After much swearing and cussing, I completed a Tichy Train Group flatcar because I liked all the detail. I followed the directions to the letter and wish I hadn't. Before adding all the brake parts on the underside, you installed the stirrups. I ended breaking every one of them off installing the grab irons. The kit came with both plastic and bronze phosphor grab irons. I threw the plastic ones in the trash and wish I had kept them. If I ever build that kit again I will add the stirrups LAST. I did make some stirrups out of staples from an office stapler as they were about the right thickness, just had to re-bend them to make 'em smaller. When building a kit I end up spending as much time chasing parts across the floor as I do building the kit. Lol. I painted the flatcar rail brown on the underside and painted each individual board a different shade of brown mixing the paint in a communion cup (got a whole box of 'em) as I went. It was a 40 foot flatcar so it really didn't take that long to paint. After the last black wash (to fill in the gaps of the boards) of acrylic paint and alcohol it came out really great and looks like real wood. I save all my sprues from building kits and use them sometimes to fill bolster holes to attach trucks and drill and tap them for a 2-56 screw. Guess now I'll try to build a track bumper or two. Thanks for the tip. I think I'd have painted it some dark brown (burnt umber) but before painting I would have used a razor saw and scribed some lines into the plastic to resemble wood grain and weathered it some. I use 60% water to 40% glue as 50/50 is still too thick. Cheers from eastern TN
SWEETA!!!! now I think you just came out with a new style of bumper... lol that looks really good have you thought of putting a blinking red light in it ? ,, thx for sharing ,,, Tom
Great how to and thanks for sharing cheers Robert
Your welcome,Thanks for watching...Ed.
Another great how-to. -Mark
Thanks Mark..
After much swearing and cussing, I completed a Tichy Train Group flatcar because I liked all the detail. I followed the directions to the letter and wish I hadn't. Before adding all the brake parts on the underside, you installed the stirrups. I ended breaking every one of them off installing the grab irons. The kit came with both plastic and bronze phosphor grab irons. I threw the plastic ones in the trash and wish I had kept them. If I ever build that kit again I will add the stirrups LAST. I did make some stirrups out of staples from an office stapler as they were about the right thickness, just had to re-bend them to make 'em smaller. When building a kit I end up spending as much time chasing parts across the floor as I do building the kit. Lol. I painted the flatcar rail brown on the underside and painted each individual board a different shade of brown mixing the paint in a communion cup (got a whole box of 'em) as I went. It was a 40 foot flatcar so it really didn't take that long to paint. After the last black wash (to fill in the gaps of the boards) of acrylic paint and alcohol it came out really great and looks like real wood.
I save all my sprues from building kits and use them sometimes to fill bolster holes to attach trucks and drill and tap them for a 2-56 screw. Guess now I'll try to build a track bumper or two. Thanks for the tip. I think I'd have painted it some dark brown (burnt umber) but before painting I would have used a razor saw and scribed some lines into the plastic to resemble wood grain and weathered it some. I use 60% water to 40% glue as 50/50 is still too thick.
Cheers from eastern TN
Looks good
Rodney
Thank you Sir
Very nice job! took notes, going to do that for my layout!
Thank you, and thanks for watching-Ed
Great idea!
Thanks
Neat, looks the part. Keith
I think so too....Thanks for watching.....Ed.
Nice work you have done there ...Dave
Thanks David....Ed.
Yo dude that looks awesome! They fit in nicely. KUTGW
Thanks man, and thanks for watching...Ed.
That bumper came out looking very nice!
I think they did too. Thanks for watching.
SWEETA!!!! now I think you just came out with a new style of bumper... lol that looks really good have you thought of putting a blinking red light in it ?
,, thx for sharing ,,, Tom
Thanks, and yes I have maybe not on the industries but definitely in the main yard...... Thanks for watching..Ed
Dude that is awesome! Nicely done. And it's free!
~Deryk
Thanks Deryk, and thanks for watching...Ed.
Extremely goods job, well done! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks David and thanks for watching....Ed.
pretty cool, any thing to save a buck to spend on other model railroad stuff, LOL, Chuck RVRR
Thanks Chuck, and yes every cent saved can go toward something else railroad.....Ed.
I agree - they look really good.
Chuck
Your welcome sir
Rodney