Large Scale Central

Scratch SD70ACe

Modeling
#21

Thanks to all. I guess I needed to vent. I should not expect to make something perfect on the first try. It is frustrating sometimes, to give up and start over when several hours are invested in a wrong direction.

There’s a couple of air intakes(?) at the rear sides of the long hood. I’m looking at window grids or something already made as I can’t seem to get them straight. Maybe if I could get some brass strips and tape them in place as they are soldered? I have to invent not only the piece but how to make it as well. Like I mentioned, this is my first and I don’t have the experience in manufacturing stuff.

I bought a casting kit and am thinking of making a mold to cast the piece in. Maybe I could just make them from clay or something first?

#22

Joe Paonessa said:

This was the last part I attempted to make. It would still need mounts for attaching soldered on. It’s all still sitting here waiting maybe for next winter?

Joe,

I mounted my brass plows by taking U channel brass, drilling a hole for a brass bolt. Aftr putting the bolt head towards the backside of the plow, I placed the bolt through the hole in the channel and then soldered everything together. Then it was a simple manner of drilling a hole in the pilot, and pushing the bolt holding the plow through. By using a bolt I could then tighten/loosen the nut on the backside of the pilot.

Craig

#23

Thanks Craig. That would help me figure out how to attach it! It would mount better and hide the means. I’ll have to go to the hobby store and see if they have it.

I didn’t realize that the rectangular holes would be off when I bent the plow. I still have to cut them some more. It would have been easier with a paper template maybe?

I also need a lot of frame mods to make it right for the EMD and not a GE anymore. It seems they changed the prototype frame over the years. Even the place where the truck’s shocks stabilize it changed.

#24

First off, excellent work. I only hope my GP-45-TGXs turn out half as nice!

Joe, you going with the EMD demonstrator, or an NS unit? I only ask because I see the top-mounted headlights, where as CSX & BNSF both use nose lights, and I think UP does too?

#25

Yeah, I was working from a set of drawings referenced years ago. I was going to build the EMD demo. That’s where I got into trouble switching to a different road. One friend wants me to make it a CN but they run SD70M-2s with different vents, cabinets, and things. I was leaning to CSX #4850 or close, and bought some 1/29 scale decals. That’s when I noticed the different framing around the cab area.

I’ve even noticed different rear sand filler cap areas. I think I’ll have to pick a road and stick with just that one in mind. I do like the horse!! (NS)

#26

Joe Paonessa said:

Thanks Craig. That would help me figure out how to attach it! It would mount better and hide the means. I’ll have to go to the hobby store and see if they have it.

I didn’t realize that the rectangular holes would be off when I bent the plow. I still have to cut them some more. It would have been easier with a paper template maybe?

I also need a lot of frame mods to make it right for the EMD and not a GE anymore. It seems they changed the prototype frame over the years. Even the place where the truck’s shocks stabilize it changed.

I forgot to add that I ground the channel to follow the profile of plow. I think it was 1/4" channel?

I used size 80 or similar brass bolts that I had on hand.

#27

Craig,

Hmmm, 1/4 brass channel. I may have to look on the bay for that. I didn’t see anything that big at the hobby store unless maybe the new Hobby Lobbys got it? It would make things easy. I have some brass screws sitting here that I bought for couplers. I stopped from using them afraid that they’d snap off with 100 car consists. I may just brake some brass here and add the screws if they’ll take solder? fluxed? maybe something heavier? Grinding the channel would seem like the easy way to do it, thanks.

Having to gain different talents building this thing makes me appreciate the models more.

#28

Late to the party again :slight_smile:

Joe - First off, again great model. As for failed efforts, it brings an old cliche to mind - ‘Better to have tried and failed than to have done nothing and succeeded.’ As for the failed attempts at the grills, now you know what does not work, now go and try something else.

Looking at the photos in your album, photos 8 and 10 appear to show a ‘screen’ type of material and photo 12 looks like a bar type. Both look good to my eye, and after a coat of paint and some decals, only a rivet counter would have any comments Add a bit of weathering and all sorts of minor faux pas dissappear.

As for the bar type, a suggested technique might be to cut spacers to place between the bars (but shorter), and clamp the whole assembly together before soldering/gluing (making sure the spacers don’t come in contact with the attachment areas). The pull out the spacers.

Bob C.

#29

A jig!!

my old woodworking boss in AZ would love it!!

I tried to over make them by half-lapping the joints and they weren’t cut perfectly in the plastic strips. Too much in too small a part.

I bought some brass and didn’t realize how hard it would be to cut small strips. They didn’t have any the correct size. I tried bending some at 45 degrees to hold my metal screens in the rear top air intakes and it looked bad. I need a mini brake I’m afraid. Still struggling with the design.

#30

AC details

#31

it’s the plastic stick thing there second from the right. Yuck! It’s bad in person.

I like the last screens I made for the intakes, but they need to be held in with a frame. I wanted brass strips but couldn’t bend it cleanly in a 45 degree…

#32

Joe Paonessa said:

Craig,

Hmmm, 1/4 brass channel. I may have to look on the bay for that. I didn’t see anything that big at the hobby store unless maybe the new Hobby Lobbys got it? It would make things easy. I have some brass screws sitting here that I bought for couplers. I stopped from using them afraid that they’d snap off with 100 car consists. I may just brake some brass here and add the screws if they’ll take solder? fluxed? maybe something heavier? Grinding the channel would seem like the easy way to do it, thanks.

Having to gain different talents building this thing makes me appreciate the models more.

Use what ever you’ve got in the scrap box. :slight_smile: Make sure it is clean before you apply flux, and then solder.

#33

Uncle Pete units are also mounted up above the cabin. (http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/river_eagle/prototype/101442.jpg)

#34

Very Nice Model!!..Keep up the good work. I also like the video. That’s a mighty long train you have there… Travis

#35

You have an excellent model in progress …don’t over think.

I personally would just drill 1/16" holes through the plow into the pilot and pin it with 1/16" rod or for a more secure fasten mount it with 0-80 screws ( I have done both)

#36

Nice model, especially for a first try! Don’t worry about making mistakes, we all do it, and there’s nothing that can’t be fixed.

#37

That plow is more complex than I thought at first glance. There’s a something like a box around where the coupler sticks out that I need to model first. I could spend a week just getting the plow looking right. Maybe I’ll make a cast once it’s done for more??

Thanks to everyone for the inspiration. I’m also going to start up the RR outback. A lot of things need attention all at once.

#38

Joe I’m new on here and I’ve been reading through the articles when ever I get a spare moment, I came to your posts. If you think you have no skill or talent then think again I wish I had half of your talent, I don’t know a lot about American diesels (more steam and narrow gauge myself) but that is one heck of a model your building there. The video was really fantastic and that smoke what can one say it reminded me of some of our older English diesels and what we call clagging (great thick smoke as they start off a long load, well long to us about a quarter of your fright trains)

Any way bottom line is don’t give up look at what you’ve done so far, carry on and get it running and use the eight foot rule. If it looks good at eight foot away its good. and don’t forget as your skill improves and it will you can always go back and up grade the bits you’re not happy with.

Jerry

#39

Just got around to watching the video, really cool to see such a long train! How long is that, anyway? Looks like it would fill up all the mainline on my layout.

#40

What video?