not to mention Eric must have really good eyes for close-up work!
This thing is 7/8ths scale, so it is HUGE. Eric - how about something mundane (like a gas can) in a pic so we can see how big it really is?
One clue is his pin nailer inside not only the car, but inside the seat with enough room to pin the frame to the side.
Ho hum… so typical of Eric’s Fine Skills!
Nice job Eric.
A scale that lets you play with the details
Here is my “supply car” in 7/8 n2
7/8th scale is nice and big to work on…
over the weekend and during yesterday’s snow day I did some more work.
the saloon is the “proper” way to say it I leave the rest to your vivid imaginations…
I started with a “proper” napkin sketch and worked from there. I added dimensions so I could figure out sizes. I made the walls for the saloon just like the baggage doors a while back they are proper raised panels and grooved rails.
I added a brass escutcheon pin for a door handle, a wooden “hopper” and copper wash basin. the basin was a little tricky…I started with a sheet of copper flashing. I set it over a hole in my anvil and drove the ball peen end of my little hammer into the hole making a nice little dome or bowl depending on which side you look at. a couple of taps with the hammer smoothed out the rim before cutting out the bowl and splash guards. the basin actually stands on its drain pipe, a piece of brass rod silver soldered in the correct location. the saloon walls fit in behind it.
Bravo. Nice work!!
yes, very nice work!
Beautiful details Eric, your work is stunning!
some more details…The roof needs something…
first vents for the saloon, the large ones are just vents to try to get the place to smell a little better, the tall pointed one is a vent for the lamp in there to improve the patrons aim.
the main lamps were fancy on these cars- dual Kerosene lamps with fancy brass fittings and glass globes. they are a later project … maybe… but for today the lamp vents on the roof. made from wood buttons used to cover screw heads topped by a fancy upholstery tack. one for each lamp.
and the stove jack… a brass turning with a copper hood soldered on. a brass screw holds it in place on the roof.
Beautiful work, Eric! I am enjoying your build log.
I love it all, but particularly the lamp vents made from a button and a tack. Very clever.
Now this is how to get creative! Love it:
A neighbor gave me a bunch of nails and screws his dad had collected years ago, and these upholstery tacks were in a rusty old Altoids box. Unfortunately there were only enough for one coach…so down to the local hardware I went…they actually had some with the same pattern, not quite as good but almost.
the patrons can rest at ease while riding the coach but getting on will be a challenge without steps!
the original coach steps seem to be wooden planks supported by metal brackets. I made mine from brass, I cut custom width strip from a brass sheet from the afore mentioned hardware store. I annealed the ends of the strips so I could put a hook in each end, bent the hard way. I made a little bending jig from a block of oak, some washers and bolts.
cut them to length, bent another bend into them and drilled them for the bolts and rivets needed.
Brass escutcheon pins make fine rivets to hold the brackets onto the oak step.
I used some itty-bitty screws to hold the steps in place on the platform. also a copper wire with a forged head through the outside hooked end of the bracket and step up into the car frame.
Dam Fine Work there Eric !
Yea, ditto!
Simply awesome. Been a few weeks since I checked in here, amazing detail work. I love the heater. How you made turned wood look exactly like cast iron is magic.
WOW!! I am amazed at each update. Eric, your detail work is a pleasure to see.
FANTASTIC . . . and love your "helpers" . . . . .
I added some details over the weekend including vacuum brake pots under the cars. I made these from some 3/4" walnut dowel I had left from a boat project. I cut them to length and slotted them with my Dremel saw for the “mounting ears” made flanges with a hole saw. the “spout” would include a return spring and vacuum tight gland, mine is a 1/4" dowel drilled for the plunger rod which would attach to the brake rigging.
The coaches when new had copper screen covering the clerestory windows. (interestingly, the combine never had screens) I purchased some fine copper screen from McMaster Carr but had puzzled on how to install it to look right. I finally settled on sandwiching between two matching frames. the outer to be painted and detailed, the inner just plain pine.
the prototype screens were done more like a wooden screen door…robust frames with laths nailed on pinching the perimeter of the screen… I milled my outer frame with a raised edge to look like the lath. once assembled, I trimmed out the raised bit between the “window frames” and painted the works dark brown.
i applied titebond glue to the innner frame, carefully dropped the screens into place then added the outer screen. with some cloths pin clamps holding things, the one application of glue was enough to glue the works together. I tried pulling the screen out of the glue at the end where I trimmed off a bit and it wouldnt come!
I set the car out on the snow ( the tracks are long gone! ) for a beauty shot. I think it is looking pretty well at this point, there is always more to do though!
I plan to bring the train of two coaches and the combine to the ECLSTS at York in a week and a couple days!
Really nice work!
The details are amazing, Eric. You do fine work.