Exactly what hung me up. Nice work, as always.
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Cliff, as long as you allow for material thickness in your design, put the pressure to it. my curved corrugated roof dies were 3d printed in regular resin the first time and stood up very well to a press.
AL P.
Ah, you printed your forms. I should have tried that. Thanks for that insight, Al, I’ll try that next time.
For my acrylic forms, this morning I cranked down with big c-clamps, and it sort of worked. I made the outside bends with a screwdriver:
The brass still wanted to spring back a little, so I adjusting the bends with flat-faced pliers until the shape matched the form, then clipped the ends.
So far, so good.
Then came drilling. This tool was 3d-printed, and worked pretty well. The holes started getting hogged out after 3/4 the way thru though, so I should have printed two. But I soldiered on, with questionable tolerances.
After a few hours of deburring and shape-tweaking, the pile (which includes several spares) is finally done.
They’ll get blackened with Jax, and installed (with the journal boxes, springs & wheelsets, Lord willing) after the journals & other chassis printed parts.
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A good bench vise would apply even pressure across the form, and possibly provide better results on the bends. just an observation, because your results look very usable even with the minor variations in all the pieces
Thanks David. I have a large bench vise, and should try that with my next formed piece. With a resin-printed form, as Al suggested.
There was a delay in getting certain screws to install the journals, so I’ve changed course and am pre-making all the parts and pushing assembly of everything till the end.
Here’s more 3d printed parts for the brake and door mechanisms, all drilled out, sanded as needed and (for the parts that are pinned down) ready for weathering.
I’m really loving this “tough” resin, it takes such great detail, and drills excellently.
The only main thing remaining to be 3d printed is the bin, and its doors and feet. That will take several days. So while that’s going on I’ll be tackling the brass for the brakes and doors… and there’s a lot of it.
I won’t be working on this over the weekend though, because my wife and I will be taking a trip to West Virginia, and Saturday taking an all-day “Potomac Eagle” train excursion between Romney & Petersburg WV. We’ve been really looking forward to this!
Cheers,
Cliff
So when will they be ready to run on the railroad ? Or when will the railroad be ready to run them?
Hard to say, but most likely in the future.
I was going to 3d print the coupler pins, but then doubted their shear strength hauling a string. So I made heads and CA’d 1/16" brass rods into them.
Here’s a prototype. And just to be clear, it was bent before I got it. 
Hmmm pop rivets are not the type that the rivet counter want to see
Cliff;
Be careful with those link and pin couplers. In our scale they may be just robust enough to mash a fingernail! I remember reading that anyone who applied for a brakeman’s job in the link and pin days and had all his fingers was not considered “experienced.”
Regards, David Meashey
I started into the brass this evening; here’s the strip pieces. I’m halfway into forming one part. There’s one other that has to be bent, but the rest will stay flat.
All need to be drilled, and I’ll make jigs for that. And all will need to be chamfered or rounded. And blackened.
My apologies for being so detailed; it helps me have a record. Feel free to not view. For those who are interested in this build, my great thanks. And I’ll keep posting if you’re interested.
However, I’m not going to apologize for putting off trestle work, layout running, the second shed, the 2nd layout level, or other projects, even though I am supposed, by some, delinquent on those. This particular project is important to me, and as I’ve said previously, have decided to focus on it to its completion.
Maybe I’ll get to those other projects next month, or next decade…
Cheers,
Cliff
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i, for one am interested.
even if the kind of rolling stock, you are building there, does not interest me, your building tecnics interest me.
i got the impression, that it is your layout.
so what you build, when, in what order, or if at all - should satisfy the owner of the layout.
(at least, that is, how i handle my hobby down here in the shadow of the “World’s End” sign)
and never forget: it is much better to die with a long list of projects undone, than to live on with nothing to do.
Great build Cliff , don’t mind the poking … 
Cliff, although I do not comment a lot here recently due to work, travel and life in general, I do read each post with great interest. The detail you include with your build logs is a great learning experience and future resource. Please continue to document the builds. Don’t mind the peanut gallery, the ribbing is just a way providing fun encouragement.
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Thanks Dan, thanks Korm. I guess my frustration over how long this is taking might be showing… I should have known that making this many cars would require far more time and patience. On the other hand, making multiples of each piece has forced me to learn new (for me at least) tricks, and if that’s been of some value, it makes it all worth it.
Well, if it’s any consolation, we are all benefiting and learning from your hard work and frustration, so carry on 
so what?
- are you a cheque-booker, or a modeller?
from where i’m looking, you look like the latter. (with a light case of rivet-counteritis…)
you got fun, building those cars. that alone is reason enough.
and in future, every time that row of “dust-bins” rattles by on its roundy round, your eyes will light up.
( i am much more content, when i run my old home-made stuff, built or alterated with junk, than the bought roling stock. just because seeing them remembers me of how i did it)
ps: don’t forget the practical side - if you ever want to or have to make a move like Jon, these cars are a box full of toys. a trestle is a “write-off”. (like my 12’ trestle)
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Cliff I for one am jealous that you can spend as much time to do this, for me life in general is too busy. I do read your builds and am amazed at ways you could think to do things. Keep posting your progress, Thanks for doing so. I am sorry, I do get carried away sometimes 
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Thanks Sean. Yeah, between work being slow and wanting to get this over with, I’ve been spending every available moment, kinda obsessive-crazy like… Your description is more the norm for me as well, I’ll get back there hopefully soon.
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