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Post by onequiknova on Feb 16, 2014 14:36:16 GMT -8
I started the build by blanking the port hole windows with styrene. After a bunch of sanding, a round of filler, and a couple round of primer with sanding in between, I ended up with this. Nice and smooth with no signs of a porthole. I also opened up the intake openings, framed them with some .030 styrene so the new grilles have something to sit on, then reproduced the structural frame work with more styrene. I also cut out the louvered door behind the cab, being careful to leave the hinges, and replaced it with some.040 styrene.œ A bit premature maybe, but I couldn't wait to try out the new grills. atlasrescueforum.proboards.com/thread/2186/photo-etching Since I'm out of new etches to work with, I turn my attention to some of the warts on the BLI E7. First is the windshields. They sit too far inside the opening. Making a flush fitting windshield goes a long way to improve the appearance of the BLI nose. I plan to cut new windshields from thin clear plastic. I thinned the inner frame work of the windshield opening so it won't look so thick when the new glass is installed. I have only thinned the lower opening for comparison purposes. Just doing this goes a long way in making the glass fit better. A little more work will make them fit even better, and if BLI hadn't drilled a hole in the glass for the windshield wipers, I'd probably go that route. I also reamed out the headlight openings to thin the inner lip where the glass sits. They were huge and wouldn't allow for a Highliner twin beam light insert to fit correctly. I leave just enough lip for the glass to sit on. More corrections will be done to the nose once more of my etches show up
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Post by onequiknova on Feb 16, 2014 14:42:00 GMT -8
The next wart to deal with is the rear of the unit. Removing the diaphragm leaves you with this. No bueno. What It need to look like is this. I had the back end of a Highliner F unit at my disposal from an unfinished FP7 conversion, so I cut out the door section. Getting closer, but still not right. After some slicing and dicing along with a few detail parts, I ended up with this. I still need to figure out how to model the incadecent bulb over the door.
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Post by buffalobill on Feb 16, 2014 15:16:35 GMT -8
John: great start on another interesting project unit. With all of the added etchings looks like it will be incredible when finished. Bill
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2014 15:43:46 GMT -8
I've found the best F-unit back door is Intermountain. Usually you can pick up IMRC's F-shells for cents on the dollar, compared with Highliner which go in an out of stock and usually always command decent dollars.
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Post by onequiknova on Feb 16, 2014 16:01:27 GMT -8
I've found the best F-unit back door is Intermountain. Usually you can pick up IMRC's F-shells for cents on the dollar, compared with Highliner which go in an out of stock and usually always command decent dollars. I agree. I used one an my AB6. Either one would have needed similar modifications in this case though. Plus I had it left over from an FP conversion.
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Post by onequiknova on Feb 18, 2014 19:55:20 GMT -8
Small update. I performed a few more modifications to the nose. I realized the lower headlight on the BLI door was too large, but unlike the BLI E8, the nose door is molded to the shell, so I had to cut the door out to make room for a new Highliner door. I also sanded off the nose louvers and plugged the strange oval shaped marker lights. I'll drill new, round markers and use an etched gasket. The grab iron holes were plugged and redrilled to a smaller #80 hole. The anticlimber was cut from the pilot and glued to the nose. I'll use a Highliner freight pilot in place of the BLI. With the Highliner door. The rear door was also glued in place, some cut bar supports were added and unnecessary holes plugged.
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Post by rockisland652 on Feb 20, 2014 7:00:37 GMT -8
Aww, man...dis tread is too quiet...
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Post by onequiknova on Feb 20, 2014 18:58:36 GMT -8
Aww, man...dis tread is too quiet... Here you go. Got the pilot finished. The pics pretty much speak for themselves. This macro lens really shows the flaws.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 20, 2014 19:01:06 GMT -8
This macro lens really shows the flaws. Okay I'll bite, what flaws? Looks outstanding to me.
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Post by onequiknova on Feb 20, 2014 19:08:56 GMT -8
This macro lens really shows the flaws. Okay I'll bite, what flaws? Looks outstanding to me. Mainly the crooked holes for the MU hoses and the excess solder on the one cut bar. Admittedly it's barely noticeable when viewing at 1 to 1. I think I'm going to get an optivisor to try out when doing such small work.
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Post by trebor on Feb 20, 2014 19:50:01 GMT -8
If it stands up to photos, it works in person.
