advice on styrene wraps to add rivet detail

bob_suruncle

New Member
Posting this across a couple of forums hoping to get some quick and good advice:

Okay so I have been playing with a scratchbuilt cab on a Bachmann Mike to do a freelanced back date on it. I have now made 2 attempts to apply an .015 wrap of styrene that I studiously embossed with rivets. The initial application looks good but after a few minutes the solvent cement starts to attack the .015 causing wrinkles and bubbles. Second attempt I used less solvent but with the same result. I was using Testors liquid cement as in my experience it tends to be the least potent of the ones I have worked with (plastructs and ambroid being the other liquids I generally use).

I have now had to re-sand the roof of my cab twice and I am not sure if my nerves or the cab roof will take another failed application. I know some of you apply styrene wraps to scratch built tenders with success so what am I doing wrong? the cab took a few hours of messing to get the roof line right and it looks amazing except for the missing rivet details.....

I do not want to give up on this!

HELP! wall1
 

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Sirfoldalot

New Member
I used to have pretty good results with CA glue and plastics.:mrgreen:
But that was a long time ago in a land far,far awaysign1
Been away from modeling for many years - trying to get started again:cry:
 

bob_suruncle

New Member
Was able to get some good info on another forum... I was using too much glue as I was using the brush in the bottle. Used a nice soft brush and it went on great. Was able to continue with the sides of the cab and the smoke deflector.
 

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Sawdust

Member
We all make that mistake of too much glue,less glue is always better. I use Tenax-7R mostly & have turned my head for a moment & the .015 styrene disappeared wall1 or my handrail droooooooped.
 

Squidbait

Recovering ALCO-holic
Looking good Bob, although that tender really is too big for that engine.... quite ugly in fact. :p

You really ought to do something about that. :cry:
 

Triplex

Active Member
Really? Heavier 2-8-2s and 4-6-2s often ended up with 6-axle tenders. This engine's smaller, but the tender doesn't look too big.

Backdating to when? Are you just trying to make the engine look older, or is your layout set in an earlier time frame? I'd be concerned about the Boxpok drivers. I don't believe those were introduced until 1934. Very few North American 2-8-2s had them.
 

bob_suruncle

New Member
ARRRRRRGGGHHHH!! I have re-typed this message 3 times now as I keep closing the window before I post!!! wall1

Looking good Bob, although that tender really is too big for that engine.... quite ugly in fact. :p

You really ought to do something about that. :cry:

Dearest Squidbait: :p:p:p:p:p


Triplex said:
Backdating to when? Are you just trying to make the engine look older, or is your layout set in an earlier time frame? I'd be concerned about the Boxpok drivers. I don't believe those were introduced until 1934. Very few North American 2-8-2s had them.

Triplex: Backdating this to the 40's.... or maybe the 50's if the wind or my mood changes :mrgreen: If you know anything about the prototype you know the bachmann model is based on a locomotive built as I recall in 1989 (yes I have the numbers in the right order) Built according to American standards by China's Tangshan Locomotive Works in 1989, the SY 2-8-2 Mikado was originally owned by Essex Junction Railroad in Connecticut before being sold to the Susquehanna Railroad in the 1990s. Although steam is a rare treat in modern times, the SY can be seen in freight and fan-trip service today.

My idea was to freelance this into a Finger Lakes Railway unit (of course FGLK never existed in the 40's either but its my railroad and my imagination sign1)

So I had an epiphany this past weekend (which Squidbait will tell you is neither remarkable or unusual) in that I was reviewing my locomotive inventory and found a Rivarossi heavy mike that I thought would look good with an all weather cab..... so out came the razor saw and .... hey wonder what that cab would look like on my current project..... well after a few hours of replacing the cab front and windows I decided to go with this cab instead. Now before you start brow beating me for bailing on my scratch build let me tell you that I promised myself I would not start building my new layout until this current project was completed.... well I just cut my completion time in half so the new layout is that much closer to reality... you can all forgive me based on that right??

Attached a pic of the new.. new cab. Now all I have to do is paint and letter... oh and install a Tsunami.

(please excuse the plastic dust in the images.... Squid: dont you even think about commenting about my lack of photography prowess)
 

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Squidbait

Recovering ALCO-holic
.... Squid: dont you even think about commenting about my lack of photography prowess)

Why would I do that when the evidence is there for all to see? :p sign1

Looks good, but I think you need to close up the gap between the engine and tender, and maybe extend a footplate from the cab.

Otherwise, not bad. I still would have liked to have seen you finish and paint your scratchbuilt one... I think it would have looked pretty good too. :thumb:
 

Triplex

Active Member
Triplex: Backdating this to the 40's.... or maybe the 50's if the wind or my mood changes :mrgreen: If you know anything about the prototype you know the bachmann model is based on a locomotive built as I recall in 1989 (yes I have the numbers in the right order)
I was wondering if it was an SY. The cab and tender were confusing things, but I thought the smokebox looked familiar.

The unusual combination here is Boxpok drivers with spoked pilot and trailing wheels. Most late American steam had solid carrying wheels. But since most 2-8-2s weren't late, I'll assume this is an older engine upgraded in the 30s or 40s. It looks convincing as that, since the SY is the most American-looking of Chinese-built steam.
 

bob_suruncle

New Member
Why would I do that when the evidence is there for all to see? :p sign1

Looks good, but I think you need to close up the gap between the engine and tender, and maybe extend a footplate from the cab.

