|
Re: Prototype info from model mfgs
Charlie Vlk
No, the manufactuers do not have all the information that some modelers would like to have (for example, the first instance of a paint scheme being applied and the last car in service to carry the paint scheme).
Often times a manufacturer is working off of one photo of a car. Some artwork is prepared by people that have an interest in and some knowledge of the prototype and Model Railroading, but many are done by commecial artists that create an artwork to the best of their skill and ability who have little personal interest in the subject beyond the job. Some art is dead accurate for the car depicted.... I make a practice of doing correct lettering for all data that I can see in photos... but some cars come through with fairly generic lettering when it gets down to the small data. The data for in-service cars and even cars when new will vary between cars (new date, repack / repaint dates and locations) but often it is not possible or practical to have dead accurate details down to the last nth for multiple roadnumbers of the same paint scheme... only the car numbers will be changed. If someone is interested in limiting their purchases to cars that have reweigh and other data suitable for a narrow time frame, they can certainly do some modeling and restencil the cars. Maybe it should have been called Modeling Railroads instead of Model Railroading! I would imagine that between the various on-line vendors, eBay, and other online sources one can probably come up with images of most items that have been produced. Given today's small batch production that allows for the great variety of continous new products I don't see any advantage for a manufacturer to try to maintain a encycopedia of all past products.... they are primarily interested in moving their new product into the distribution pipeline.... the wholesalers and retailers get a discount off of MSRP to move the product off of their shelves. Where does the notion that manufacturers should provide research on their products end? Should it be required to provide a useage history of each car so that a person doesn't purchase a car that did not ever show up on the rails of the road that they model? Most manufacturers do show a reasonably sharp image (either online or in their advertisements) of the product when it is announced. I don't see any reason a manufacturer would include or post a two page brochure of fine print disclaimers similar to drugs about each car or locomotive they make....giving all sorts of reasons why a product should not be purchased by a very small segment of the market. The internet can be used to do one's own research.... it isn't just for posting requests or the desire for it to be done by others!!! If one is going to limit their scope to a particular time range it is incumbant on that individual to do the research to figure out what that entails, not the manufacturers! Charlie Vlk Railroad Model Resources
|
|
|
|
Re: Cutting styrene sheet into narrow strips...
ed_mines
--- In STMFC@yahoogroups.com, "stevelucas3" <stevelucas3@...> wrote:
I made a tool that uses a pair of razor blades (steel backing removed first) with a .020" styrene spacer between them. A 2" long piece of 1" wide by .032" thick brass strip, with three holes drilled in it to hold 4-40 screws, serves as the handle. Steve, why don't you try using 2 - #11 X-Acto blades with a spacer as a scriber or even better use 2 - #11 surgical blades (much sharper). These blades are pretty rigid. Ed
|
|
|
|
Re: Prototype info from model mfgs
Mark
I have found interest in this topic. One of our LHS stocks Branchline. I have bought at least a dozen and built half. He has not restocked these but there is still a fifty footer selection and a few reefers.
