Another great rescue! So glad to see these vintage locos given a new lease on life. To your comment in the description; definitely get yourself a bottle of flux, it will make your life easier if you use it well. I recently discovered "tip tinner" to restore tired and worn-out soldering iron tips - a miracle product if there ever was one - and I've been soldering for years. Another useful "tool" you might appreciate is a loco cradle. The foam ones are fine, but you can make your own with fabric and scrap wood. Alternatively, a silicone soldering mat designed for electronics could be really useful for what you're doing. Some even come with little trays built in for sorting parts. A stack of post-it notes for labeling what goes where and you're set! Thanks again for sharing what you do.
Thanks! I do have tip tinner, and it really does great with restoring the tips of my irons. I’ve also thought of making a cradle, but simply haven’t gotten around to it.
As soon as I had the motor out I'd replace those magnets or that magnet with rare earth magnets. I've done almost all my open frame motors and it really lessens current draw and will allow the motor to "creep" around the track. I wish I had a brass HO scale model. I've always wanted one but could never afford brass. When you solder, especially brass, flux is your friend. Rosin core flux is what I use and it makes a great big difference. Cheers from eastern TN
That is such a "like new" locomotive, I am sure it will be smoother and a tad quieter once it's broken in although it'll never be quiet by today's standards. I really enjoyed watching your soldering technique. Great video!
After having stumbled onto this video and watching I feel like the flux would be your best friend here watching you struggled a smidge with the solder (And yes I read the description and I agree). I have done copper and bronze piping for swamp coolers for a short while and because of it I not only had the cleanest assembly, but that solder went everywhere the flux would flow turning it into an art form. Admittedly, I used the paste rather than the straight liquid form. Regardless, this has turned out very well and has caused me to consider a collection of brass model trains.
Another great installment, thank you very much for sharing. I would really enjoy a video about the cab forward (I did not see one in your library and am a fan of the engine). Keep up the great work, looking forward to the next one already!
You can immerse the shell in a tall vase and add denture cleaning tablets with warm water to clean every nook and cranny. About a dozen should do it and let it soak for a while until the fizz stops and color of the water changes.
Enjoyed this video. I think the missing detail on the engine front near the cow catcher may have been a poling pocket casting. It represents a depression in the engine frame at which a long wooden pole was used to shove a car around on an adjacent track. Freight cars had a corresponding pocket on their ends to receive the same pole.
Put the last screw in….no test…now it’s delivered with a bind. That would be my outcome. (Just being a devil!) some of my brass ran so badly. I needed you back in the past.
personally I would have drilled, recapped and replaced that front crosshead mount screw to endure it stays clear of the front drivers. both holes are elongated and the crosshead mount is rather thin brass so It wouldn't take much to cause it to change shape and start rubbing on the front drivers again. I would also Loctite 293 the loose driver to prevent it going out of quarter
I'm enjoying this Video. I'm about 1/2 through. I think you have the tender on backwards. However you're doing a great job and I'm learning a lot from your videos. Bob
HI Darth, I have a WMC/Katsumi UP 2-10-2 that runs well mechanically, but I've had some issues with detail parts that have fallen off, especially after stripping off the thick paint the previous owner applied. No matter the amount of solder, heat and flux, I find myself unable to reattach these loose parts. I don't have enough brass to warrant a resistance soldering setup either and while I'm trying to find someone that could make the repairs locally I haven't had much luck there at the moment. Do you do commissions at all?
Hi, I might be able to give that a shot. I do know that Westside brass usually has a brass colored coating, so if that's still on there then it could be blocking the solder from getting any adhesion. If you contact me at darthsantafe@gmail.com then we can get something figured out.
My only slightly negative comment is that once you found the buggered screw on the valve gear hanger, you should have removed or drilled out the screw and replaced it. Everything else you did added durability and reliability to the chassis but leaving that loose hanger will probably end up binding the front driver flange again over time. And the “extra” screw hole under the pitman motor was meant to hold a spring under the motor so the drive shaft could be aligned during assembly or changed over time. Wasn’t always the best idea back in the day but…. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the concern! I did add some adhesive to prevent the valve gear hanger from loosening and drifting. A new screw would have been best, but this should still hold up well.
That looks so much like my Akane Chesapeake & Ohio 2-6-6-6. The motor is the same too, not perfectly balanced but runs great. I can run 25 cars on it with no drag. I did have to clean it really good when I got it, someone over-oiled the parts and gummed them up. But a beautiful little engine. cost me $300, but really is worth it
For testing of any binds I would recommend to let the chassis roll down an inclined section of track. Any binds should show then by hesitations in the roll.
