Haven’t been working much lately, so thought I should try to build some boxcars.
Got a bit of an assembly line going, just using scrap wood from around the shop. Mostly birch plywood and maple for car siding, sill beams, trims, etc.
Sir - they look powerful good to me!
More pics, please.
tac
www.ovgrs.org
PS - you DO realise that your shop is bigger than my house, don’t you?
Looks like you’re well on your way to reaching your goal. Nice work. Is that 3 or 6 you’ve started/completed?
Okay TAC, took a couple of more. This is how I make the car siding, cut 1/8" thick pieces from 4" wide maple, run it over a v-groove bit in the router table, moving the fence 3/32" right after each pass. And then cross cut to desired lengths.
(http://www.lscdata.com/users/kettle_valley/_forumfiles/IMG_0185.JPG)
A completed shell from Baltic Birch Ply
(http://www.lscdata.com/users/kettle_valley/_forumfiles/IMG_0182.JPG)
Simple truss rod detail from brass rod, 14 Gauge hay wire and small eyelets.
(http://www.lscdata.com/users/kettle_valley/_forumfiles/IMG_0181.JPG)
Ladder detail, just small maple strips and hay wire.
(http://www.lscdata.com/users/kettle_valley/_forumfiles/IMG_0186.JPG)
When I have some work again, I will buy a few Bachmann flat car kits for the trucks and couplers. I will cut the couplers off the trucks and body mount them. And will add brake wheel details etc. from the kits as well.
David, a 30’ one painted and ready for trucks and couplers etc. And a 28’ and two 33’ ers getting built now.
Randy
Great Looking work! I’d venture a guess that the weight would make them ride well too! I’d like to see a “build article” if you could find the time. Nice use of the Router, that is a much more fun option than Styrene (to me at least). Is the Baltic the 1/2" ply? Did you consider grooving the larger ply and forgo the sheeting?
thanks!
cale
Cale, the walls and floor are 1/8" or 1/4", just what was on hand, I think using 1/2" would raise the center of gravity too much. And besides if you had to buy the plywood 1/8" is about $18 a sheet and 1/2" can run over $60 a sheet, mind you, you could make a lot of cars with one sheet. As for a ‘build article’ I don’t think I am not in that league yet. Just using basic woodworking skills here. Studied what the “B” guys have built here, copied them somewhat but used used all wood, no styrene etc. As for grooving the plywood, the grooves turn out too ‘fuzzy’. Birch is softer than maple and I don’t have plywood edges to worry about either.
Randy they look great. There nothing better then knowing that you built them.
They do look great.
A home run first time up 
Ralph
Very Nice!
What era you modeling? Anything specific?
David, anytime pre-diesel and more or less 1:20.3
Those cars look great – in fact I’ll give it a shot too. Where’d you find the little eyelets?
Doug, in the sewing section at Wally World, $2 for a pack of 36, 4mm size.
Randy, those look really good, and you thought that you couldn’t do it. Not that hard after all, is it. Only one comment , and not meant to criticize, may be just the pic angle but looks like the roof angle might be a little steep, but if you’re not following a particular prototype then so what. For first rolling stock, “EXCELLENT”.
Ron
Ron, yes I thought that too. Bodies are 4 3/8" wide, 4 1/2" high at outside and 4 7/8" at center. Did not have plans to go by just what I could get from pics etc.
And I forgot to mention you when I discussed using Bachmann flat car kits.
Okay, got the 3 shells done today, now can start on adding carlines, roof walks, ladders, etc.
(http://www.lscdata.com/users/kettle_valley/_forumfiles/IMG_0189.JPG)
(http://www.lscdata.com/users/kettle_valley/_forumfiles/IMG_0190.JPG)
Very nice. Looks really good. Thanks for sharing.
Those cars are coming along great!
Those look great! Nice work so far!
Well I got some more done on the boxcars finally. Ladders, grab irons and roof walk supports. Also did the truss rods.
http://www.lscdata.com/users/kettle_valley/_forumfiles/IMG_0208 (Small).JPG
http://www.lscdata.com/users/kettle_valley/_forumfiles/IMG_0209 (Small).JPG
http://www.lscdata.com/users/kettle_valley/_forumfiles/IMG_0210 (Small).JPG
Edit: Oops something went haywire, try to fix it