Large Scale Central

EBT Steel Boxcars

Modeling
#81

Thanks, Ric. I’m glad I have company here. I’ve done kit bashing for eons in HO and even in G, but these are going to be my first totally scratch built cars. I feel much better knowing I’ll have help with asking all the dumb questions :smiley: This will also be my first attempt at using acrylic.

Bob, you just don’t know what you got yourself into…:lol:

#82
Ric Golding said:
Mine also came yesterday, "Holiday Mail Scedule" had them sitting in some courthouse. I just reread all of the postings and have more questions than answers, so I can see this is going to be slow. Please be tolerant because basically thses postings have caused me to venture into unchartered waters for me.

Bob - you stated your going to make up a set of instructions? Maybe I’ll wait for that. :wink:

The glue - Tap plastic acrylic cement - does that have to be ordered or is it available at big box stores?

MEK - that’s the brain cell nasty stuff, right?

Do you take the blue plastic covering off before glueing? I told you, these are going to be basic questions. :wink:


I havent seen the acrylic cement in big box stores, I just ordered mine from http://www.tapplastics.com/ Dont forget to get a couple of applicators, too.

The MEK is the brain-killing stuff, yea.

And, yes, the blue covering comes off. Its a protector sheet for storage and cutting. it gets removed.

#83

Placed the glue order and that looks like it may take awhile, so Bob and Bruce, I guess that gives you a break and more time to get ready to ask more questions.

So you say you remove the plastic before glueing. Bruce is this the same type of plastic you used on your building? Didn’t you leave the protection on the one side while you glued that?

Thanks for your help, guys.

#84

Ric,
The acrylic for my building was covered in paper, not plastic. Either way, it’s there to protect the sheet. But, I did not leave it on while gluing, too much danger of it absorbing the glue and messing things up. I did keep it on while I was playing around with it, or when I had to make some cuts, like for the roof support.

Part of your homework is to go here: http://www.tapplastics.com/info/video.php and watch the video entitled “How to glue Acrylic”. It’s near the bottom of the page.

#85
Bruce Chandler said:
Ric, Part of your homework is to go here: http://www.tapplastics.com/info/video.php and watch the video entitled "How to glue Acrylic". It's near the bottom of the page.
So done. Are the edges ready to be glued as received?
#86

The edges are ready to go. The pieces are either cut by a laser (the peaks) or by a fine, high-speed saw (the rectangular pieces). The edges need no treatment, and align nicely.

#87

Thanks Bob,
So is one of the pieces the bottom and the ends and sides sit on it or do you make a hollow rectangle with sides and ends and then shove the bottom in to it to make it square?

(You know, I think this a legitimate semi-intelligent question. I’m so proud.)

#88

The way I built it was glue the ends to the bottom, then the sides on. This was the easiest way to assure that everything lined up correctly. I’ll give an exact sequence of events when I start the instructions.