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
He knocks off a little and always asks how they are to build. Mark Morgan
--- On Mon, 8/24/09, SUVCWORR@aol.com <SUVCWORR@aol.com> wrote:
From: SUVCWORR@aol.com <SUVCWORR@aol.com> Subject: Re: [STMFC] Re: Prototype info from model mfgs To: STMFC@yahoogroups.com Date: Monday, August 24, 2009, 11:28 AM If I don't have the car, I can't answer the question easily.? That does not mean I cannot get the information or don't have it from previously stocking the car. As to why the information is not readily available from most manufacturers, in my opinion it is the fear of lost sales and that those who blindly buy cars etc will become educated to the correct P/L and car details for the era they model..? As Bruce stated his LHS will order but won't take back a car that is out of era for him.? The sale is the sale and final.? I prefer to not alienate a customer by such action which may be why I am a very small dealer and have found that providing such information more often than not results in a sale that I otherwise would not have made.? If the dates matter, the sale is not going to be made if there is doubt about the era of the car.? Even with that mistakes do occur regarding exactly when a paint scheme changed etc. This seems to be wandering away from the purpose of this list so I will stop here rather than risk jail. Rich -----Original Message----- From: bierglaeser <bierglaeser@ yahoo.com> To: STMFC@yahoogroups. com Sent: Mon, Aug 24, 2009 9:35 am Subject: [STMFC] Re: Prototype info from model mfgs Rich, How do you answer the question if you don't have the car in stock? The nearest decent hobby shop doesn't carry very much Branchline stock so am I to be restricted to choosing only among the items he stocks? Bruce, 100 miles?!?! That's local. Try 275 miles to the dealer mentioned in the above paragraph. Bruce, I agree with you. If Al can do it, they all can. There's no point in keeping that information secret. I suppose for many, perhaps most, modelers the information is important. Maybe they don't even know what it means but for a few of us, it matters. Gene Green --- In STMFC@yahoogroups. com, Bruce Smith <smithbf@... > wrote: On Aug 24, 2009, at 12:14 AM, SUVCWORR@... wrote: Gene, I answer these questions from customers all the time.? So you should be able to ask your dealer before buying. Rich Orr Dealer? What dealer? I live more than 100 miles from the nearest hobby shop that knows anything about or carries Branchline. Yes, my local USA Hobbies will order them for me (at full price plus the 8% local sales tax) but he doesn't give refunds based on paint schemes or reweigh dates not being appropriate for my era. As I have noted before, if Al Westerfield can provide an accurate timeline for each car in an on-line web format, I'm baffled as to why others find it apparently so difficult. Regards Bruce Bruce F. Smith Auburn, AL http://www.vetmed. auburn.edu/ index.pl/ bruce_f._ smith2 "Some days you are the bug, some days you are the windshield." __ / \ __<+--+>____ _________ ___\__/__ _ ____________ _________ _________ __ |- ______/ O O \_______ -| | __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ | | / 4999 PENNSYLVANIA 4999 \ | ||__||__||__ ||__||__| |__||__|| __|| |/__________ _________ _________ _\|_|____ _________ _________ _________ _| | O--O \0 0 0 0/ O--O | 0-0-0 0-0-0 ------------ --------- --------- ------ Yahoo! Groups Links [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
|
|
|
|
Re: Prototype info from model mfgs
SUVCWORR@...
If I don't have the car, I
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
can't answer the question easily.? That does not mean I cannot get the information or don't have it from previously stocking the car. As to why the information is not readily available from most manufacturers, in my opinion it is the fear of lost sales and that those who blindly buy cars etc will become educated to the correct P/L and car details for the era they model..? As Bruce stated his LHS will order but won't take back a car that is out of era for him.? The sale is the sale and final.? I prefer to not alienate a customer by such action which may be why I am a very small dealer and have found that providing such information more often than not results in a sale that I otherwise would not have made.? If the dates matter, the sale is not going to be made if there is doubt about the era of the car.? Even with that mistakes do occur regarding exactly when a paint scheme changed etc. This seems to be wandering away from the purpose of this list so I will stop here rather than risk jail. Rich
-----Original Message-----
From: bierglaeser <bierglaeser@yahoo.com> To: STMFC@yahoogroups.com Sent: Mon, Aug 24, 2009 9:35 am Subject: [STMFC] Re: Prototype info from model mfgs Rich, How do you answer the question if you don't have the car in stock? The nearest decent hobby shop doesn't carry very much Branchline stock so am I to be restricted to choosing only among the items he stocks? Bruce, 100 miles?!?! That's local. Try 275 miles to the dealer mentioned in the above paragraph. Bruce, I agree with you. If Al can do it, they all can. There's no point in keeping that information secret. I suppose for many, perhaps most, modelers the information is important. Maybe they don't even know what it means but for a few of us, it matters. Gene Green --- In STMFC@yahoogroups.com, Bruce Smith <smithbf@...> wrote:
------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links
|
|
|
|
Re: GPEX 977 and 969 Milk reefers in freight service for Ever Sweet OJ
Dennis Storzek
--- In STMFC@yahoogroups.com, "riverman_vt" <riverman_vt@...> wrote:
The 8,000 gal cars were 52 ft. in length while the 6,000 gal. cars were only 40 ft. The quickest way to tell is to look at the side panels. On the 6,000 gal. cars there are three matching body panels centered in the total of seven on either side of the doors. On the 8,000 gal. cars that number increases to four matching panels out of the total of eight. If you are satisfied with the InterMountain car'sDidn't I just post a link to one of these cars in a museum recently? I suspect that GPEX 1021 is an 8000 gal. car, the photos show "leased to Fleischmann" stenciling, but I don't know the date or location of that service. http://www.irm.org/cgi-bin/rsearch.cgi?freight=General+American+Pfaudler+Corp.=1021 Dennis
|
|
|
|
Re: Prototype info from model mfgs
bierglaeser <bierglaeser@...>
Oops! I meant to say, "I suppose for many, perhaps most, modelers the information is UNimportant."
