Uhmmm ...

Working on remotoring a set of BB Atheran F7's A-B-A for battery power and R/C control. The pictures shows the first A unit that will carry a set of 10 1.2 volt Ni-MH 2/3A rechargeable batteries. The B unit will be remotored for an Eddy Current Transmission. The second A unit will also carry 10 1.2 volt Ni-MH batteries. Each A unit will have 12 volt 1.6 amp capacity. Adding the second A unit will increase the amperage to 3.2 amps at 12 volts. This is an experimental build to test out the battery capacity and length of run time. Oh, and it's in HO scale.

Bernd

Glad I am not the only crazy. My project is assembling an old Bowser Challenger kit for someone else.

Very inspiring posts. To the gent who's dog guards the layout. Mine doesn't do that but insists on being at my feet when I am at my workbench/desk. When I haven't paid enough attention to her she nudges my arm with her nose until I give her some lovins. 

On my bench I have a variety of half done projects. Many waiting for the paint booth. One, a Bachmann 2-8-0 conversion to CPRish standards, is stalled because my wife insisted I change out the smokebox front handrails and after a couple of attempts I have failed to get the right bends in the brass handrails. See below for what I am shooting for:

See how the handrail curves and continues down the boiler? Any suggestions or tips on getting that accomplished?

As well as CP I model the British Great Western, most of whose locos had similarly curved handrails.

The secret is to anneal the wire - a match flame will do - then bend it over a suitably sized form, like a marker pen or similar, and to make the central bend first. Brass work-hardens, so won't be easily deformed once you've finished.

You may need two or three tries to get it right,  so good luck!

John

Today's candidate for the workbench is a Rivarossi NMRA passenger car that, according to my maintenance logs, I got 4 years ago...!

The original horn-hook was broken, apparently that plastic was awfully brittle, since it broke even more as I removed the remains in favor of a McHenry MCH52.  The original wheels, although they were metal, did not roll true, and seem to be some odd size, so they were replaced with Intermountain 36" wheels.  I haven't yet decided where to install the extra 2 ounces of weight, although the roof seems to be a reasonable candidate.  Nor have I decided what to do with the dummy coupler on the tail end, though modifying one of the MCH52's seems like a reasonable idea.

-Fuzzy

That could describe my model building speed! Actually my workbench is filled with loco’s pending decoder and battery installation so I moved to the dining table. Ok until the sister of swsnbn arrives in a week. 

These are a pair of Morgan Hill Models 28’ gondola cars. Jim Six has gotten me thinking about coal delivery ...

Like the guard dog idea.

Like Neil, I'm waiting for a coat of gray primer to dry on my Bar Mills HO Dolly's Confectionary walls. Finished bracing them and primed both sides to seal them. I'll post updated photos once I have something a little more interesting to show.

But an observation: I've been scratch building wood structures for the last 30 years.  This is my first craftsman style structure kit since finishing the Builders in Scale Waterfront kit when it was new back in the 80s. I am amazed at the improvements in these new kits due to technology. The laser cut walls are sharp with all window and door openings as well as spaces for the rafter tails cleanly cut. I am certainly loving this and can't wait to move on to distressing the walls and painting.

... shall not be spoken of...

IT KNOWS WHAT IT DID!