I’ve seen so many bare brass models that I can’t help but wonder, how common was it for people to buy brass locomotives and run or just display them unpainted back in the day?
Hey! great video! This model is made by (TMS) Tetsudo (not tenshodo), a very early version of the ATSF 3460 class 4-6-4s! Man, I thought my Tenshodo 4-6-4 was poorly detailed...this thing is "crude" to say the least haha. A cool bit of history though! Im sure it was considered detailed for its time.
Yup, I used the 12040-6 40T worm gear and 10502-6 worm. You might have to do a little bending of the motor bracket like I did to make the gears mesh, but the result will be a good slow runner!
I'm inspired by your repair video to ask if I can send you an Atlas HO switcher so you can replace the motor in it. The model is brand new but Atlas is now using cheap motors that make a lot of noise. Do you have another address or some way I can write to you about this issue. Many thanks.
Do you have any tips for improving a Mantua mikado's performance? I am getting a new motor but I am wondering if there are other things I can do to make it perform better. E.g. how could I tune the valve gear to make it operate better?
If the valve gear isn’t working smoothly, try making sure each individual joint can make a full turn without binding. If you feel any binds, try wiggling the parts with a bit of force to undo a little of the rivet’s flaring at the end. Once each part works smoothly on its own, it shouldn’t cause any problems for running.
@@DarthSantaFe I will give that a try. Thank you. Also, do you have any tips for mounting a can motor? I am trying put one inside of an AHM SD40-2 but hot glue isn't strong enough to keep it in place.
@@TomasTrains7 I think A Line makes some special motor mounting tape. Another common method is to use silicon bath sealant since it’s flexible and has strong adhesion.
How can you leave a crappie damaged screw in and not replace it and apply a tiny amount of thread lock your repairing a bodged job with a bodged repair I have seen a few of your videos you seem to enjoy doing this but to be honest you are not very good at it you never seem to go all out just bare minimum get it going job done some of the locomotives deserve a lot more care and attention please try harder and do it right.
I thought of getting it out and replacing it, but after looking things over, the simple fix I did was enough in this case. If it was going to cause problems, I would have taken it out and replaced it. I saw your restoration video of the live steam model. You really do some excellent work!
Another great rescue! So glad to see these vintage locos given a new lease on life. To your comment in the description; definitely get yourself a bottle of flux, it will make your life easier if you use it well. I recently discovered "tip tinner" to restore tired and worn-out soldering iron tips - a miracle product if there ever was one - and I've been soldering for years.
Another useful "tool" you might appreciate is a loco cradle. The foam ones are fine, but you can make your own with fabric and scrap wood. Alternatively, a silicone soldering mat designed for electronics could be really useful for what you're doing. Some even come with little trays built in for sorting parts. A stack of post-it notes for labeling what goes where and you're set!
Thanks again for sharing what you do.
Thanks! I do have tip tinner, and it really does great with restoring the tips of my irons. I’ve also thought of making a cradle, but simply haven’t gotten around to it.
As soon as I had the motor out I'd replace those magnets or that magnet with rare earth magnets. I've done almost all my open frame motors and it really lessens current draw and will allow the motor to "creep" around the track. I wish I had a brass HO scale model. I've always wanted one but could never afford brass. When you solder, especially brass, flux is your friend. Rosin core flux is what I use and it makes a great big difference. Cheers from eastern TN
Rusty I have one on eBay, very reasonable and simple to work on. It’s an 0-4-0 camelback.
My dad was what we called a model railroad craftsman and he also built wood kits. He has told me many of his tricks in the hobby.
That is such a "like new" locomotive, I am sure it will be smoother and a tad quieter once it's broken in although it'll never be quiet by today's standards. I really enjoyed watching your soldering technique. Great video!
After having stumbled onto this video and watching I feel like the flux would be your best friend here watching you struggled a smidge with the solder (And yes I read the description and I agree). I have done copper and bronze piping for swamp coolers for a short while and because of it I not only had the cleanest assembly, but that solder went everywhere the flux would flow turning it into an art form. Admittedly, I used the paste rather than the straight liquid form. Regardless, this has turned out very well and has caused me to consider a collection of brass model trains.
Thanks! I did get a bottle of flux shortly after this video, and it helped a lot in the next brass repair I did after this one.
@@DarthSantaFe That's excellent.
Another great installment, thank you very much for sharing. I would really enjoy a video about the cab forward (I did not see one in your library and am a fan of the engine). Keep up the great work, looking forward to the next one already!
Great job! I have not attempted working on brass locomotives, yet. I enjoyed your video very much.
