Bowser Deluxe Kits?

iis612

Member
Does anyone have any experience with these?
I am looking at buying a Lt. Pacific deluxe kit from Standard Hobby, but before I sink my money into it, I want to know from an uninterested third party how they are?
Are they easily convertable to DCC with sound?
Are they easily assembled?
Are the instructions clear?

How about Standard Hobby?
Has anyone dealt with them?
Are they good people to deal with?

Thanks,
Matt
 

Squidbait

Recovering ALCO-holic
Matt, you ask tricky questions... "Easy" is such a slippery term. :)

The Bowser kits are not "shake-the-box" kits, by any stretch of the imagination. There are lots of fiddly small parts that need to be added (the deluxe kit comes with all the superdetail parts). On the up side, all the holes in the boiler and tender are pre-drilled for the details, and the valve gear is pre-assembled. On the down side, there are still a lot of parts, and the fit may not be perfect, so you may have to ream some holes to get everything to go together.

This is not an Athearn Blue-box kit by any stretch of the imagination. It's going to be a fair bit of work. But, in the end, you will have a very good looking, good running loco.


Are they easily convertable to DCC with sound?

IIRC, (it's been awhile since I built a Bowser loco) you need to isolate the motor from the frame. Not a big deal, but it means you'll have to run a wire from the decoder to the motor contact, and one to the frame.

They're not plug'n'play, so you'll have to figure out where you're putting the decoder (probably the tender) and you'll need to drill holes to let the sound out (probably the floor of the tender).

Are they easily assembled?

"Easy" is such a relative term. For a mechanic, swapping out the transmission in your '95 Honda is easy. For someone else without all the tools and experience, it's not so easy. As I said above, the deluxe kit is "easier" than the regular kits in that the valve-gear is pre-assembled, but it ain't no blue-box, baby! ;)

Are the instructions clear?
Yes, I find them so, but you can judge for yourself: here's the instructions for the I-1 Decapod.

How about Standard Hobby?
Has anyone dealt with them?
Are they good people to deal with?

I haven't dealt with them, but they've been around a long time. I think that says something for them.

If you do decide to go for it, I want to see a build thread in here! :D
 

iis612

Member
Thanks for the input. If I do go with the bowser kit, I will definately have a build thread on here.

Squid,
Very insightful information you added. Easy is a very relative word. I love the detail work, and when called upon I have an abundance of patience.
Should I go about this, I will be calling upon your DCC expertice, as you seem to be quite well versed.

Matt
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
The main thing with dcc is that the motor hook-ups as well as lights need to be isolated from the wheel pick ups. I haven't done Bowser, but I don't think it would be particularly difficult to isolate the motor and lights. Once the motor and lights are isolated, just follow the decoder instructions for hook up. You bring you pos & neg power leads into the decoder, and then power the motor and the lights and sound from the appropriate wires in the decoder harness. Then you just turn on lights and sound with the correct cv.
 

Nomad

Active Member
I did a couple loco kits back in the 70's and remember having a ball with them. Good luck and hope you do it.

Loren
 

iis612

Member
After careful consideration, I am going to be building a bowser kit or 2.

I just ordered a light mikado kit, and I am getting a light pacific kit for christmas.

I will post info about the builds in a thread when I get started.
 
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