Obviously I need another cup of coffee. Gene Green
|
|
|
|
Re: Prototype info from model mfgs
bierglaeser <bierglaeser@...>
Rich,
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
How do you answer the question if you don't have the car in stock? The nearest decent hobby shop doesn't carry very much Branchline stock so am I to be restricted to choosing only among the items he stocks? Bruce, 100 miles?!?! That's local. Try 275 miles to the dealer mentioned in the above paragraph. Bruce, I agree with you. If Al can do it, they all can. There's no point in keeping that information secret. I suppose for many, perhaps most, modelers the information is important. Maybe they don't even know what it means but for a few of us, it matters. Gene Green
--- In STMFC@yahoogroups.com, Bruce Smith <smithbf@...> wrote:
|
|
|
|
Re: GPEX 977 and 969 Milk reefers in freight service for Ever Sweet OJ
riverman_vt <riverman_vt@...>
--- In STMFC@yahoogroups.com, "salemoryga" <wpmccoy@...> wrote:
Hello agan Bill and all, Yes, both the Hood and Whiting OJ shipments from Florida were direct to Boston. The processing plants of both dairies were immediately adjacent to different parts of the B&M large group of yards in the Charlestown, Cambridge and East Somerville area. The 8,000 gal cars were 52 ft. in length while the 6,000 gal. cars were only 40 ft. The quickest way to tell is to look at the side panels. On the 6,000 gal. cars there are three matching body panels centered in the total of seven on either side of the doors. On the 8,000 gal. cars that number increases to four matching panels out of the total of eight. If you are satisfied with the InterMountain car's well documented shortcomings I suppose you could always get two and sacrifice one to get the needed panels or, more economically, get three and sacrifice one to get two of the needed 52 ft. length. The EverSweet cars, as you noted, can be modified from Walthers cars. Don't forget to remove the boltheads on the ends and sides from the ice bunkers of the express reefer version that Walthers did not remove when offerng the car with only a different roof for a "milk car" version. You suggest the addition of "normal" freight car nomenclature to the EverSweet cars. This does not appear at all in the two "as shopped and repainted" photos taken for the record that I have. In the case of Whiting, while I am well aware of their having brought OJ from Florida to Boston in such cars the specific cars have never been identified. The Hood cars are another matter. Whiting gave up on their milk tank cars, both owned and leased, over a dozen years earlier than Hood, the last known user of such cars for either milk or OJ transport, Hood not ending such movements until August 1972 as best we can determine. None of the cars remaining in use at that time ever received any additional lettering other then the "Push or shove to rest" at the ends of the car sides mentioned previously. There was no lettering added to denote which cars were for OJ service and which were not either. The BOL would provide the info. As to the lack of freight car nomenclature I suspect it was not required becasue the cars were always in dedicated route service rather than free roamers. In milk service the Hood cars were limited to operating over a maximum of eight railroads and the Whiting cars six. In OJ service I suspect it was not many more and therein is probably the reason none of the Hood or Whiting cars in OJ service are known to have acquired standard freight car data lettering. As noted, I am unaware of such lettering being applied to either of the two EverSweet cars and would like to see photos of same if they can be found. I will see what I can do with prints for you of the two photos I have of them but would suggest you query me privately in a three weeks or so to see where I'm at with that. I'm sure nothing will occur for at least the next two. You will need Borden's GPEX 950 as well. Take care, Don Valentine
|
|
|
|
Re: Prototype info from model mfgs
On Aug 24, 2009, at 12:14 AM, SUVCWORR@aol.com wrote:
Dealer? What dealer? I live more than 100 miles from the nearest hobby shop that knows anything about or carries Branchline. Yes, my local USA Hobbies will order them for me (at full price plus the 8% local sales tax) but he doesn't give refunds based on paint schemes or reweigh dates not being appropriate for my era. As I have noted before, if Al Westerfield can provide an accurate timeline for each car in an on-line web format, I'm baffled as to why others find it apparently so difficult. Regards Bruce Bruce F. Smith Auburn, AL http://www.vetmed.auburn.edu/index.pl/bruce_f._smith2 "Some days you are the bug, some days you are the windshield." __ / \ __<+--+>________________\__/___ ________________________________ |- ______/ O O \_______ -| | __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ | | / 4999 PENNSYLVANIA 4999 \ | ||__||__||__||__||__||__||__||__|| |/_____________________________\|_|________________________________| | O--O \0 0 0 0/ O--O | 0-0-0 0-0-0
|
|
|
|
Re: Prototype info from model mfgs
SUVCWORR@...
