Kid-zilla vs. Bachmann...A Story of Dad Learning to Let Go

[Eric_Mueller]

The MIK is behind us, and Kid-zilla has determined that his next project will be to transform a pile of Bachmann 10-wheeler bits from @Rooster , @PeterT , probably @David_Marconi_FOGCH , the Hawaii Historical Railroad, and probably other places into a working 10-wheeler. He already started gathering the bits on the lanai…

…and he has been dutifully restoring a non-B’mann tender to its former glory through the use of a paint marker.

He has asked me to note he did this work without masking!

Last year, we worked side by side to make his Starliners ( Triple O – Bachmann 10-Wheeler Salvage Campaign). This year, I am going to try really, really hard to step back into an advisory role. As such, I will be documenting his progress as I see it, not necessarily as he does it. My main effort will be on safety with a secondary effort on success. My goal is to not touch a tool or paint brush.

I am sure he can see his goal of bringing this beast to life through to completion. I know I will struggle to see my train buddy strike out on his own.

Updates as I catch them!

Eric

[David_Marconi_FOGCH (David Marconi CHHNNG)]

Gotta ask when will Kid-Z be acquiring that new parcel of land for the roundhouse he needs for all the motive power he has acquired over the last couple of years?
I’m looking forward to the build to start.
Seems CINChouse may be in for a round of negotiations to commence as the new year unfolds. The take over at the triple O seems well on it’s way.
As always YMMV JMHO

[Eric_Mueller]

@David_Marconi_FOGCH

Gotta ask when will Kid-Z be acquiring that new parcel of land for the roundhouse he needs for all the motive power

Like I’ve said, that is a possibility! Probably not this summer, but a locomotive service area is under discussion…or a rack railway.

In the meantime, he has removed the flashing from the parts he intends to use. He will be leaning into a Wild West / Late 19th Century theme, with gloss black boiler, brass trim, and yellow “wood” work.

I am working very hard to remain an observer, advisor, and occasional prod…

Eric

[Eric_Mueller]

Update:

Most of the flashing is gone. He is working through paint schemes. I am working on letting him do things at his pace in his order…

One sticking point has been the cab, poorly photographed by yours truly below:

You’ll note the gap between the boiler and the cab walls. He briefly thought about just enlarging the passages from cab to the future running boards. This would be not unlike the hulks at our museum, as seen in a photo from our 2024 “victory visit” with Golden Star.

That still leaves the issue about the space between the upper windows and the boiler.

He is confident that he can glue a styrene sheet to the back of the cab’s forward wall, but neither of us our sure how to shape it from there so that it fits over the boiler and leaves little gap between the boiler and cab wall. Any suggestions?

On Behalf of Kid-zilla,
Eric

[JRad (Jon Radder)]

How about trial and error with paper and scissors until the contour is close enough. Then use the paper to mark the styrene cut.

There are profile copy tools available on-line but are probably too bulky for this application.

[David_Marconi_FOGCH (David Marconi CHHNNG)]

Another method I have used is to take a picture dead straight on from the rear of the boiler measure the base of the boiler at that point, if you can, prop your ruler so it shows your actual width of the boiler at that point.
Open your just taken picture in paint on your PC. that will open on a grid.Make your grid read in what ever measurement increments you used and increase/decrease the pictured boiler to match with the grid size. i.e. if the ruler shows 2 1/2" make the boiler picture show the width if the boiler being 2 1/2" on the grid.
Print that picture out and you can cut the picture to remove the section of the boiler you want to cut your pattern too.

[Rooster]

Scribe it out with a tiny golf pencil. Or since the cab isn’t mounted lay a sheet of styrene on the back of the boiler and trace it out (the 1/2 circle ) on the front. Then put the cab back on lay the 1/2 circle sheet on top of the boiler,cab front and trace out the window lines on the back.

[Eric_Mueller]

Update:

We finally returned to this project today as we waited for the paint to dry on the bakery ( Refurbishing Mama’s Bakery No Ka Oi). Neither of us felt up to taking on the cab front, so we turned-to stripping the wiring from the boiler, clearing flashing from the chosen headlamp, and figuring out how to mount the weight we got from @PeterT . The eyes that would usually fit over the plastic stems in the chassis are gone, so Kid-zilla rummaged some crafstick scraps from the bakery project, cut them to size…

…glued them together, and made the brace fast to the weight with two-part epoxy. It fits very neatly into correct place in the chassis. He photographed his work in the picture below.

