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Post by TBird1958 on Feb 9, 2020 9:41:50 GMT -8
It's always interesting how photographs drive my modelling projects, this car has long been in the "inspirational file", and it's time as a project finally came around. The prototype is a welded 90 ton covered gon, built in 1964 by Gunderson Brothers Engineering of Portland, OR. The cars featured Improved Dreadnaught ends, end-of-car cushioned draft gear, two adjustable bulkheads and 3 piece sectional roofs for transporting coil and galvanized sheet steel. Classified as GBSR by the D&RGW, it is a small series of cars numbered 56000-56009, as such it seemed pretty unlikely that any commercially available model would be showing up soon so I've taken Bull by the Horns...…. Here's a couple prototype shots, I like the early roof type like these have.   My starting point was a Walthers Mainline '53' corrugated gon, I choose it for it's Improved Dreadnaught ends and overall correct dimensional length. In some some ways it was akin to starting with a Prius to build a Ferrari, but we do what we can!  As this pic shows, I've stripped the car and cut the side off leaving the ends and the floor, prior to cutting apart I removed all of the cast on detail from the car ends, including the straps representing the Improved Dreadnaught ends as they were a bit coarse and I knew they could be added back easily. I've also started to lay out the car side on a sheet of .030 styrene using some straight edges and a #6H drafting pencil.  It took a little time, but after figuring out the placement of the car's panels I laid them out with styrene strip stock.  With the side figured out and finished the were attached to the car, some additional bracing was done on the inside for strength. Here's a shot of the rebuilt underframe, utilizing Moloco underframe parts of some hot off the press Tangent 100 ton trucks.  A couple of close shots of the ends, I hadn't added Archer rivets at this point. All the original cast on detail was removed and replaced, Plano Model Products cut bars are a must have! It has a ways to go, the sectional roof being a somewhat daunting task...…. Thanks for looking! Mark Hills   |
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Post by buffalobill on Feb 9, 2020 10:08:39 GMT -8
Good looking rebuild of a rare protype. Nice job Mark.
Bill
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Post by amtk1007 on Feb 9, 2020 10:23:42 GMT -8
excellent work!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2020 10:42:19 GMT -8
I don’t know where you live but I wish I was your neighbor. I would love to learn your process on building from scratch.
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Post by riogrande on Feb 9, 2020 11:25:12 GMT -8
Excellent!
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Post by TBird1958 on Feb 9, 2020 11:34:34 GMT -8
I don’t know where you live but I wish I was your neighbor. I would love to learn your process on building from scratch.
Well, I'm in Seattle!
I think the best way to get around to this sort modeling is building one of Dave Hussey's excellent Cannon & Co. kits, it got me thinking more about the basic shapes and components and how they can be "layered" onto a flat plane. Anyway. it's a rewarding process that I enjoy quite a lot.
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Post by brammy on Feb 9, 2020 11:38:08 GMT -8
How does one get a clean straight cut when ripping models apart?
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Post by drolsen on Feb 9, 2020 11:46:36 GMT -8
Brammy, I’m sure Mark has his method(s), but someone taught me a couple decades ago to mark the location for a cut with sharp Xacto blade, rough cut with a razor saw very close to the line, and the finish up by filing / sanding up to the line. If you’re careful, and after practicing a few times, you can get very close with the saw, making the filing and sanding a relatively quick job.
Excellent work, Mark!
Dave
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Post by Colin 't Hart on Feb 9, 2020 12:05:16 GMT -8
Wow. Top notch work, Mark!
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Post by TBird1958 on Feb 9, 2020 12:13:26 GMT -8
How does one get a clean straight cut when ripping models apart?
Similar to Dave's comments, I use a fine tooth Zona saw. I started with the model upside down and used the first tooth to pull down the length of the car, you should see material curling away from the saw as you do this. It's a great way to quickly and accurately remove a lot of material without the typical "sawing" motion. When cutting out the raw sheet styrene I always use the backside point of a new, sharp #11 type blade rather than the front, works far better and does not raise an edge at the cut the way using the blade side does.
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Post by milgentrains on Feb 9, 2020 12:15:30 GMT -8
I wish that I had your patience and eyes,
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Post by grabirons on Feb 9, 2020 13:20:10 GMT -8
Very well done and fun to read.
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Post by brammy on Feb 9, 2020 13:30:45 GMT -8
How does one get a clean straight cut when ripping models apart?
Similar to Dave's comments, I use a fine tooth Zona saw. I started with the model upside down and used the first tooth to pull down the length of the car, you should see material curling away from the saw as you do this. It's a great way to quickly and accurately remove a lot of material without the typical "sawing" motion. When cutting out the raw sheet styrene I always use the backside point of a new, sharp #11 type blade rather than the front, works far better and does not raise an edge at the cut the way using the blade side does.
Thank you! This year I really want to get into kit bashing. |
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Post by valenciajim on Feb 9, 2020 16:56:54 GMT -8
Another outstanding model! Thanks for sharing!