Some brass models are very easy to work on, especially the older ones!
It s 5:00 AM , just discovered your channel and I can say : Your earned +1 subscriber
Thank you for sharing. Another great repair enjoyed.👍
I enjoy you repair vids. Learned quite s few how too's....
WOW!!! Great video and once again Thank you for sharing your amazing talents!!!
You can immerse the shell in a tall vase and add denture cleaning tablets with warm water to clean every nook and cranny. About a dozen should do it and let it soak for a while until the fizz stops and color of the water changes.
Enjoyed this video. I think the missing detail on the engine front near the cow catcher may have been a poling pocket casting. It represents a depression in the engine frame at which a long wooden pole was used to shove a car around on an adjacent track. Freight cars had a corresponding pocket on their ends to receive the same pole.
Put the last screw in….no test…now it’s delivered with a bind. That would be my outcome.
(Just being a devil!) some of my brass ran so badly. I needed you back in the past.
personally I would have drilled, recapped and replaced that front crosshead mount screw to endure it stays clear of the front drivers. both holes are elongated and the crosshead mount is rather thin brass so It wouldn't take much to cause it to change shape and start rubbing on the front drivers again. I would also Loctite 293 the loose driver to prevent it going out of quarter
Hi Darth. The ladder might go over the valve gear on one of the sides of the engine. It seemed to be a common ATSF practice.
I'm enjoying this Video. I'm about 1/2 through. I think you have the tender on backwards.
However you're doing a great job and I'm learning a lot from your videos.
Bob
The tender body was on backwards, and I did fix that near the end of the video. I'm glad you've liked my videos!
HI Darth, I have a WMC/Katsumi UP 2-10-2 that runs well mechanically, but I've had some issues with detail parts that have fallen off, especially after stripping off the thick paint the previous owner applied. No matter the amount of solder, heat and flux, I find myself unable to reattach these loose parts. I don't have enough brass to warrant a resistance soldering setup either and while I'm trying to find someone that could make the repairs locally I haven't had much luck there at the moment. Do you do commissions at all?
Hi, I might be able to give that a shot. I do know that Westside brass usually has a brass colored coating, so if that's still on there then it could be blocking the solder from getting any adhesion. If you contact me at darthsantafe@gmail.com then we can get something figured out.
My only slightly negative comment is that once you found the buggered screw on the valve gear hanger, you should have removed or drilled out the screw and replaced it. Everything else you did added durability and reliability to the chassis but leaving that loose hanger will probably end up binding the front driver flange again over time. And the “extra” screw hole under the pitman motor was meant to hold a spring under the motor so the drive shaft could be aligned during assembly or changed over time. Wasn’t always the best idea back in the day but…. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the concern! I did add some adhesive to prevent the valve gear hanger from loosening and drifting. A new screw would have been best, but this should still hold up well.
I wonder if an ultrasonic cleaner would help?
That looks so much like my Akane Chesapeake & Ohio 2-6-6-6. The motor is the same too, not perfectly balanced but runs great. I can run 25 cars on it with no drag. I did have to clean it really good when I got it, someone over-oiled the parts and gummed them up. But a beautiful little engine. cost me $300, but really is worth it
For testing of any binds I would recommend to let the chassis roll down an inclined section of track. Any binds should show then by hesitations in the roll.
I’ve seen so many bare brass models that I can’t help but wonder, how common was it for people to buy brass locomotives and run or just display them unpainted back in the day?
Pretty common, I would think 🤔
most had clear coats to protect the natural brass finish from oxidation and finger prints.
This is a very interesting youtube channel!
Hey! great video! This model is made by (TMS) Tetsudo (not tenshodo), a very early version of the ATSF 3460 class 4-6-4s!
Man, I thought my Tenshodo 4-6-4 was poorly detailed...this thing is "crude" to say the least haha. A cool bit of history though! Im sure it was considered detailed for its time.
PS santa fe was famous for having ladders mounted on the guide support beams. thats probably where the ladder goes
Thanks for the info!
The unknown ladder attaches to the valve gear hanger on top and to a bar at the bottom. I didn't see the bar on this model. One ladder on each side.
@Darth Santa Fe Can you provide some NSWL part numbers for the Rivarossi 0-4-0 regear? I'd like to give that project a try. Thanks
Yup, I used the 12040-6 40T worm gear and 10502-6 worm. You might have to do a little bending of the motor bracket like I did to make the gears mesh, but the result will be a good slow runner!
27:40 somewhere a brass collector is screaming at his screen NOOOOOOO!!!!😜
Do we have a prototype for this? It looks like a JNR boiler with a an ATSF cab.
