How should I assemble a Silver Streak kit?

[MilesWestern]

This is my first wood/metal kit. I have absolutely no Idea how to go about priming it/ assembling/ finishng it.
Now for some questions:

1.What type of paint will work to prime the wood for this kit?
2.Will Acryllic paint work?
3. I heard something about etching the metal parts (they're white metal) with vinegar before painting/assembly, will this work?
4.What adhesive should I use to glue the metal to the wood?
5.Will Elmer's wood glue work to assemble the wood/wood portions of this kit?
6. Should I worry about warping?
7. The measurements on the kit are extrememly percise, should I worry? ( I have a good ruler)
8. It's a reefer (A.R.T. is you want to know) so how should I face the ice hatches, the instructions are confusing about this. Which way?
9. wil kadee metal trucks be fine for this car?
10. will I need to add etra metal weight to the car, as I will not have any provisions to add any more later?
11. I also have a bottle of floquil reefer gray...should I prime it with that? (brushed on)
12. the doors are just scribed onto the car sides, are there any white metal castings availble for reefer doors?

Thanks if you can answer these, whew!~ops:

 

[doctorwayne]

White glue or yellow carpenters glue should work well to assemble the wooden parts. You can attach the metal parts with ca or use a contact cement like Pliobond (I have a Silver Streak caboose that my Dad assembled entirely with Pliobond, about 50 years ago, and it's still intact). Kadee trucks, or pretty well any kind that you like, should work okay for this car. It's said that etching the soft metal parts with vinegar helps the paint to adhere better, but as long as the parts are free from grease and oil, you should have no problem. If you do use the vinegar, be sure to wash it all off before painting. That caboose was brush painted with Floquil and has stood up well. I think that acrylics should also work well. If you want to add relief to the doors, Grandt Line makes latch bars and hinges for reefer doors in styrene. Attach them with ca. As far as I know, the A.R.T. reefers all had hatches that had the hinges towards the centre of the car, with the latch bars at the outboard ends of the car. If you want to add weight, do it before you close the carbody. NMRA practice recommends 1 ounce plus 1/2 ounce per inch of car length. Just weigh all of the kit components, including trucks and couplers, and add weight as required when you do the assembly.
Hope this info is of some use.

Wayne

 

[shaygetz]

Good luck, Miles, they are a nice kit. My drover's 'boose is one and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I added Kadee trucks and couplers and painted it with Floquil paints.

 

[MilesWestern]

Looks excellent!!! :thumb: your dad did a splendid job! The info was just what I needed to start on my project, thanks so much!

 

[jim currie]

only thing i can add to Wayne's is if you going to use acrylics is to prime the wood with a seal coat.will have to look but i think the silver streak reefer kit i have in shop has the door hingers and opp bar in it .

 

[60103]

After you etch your metal parts with vinegar and wash them, don't handle them with your fingers as this will get oils back on the metal.
You may want to use sanding sealer on the wood parts to close up the grain. This is probably vital if they're representing metal parts.
Suggest you prime the metal parts. You may want to prime the wood parts with a wood primer. Use the same colour primer (roughly) as it can affect the appearance of the final coat.