Tim,
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
Can and will are two different animals.? The information is on the Branchline boxes so I see no reason why any Branchline dealer should not be able to answer these questions.? Also, if asked I do open other manufacturers' boxes and provide the build and re-weigh dates if readable.? Now if I don't have the particular item in stock then I can't answer the question. Also, to give credit where due, Atlas does list the paint dates of some but not all of their freight cars on their website but not on the box labels. Rich Orr
-----Original Message-----
From: Tim O'Connor <timboconnor@comcast.net> To: STMFC@yahoogroups.com Sent: Mon, Aug 24, 2009 4:13 am Subject: [STMFC] Re: Prototype info from model mfgs Rich, you're joking, right? Surely you jest. You may be the ONLY dealer who can answer those questions. Tim O'Connor Gene,ask your dealer before buying. I worded my message as well as I might have. what one wants. far away from a decent hobby shop. ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links
|
|
|
|
Re: Prototype info from model mfgs
Rich, you're joking, right? Surely you jest. You may be the
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
ONLY dealer who can answer those questions. Tim O'Connor
Gene,
|
|
|
|
Re: Prototype info from model mfgs
SUVCWORR@...
Gene,
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
I answer these questions from customers all the time.? So you should be able to ask your dealer before buying. Rich Orr
-----Original Message-----
From: bierglaeser <bierglaeser@yahoo.com> To: STMFC@yahoogroups.com Sent: Sun, Aug 23, 2009 8:32 pm Subject: [STMFC] Re: Prototype info from model mfgs Brian and Rich, Yes, I know the information is (and has been) on the box label. I don't think I worded my message as well as I might have. In order to get the information from the box label one must be able to hold it in one's hand. That means, for the most part, that one must either be in a hobby shop that has the model of interest or, as in my case, have to buy the model through the mail or internet, wait until it arrives and then see if it is what one wants. Having the information in advance is a benefit for those who, like me, are far, far away from a decent hobby shop. Gene Green ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links
|
|
|
|
Salt
Schuyler Larrabee
http://lists.railfan.net/erielackphoto.cgi?erielack-08-23-09/Scranton_Salt_600x540.jpg
Out of the list era, but this is documentation of one way salt must have been handled within the time limits of this list. SGL La vita e breve, mangiate prima il dolce! E-mail message checked by Spyware Doctor (6.0.1.441) Database version: 6.13100 http://www.pctools.com/en/spyware-doctor-antivirus/
|
|
|
|
Re: Prototype info from model mfgs
bierglaeser <bierglaeser@...>
Brian and Rich,
Yes, I know the information is (and has been) on the box label. I don't think I worded my message as well as I might have. In order to get the information from the box label one must be able to hold it in one's hand. That means, for the most part, that one must either be in a hobby shop that has the model of interest or, as in my case, have to buy the model through the mail or internet, wait until it arrives and then see if it is what one wants. Having the information in advance is a benefit for those who, like me, are far, far away from a decent hobby shop. Gene Green
|
|
|
|
Re: Prototype info from model mfgs
SUVCWORR@...
This information have always been on the Branchline Blueprint series labels.