It was based on this ATSF 4-6-4: www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3614961
Was the tender on backwards during testing? Ladder next to motor.
Very good lokomotiv 👍 🤝
Took a minute to deduce the tender is backwards as you have it configured.
You caught it!
Gearbox needs thrust washers on each end of the worm to prevent it bouncing between ends of gearbox
He also put oil on the valve gears to lubricant the joints too.
Im sure you have heard of flux. You have used it in the past so why not when soldering the brass body parts and details?
what brand/wattage soldering iron were you using?
I'm inspired by your repair video to ask if I can send you an Atlas HO switcher so you can replace the motor in it. The model is brand new but Atlas is now using cheap motors that make a lot of noise. Do you have another address or some way I can write to you about this issue. Many thanks.
Yes, I can do that. If you contact me at darthsantafe@gmail.com then we can get something worked out.
My dad used sewing machine oil and Vaseline for gears on all is brass locomotives from the fifty and sixty.
I used to use 3-in-1 oil and Vaseline, and it did work pretty well!
When we going to see the rest of the Bowser M1 build?
I’m finally getting a break from a busy month, so I’ll be getting back to that real soon.
What kind of grease did you use to lubricate the gears?
I used white lithium grease.
@@DarthSantaFe Lucas?
@@northerncountryrailroad8939 Yup, that’s the stuff.
@@DarthSantaFe is it good on everything for trains? Is it safe on most models?
@@DarthSantaFe is it safe on plastic
purple or blue loctite would be a better choice than super glue for screws.
Nice ATSF 3460 Hudson....
Ladder: on the tender?
I looked but couldn’t find a spot for it. The tender’s main ladder was already in place.
You should invest in a blowtorch pen. A very handy and small blowtorch perfect for these kind of jobs, cheap to :)
Good idea! I’ll have to look into that sometime.
Hemostats work great for soldering the metal
Do you have any tips for improving a Mantua mikado's performance? I am getting a new motor but I am wondering if there are other things I can do to make it perform better. E.g. how could I tune the valve gear to make it operate better?
If the valve gear isn’t working smoothly, try making sure each individual joint can make a full turn without binding. If you feel any binds, try wiggling the parts with a bit of force to undo a little of the rivet’s flaring at the end. Once each part works smoothly on its own, it shouldn’t cause any problems for running.
@@DarthSantaFe I will give that a try. Thank you. Also, do you have any tips for mounting a can motor? I am trying put one inside of an AHM SD40-2 but hot glue isn't strong enough to keep it in place.
@@TomasTrains7 I think A Line makes some special motor mounting tape. Another common method is to use silicon bath sealant since it’s flexible and has strong adhesion.
@@DarthSantaFe I think I'll go with the second option (since I have some already), thanks so much!
Why not use super glue or CA instead of soldering in visible areas? Or am I missing something? A novice here!
For brass models, solder gives a stronger connection. For broken solder joints, super glue works, but it's best to resolder them when possible.
The driver center castings need to be cleaned out between the individual "spokes" of the Boxpok drivers. As it is, some are clear but most aren't.
On this particular model, the metal was actually cast thick into all the spokes. Cleaning them out would take some extensive rework of the parts.
Gosto muito de seus vídeos, são muito emocionantes e muito lindos.
Hi there I have a atsf 4-6-2 Pacific and was wondering if you could try and fix it?
Sure, I can help with that. You can send an email to darthsantafe@gmail.com and we can work something out!
@@DarthSantaFe thankyou
After looking at it.... The tender is backwards on the tender chassis.
Yup, and I did flip it around towards the end of the video.
Plus steam cylinders too
ah-ka-nay? No. Ah-kah-nee!
Well, I tried my best.
Awesome ♐ ♐♐♐♐♐♐♐♐♐
tender ladder
How can you leave a crappie damaged screw in and not replace it and apply a tiny amount of thread lock your repairing a bodged job with a bodged repair I have seen a few of your videos you seem to enjoy doing this but to be honest you are not very good at it you never seem to go all out just bare minimum get it going job done some of the locomotives deserve a lot more care and attention please try harder and do it right.
I thought of getting it out and replacing it, but after looking things over, the simple fix I did was enough in this case. If it was going to cause problems, I would have taken it out and replaced it.
I saw your restoration video of the live steam model. You really do some excellent work!
Stop using a Soldering Iron and use a Butane Pen Torch instead.
I did get a pen torch after finishing this repair. Haven’t had a chance to use it yet, but I’m sure it’ll come in handy eventually.