see some more pic's.

Michael

Is 3860 the current iteration

Is 3860 the current iteration of this kit?   Blayne

http://www.troutcreekeng.com/tchon.html

How about...

thinned oil paint? It should cover any glue spots. Use it thinned like stain for most of the frame but a little heaver to cover the glue spots.    John

3860

Blayne: I can't tell for sure but will send you what I have via pm. The CM line is sold by Trout Creek but mine is the On3 version - no longer listed. 

Neil

Thinned Paint

Thanks John! That's a pretty good idea since we don't have a hobby shop in 2,500 miles of here that might be a good solution. In On30 I generally use Rustoleum and a clear coat before decals then a dullcoat over with some chalks. Thinning an oil based paint might work well. Home Depot sells those little custom mixes for $3 each and should last me a few years!

Neil

Work space

My dad asked if I was building this on the kitchen table and, yes, I am - in a way. The wood is a top of an old cabinet that I salvaged from a project and has a sheet of steel on top from Ace Hardware (I think) followed by the instruction template, covered with wax paper and held down with the blue painters tape. Magnets from Ace and parts of cabinet latches work well to hold parts square or in place while glue dries. 

This is the first time that I can remember using exclusively super glue (CA) to assemble a wood kit. White glue has been my first choice but the sheer number of parts made me wonder if this would be faster. The white powder isn't the other drug of choice (besides the caffeine) but baking soda to kick the ca. It will leave a fillet or residue that you can leave or cut/sand off. 

Been busy with work and Christmas so haven't had a chance to stain the other pieces but maybe this weekend when things settle. We have a small inn that is in addition to my "daytime" job so this time of the year can be a little nuts. WARNING Blatant and shameless plug!  http://pakalanainn.com

Neil

Back to the build

This has been sitting for too long partly because this is the dry season here and it was (was) time to paint the house. With that done and rain in my future, and a silly challenge I made on GregW's post, it is time for progress. 

Frame, sides, and slope sheets made and shaped so now a drilling jig for all the nbw's is in the works. 

Might take another cup of Kau coffee!

Neil

Hey, that car looks great! How are the NBW's coming?

How do you install those anyway?  I've never assembled a kit with them but I think I own a few.

Almost done

Finally got this completed and waiting on screws to mount the trucks. I'll post a picture soon. 

I enjoyed building this, even at glacier pace, and bought three more! Glutton for punishment. 

Neil

Why not call it enjoyment

Why not call it enjoyment instead of punishment, I know you were kidding. Really nice model Neil and that tool try of yours looks familiar, I use some of the same things and tend to build in a similar fashion to what I saw on your work bench, or what ever you call the flat surface in the islands. Building freight cars is to me a very enjoyable experience.

Workbench

Rob:

My wonderful wife gave me a portable "workbench" to set on the dining table. I added a piece of sheet steel so the cabinet latch magnets could be used to hold parts in place. It gets pretty messy so need to put things away now and then to keep peace! She like to watch the progress and I like the encouragement. 

Thanks for the kind words. After watching the video posted I another thread "So You Want A Model Railroad" I have begun to question that fine line between my Creative side vs my Crazy side. Generally alcohol brings out both except the latter when used in excess. Toot toot! 

 Neil

Since it has been some time....

Neil...Since it has been awhile since you started the project, how has the CA held up with assembling wood ? I also have always used plain old white / yellow glue for all my wood projects, but I have contemplated using CA to glue wood parts to speed up the process, even faster using a kicker, or the homemade solution, baking soda. I have never had a joint separate yet, however, some of my VERY old attempts ( 30 + years ) with dissimilar materials ( wood with metal or plastic ) have shown some weakness, and one failure. I guess I am going to have to get into the 21st century and just dive in !

Michael

Coffee

Just came across this thread Neil.

Great looking hopper - looking forward to seeing the finished car.
Keep that coffee coming, because I am convinced it helps to make you an "invincible" (and speedy) hobbyist

Rob Clark

Coffee & CA

@Michael: The CA seems be holding up fine. I am just impatient when the little time for modeling happens. It needs to set fast so I can move on. Ironically this has been in the works for four months! White glue is also my preference along with a mechanical joint if possible but, in this case, I jumped in without staining the frame pieces so was afraid the white glue wouldn't take stain well. Turned out that painting it worked fine but I like the natural wood look. Nice logo on the Moosehead line! Umauma has many meanings but my wife might protest a logo of the most common. 

@Rob: Hawaii coffee does definitely keep me moving although not focused as you seem to be. My trees are in full blossom again so hope to have Umauma coffee later this year!

Not sure if either of you have seen the Mann's Creek video of working hopper cars on his layout. Very, very cool. I'd like to do something similar without the motors and thinking of a door latch along with weak springs or rubber bands to pull the doors closed when empty. Maybe magnets embedded in the doors to open remotely? Ideas?

Neil

Neil there were some HO scale

Neil there were some HO scale Tyco hoppers that were operating models. I saw lots of them in an unprototypical silver Virginian scheme. They also had a mine or unloading plant can't remember which right now that had them dump the coal. They can be found on the internet for sale from time to time. I heard of one modeler who used several in his operating scheme. They are different from the non operating Tyco hoppers.

The reason I bring this up is these models could likely be used to provide the core and mechanism for your On30 models if I am remembering your modeling preferences correctly. I suspect they might be able to be fitted inside some of your models or a new shell be built around the core.

Aha Moment

https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/252347827650 Like this?

@Rob (in Texas) : What an epiphany that was. The doors simply need top open from side-to-side as the Tyco units do so as to be a machanical motion as the car goes over the unloading ramp. Thank you! I'll have to try that. 

Home with a bug so sequestered to the bedroom. I'll have to convince my nurse - er - spouse that I need to get off the internet and build some models. ("Now really Neil, will the smell of glue help how you feel?" Um, yes?) I need one of those trays for serving meals, or models, in bed. 

Neil

From looking at the link you

From looking at the link you posted the entire thing could be had rather inexpensively and with a few hoppers from other sources your operating parts might be able to be purchased for less than you would spend making them.

in re: Tyco dumping hoppers...

Bruce Petty has lots of good details for utilizing the old Tyco hoppers for making dumping hoppers, as well as an automated loader, on his website here:  Open in new window.

Hope this helps...

-Eric

Neil I forgot to add I hope

Neil I forgot to add I hope you are feeling better soon. Although being sick in Hawaii has got to be better than being sick in lots of other places. I suspect the bunch on the web site wishes they could all have sick days in Hawaii. I need to get ready for work, have a good day and chicken soup it might not help but it couldn't hurt.

Dumping Hopper doors

Thank you both!

I've placed a bid on one and watching others. I'm not sure when Hawaii mills and electrical plants switched from bunker fuel to coal but this has been fun to build and will give me a reason to automate a steam shovel loader from a coal barge to fill the cars at a later date! 

It may take a week or so to get one of these cars so stay turned. 

Neil