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
Rich Orr
-----Original Message-----
From: bierglaeser <bierglaeser@yahoo.com> To: STMFC@yahoogroups.com Sent: Sun, Aug 23, 2009 5:01 pm Subject: [STMFC] Prototype info from model mfgs Branchline has joined the ranks of those manufacturers who provide dates built as stenciled on their models. They are providing this information to dealers. I don't know if it is available to consumers because I haven't visited their web site in quite a while. Here is what they have sent to dealers so far. Whether right or wrong, accurate or inaccurate, prototypical or not, I applaud them for providing the information. I am glad to have it. If Branchline has made mistakes tell them, not me. I'm just a messenger. Gene Green BRANCHLINE BLUEPRINT SERIES All are HO scale. # 1401 40' box car 6' door A&WP, Built 1947, Delivery Scheme # 1410 40' box car 6' door ERIE Small Diamond, Built 1946, Delivery Scheme # 1413 40' box car 6' door GM&O 2nd run w/turned wheels, Built 1947, Delivery Scheme # 1416 40' box car 6' door IC Box Car Red White 2nd run - new wheels, Built 1948, Delivery Scheme # 1417 40' box car 6' door ITC, Built 1947, Delivery Scheme # 1419 40' box car 6' door L&N, Built 1947/1952 repaint # 1421 40' box car 6' door MP, Built 1950, Delivery Scheme # 1427 40' box car 6' door NYC Green, Built 1949/1959 repaint # 1438 40' box car 6' door AT&SF, Built 1945, Delivery Scheme, Class BX-44 # 1504 40' box car 8' door DT&I, Built 1950, Delivery Scheme # 1506 40' box car 8' door IC, Built 1957, Delivery Scheme # 1507 40' box car 8' door KCS, Built 1956, Delivery Scheme # 1509 40' box car 8' door MP, Built 1956, Delivery Scheme # 1512 40' box car 8' door PRR Circle Keystone, Built 1951, Delivery Scheme # 1513 40' box car 8' door RDG, Built 1948, Delivery Scheme # 1517 40' box car 8' door MEC Yellow Green lettering, Built 1948/ 1970 repaint # 1520 40' box car 8'door RDG Green Yellow lettering, Built 1948/1970 repaint # 1521 40' box car 8' door PRR Shadow Keystone, Built 1951/1956 repaint # 1601 40' box car 7' door BCK, Built 1956, Delivery Scheme # 1602 40' box car 7' door D&TS, Built 1948, Delivery Scheme # 1603 40' box car 7' door ERIE Large Diamond, Built 1952, Delivery Scheme # 1605 40' box car 7' door GTW, Built 1953, Delivery Scheme # 1606 40' box car 7' door LV, Built 1950, Delivery Scheme # 1607 40' box car 7' door NKP, Built 1946, Delivery Scheme # 1608 40' box car 7' door PRR Circle Keystone, Built 1951, Delivery Scheme # 1609 40' box car 7' door PRR Shadow Keystone, Built 1951/1957 repaint # 1610 40' box car 7' door TP&W, Built 1951, Delivery Scheme # 1611 40' box car 7' door WM Speed Lettering, Built 1951 Delivery Scheme # 1612 40' box car 7' door WP, Built 1947-1952 repaint BRANCHLINE YARDMASTER SERIES BOXCARS – SPECIAL EDITION All are HO scale. # 9007 HO 40' box car GM&O GULF MOBILE &=2 0OHIO, Built 1942 /1960's Repaint # 9015 HO 40' box car SP SOUTHERN PACIFIC, Built 1941 /1960's Repaint # 9016 HO 40' box car MONON, Built 1942 / 1960's Repaint ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
|
|
|
|
Re: Prototype info from model mfgs
Brian Carlson <brian@...>
Gene; They have put that information on their boxes for many years, maybe
from the beginning of the Blueprint series. Brian J. Carlson, P.E. Cheektowaga NY
|
|
|
|
Prototype info from model mfgs
bierglaeser <bierglaeser@...>
Branchline has joined the ranks of those manufacturers who provide dates built as stenciled on their models. They are providing this information to dealers. I don't know if it is available to consumers because I haven't visited their web site in quite a while.
