Necessity being the mother of invention I have had to resort to building my own rolling stock due to the cost of RTR being out of my reach.

This is the prototype of flat car that will have a boxcar body mounted onto it, I intend to make 6 Boxcars which are roughly modelled on plans from Garden Railways and are intended for use behind my 1:20.3 Consolidation…

The base is made from MDF (type of particle board) with strips of wood to add some underframe detail and a piece of mild steel flat bar which serves to stop the MDF from curling and to add weight.

The bogie (trucks) side frames are made from 2mm styrene, the bolster from some plastic molding, the axle bushes are belt making eyelets from a craft shop and the springs are from clothes pegs.

The only commercial products on the bogies are the wheels and the coupler.

Nice job!

Should be great platforms for box cars my only concern would be how well those

2mm styrene side frames will hold up under operations.

Keep us posted

Rick

Hey, cool! Looking forward to seeing how these finish up.
Rick makes a point on the truck sideframes. Two ideas which come to mind are laminating layers for a thicker frame, or, do a Google image search for t section bettendorf – as inspired by that truck sideframe design a flange from slices of sheet or strip styrene could be added to your existing sideframe so as to add stiffness.

On the issue of the side frames, have you considered getting into casting either in resin or white metal. I understand your new to scratch building and your off to a good start. I applaud you for taking the plunge, its addicting.

Casting is relatively simple and is a good tool to have in your scratch building arsenal. I am still learning the ins and outs myself. But you could work up your existing side frames with styrene and filler until you have what you like and what would be strong and then make a mold of them and cast them. The nice thing about this is you only have to build up one and then pour the rest. Going the white metal route as I have playing with not only gives you a strong product but it gives you a heavy truck for weight down low.

Just some thoughts. Keep up the work.

Thats a great start and looks good. Nice seeing something being built all from scratch especially the trucks.

Devon Sinsley said:

On the issue of the side frames, have you considered getting into casting either in resin or white metal. I understand your new to scratch building and your off to a good start. I applaud you for taking the plunge, its addicting.

Casting is relatively simple and is a good tool to have in your scratch building arsenal. I am still learning the ins and outs myself. But you could work up your existing side frames with styrene and filler until you have what you like and what would be strong and then make a mold of them and cast them. The nice thing about this is you only have to build up one and then pour the rest. Going the white metal route as I have playing with not only gives you a strong product but it gives you a heavy truck for weight down low.

Just some thoughts. Keep up the work.

Because the bolster is held on with only one screw there is the capability to add extra thicknesses to stiffen the side frames.

Casting with resin is on the radar but seeing as I have sheets of styrene of varying thicknesses (3ftx6ft) I went with what was on hand.

Going with what’s on hand makes sense.
Sometimes it is a choice sometimes a necessity, either way is okay.

Graeme Price said:

Devon Sinsley said:

On the issue of the side frames, have you considered getting into casting either in resin or white metal. I understand your new to scratch building and your off to a good start. I applaud you for taking the plunge, its addicting.

Casting is relatively simple and is a good tool to have in your scratch building arsenal. I am still learning the ins and outs myself. But you could work up your existing side frames with styrene and filler until you have what you like and what would be strong and then make a mold of them and cast them. The nice thing about this is you only have to build up one and then pour the rest. Going the white metal route as I have playing with not only gives you a strong product but it gives you a heavy truck for weight down low.

Just some thoughts. Keep up the work.

Because the bolster is held on with only one screw there is the capability to add extra thicknesses to stiffen the side frames.

Casting with resin is on the radar but seeing as I have sheets of styrene of varying thicknesses (3ftx6ft) I went with what was on hand.

Well I am all for using what you have. I wish I had 3’X6’ sheets of styrene (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif). In that case just make sure you have plenty of meat for strength. the trucks take a lot of punishment. Look at the way real ones are built and try to add the strength where they did. I love what your doing, I am a fan. It takes a special sort of depravity to scratch build every component. And I like special people. I often wonder why I spend so much time building what I can already buy but its fun to create something ex nihilo

Devon

The styrene I bought from an acrylic/styrene manufacturer they called it “HIPS” which evidently stands for High Impact Poly Styrene.