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Post by rockisland652 on Feb 21, 2014 7:00:56 GMT -8
Okay I'll bite, what flaws? Looks outstanding to me. Mainly the crooked holes for the MU hoses and the excess solder on the one cut bar. Admittedly it's barely noticeable when viewing at 1 to 1. I think I'm going to get an optivisor to try out when doing such small work. You're not already doing this work with an optivsor?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2014 10:59:38 GMT -8
Mainly the crooked holes for the MU hoses and the excess solder on the one cut bar. Admittedly it's barely noticeable when viewing at 1 to 1. I think I'm going to get an optivisor to try out when doing such small work. You're not already doing this work with an optivsor? I sure use an Optivisor! My mid-50's eyeballs are getting to a point where I need the Optivisor to read my Sunday Milwaukee Journal Sentinel! I can still read the comics without though
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Post by onequiknova on Feb 21, 2014 17:27:31 GMT -8
I'm running out of stuff to do on the shell until the rest of my etches show up, so I worked on the chassis today. This pic shows the daylight above the fuel and water tank. Something that isn't possible with the BLI chassis as is. This is what the BLI chassis look like. I want that airy look over the tank, so before I could second guess myself, out came the 4 1/2" grinder with a cut off wheel. Doing this will require to move the motor up a little, but this shouldn't effect performance. Now I had to build some tanks. I used what I could of the BLI tank and scratched the rest. Just sitting on the chassis. I need to figure out how the tanks were mounted on an E7. Did they used the large brackets like the F units or something like they used on a hood unit?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2014 18:41:16 GMT -8
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Post by onequiknova on Feb 21, 2014 19:25:21 GMT -8
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Post by onequiknova on Feb 23, 2014 15:40:32 GMT -8
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Post by onequiknova on Feb 24, 2014 15:46:44 GMT -8
Small update. I had to pre-paint the tanks and chassis since getting paint between them would have been impossible after assembly. I really wish I would have thought about adding those round hatches on the water tank to my etch designs. Speaking of etches, I'm at a standstill with this project until the rest of my etches show up. Hopefully they'll be here in the next few days.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2014 15:50:14 GMT -8
What did you use for the boiler water tank clean outs?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2014 15:51:25 GMT -8
Small update. I really wish I would have thought about adding those round hatches on the water tank to my etch designs. Speaking of etches, I'm at a standstill with this project until the rest of my etches show up. Hopefully they'll be here in the next few days. I assume Maroon with wings. But how 'bout some butter knife and Material Service? ?
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Post by onequiknova on Feb 24, 2014 15:56:26 GMT -8
I used slices of styrene tubing. Once glued to the tank I drilled through the middle and inserted lengths of styrene rod.
Maroon. 639 was never painted red.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2014 15:59:45 GMT -8
I used slices of styrene tubing. Once glued to the tank I drilled through the middle and inserted lengths of styrene rod. Maroon. 639 was never painted red. How 'bout some E's in both butter knife and red for us Cool technique for the washouts!
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Post by rockisland652 on Feb 24, 2014 16:08:44 GMT -8
I used slices of styrene tubing. Once glued to the tank I drilled through the middle and inserted lengths of styrene rod. Maroon. 639 was never painted red. By 1974, the E7 survivors were E7A's 639 and 641 in maroon with yellow wings, and E7A #641 and E7B #610 in Red and Yellow. This E7 is amazing.
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Post by onequiknova on Feb 24, 2014 16:12:13 GMT -8
I used slices of styrene tubing. Once glued to the tank I drilled through the middle and inserted lengths of styrene rod. Maroon. 639 was never painted red. How 'bout some E's in both butter knife and red for us Cool technique for the washouts! I plan to do 642 at some point, which was red/yellow. I've got an E6 set aside to do 630 in red and gold as well. I've got to get some mileage out of these etches.
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Post by bdhicks on Feb 24, 2014 18:39:52 GMT -8
I used slices of styrene tubing. Once glued to the tank I drilled through the middle and inserted lengths of styrene rod. So my guess was pretty close, then. After seeing your update I decided I would try to model these on Crocodile GE after all. I ended up drilling holes in the tank for the tubing instead of gluing slices to the side of the tank.
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Post by onequiknova on Feb 24, 2014 18:51:04 GMT -8
That's the way I should have done it. Getting even slices was a pain.
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Post by bar on Feb 24, 2014 20:02:44 GMT -8
Love the fuel tanks. All the way, or not at all!
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Post by onequiknova on Feb 28, 2014 17:05:15 GMT -8
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Post by slowfreight on Mar 1, 2014 3:58:32 GMT -8
I'm not allowed to answer, am I?
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Post by onequiknova on Mar 1, 2014 7:27:52 GMT -8
Here are the cuts. I basically followed the mold parting line on the Highliner nose. The side windows on the E7 are unique, so I had to keep the BLI windows intact. I ended up having to remove the rain gutter over the side cab windows during fitting, so after the splice was complete, I replaced the gutter with .012 brass wire. All in all, the BLI E7 nose is pretty good. The Highliner windshields are shaped a bit better, and the glass fits better. The Highliner numberboards and anticlimber are also a little nicer. The BLI door headlight is flat out wrong, but that can be fixed by just swapping the door for a Highliner.
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