Here is what they have sent to dealers so far. Whether right or wrong, accurate or inaccurate, prototypical or not, I applaud them for providing the information. I am glad to have it. If Branchline has made mistakes tell them, not me. I'm just a messenger. Gene Green BRANCHLINE BLUEPRINT SERIES All are HO scale. # 1401 40' box car 6' door A&WP, Built 1947, Delivery Scheme # 1410 40' box car 6' door ERIE Small Diamond, Built 1946, Delivery Scheme # 1413 40' box car 6' door GM&O 2nd run w/turned wheels, Built 1947, Delivery Scheme # 1416 40' box car 6' door IC Box Car Red White 2nd run - new wheels, Built 1948, Delivery Scheme # 1417 40' box car 6' door ITC, Built 1947, Delivery Scheme # 1419 40' box car 6' door L&N, Built 1947/1952 repaint # 1421 40' box car 6' door MP, Built 1950, Delivery Scheme # 1427 40' box car 6' door NYC Green, Built 1949/1959 repaint # 1438 40' box car 6' door AT&SF, Built 1945, Delivery Scheme, Class BX-44 # 1504 40' box car 8' door DT&I, Built 1950, Delivery Scheme # 1506 40' box car 8' door IC, Built 1957, Delivery Scheme # 1507 40' box car 8' door KCS, Built 1956, Delivery Scheme # 1509 40' box car 8' door MP, Built 1956, Delivery Scheme # 1512 40' box car 8' door PRR Circle Keystone, Built 1951, Delivery Scheme # 1513 40' box car 8' door RDG, Built 1948, Delivery Scheme # 1517 40' box car 8' door MEC Yellow Green lettering, Built 1948/ 1970 repaint # 1520 40' box car 8'door RDG Green Yellow lettering, Built 1948/1970 repaint # 1521 40' box car 8' door PRR Shadow Keystone, Built 1951/1956 repaint # 1601 40' box car 7' door BCK, Built 1956, Delivery Scheme # 1602 40' box car 7' door D&TS, Built 1948, Delivery Scheme # 1603 40' box car 7' door ERIE Large Diamond, Built 1952, Delivery Scheme # 1605 40' box car 7' door GTW, Built 1953, Delivery Scheme # 1606 40' box car 7' door LV, Built 1950, Delivery Scheme # 1607 40' box car 7' door NKP, Built 1946, Delivery Scheme # 1608 40' box car 7' door PRR Circle Keystone, Built 1951, Delivery Scheme # 1609 40' box car 7' door PRR Shadow Keystone, Built 1951/1957 repaint # 1610 40' box car 7' door TP&W, Built 1951, Delivery Scheme # 1611 40' box car 7' door WM Speed Lettering, Built 1951 Delivery Scheme # 1612 40' box car 7' door WP, Built 1947-1952 repaint BRANCHLINE YARDMASTER SERIES BOXCARS – SPECIAL EDITION All are HO scale. # 9007 HO 40' box car GM&O GULF MOBILE & OHIO, Built 1942 /1960's Repaint # 9015 HO 40' box car SP SOUTHERN PACIFIC, Built 1941 /1960's Repaint # 9016 HO 40' box car MONON, Built 1942 / 1960's Repaint
|
|
|
|
Re: Cutting styrene sheet into narrow strips...
spsalso
--- In STMFC@yahoogroups.com, VINCE PUGLIESE <gigitreosei@...> wrote:
I just checked the edges of some Evergreen strips from .010 to .250 and found tooth marks on all of them. Ed
|
|
|
|
Re: Cutting styrene sheet into narrow strips...
