Wooden ore cars

[Design-HSB]

Hello Hauk,

hier in 1973 built, sprung track 0 cars from me.

Wow, nice!
How heavy must the wagon/car be for the springs to work?

Hi Hauk,

My wagon/car weighs including the wheels and axles 320 gr.
In your wagon/car there is an empty weights and a weight of loaded wagon/car.
Of course, the springs should fail at your wagon/car still fine, but when etching part of spring bronze, safely possible.

I'm impressed by your work on your railway wagon.

[Bill Gill]

Hauk, The new etched metal parts look very good. Would pearwood possibly work for the wooden parts? Shipmodelers use it because it shows little or no grain, works well wiyh tools and is strong and stains and paints well.

(Helmut: that is an impressive video with the springs that you made back in 1973!)

[finescalerr]

Havard, who ever said any of us is rational? -- Rus

[Hauk]

Hauk, The new etched metal parts look very good. Would pearwood possibly work for the wooden parts? Shipmodelers use it because it shows little or no grain, works well wiyh tools and is strong and stains and paints well.

I have thought about it, but them I would need to cut the wood myself. I am trying to talk the local model railroad club into buying a Byrnes table saw, but until then I am "stuck" with Kappler wood.

[billmart]

Hauk -
I also get my wood from Kappler Mill & Lumber.  In my experience with them, they seem to treat each order as a special order and cut/mill the pieces only after receiving an order.  I believe they do not keep a large supply of sizes on hand.  I'm sure part of the reason for operating this way is the LARGE number of sizes (dimensions) they offer.  They will also cut/mill scale lumber from woods other than basswood.  Perhaps you should check with them to see if they would be willing to use pearwood if you supplied it to them in sizes they could use as a starting point.

Just a thought.

Bill Martinsen

[Marc988]

Hi Hauk,

This remains an impressive subject to follow.

On the subject of the pear wood, there is a shop in The Netherlands in the city Gouda called "Het Kabinet" who specializes in material and building material for doll houses.  http://hetkabinet-miniaturen.nl/materialen

In the past I ordered different types of wood precut to the dimensions I required. Maybe they can help you out on precut pear wood. You can find their contact details in the bottom of their website.
If you requires some support in translation, just contact me. I'd be happy to help you out.

Regards,
Marc

[Hauk]

Good advice on the wood, guys! I will look into it when I get around to the wooden parts.

Work is still mainly going on in the metal shop, and here is a little update on my metal-bashing.(WARNING: Dirty fingernails coming up! Russ, you have hereby been warned!)

The opening mechanism for the side doors have been riveted together, and the connection to the hinges has been beefed up with two 1mm X 0,35mm washers: 
 

 
There are four such connection points for each wagon, and it was a pretty straightforward job to solder the washers to the etched part. You might argue that the washers are not strictly necessary but I think the joint looks much better when the washers+etched arm are thick enough the fill the forked gap in the blackened hinge entirely. Without the washers, there would have been a lot of "slop" in the connection. 
 
Here are the three other arms for the first wagon: 
 

 
 
In this extreme closeup it might be easier to see that this is a sandwich consisting of a 0,25mm nickel-silver etched part between two 0,35mm thick brass washers cut from 1mm brass tubing: 
 

 
By the way, I sincerely believe that I could never have soldered this assembly without my RSU and soldering cream. I don't think I would have been building metal models at all without this equipment. The Four Track Models RSU is my best modeling investment ever!

[Bill Gill]

Hauk, That is amazing soldering! (and I rarely use that word)

[Ray Dunakin]

Such fine work -- stunning!

[Hydrostat]

Hauk,

good decision with the washers. I think that's what the prototype shows to reduce wear with pins and bearings. You're completely right that this small detail adds a lot of credibility. Did you align the washers with some stainless steel for soldering?

Volker

[finescalerr]

Most satisfactory, Havard ... fingernails notwithstanding. -- Russ

[EZnKY]

That looks great Hauk!

I appreciate the wood for wood and metal for metal approach.

[Hauk]

Hauk,

good decision with the washers. I think that's what the prototype shows to reduce wear with pins and bearings. You're completely right that this small detail adds a lot of credibility. Did you align the washers with some stainless steel for soldering?

Volker

Good question, Volker!
I should indeed have uses stainless steel, but I tried to use a blackened brass rivet that I also put a little oil on and then wiped off the excess. It worked OK for the first three parts, but for the last one the pin got stuck and broke when I tried to pry it loose. Had to drill out the rest of the rivet, but that was no big deal.

Next time I will try to use something stainless...

[lab-dad]

I have used plain music wire and just coated it with graphite from a regular #2 pencil.
Marty

[Hauk]

I have used plain music wire and just coated it with graphite from a regular #2 pencil.
Marty

That is a good tip!