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Post by Colin 't Hart on Feb 11, 2020 3:40:55 GMT -8
I use a fine tooth Zona saw. If you don't have one yet Mark, you really need a JLC Razor Saw! Available in the US from UMM, probably others. And keep the great posts coming: I love the under construction photos! The more, the better if you ask me. You can learn so much from them. I pick up new ways of doing things all the time. |
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Post by riogrande on Feb 11, 2020 4:35:58 GMT -8
You definitely have the chops! Everything looks top notch in the close-up photos.
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Post by TBird1958 on Feb 11, 2020 9:15:01 GMT -8
I use a fine tooth Zona saw. If you don't have one yet Mark, you really need a JLC Razor Saw! Available in the US from UMM, probably others. And keep the great posts coming: I love the under construction photos! The more, the better if you ask me. You can learn so much from them. I pick up new ways of doing things all the time.
Thanks Colin, I'll check into the saw, though the Zona has been pretty good, I do need to pick up a few new, good quality tools sometime soon. I'm working on the frame work of the coil cover and trying to figure out a method to distress the covers.
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Post by edwardsutorik on Feb 11, 2020 16:55:36 GMT -8
Contrary to everyone else, if I want to remove plastic up to a line, I use a grinder (Dremel or bench, depending) for rough removal. It's just so EASY. When close enough, a file or maybe a flat surface with sandpaper. The latter can be treacherous, in that it LOVES to round the ends. I have a BIG flat file (14", I think), and smaller ones.
I do have a milling machine. That works, too.
I use my razor saw mostly for cutting Evergreen to length.
Ed
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Post by TBird1958 on Feb 15, 2020 10:19:14 GMT -8
Here's some progress on the coil covers. I'm not modeling the enormous US Steel plant at Geneva, UT that this car was assigned to so there was no need to make the coil covers removable, so I built them in place. I built end and center bulkheads from .020 sheet.  Some .010 stock was used for the basic construction of the sides.  Here I've add some .005 panels to represent the center cover and followed with some .010 panels for the "A" end cover, I've also added strips on the top chord. There's lots of small details add at this point.  |
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sd50f
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Post by sd50f on Feb 16, 2020 7:35:47 GMT -8
I'm enjoying watching this build. You (and others on here) are inspiring me to try building more cars and locomotives. I'm going to be very busy.
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Post by TBird1958 on Feb 21, 2020 9:49:59 GMT -8
A few days work here, finishing the coil covers basic shape, lifting hooks, latches, grabs and some Archer rivets. Still a bit to do before paint, but I'm pretty happy with it so far.  |
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Post by TBird1958 on Feb 28, 2020 16:02:48 GMT -8
A few more shots, the detail work done, next stop is the paint booth! Finished A end, all the original detail was carved off using #11 and #17 blades along with a little filing. This raised a bit of "Grain" in the Walthers plastic which was settled by brushing some Testor's liquid glue over the surfaces before adding the detail parts, it smooths out small irregularities in the plastic.  Finished B end  Bending flat stock, I keep all the frets from my Plano parts, they're perfect metal stock for parts like these.  Here's a simple jig measuring/mark bend points on the brass stock.  With most of the detail work done, I distressed the covers with a couple of coats of Testor's liquid glue brushed with a flat #10 brush. The covers seem to take the most beating and show lots of distress.  I've tried to get the light to catch a bit of the uneven look on the covers - TCP paint is so thin that it won't obscure this, off to the paint booth for a coat of gloss black.  |
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Post by riogrande on Feb 28, 2020 17:13:53 GMT -8
Coming along excellent - very nice!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2020 17:45:52 GMT -8
Great tip on the Testors glue. Will any glue work for this application?
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Post by TBird1958 on Feb 28, 2020 18:41:59 GMT -8
Great tip on the Testors glue. Will any glue work for this application? For plastics I just use Testor's, other brands formulated for plastics would likely work too, but as they say, test first. I did several tests on scrap first. |
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Post by Colin 't Hart on Feb 29, 2020 7:13:48 GMT -8
Wow! Stunning work, Mark! Sometimes I think it's a shame to cover up all that detail with paint! :-)
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Post by TBird1958 on Feb 29, 2020 9:42:49 GMT -8
Here's paint and decals as of this morning.......   It still has the "shop" trucks on it, haven't added the new Tangent ones yet, some weathering will bring it to life!  |
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Post by slowfreight on Feb 29, 2020 11:47:43 GMT -8
Beautiful work. Your skills are definitely in shape right now.
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sd50f
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Post by sd50f on Feb 29, 2020 21:01:51 GMT -8
That is one beautiful car. The hoods remind me of ones that Canadian Pacific ran at one time (not sure if they're still out there).
Excellent work. I really have to try building more trains.
Timothy Dineen
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Post by TBird1958 on Mar 1, 2020 9:31:51 GMT -8
Half done with the decals this morning before work, they're swimming in a bit of MicroSol in the pic. I'm using bits and pieces from several different Microscale sets to finish the car.  |
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