VINCE PUGLIESE
For the record, I am fairly certain Evergreen uses waterjet technology to
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
produce their strip material. .vp
--- On Sun, 8/23/09, stevelucas3 <stevelucas3@yahoo.ca> wrote:
From: stevelucas3 <stevelucas3@yahoo.ca> Subject: [STMFC] Re: Cutting styrene sheet into narrow strips... To: STMFC@yahoogroups.com Received: Sunday, August 23, 2009, 1:45 PM Jerry-- Thanks to you and everyone that suggested ways to do this. I made a tool that uses a pair of razor blades (steel backing removed first) with a .020" styrene spacer between them. A 2" long piece of 1" wide by .032" thick brass strip, with three holes drilled in it to hold 4-40 screws, serves as the handle. The blades and shim are assembled, the screws pushed through them and into the holes drilled in the handle. A 1/4" nut driver is used to tighten the nuts, and we have our tool. I draw the tips of the blade at about a 30-degree angle along a steel straightedge across a sheet of .005" styrene, and can produce approximate .050" wide strips. I tried making a similar tool without the spacer for .030" wide strips, but found that the blades flex too much for consistent width strips. Maybe a backing piece on the exposed side of the blades would help prevent blade flexing. But Evergreen makes .010" x .030" strips--I'll can live with the overthickness of these strips as the outside member of the Z's. I had experimented with using a Fiskars "Eurpoean rotary paper trimmer" http://www.fiskars. com/CA/en/ Crafts/Product+ Detail9596. html for these strips, but found that paper strips of this width were hard to cut consistently with this tool, so did not progress to cutting styrene with it. BTW, they make a nice diagonal cutter that isn't too expensive, and that I use as a parts trimmer and small diameter wire cutter-- http://www.fiskars. com/CA/en/ Crafts/Product+ Detailf5b7. html Steve Lucas. --- In STMFC@yahoogroups. com, "jerryglow2" <jerryglow@. ..> wrote: I can almost guarentee you a paper cutter will put a "twist" on the strips and it would probably be difficult to maintain consistant pieces. I would second on Andy's suggestion about the NWSL duplicutter. Jerry Glow --- In STMFC@yahoogroups. com, RUTLANDRS@ wrote: Steve, Don't know if you can cut as small as you would like but you might try a paper cutter. Chuck Hladik In a message dated 8/20/2009 7:03:20 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, stevelucas3@ writes: I want to make some scale 3 1/8" high x 5" wide "Z" stock for an HO cinder car that I am working on. But to build this up I cannot find commercial stock that is thin enough and sometimes of the proper width to represent the steel stock that these were formed from. I plan to use scale 2x2 for the centre of the Z, and want to use .005" x .050" for the bottom. The top of the Z is .005" x .030" wide stock. Both of the .005 thick strips need to be cut from styrene sheet. But I have trouble replicating the .030" and .050" widths uniformly. I have used a digital vernier to scribe a reference line on the sheet, but it's hard to have a hand-held scalpel follow this line consistently along a steel scale rule. My efforts so far have produced strips of varying widths. Any thoughts on how to make these strips? Thanks in advance, Steve Lucas. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
|
|
|
|
Re: Cutting styrene sheet into narrow strips...
stevelucas3 <stevelucas3@...>
Jerry--
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
Thanks to you and everyone that suggested ways to do this. I made a tool that uses a pair of razor blades (steel backing removed first) with a .020" styrene spacer between them. A 2" long piece of 1" wide by .032" thick brass strip, with three holes drilled in it to hold 4-40 screws, serves as the handle. The blades and shim are assembled, the screws pushed through them and into the holes drilled in the handle. A 1/4" nut driver is used to tighten the nuts, and we have our tool. I draw the tips of the blade at about a 30-degree angle along a steel straightedge across a sheet of .005" styrene, and can produce approximate .050" wide strips. I tried making a similar tool without the spacer for .030" wide strips, but found that the blades flex too much for consistent width strips. Maybe a backing piece on the exposed side of the blades would help prevent blade flexing. But Evergreen makes .010" x .030" strips--I'll can live with the overthickness of these strips as the outside member of the Z's. I had experimented with using a Fiskars "Eurpoean rotary paper trimmer" http://www.fiskars.com/CA/en/Crafts/Product+Detail9596.html for these strips, but found that paper strips of this width were hard to cut consistently with this tool, so did not progress to cutting styrene with it. BTW, they make a nice diagonal cutter that isn't too expensive, and that I use as a parts trimmer and small diameter wire cutter-- http://www.fiskars.com/CA/en/Crafts/Product+Detailf5b7.html Steve Lucas.
--- In STMFC@yahoogroups.com, "jerryglow2" <jerryglow@...> wrote:
|
|
|
