Mine Latrine Car - Butte, Montana

[Scratchman]

Mine Latrine Car - Butte, Montana





When I saw the plans for the Butte Montana mine latrine car I thought it would make a great addition to my mine car collection. The plan is in the May / June 2002 Gazette. But the plans are so plain it was hard to get excited. When Marc Reusser posted a photo of the car showing all the great detail I went forward with the project. I had a pack of 12 Simpson 1/2? scale 16? wheels, enough to do three cars. Simpson makes these wheels in 12?, 14?, 16?, 18?, 20?, 22? and 24? diameter good for 1/2? and G scales also. All the Grandt Line parts are styrene.

Parts List A

1   1 Wood Block   1 1/2? x 1 7/8? x 2 1/2?
2   2 Styrene   040? x 1 7/8? x 2 1/2? (cut 1/8? larger for tracing) (sides)
3   1 Styrene   040? x 1 11/16? x 6? (bottom)
4   2 Styrene   030? x 1/8? x 2 1/2? (rim)
5   2 Styrene   030? x 1/8? x 2 1/2? (rim)
6   2 Styrene   040? x 2 3/4? x 1 3/4? (top)   
7a   1 Styrene   Disk 020? x 1/2?diameter
7b   1 Styrene   Tube 9/32? diameter x 1/4? long       (7 drain)
7c   6 Grandt Line    # 82 nut bolt
8a   2 Styrene   030? x 3/8?x 5/16?
8b   2 Styrene   030?x 3/16? x 3/16?       (8 two seat stops)
8c   2 Grandt Line   # 82 nut bolt
9a   1 Styrene   020?x1/4? Hole Punch
9b   1 Bead      1/8? diameter x 1/8? long       (9 valve)
9c   1 Alum Tube   1/16? diameter x 1/4?long
9d   1 Brass Wire   030?x 1/2? long
9e   1 O Scale Brake Wheel
9f   2 Grandt Line   # 82 nut bolt
10   Ozark Miniatures Grab Iron # OM 10
11   Pack of Grandt Line Rivets # 154 (not in photo) (rivets for tank)


(Part A)

Part A

Step 1
After getting the wood block to size on both sides, you need a center line and a horizontal line 7/8? down from the top. Measure over 1/4? each way at the bottom of the center line and mark. Draw line up to the horizontal line on each end. After removing this material with a disk sander, round over the bottom and two ends, clean edges with an emery board.

Step 2
Make sure that part A2 is cut a bit bigger than the wood block, lay the block on part A2 keeping the top flush and tracing around side to side. When cutting this part leave 1/16? extra to the tracing. This will be trimmed to the correct size after the part is glued to the block. Glue using super-thin CA cement holding the top flush and using the extra lip to keep glue off the face, apply glue to seam at the bottom and work your way up. Now trim to correct size with a knife and emery board until all corners are flush with the wood block.

Step 3
Taking part A3 and making sure that it is cut 1/8? wider than the lamination wood block and two sides, and long enough to have a little extra on each end. Marking a center line from end to end and 2 parallel lines 3/8? on each side of the center line these lines are for locating the spring pads. Don?t worry about locating the middle of the car till the part is glued to the block and two sides. I use a supper thin CA starting at one end and working to the other end making sure it is lined up be for gluing Now the ends can be trim flush with the top of the tank. Locating the middle I use a piece of graft paper about 8 inches long and 1 inch wide with a center mark going equal distance to the top end of the tank. Also locate the bottom of the spring pads are1/2? away from center and the grab irons are 1/4? down from the top. (Before moving on to step 4 uses for spring jig alignment See Jig part B.)

Step 4
The top A6 has two pieces, one on top of the other. These pieces and the top rim are glued to the top of the tank with plastic cement. Now I added the four rows of rivets.  The first row is around the edge of the top.  The second row is under the bottom edge of the top.  The other two rows are on each side of the bottom.  I used Grandt Line # 154 with a .043? diameter. I cut off the heads flush and glued on with plastic cement. It took a little over a full pack of rivets (not in photo) depending how many are lost on the floor.

Step 5
To finish this part I added the parts that make up the top of the valve, drain and seat stop and glue to the tank. Also the four spring pads can be added, located in Step 3.

