PHOTO THREAD: Show us your detail parts inventory

[sd40dash2]

This thread is intended as a showcase of *photos* (rather than descriptions, though those can accompany the photos you post) of your detail parts, paint and styrene boxes. I've seen many photos of workbenches, layouts and toolboxes but very few that show the *parts* other modellers have and how those parts are stored.

Please post photos of your parts!

[thebessemerkid]

For those with cats, how do you keep them from playing with (or eating, heaven forbid) all the little parts and pieces?

[riogrande]

We have two cats (half maine coon); one is about 8 and not much of a bother, but we also have an older kitten, nearly 1 and she is into everything. My work area is in the basement. She is not allowed into the basement. Shop shut!

[drsvelte]

Well here goes mine. I use Sterilite storage bins to organize my small parts – two for diesel and freight cars, one for freight car trucks, one for diesel power trucks and sideframes, one for couplers, and one for decals. The photos are of the diesel and freight car parts.


I was ecstatic when Detail Associates and Details West started producing their products in the 1970s. I started buying parts then even though I had no definitive plans on how to use them!
 

I apparently have some kind of weird horn fetish. A check of my parts spreadsheet shows 32 different types of Leslies – mostly Cal-Scale and Details West, but also OMI and Athearn. Hmm, I see KV Models has a new EL horn that I’ll need to check out!

[sd40dash2]

^ Those are some great parts you've got there, hopefully you are putting them to good use.

I've read that it was Athearn's SD40-2 that triggered this aspect to our hobby in such a big way.

Any Juneco, Miniatures by Eric, Tichy, Accurail, Plano, PSC, Intermountain, Athearn or Black Cat stuff?

[lars]

I would agree that Athearn’s scale width body locomotives did it. One of the coolest things about 1990’s Model Railroader was in nearly every issue (sometimes multiple per issue) there was an article on detailing and painting a locomotive. Some years it seemed like at least half the articles used Athearn GP 38-2/40-2/50s or or SD40-2/50s. Of course every article had a long list of parts from Detail Associates, Details West and Cannon.

[sd40dash2]

Jul 26, 2020 3:48:58 GMT -8 lars said:

I would agree that Athearn’s scale width body locomotives did it. One of the coolest things about 1990’s Model Railroader was in nearly every issue (sometimes multiple per issue) there was an article on detailing and painting a locomotive. Some years it seemed like at least half the articles used Athearn GP 38-2/40-2/50s or or SD40-2/50s. Of course every article had a long list of parts from Detail Associates, Details West and Cannon.

Yes! I feel the years 1994-1996 inclusive were the best MR years ever for the reasons you mentioned. They were tremendous inspiration for me as they had an excellent depth of photos and text and really encouraged many years of modelling from me. Those were also the David Barrow years. 234 pages in the December 1994 issue! So while Athearn may have sparked the detail parts revolution, MR certainly added a lot of fuel to the fire.

Anyone else with photos of your detail parts?

[csxt8400]

This should make the rest of you feel good.

[edgecrusher]

Its looking like this thread might lead to an intervention for some of us.   I've been hording parts for years now.  Mostly because I like having everything on hand that I might need for a project.  There's nothing worse than sitting down for some work bench time, getting deep into a project and finding out you don't have something.  So here is a sampling of my parts in the book and the drawers on the  back of the bench.  This doesn't even include all the raw materials (styrene/brass sheets and shapes plus tube, rod & wire)  Also please excuse the mess, I don't get much basement time in the summer.

[csxt8400]

I think mine is the only mess on this thread so far! Love the pictures tacked up against the wall.

[thunderhawk]

I need to expand my offerings. Don't see any of my distinctive header cards.... (Not enough MILW modelers here. heh)

This thread may be a good place to also list detail parts you need but can't get any longer? Had a customer order a bunch of EMD exhaust stacks the other day as he said he had trouble finding them elsewhere.

Some years it seemed like at least half the articles used Athearn GP 38-2/40-2/50s or or SD40-2/50s. Of course every article had a long list of parts from Detail Associates, Details West and Cannon.

I did up a FP45 in the late 80's that had $40+ in detail parts. 2 and 3 bucks added up fast. In today's money probably had as much in it as the Genesis FP45 I have now.

[csxt8400]

Aug 6, 2020 21:10:53 GMT -8 thunderhawk said:

I need to expand my offerings. Don't see any of my distinctive header cards.... (Not enough MILW modelers here. heh)

This thread may be a good place to also list detail parts you need but can't get any longer? Had a customer order a bunch of EMD exhaust stacks the other day as he said he had trouble finding them elsewhere.

Some years it seemed like at least half the articles used Athearn GP 38-2/40-2/50s or or SD40-2/50s. Of course every article had a long list of parts from Detail Associates, Details West and Cannon.

I did up a FP45 in the late 80's that had $40+ in detail parts. 2 and 3 bucks added up fast. In today's money probably had as much in it as the Genesis FP45 I have now.

I need someone to come out with more etched three-pane all weather windows of the modern slope type, not the rounded edge version that Athearn uses on everything.

Ala, BN and WC, among others.

[drsvelte]

I need someone to come out with more etched three-pane all weather windows of the modern slope type, not the rounded edge version that Athearn uses on everything.

American Scale Models has some 3-pane all weather windows in brass....