After an eBay purchase yesterday of 11 new bright cabooses made me think maybe next years challenge should be start with something hideous like these and convert them to masterpieces. Just a thought as any modeler can participate regardless of scale cause the starting platform is the same. Just a thought. And no I’m not selling mine.
Great Scott, Mark! What on Earth are you planing to do with them all?
May I ask one dumb question, please, who is running this show?
Paul Austin
In the name of Mik, I carry the torch.
E. Paul, Dave has been doing this for Mik since he passed. Mik would be very happy to see this friendly challenge continuing each winter.
Thanks Dave for stepping up to the plate and carrying this on.
Yeah, thanks for picking up the flag and soldiering on. Without you, Dave, this tradition would have died out.
I too appreciate it. It is what brought me to this site.
It is great that Dave has taken this on!
John Le Forestier said:
Great Scott, Mark! What on Earth are you planing to do with them all?
A caboose motel?
HINTS HINTS It’s been too long between hints… well to my way of thinking.
What size pins?
My old Central Pneumatics pinner was leaving stubs to cut me. So I went looking for a new pinner, cheap.
There’s a fair bit of variety, but to my eye several looked like the older Central Design, with different labels and colors.
Not all pinners offer the same stroke and variety. I recognize the delivery tray as Central’s 1/4 -1" adjustable. The first one worked best with the tray loose! I’d align it with feeler gauges and set it tight and it would jam, loosen it at the head frame and it would fire all day.
$32 to my door via FedEx. I could have picked up in the city, but cheaper to wait for delivery than gas up the truck… yes there is a theme… just like the birds sing…
There was talk earlier, I’m just showing off my professional crastination.
So Dave, got that link to pins handy?
Thanks,
John
John, I have to fiddle with the air pressure on my pin nailer. Too little pressure and the pins stick out, like you said. Too much pressure, and the pin shoots out the other side, or blows part of the second piece of wood off. The cheap Harbor Freight pin nailer I have does work, rather well, for being an El-Cheepo.
You have to keep the Harbor Freight Pinner lubricated, too. That’s the biggest cause of failure. Just a couple of drops of oil down the tube the air flows through, each time you use it should suffice.
Steve yes. Or, a few drops if its starts to rattle. Well, its not quite a rattle, but its an odd noise, similar to a rattle noise, but not quite…
For what I paid for it, I’m well satisfied with the HF pinner. What weight of oil do you use, David?
Ok guys, This is the supplier that I use for my 23 Gauge pins. The Grex brand has never let me down, unlike other discount brands, There is a difference.
I use the 3/8", 1/2", 5/8", 3/4" and 1" size most. An old carpenter mentor learned me that you should use a fashioner that is twice as long as the size of wood that you are binding. i.e., if you are using 1/2 wood use 1" nails, 1/4" wood = 1/2" nails. The Nails or screws, are to bind the pieces together until the glue dries.
Dave, well, yes, except I was binding together 2 strips of 1/4 lumber. a half inch pin would have to sit exact to not be sticking out of either side.
Steve, the pin nailer I got came with a small bottle of clear oil. I have been using that. When it runs out I will have to figure out what to use.
Dave Taylor said:
Ok guys, This is the supplier that I use for my 23 Gauge pins. The Grex brand has never let me down, unlike other discount brands, There is a difference.
I use the 3/8", 1/2", 5/8", 3/4" and 1" size most. An old carpenter mentor learned me that you should use a fashioner that is twice as long as the size of wood that you are binding. i.e., if you are using 1/2 wood use 1" nails, 1/4" wood = 1/2" nails. The Nails or screws, are to bind the pieces together until the glue dries.
So Dave…
What size pins should I get. I mean if maybe we had a hint as to what we are building…
OK OK when is the official starting date anyway?
Any clear plastic compatible oil should work. When the little bottles cracked and spilled out the goods, I used Zoom spout oil, we use it in evap/cooler bearings.3 drops in the air line and one in the pin hole.
Do not use HF pins, get a brand name, they won’t jam.
As a rebel with out a clue I’m trying a new, to me, Senco Galvanized pins. I’m hoping for better hold and less streaking.
John
@ Devon The 3/8" and 1/2" size may not be carried by Home Depot or Lowes at your local store. For modeling in our scale, we use a lot more really small lumber and hence the smaller size pins then what a contractor would use for putting up crown molding. On >1/2" most Big Box stores carries a brand name, and in a smaller count size, and lower price, then the 10,000 pin box ( which really isn’t that large for 10000 pins). Will you use up 10000 pins of any size, probably not, but you will never run out ether.
I have found that most guns will feed the smaller 3/8" or 1/2’ pins even thou the gun might only be rated for 5/8" or longer. It depends a lot on the spring feed mech. and the design of the gun.
Once you have a pin nailer, I guarantee, you will wonder how you ever got along before without one.
I will bet that there isn’t a single guy on this board that would give up their pin nailer without a fight!
A hint on the build Challenge so you kinda know what we will be building? NOT A CHANCE ! ! !
As to the hint, I had to try.
Thanks for the advice. I have decided on the HF pinner if Santa doesn’t bring me one. I believe it goes down to the 1/2" size so hopefully will shoot the 3/8 pins. As to not being able to live without it I understand. I feel that way about my brand nailer. Bought it to put up molding in my living room. Thought I would never use it again. It is probably the single most used tool I have next to my hammer tape and cordless screw driver.
So you wont give me a hint as to what we are building but when? What is the traditional start date?