Parts List B

1   4 Simpson?s Wheels #795 (16? diameter in 1/2? scale = 11 inches in 3/4? scale)
2   2 Brass Rod   1/8? diameter x 1 5/8? long
3   2 Styrene Square Tube 3/16? x 3/16? x. 850 long   
4   2 Styrene   040? x 3/16? x 1 7/8?
5   4 Styrene   020? x 1/8? x 3/4? long
6   2 Alum Tube   3/32? diameter x 6? long                (wheels and suspension)
7   12 Grandt Line #156 rivets
8   4 Grandt Line   #16 nut bolt washers
9   4 Grandt Line   # 82 nut bolts

Part B
The wheels are Simpson # 795  part B1. The axels are made up with 1/8? brass rod and 3/16? square styrene tube, part B2 and B3.  These are joined together with part B4 keeping 3/4? apart the springs are glued to these and the four pads on the tank. The springs are made out of 3/32? aluminum tube. Flatten with a hammer on an anvil to about 1/8? wide. I used a jig to bend the shape. To finish this part, rivets and nut bolts are added to the axels and springs. 

Jig
Cut a piece of 1/8? basswood 3? x 3?. ( Lay out lines ) one across the bottom 1/4? up from the bottom, a line up both sides 1/8? over from the end and a series of lines at the top making sure they are parallel to the bottom line. Now glue on the two 3/4? dowels down in the bottom corners of the layout lines. After the tank has the sides and bottom glued on, center it between the two dowels on the jig using the top lines to square the tank on the jig. Trace a line around the tank on the jig and add the strips of wood on the tracing. One side is 3/16? and the other side 3/8? high keeping the thickness of the spring away from the dowel.  Now take the flattened 3/32? aluminum tube and start at the end of the spring, wrap around the dowel next to the higher fence.  Now rise up the spring and bend around the other dowel work till the shape is right and cut off excess on both ends.


(Jig)

Parts List C
1   4 Styrene   040? x 1 x 7/8? (use 6 per inch side walk squares for grid to shape)      (seat)
2   2 Styrene   040?x 1 x 7/8? (shaped to match part 1)   (seat)
3a   2 Alum Tube   3/32?x 3/8? long            (3-4 seat hinge)
3b   2 Alum Rod   1/16? x 7/16? long
4a   2 Styrene   030? x 3/8? x 1/4?
4b   4 Grandt Line   # 82 nut bolt
5   1 Styrene   080? x 2 1/4? x 5/8? (or two layers 040? to make 080?) (5 step)
6a   4 Styrene   030? x 1/4? x 3/8?            (6 step hinges)
6b   12 Grandt Line # 156 rivets
6c   2 Alum Tube    1/16? diameter 3/8? long
6d   2 Alum Rod   030? diameter 1/2? long
7a   4 Eye-Pin   1/16? eye x 1/2? long                              (7 hook support)
7b   2 Alum Rod   040?diameter x 1 1/8?cut to length
7c   2 Grandt Line   # 16 nut bolt washers
8a   2 Styrene Rod   1/16? diameter x 3/4? long (bend with heat)   (8 locking handles)
8b   2 1-72 Brass Washers


(Parts B & C)

Part C
The seats are three layers with rivets on the top layer. One hinge and one locking handle on each seat. The step is down about 3/4? from the top. This has a set of hinges and two hook supports.


Painting
The wheels are painted Engine Black with a light overspray of Boxcar Red. The tank is Reefer White over a black primer, finishing by adding oil washes and a coat of Dull Coat to seal the finish. Paint the bottom two layers of the seat Engine Black and valves handle Signal Red.

Note
On the black car I used less rivets and Grandt Line # 156 with a .063? diameter head. It was painted Engine Black with a light over spray of Boxcar Red, while the black paint is still wet. Finish up with a light dusting of rust color chalk and a coat of Dull Coat to seal the finish.

More of my work:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/77318580@N00/
Scratchman

[marc_reusser]

Gordon,

A wonderful little car.  And a really great "build report"! I do think I will now have to build one also!

Marc

[finescalerr]

Hey, George, I was just asking one of your neighbors what you've been doing and here you are! Welcome to the forum. -- Russ

[Younger]

Here's the one I made in O scale, following the SBS above.
-Younger