We’ll find a bit of tubing, washers, and appropriate screws to serve as hold-downs once I can linger at the hardware store without serving as Patient Zero for the next local COVID outbreak.

The other thing we’ll look for is a collar to fit between the stack and the boiler. We are actually considering using the end of a spent rocket motor.

We agreed that the rocket motor was a cool solution, but we doubt its ability to withstand the elements, even after a good soaking in TiteBond III and coat of paint.

Oh… he likes the yellow-on-black, so that scheme will likely remain. It has given rise the name Bumblebee.

Updates as progress merits!

Eric

P.S. He had his rebuilt circus engine Emmett, the project that got him started on this journey of B’mann rehabilitation ( Triple O – Bachmann 10-Wheeler Salvage Campaign), out on the rails today. One of the pins on the connecting rods gave way, and the rods bound. He had a test track out, got Emmett on the rollers, slowly reversed “him” to unbind the rods, pried a pin from a derelict chassis, applied it to Emmett, and had the circus moving in about 15 minutes. My only role? I advised the use of a test track rather than the mainline. Kid is learning!

[Eric_Mueller]

Kid-zilla has learned a new skill…Devon-ing! I offered to help him paint the boiler, but he “can’t decide” on a scheme. While he practices Devon-ing, I thought I’d pose another question. What can we use as pins for the rods on this old chassis?

We’ll try to get to the hardware store this week to get the sundry screws he’ll need to put Pre-Commissioned Unit (PCU) Bumblebee together. I’ll also try to nudge him towards the Palm of Spray Painting without violating my intention of letting go more as he finds his own way in this hobby. Encouraging progress without becoming a nag or the leading force is proving difficult.

Eric

[David_Marconi_FOGCH (David Marconi CHHNNG)]

Since progress helps spur the imagination, I have found setting a phase of a project aside and moving to the next step and coming back to the stumbling block with a clear head, helps move forward without frustration

[Rooster]

@Eric_Mueller

What can we use as pins for the rods on this old chassis?

We’ll try to get to the hardware store this week

Eric

Take the loco along or a wheel with the same size driver pin hole then take a look at the rivets. Especially like “frying pan” ones which I bet they may have for repairs.

Before this turns into JUST BUY IT FROM THIS PLACE or YOU CANT RIVET THAT ON.

I am simply suggesting that you look at them for something with a shoulder that fits into the hole that can be pressed or glued in.

[PeterT]

@Eric_Mueller

What can we use as pins for the rods on this old chassis?

First thought: steal some from another old chassis!

Actually, as the wheels are metal, and thus the hole that you push the pin in to is also metal, I believe on occasion I have used a short self-tap screw to hold the rods. Take a plastic pin to the hardware store and see what you can find.

[Eric_Mueller]

Thanks to @Rooster and @PeterT for the tips. We have salvaged what we can from our derelict chassis, so pins will be on the list of purchases when Kid-zilla and I w make a run to the hardware store to get the screws we need to hold PCU-Bumblebee together.

I am still trying to encourage progress, so, as @David_Marconi_FOGCH suggested, I got Kid-zilla to talk through the paint scheme. The boiler and smokebox will be in the flat black and blue-grey of the Triple O, but, as mentioned, he has elected to retain the yellow sand dome and steam dome. He was worried that there won’t be enough yellow, so I will help him with some trim on running boards, cab, etc. So that he could see some progress, I had him mask off the domes.

Later, he masked the boiler and took it out to the Palm of Spray Painting.

I only supervised from afar, and I think he did a pretty good job laying down an even coat of paint.

It was the first time he trusted to his own skills to lay down the paint. We’ll see if we can get to the boiler later this week.

We also discussed the cab. I think he finds this intimidating. As the front of the train starts to come together, though, I think he will work through his unspoken concerns and turn-to!

Updates as progress merits!

Eric