03-23-2010, 12:14 AM
[albumimg]2319[/albumimg]
Here's the latest from tonight's work. These are the 'easy' end panels. I say easy since they only require two grabs, that is, 4 holes in each end. I've got a nice pair of smooth jaw pliers that work out to 18" or so at the end of the jaw, just right for bending grabs. These aren't glued in yet, just set in place.
The side panel shown has rivet strips added to two uprights. The intention is to make it look like part of the wood, not a strip added overtop the wood. The rivet detail is not rivets, but bolt heads, actually. The Train Miniature version of their balast gon (an injection molded plastic Hart Gon) has this detail. I have found a picture but since it's not mine I can't post it here and the link isn't handy...sorry. There are also engineering drawings of an early car, circa 1906, that show the bolt construction when wood was used vs metal channel or angle iron.
Anyway, I think it looks pretty good. The bolt head detail is made with a pounce wheel rolling over really thin styrene, making two passes to get a row of closely spaced dimples/bumps.
These end panels are complete for two cars. The third car has the trickier panel. I need to make many, many more bolt head strips, glue them on, and shave them down slightly to blend in with the posts. I hope once they are painted it will seem as if the bolt heads are a detail on the posts, not some applique' simulation. It's not a huge detail and it really shouldn't be noticed, but I'd notice if it weren't there and I think it'll make the difference between a good car and a great one.
Any thoughts?
Galen
Here's the latest from tonight's work. These are the 'easy' end panels. I say easy since they only require two grabs, that is, 4 holes in each end. I've got a nice pair of smooth jaw pliers that work out to 18" or so at the end of the jaw, just right for bending grabs. These aren't glued in yet, just set in place.
The side panel shown has rivet strips added to two uprights. The intention is to make it look like part of the wood, not a strip added overtop the wood. The rivet detail is not rivets, but bolt heads, actually. The Train Miniature version of their balast gon (an injection molded plastic Hart Gon) has this detail. I have found a picture but since it's not mine I can't post it here and the link isn't handy...sorry. There are also engineering drawings of an early car, circa 1906, that show the bolt construction when wood was used vs metal channel or angle iron.
Anyway, I think it looks pretty good. The bolt head detail is made with a pounce wheel rolling over really thin styrene, making two passes to get a row of closely spaced dimples/bumps.
These end panels are complete for two cars. The third car has the trickier panel. I need to make many, many more bolt head strips, glue them on, and shave them down slightly to blend in with the posts. I hope once they are painted it will seem as if the bolt heads are a detail on the posts, not some applique' simulation. It's not a huge detail and it really shouldn't be noticed, but I'd notice if it weren't there and I think it'll make the difference between a good car and a great one.
Any thoughts?
Galen
I may not be a rivet counter, but I sure do like rivets!