Large Scale Central

AM-Critter....Kid-zilla goes freelance

Modeling
#81

Eric,
The kids are probably gonna get disgusted with me but I would like to bring this up as it happened today. It has happened to me in the past however I wear shoes in my shop and it has never hit my foot as of yet.
I noticed in most of your build pictures all the kids and yourself included usually have flip flops, sandals or bare feet. You might want to consider sneakers just in case something falls off the table or gets dropped (like an x-acto knife) and lands just like this. That is a 3/4" plywood floor and a foot is much softer?

Just saying.

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#82
  1. what are safety shoes for? - for the feet, or for the insurance of the employer?
  2. when my father took a carving knife out of my foot, he said: “that’s ok, the dumb parts have to be cut away.”
  3. in theory you are right. - in practice nobody in humid climate can stand closed shoes above 100° F. (except British colonial officers)
  4. you tell the boy to wear shoes. - than the knife falls into the leg. - you tell him to use safety trousers. - the knife falls into the other hand. - you tell him to use a chain-glove…
    at last you tell him to draw CAD objects on the laptop instead of doing handicrafts.

better to tell him to treat all tools with respect and caution.

real life was, is and will be dangerous. no way around that.
/rant over

#83

I simply suggested “sneakers” meaning “shoes” that cover the top of the foot!

#84

shoes for safety - better so?

#85

Rooster,

Yikes! I have never considered that. As @Korm said, we get so used to being barefoot or, at best, in sandals, foot protection never crossed my mind. We’ve made goggles mandatory for soldering, spray painting, and “power tooling,” and we are all usually pretty good about that. The boys, at least, have Crocs. I will encourage them to use those when they have the knives out (for their projects, not each other!). And, to Korm’s point, reminding them to respect their tools and to handle each with care is foundational.

Meanwhile, AM-Critter got “his” windows in and the electronics out. Inching towards completion!

Eric

1 Like
#86

Steel crocks

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#87

A dropped X- acto knife will always find the least protected piece of of flesh to stab slice or otherwise embed its self to protect the sharpness and point.

1 Like
#88

Dang, I could use those :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

#89

Update:

We discussed knife safety. No knives are in use for this part of the project or for the Mik. I’m still pondering a long term solution we will all actually observe.

Lighting has been the big obstacle. This project is so close to being done, I find it harder and harder to remain in an advise and assist role. There are some commercial products that are less credible representations of diesel streamliners, and I am anxious to see this one in action. Back to lighting…

We found a battery clip and various LEDs. We tried abandoning the commercial boards in place, but, ultimately Kid-zilla chose to remove them to allow the light to show better. Removing the roof allows access to batteries and on/off switch. He darkened his bedroom for the test.

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Mounting the body to the chassis only made it better. As a result, AM-critter served as mood lighting for dinner.

This success reenergized Kid-zilla. We found some cotter pins to serve as the after lifting points on the roof.

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He drilled out holes for the handrails and replaced them. The he redrilled holes for the horns.
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He started to do touch-up painting…
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…and he even did some light washes, something he saw on YouTube, to bring out more of the details. I advised him to wait until after final reassembly to ensure even weathering. He agreed, noting a crack locomotive would likely be kept pretty clean. Then he went to those UK sites to select a mining loco kit he could dirty up…

As darkness fell, Kid-zilla was busy making shims to mount the fuel tank to the chassis. We were going to order the horns, but the internet was not working.

Updates as progress merits.
On Behalf of Kid-zilla,
Eric

5 Likes
#90

He learns quite well he does!

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#91

Update:

Fuel tanks installed.

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Almost there!

5 Likes
#92

eh, what did you say? how old is that kid?

i would be proud, if i could make something of this quality.

2 Likes
#93

Korm,

A belated "Danke viel Mal!" He has really shone. I have only had to monitor for safety and as an occasional source of ideas during tricky spots. I have wanted to “lend to” and get dirty so many times, but this really, really needs to be his.

Last week, a horn arrived with some repair parts from USA Trains.

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I’ll let Kid-zilla’s smile during the installation process speak for itself.

Here’s where AM-Critter stands, a week before commissioning.

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Kid-zilla has picked the inaugural consist. He is touching up the paint. He is working on a name.

AM-critter will soon hit the rails…

Updates as progress merits,

On Behalf of Kid-zilla,
Eric

8 Likes
#94

Final(ish) update:

Kid-zilla finally got to hook up AM-Critter’s first consist after several weeks of rainy weekends.

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The previous week, he had an opportunity to do a test run during a break in the weather.

The chosen consist for the inaugural run was bit heavy and the rails a bit damp, so the 0-5-0 helper had to come out a couple times; hence; there is no video. Still there were the obligatory acceptance shots!

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We may need to add weight to the loco or simply accept smaller consists. Kid-zilla is considering a second motor block, as that does the trick for his NW-2s. Whatever the solution, he is over the moon with this model, and he is already discussing a matching B-unit, shorty streamliners, a dome car, etc. All in good time, but first, he had to finish a diorama for school and next he has to make Fudge.

“Fudge?” Thank @PeterT and stand-by…

Thanks to everyone who contributed thoughts, encouragement, and parts to this project. We had no idea when we began that it would become a rolling tribute to @David_Marconi_FOGCH.

On Behalf of Kid-zilla,

Eric

6 Likes
#95

I think that is a really good choice. All he will need is the block as he has everything else. I also think the Aristo streamliners will operate on a 2.5’ radii or 5’ diameter curve.

I hope “my” son doesn’t see this thread about making fudge. He will catch the first redeye to Hawaii and bust through your front door like the Kool Aid guy.

Aahhh you guys got some homemade fudge?

#96

Nope, neither the edible nor post-digestive style of Fudge. Stay tuned!