Otherwise, not bad. I still would have liked to have seen you finish and paint your scratchbuilt one... I think it would have looked pretty good too. :thumb:

I have created the new drawbar and the tender is positioned much closer to the loco. I now need to break my piggy bank and get a medium steam Tsunami and a big A** speaker to go in there. Notice QSI has a new high bass speaker that I may have to look into.

Still going to do some work on the pilot, remove those silly builders plates, and paint.

Is that lump on the foot board supposed to be the power reverser? may have to replace that with a casting if it is.
 

doctorwayne

Active Member
Could you explain what a "styrene wrap"? is? The only practical way to add rivet detail in N-scale is with decals. :confused:

I think that a styrene wrap is very similar to a mink or sable wrap, but with less fur. ;)sign1 Probably the same as a styrene wrapper (not to be confused with a styrene rapper, which may possibly be available from Preiser)

I've read that the rivet decals are somewhat three-dimensional, but a welded cab wouldn't look too out of place on many locos, especially in N scale.

Bob, I think that is a power reverse: if you're planning on removing it, put its replacement on the engineer's side of the loco, as was common on most, if not all, North American locos.
Except for the Boxpok drivers, this loco doesn't really look that modern - a cast steel pilot and a Delta trailing truck would modernise it more, as would adding an inward curve to the sides of the tender's coal bunker. Still, it's not unattractive as it stands, although I think that a slightly smaller tender would enhance its appearance even more. While over-size tenders were used for practical purposes on the prototypes, most locos so equipped traded-away their looks for the practical gains. Unless you're following a particular prototype or simply like oversize tenders, at least there's no need to worry about running out of fuel between stops.

Wayne
 

bob_suruncle

New Member
Bob, I think that is a power reverse: if you're planning on removing it, put its replacement on the engineer's side of the loco, as was common on most, if not all, North American locos.
Except for the Boxpok drivers, this loco doesn't really look that modern - a cast steel pilot and a Delta trailing truck would modernise it more, as would adding an inward curve to the sides of the tender's coal bunker. Still, it's not unattractive as it stands, although I think that a slightly smaller tender would enhance its appearance even more. While over-size tenders were used for practical purposes on the prototypes, most locos so equipped traded-away their looks for the practical gains. Unless you're following a particular prototype or simply like oversize tenders, at least there's no need to worry about running out of fuel between stops.

Wayne

I was afraid I might have to move the power reverse to the other side..... I will have to see whats involved as it may require replacing the footboard on that side of the loco and as I recall the compressors are on the other side so I would basically have to swap everything from one side to the other..... its certainly doable.... but now I need to decide if its a doable thing I actually want to do :twisted:

I thought about scratch building a different/smaller tender or trying to secure one from a Bachmann 2-10-0 or one of the smaller AHM tenders (tried to find a picture of the one I was thinking about but was unable to) but I have become somewhat attached to the one pictured as has the locomotive sign1 It also doesnt hurt that Squidbait doesnt think its a good match which means I am all the more attached to it.

As noted this is a freelance back date to a 40ish era and the loco in question would be running in the New York Finger Lakes region where over sized tenders on Pennsy and NYC steam were a regular occurence. My loose story was that this loco was pieced together from parts in the FGLK shops to fill a need for a smaller loco with decent pulling power for branch service. The best part for me is that there is no prototype that I am trying to follow (well maybe NYC somewhat with a touch of Pennsy to spice the pot) so the only loose constraints I need to be aware of are standard practices.... although in my mind the FGLK in the 40's was prone to throw standard practice out the window when it suited them.... as long as it made money. I have even toyed with the idea of creating a complete back story for the railroad including rumors of a founder that may have gotten his money as a result of hush money from the Vanderbuilt clan due to rumors of him being the product of a certain well placed family members one night stand with a bar maid from the bronx... Col. Festus Hezekiah Cruntbuckle III (he was never in the military as he was born with no big toes... he considered having his thumbs grafted on as toes before realizing he actually needed those more than the toes). There was only every one Festus Cruntbuckle but he liked the way it sounded with Col. in front and III at the end.

Gee I love freelancing :mrgreen:
 

bob_suruncle

New Member
pretty quiet over here these days.... been posting updates on that other forum but thought I would update here as well. Blew a coat of paint and tossed on some custom decals I had printed by El's trains... still a long ways to go (weathering and sound install) but I like the way it looks!.. for some reason I cant upload a photo here (probably a firewall issue) so here is a linked image
picture.php
 

Squidbait

Recovering ALCO-holic
... Col. Festus Hezekiah Cruntbuckle III (he was never in the military as he was born with no big toes... he considered having his thumbs grafted on as toes before realizing he actually needed those more than the toes). There was only every one Festus Cruntbuckle but he liked the way it sounded with Col. in front and III at the end.

Heyyyy.... uhhh.... wasn't he the guy who started that there ZO line?
 

bob_suruncle

New Member
Hey ahhhh I gots some of them there ZO line locos custom painted too..... bought em from you a while back there for $80 but will sell em to you for $6.00 each uuuuhhh and I dont need none of them there vibratin' eggs neither
 

bob_suruncle

New Member
minor update... some weathering completed and my crumby camera and even poorer photography skills on display.

still missing a few bits like boiler railings and grabs on the cab but you get the idea
 

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bob_suruncle

New Member
hoping to get some wiring and final details going tonight. need you to shoot some shots on the layout with that fancy camera of yours to do this thing justice. I think now that its painted and lettered the tender looks completely appropriate.... may even add some boards to the sides to allow for more coal.... especially if you think it will be a bad idea :) You know if you responded in that there blue place I wouldnt have to keep jumping back and forth :D
 
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