Great Northern F45 kit buildup!

HemiAdda2d Dec 15, 2007

  1. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    It has been on the back burner for a year, but I finally broke the boxes back out of the cobwebs.
    I'll detail the build as well as I can, and show you as much as I can of the assembly process.

    The first item of business is to inventory the kit, ensuring all the parts are there. Next, read the instructions a couple times to get the feel for what you're about to get yourself into. Read them again, if you need to. This is not a beginner kit, and certainly wasn't prepared for the build when I did Grey One's F45's last year.
    Next, clean flash from the shells, pilots, etc. A nice set of fine needle files is essential for this build.
    After the shells (which are nicely cast, and requires very little cleanup) are cleaned up, grab your favorite pin vise, a #80 drill bit, and start drilling. I shaved all the grabs off my pair, but this is optional. The handrails on the front, rear and side all need holes drilled. The stirrups & jack pads locations need to be drilled--since mine will be fully super-detailed, I drilled for all grabs, and lift rings as well. The sar/Kaslo kit thoughtfully included faint indentions at drill locations for each part, making drilling a breeze. As if drilling 74 holes per shell is a breeze.... :rolleyes:

    Here's the shells, as they are now. They are cleaned, shaved, drilled,a nd ready to start detail part installation:

    [​IMG]

    The handrails, and grabs are all shaved/drilled, in this different angle:

    [​IMG]

    Another view of the nose and tail ends:

    [​IMG]

    I figure I'll finish these about a month or so before Athearn finally announces these in N scale for the masses....;-)
     
  2. Willyboy

    Willyboy TrainBoard Supporter

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    WOW! I am looking forward to seeing this project to the end. Drill 74 holes PER SHELL...WOW!
     
  3. bfc1230

    bfc1230 TrainBoard Member

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    Murphy's law.

    what road numbers are you doing in GN?
     
  4. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    438 and 440.
    It's too bad engine 426 was an SD45--both 426 and 440 are great Chrysler big blocks!

    Yep, 74 each shell to do all the grabs, lift rings, etc.
    And both engines used the same bit. Amazingly, it's not broken. Yet.;)
     
  5. mavrick0

    mavrick0 TrainBoard Member

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    I keep looking at the SD40-2F kit sitting at one of the shops near me so I can do a CP redbarn so I'm going to keep an eye on this thread and see some of the techniques used and see if I want to tackle this myself... lol.
     
  6. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    The kit should be quite similar. Grant and the Kaslo krew did a great job on these kits!
     
  7. Harry E. Dinsen

    Harry E. Dinsen TrainBoard Member

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    Harry here in Colorado Springs ...

    Are there any in HO scale? I have three F45's and one FP45 -- the FP and one F45 are powered, the other pair unpowered -- I've been looking and hoping for an F45/SD45 frame and motor with trucks to power at least one of the other pair ... no luck. Neither of the owners of the two remaining mr hobby shops here in the Springs have any idea where there might be one or two available -- except e-bay and I avoid that like the flu...!
    # # #
    hed
     
  8. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Athearn announced F45's very recently in HO.... And the one they showed was a GN F45!
    :)
     
  9. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    F45 build, part 2

    The next step is to fit the bare shell to the mechanism. I used a late-production SD40 chassis, and these go for great buys especially in Conrail, and other roads.
    Here's the bare chassis, awaiting the shell to be fitted:

    [​IMG]

    A test-fit of the shell shows the nose is about 1/32" too tall. The culprit is a small part of the mech frame that protrudes too high. Here's that area, to be filed down:

    [​IMG]

    After marking the area to be filed, and removing the light board, I sealed the mech with electrical tap, to preclude metal filings from entering the mech. This is really best done with the mech totally disassembled, but I am lazy like that! :p

    Filed:

    [​IMG]

    Shell spacers are next. They are in the kit as part of a sheet of the resin material, basically flash, that holds several parts all together. They need to be removed fromt he sheet, cleaned up, and test-fitted to the mech.
    I found mine were too tight, so the file was again used, and filing a little, test-fit, file some more--use small increments of material removal, to ensure a gently snug, but not-too-loose fit. After the spacers slip over the mech in the desired places, ten test -fit the shell. The spacers again may need trimming, using the small increment method again to ensure too much material is not removed.

    When the spacers are to your liking, fit the spacers on the mech:

    [​IMG]
     
  10. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    F45 build part 2, cont'd

    I used the factory "notches" in the mech/light board to fit the spacers. This is to ensure the shell doesn't slide around on the finished locomotive.

    Next, test-fit the shell again, and sight down the length of the side sills. Look for any bulges. The sill should be rifle-bore straight. File away material as necessary from the spacers to achieve a straight sill.

    When you are happy with the fit, test-fit the shell, centering the mech under the shell:

    [​IMG]

    Pick up the locomotive, after fitting the shell, and be cautious not to slide it around. Grab your favorite CA, and add a drop inside the shell to each spacer. Allow to set a minute, and remove the shell. It is important to make completely sure the spacers are aligned correctly, and didn't move when you removed the shell. Make small adjustments if necessary. Add enough adhesive to permanently fasten the spacers into the shell.

    Spacers secured:

    [​IMG]

    I used a bit of CA accelerator to cure the CA, and allowed a few seconds for it to work its magic. After the adhesive is cured, fit the shell again, it should be level end-to-end, side-to-side, and centered on the trucks.

    It should now look like this:

    [​IMG]

    Stay tuned for more to come soon!
     
  11. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    Your work amazes me and gives me ideas. I appreciate your sharing the project here on line.

    Have fun!
     
  12. TonyHammes

    TonyHammes TrainBoard Member

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    Jeremiah

    Looks great. Are you doing a BN scheme or GN? I was thinking of getting one but with the Atheren units on the horizon I figured I have plenty of other projects to do.
     
  13. James Costello

    James Costello TrainBoard Member

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    Looking good Hemi! I'll be watching with interest as I have two kits here on the work bench too. I'd like to get them started over the Holidays, but I can see me running out of time to do everything I want....
     
  14. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Tony, I'm going to do them in GN Big Sky Blue, #438 and 440. I might buy the Athearn ones in BN and MRL in time. I gotta have an MRL unit, they are very classy in blue and black.
    Rick and James, thanks for the kind compliments.:)
     
  15. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Tonight was my first night I've been healthy enough or had free time enough to get more done. The whole family was sick last week, in some form or fashion. So, no modeling time!:(
    I only got one shell mounted last time we had an update; tonite, I finished the second shell mount, and installed the pilots on both units. Time-permitting, I'll get some more done tonite, and pics, too!
     
  16. Nick Lorusso

    Nick Lorusso TrainBoard Member

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    Can't wait to see them done Hemi.
     
  17. Chaya

    Chaya TrainBoard Supporter

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    Really, really nice. Thanks so much for taking the time and trouble to photograph and publish your process!
     
  18. Tim Mc

    Tim Mc TrainBoard Member

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    Hope everyone is feeling better & looking forward to seeing the progress!
     
  19. MRL

    MRL TrainBoard Member

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    Lookin good! I was contemplating on purchasing one, I was debating on BN or MRL.
    I like the BN but then the MRL looks great too I dont know which to choose!
    Don't forget a bubblegum beacon or a stratolite:tb-biggrin:!
     
  20. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    A good rooftop photo of a GN F45 would be helpful; in placing those details, MRL...;)
     

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