Need Some Car Shop Time

Sometimes you need a break for benchwork.  I bought a piece of rolling stock on my last visit to Chicago.  Let's start putting it together.

 I really hate the disappearance of shake the box kits.  Taking it out of a box and running it gives me the creeps.  Its just no fun unless I have done SOMETHING to it first.  Here is a standard Accurail kit that I found at Des Plaines Hobbies in Chicago.  Guess they don't sell much Atlantic Coast Line because I got it on sale.  Let's put it together.  Here you can see all the parts for the kit.

 This fits perfectly with my time period and needs for smaller rolling stock.  It will rust up really nicely!

 First I'll read the instructions.  Did I hear someone laugh?  Yes, I do read them.  Then I politely throw them under the glass top so they don't get glue on them.

 We'll need to de-sprue the parts from the parts trees, so my favorite tool for this is the sprue cutting tweezer.  You can buy them from Micro Mark or most any hobby tool supplier.  Just remember, this is a tool that you get what you pay for.  You'll use it a lot so buy a good quality one.

 Following the directions (stop laughing or I'll turn off the computer and go to bed) I'll cut off the parts as needed since they are painted.  We'll remove the bulkheads first.

 I carefully test fit the ends onto the gondola body.  Works great!

 For plastic models I tend to use Tenax 7 R.  Well, this is the BOTTLE for Tenax 7 R, but I use toluene that I buy in quart bottles from Homeless Depot.  Same stuff.  With it I use a #0 brush to apply the model cement.

 With the ends glued on the next step is to mount the weight.  I used to paint the weights to keep them from rusting.  Normally a quick coat of clear gloss coating.  But since I change scales/gauges so much I don't bother.  I've used silicone caulk before but found that with a sharp jolt the weight will come loose.  So I've gone back to the old stand by contact cement.  Takes a while to apply  but the weight won't ever move.

 Here the weight is glued permanently in the bottom of the gon.

 In my toolbox there are (no kidding) 55 pairs of tweezers, almost any kind you could want.  This is my favorite pair and the only ones that have a place on the workbench.  The are sharp and curved with very narrow points.  Put money into your favorite tweezers and take really good care of them.  You need this for handling tiny parts.

 I glued the bottom of the gon in place.  My thoughts are that this model is actually much heavier than NMRA standards.  Either way, I'll not change it.  So I start cutting the small parts off the sprues and will glue them in place.  The brake wheel and underbody brake lines and devices are already glued on.

Oops!  Its way past your bedtime young lady!  Off to bed.   We'll finish up another night when I find the Kadee coupler box.