Work in progress: Westinghouse boxcab electric

[Hauk]

A little progress this night. I have for a long time wondered how to fit lenses/glazing into the headlamp and markerlight. I decided to try acrylic rod. For the marker light I used a red acrylic rod.  Turned it down to a few thou above the headligh opening. Pressed the rod into the hole, parted off as close to the brass part as I dared. Polished with wet and dry 3600 to 12000. I think it worked out pretty good:



Regards, Hauk

[lab-dad]

That looks damn spiffy!
Good idea too!
-Marty

[Mr Potato Head]

if you don't have red or yellow you can stain clear with food color and Future clear and it works, it takes 24 hours for a real deep color but when your in a pinch and don't have the color you need
MPH

[Hauk]

That looks damn spiffy!
Good idea too!
-Marty

Thanks!
If you have access to a lathe, the process goes surprisingly fast.
The most time-consuming part is polishing the cut surfaces up to a glass shine. And you can not just spin the lathe and put the wet&dry against the rod. You will get a center that is poorly finished.

I used the following grades of W&D: 1200, 3600, 4000, 6000, 8000 and 12000. Finished off with a buffing block.

By the way, the pictures gives the wrong imression. The "glass" is absolutely flush with the brass.

Regards, Hauk

[finescalerr]

Nice job, Havaard. -- Russ

[Hauk]

Nice job, Havaard. -- Russ

Thanks Russ.
Small step for mankind, and not really a big one for me either! But I give myself a little backslap for giving up the idea of casting clear resin directly into the brass turnings and instead finding a much simpler solution.

Regards, Hauk

[Chuck Doan]

That came out really nice!

[michael mott]

Very nice indeed, regarding polishing acrylic I made a series of lenses for a science centre exhibit that was dealing with refraction and I used brasso on some card as a polishing compound worked like a charm.

Michael

[Hauk]

Finally I tackled the main headlights .
After trying to paint the reflectors with alclad metallic paint, I decided to turn aluminum inserts instead. Made a form tool with a convex shape to make the reflector concave. Polished them the same way as I polished the acrylics.







The surface of the brass is a bit rough, I should have used a fresh cutting bit in the turning tool. But the enlargement is merciless, placed on the engine it will probably look just fine.

Well, a little progress is better than none!

-Hauk

[lab-dad]

That "turned" out great!
Wish i had thought of suggesting it.
Marty

[marc_reusser]

Wow. Your madness is shining brightly.

[michael mott]

A nice solution, now if you were to make one that is oval how would you do it?

Michael

[Hauk]

A nice solution, now if you were to make one that is oval how would you do it?

Michael

No idea. Fortunately, I have yet to find any oval parts on any of the prototype engines and rolling stock I am planning to build!

-Hauk

[Hauk]

A little progress:





This is my first attempt at a Westinghouse airhose with valve. The connectors are still to be made, but that will have to wait untill tomorrow. The hardware will also be blackened and weathered before final installation.

Regards, Hauk

[lab-dad]

Killer!!!
-Mj