Watching Paint dry

Some updates.

When I start a new project,  I have a lot of enthusiasm.  Work commences, and progress is steady for a time.  Then, either a problem arises, some unavoidable delay happens, or I get distracted.  I am sure this is not a common situation with many.   This post documents a couple of my recent experiences.

Fresh out of the paint shop, SSR's new livery on ex VR C506 and C507 is stunning in the Junee sunshine last December

 Finding a train room - progress is like watching paint dry.

On the inside of the Train room, Brett my builder mate fitted some timber mouldings to the corners, and the ceiling.  These cover up the gaps that were left after the walls, and ceiling was installed.

My main tasks

1) Paint the ceilings with the ceiling white.  Two coats of paint, and 50 square metres each coat.  and

2) fill the gaps between the yellow tongue boards with "no more gaps" and fill in the numerous nail holes

Last Saturday,  Brett was able to attend for the first time in 4 weeks, and he fitted the framing for both windows, and 2 out of the 3 doorways.  

Front entrance door framing

Front Entrance door from inside the train room.  We had to move the light switch about one cm across, to allow the framing.  This was our mistake initially, we bored the hole for the wires too close to the door.  Yes, the door will need to be painted too.  

Side door to the main garage

Window over the future kitchenette bench

Window to the north.  Both windows were earlier fitted with security mesh around 5 years ago, to keep the insects (et-al) out.  

My next step is to paint the walls.  I had some leftover wall paint from my workroom.  It is a light grey, with just a tinge of blue.  The paint was previously mixed for me by Brett's late father, Garry.  It seemed appropriate to me to also honour Garry's painting skill by using the same colour, which to my eyes appears to be ideal for the train room too.  However, there is a wrinkle.   Garry just used some tints he had lying around, and mixed these into the interior white paint.  So, I am going to have to get the paint colour matched.

Fortunately, the paint Garry mixed 6 years ago was still viable, and as an experiment, I painted some on the wall.

Masking the cornice prior to painting the wall

Brush paint for the edge of the cornice, and then roller for the rest.  I didn't paint the full wall, as I don't have enough paint

Remove the masking.  The pictures do not quite show up the grey as well as in real life, but I was happy with my small test.  

Brett has advised me which paint company in Wagga for mixing up the colour.  I need to paint 80 square metres of wall, and 2 coats preferable.   I am also needing paint for undercoating the customwood used in the framing.

The next work on the room (besides my painting) will be the assembly of the Kitchenette cabinets.  

 

The Xmas project.

For distraction, I decided to restore a brass NSW79 class, that I bought on ebay for $100 buy-it-now.  

The NSW 79 class is a modified GE 44 tonner, and was the first diesel loco in NSW.  Used at the St Mary's ammunition depot in the 2nd world war, and the numbers were those used by the US Army.  Google for a full history.

The model dates from the mid 1970s.  Peter Duckett, then the owner of Model Dockyard, contacted Westside Models who were producing a GE 44 tonner for the USA market.  Peter had a number made for his shop. with NSWGR features, basically the cab, and buffers were different from the standard 44.  The mechanism was the same for both models

The ebay seller showed pictures of the model, and good photos of the mechanism, which was missing quite a bit of hardware, including screws,. There was also an unidentified DCC chip.   I am a sucker for acquiring basketcase models.   Restoring them is often be a challenge, and I get a great sense of satisfaction seeing them restored. 

My own pictures of the model were better than the ebay seller's picture.  But it is obvious that the paint is poor, and will need to be removed

The mechanism, after I had removed the DCC wires.  What I hadn't picked up in the sellers pictures was that the bogies had been fitted with additional wheel pickups

The DCC installation was expertly done.  There was directional SMD leds for the headlights, and the extra pickups were excellent.  How the model ended up in bits, and badly painted is a mystery. 

Ace up my sleeve.

Many years ago, I purchased another 79 class, so I had a model to inspect and compare bits 

I painted this model over 30 years ago - not accurate colours.  I still haven't fitted glazing either

My original 79 class mechanism

The to be restored mechanism, after I had made an insulated bushing for the bogie under the motor, and located a screw  Big missing part is the universal cup on the motor

Original and fabricated universal shaft for the link between the bogies

I made up a crude "ball" for the universal by using low melt 144C solder. This stopped a lot of "chattering" when the mechanism was running.  This could be an original idea of mine. 

The link from the motor to the gear tower was a combination of NWSL cup, shaft, and neoprene tube.  

Not going to win any awards for slow speed running, but it does run as seen in this short video

A lot of the speed issues could be solved with a can motor.  Maybe an option for the future?

The body attachment screws were missing.  I found some functional modern replacements in my stash of useful parts

Once the body paint was stripped with commercial paint stripper, I resoldered the 3 broken handrail posts

Now comes the painting disaster.  My intention was to paint the body in self-etch black.  After a clean, and dry, I pickled the body in vinegar.  Washed and dried again, the model was ready for paint.

I found my self etch black tin, but the tin containing the recommeded thinners, was empty.  I am sure there was thinners there when I last used the self etch (3 years ago), but no problems, I would use lacquer thinner.  The paint mixed fine.  However, part way through the spraying process, the air brush clogged up, and try as I might, I was unable to get it to restart.  So the loco painting was not completed properly, and the coverage is rather thin and patchy.

A bit of dust has managed to get onto the model after the unsuccessful painting.  Should clean off with water OK.  The brass is showing in parts

Not sure if I will simply now overcoat the paint with a semi-gloss black (for the decals), or strip and restart the painting. 

And I still haven't identified the DCC chip, or confirmed it is working, and didn't die as being the reason the loco was in bits. 

 It is at this point where the project gets put aside......

Kitten Kapers.

Mystique, or Misty - now almost 3 months old

I have another keyboard cat.  Misty was one of the four feral kittens we located in November near our unused swimming pool.  Then about 4 weeks old.  We found homes for 3 of them before Xmas, but Misty is still with us, and has been sitting right beside my laptop whilst I am typing this. Misty is another time waster reason why things don't happen as quickly as they could.  She and Trouble (kitten from 2 years ago - found in the same place near the swimming pool) are both hassling me on the keyboard.  Sisters - same mother cat?

Conclusion.

No, I haven't forgotten the Station Master Residence.  It also is up to the painting stage.  Perhaps it has been a victim of my being distracted.

My blog pages have now passed 100,000 views.  Who would have thought?  Thank you all

Until next time