Maybe a google search will turn up a local supplier.

Lets face it if I can find 2 suppliers here in Aust then there must be heaps in the US.

As for being depraved I would prefer eccentric (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)it just makes me sound more dignified than I really am (I do suffer depravity actually, but it helps me deal with reality (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-undecided.gif))

There’s a steam locomotive valve gear part named the eccentric crank.
Just thought I’d randomly throw that out there even if I don’t know why the compulsion to do so.

Graeme, I admit to and embrace my depravity, although I usually just claim to be insane. It doesn’t help me deal with reality, it is my escape hatch from reality.

I have scratch-built boxcars and passenger cars, and I have kit-bashed items, but I never got up the courage to try and scratch-build trucks. I have the GR plans for several trucks, so maybe someday I will, cautiously, attempt to build a set or two. I admire your willingness to attempt to build what you need, that’s where this hobby started, and its nice to someone continuing to build what they need from scratch.

Devon,t

Look up plastic suppliers in your area (or Spokane). I found a place in Kent (west side of the state) that sells 4’x8’ sheets of styrene. They have from 0.010" all the way up to 1/8"… pretty cheap for that much. The big problem I found with large sheets is cutting them down to a smaller size. Any major scratchbuild I go and buy a sheet. The strip stock I still by recut as I can’t get accurate strips, but if I could figure out how to do that I’m sure it would be much cheaper!

Craig Townsend said:

Devon,t

The strip stock I still by recut as I can’t get accurate strips, but if I could figure out how to do that I’m sure it would be much cheaper!

---

Try a balsa sheet stripper.

Have a look here.

https://www.google.nl/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=2y7dV9C4OqfA8gfM_oTwAw&gws_rd=cr#q=BALSA+STRIPper

The one I have used over the years when in aero modelling is here.

http://www.slecuk.com/balsa-wood/Balsa-Stripper--SL047_R.html

and may be there is a similar type available in the US? You really need a good grip for cutting, say, 1/4 inch thick hard balsa sheets! so cutting plastic may well require the same type.

Forrest Scott Wood said:

There’s a steam locomotive valve gear part named the eccentric crank.
Just thought I’d randomly throw that out there even if I don’t know why the compulsion to do so.

So they named a part after me! I’m soooo flattered!

I had never even considered 4’X8’ sheets of styrene. That would be just completely awesome. I will have to look around

Graeme, thought about you today while making some parts for a locomotive detailing project - that use whatcha got thing. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

Devon, look for companies selling supplies for signmaking - my Grandfather Wood was a carpenter and signmaker.

Craig Townsend said:

Devon,t

Look up plastic suppliers in your area (or Spokane). I found a place in Kent (west side of the state) that sells 4’x8’ sheets of styrene. They have from 0.010" all the way up to 1/8"… pretty cheap for that much. The big problem I found with large sheets is cutting them down to a smaller size. Any major scratchbuild I go and buy a sheet. The strip stock I still by recut as I can’t get accurate strips, but if I could figure out how to do that I’m sure it would be much cheaper!

I have just cut pieces out of the large sheets then work with that.

For example I have templates on paper of the sideframes and just glued them to the big sheet them marked around the area and cut out the smaller piece to work with.

It helps if you can find an open space to wrangle the big sheet, I just do it out on the back lawn.

For angles. I beam etc. I still buy from the local hobby shop.

I tried using a balsa cutter but found that the blade wandered when trying to cut thick stuff so I just used my aviation tin snips.

OK next question for the gurus.

I am using hook and loop for my scratch build, again because I have them, the question is 1 hook or 2 on each wagon i.e. hook either end or just hook one end and loop the other?

Some run with one hook per car. But for a really secure connection, and to make it so you don’t have to have all the cars facing a certain way, 2 hooks per car is better.

I was considering this very same thing. A hook on one end and a loop on the other means only being able to hook them one way. Fine if your making a consist and pulling them on a loop one direction. In my case I want operations which means they need to be mated which ever way they come at each other. So you can have two loops or two hooks facing one another. So for me I will run the hook/loop combo on both ends.