No, simple airbrush compressor will do, you are not going to blast off rust or 20 layers of paint, it's just about preparing a bit of roughness on the surface. I'm using 2-3 bar
I Might be late to the table, but at least I will enjoy the feast! I got great news! "Your Shapeways shipment is on its way!" 2 x Z Scale S2 in Natural Brass 2 x Z Scale S2 Truck Details in Smooth Fine Detail Plastic I can't wait! Just in time for Christmas!
NP? But of course! They are schedules to arrive the 24th. I got the handrails, and am still waiting on my ship date for the shorties.
I got my shells Tuesday, and polished one up in prep for painting yesterday, then the worst possible outcome happened. MY cousin cleaned up after christmas and threw out my handrail envelope, along with all the Christmas boxes, wrapping paper, etc. I didn't even get to open it yet. So this morning while looking for it, My cousing said "you didn't leave it on the table did you?" Last night I had just brought the envelope from the bedroom, set it on the table, then went and toothbrushed my shell with baking soda after polishing it. I dried the shell with paper towels, and took it to the garage so I could put the grab irons and handrails on, and was called for Christmas Dinner ready. After dinner, I watched some Christmas TV, and went to bed. So about 6am I heard the garbage man (Wednesday is our normal trash day). I got up, had some coffee, and asked my cousin if she seen and envelope for me. Guess how my luck goes, when I go to order replacement handrails... "SOLD OUT!"
Oh you’re killing me! That story is too close to home. You can train your family to be on the lookout for any hobby related stuff but maybe not visitors. In my house there aren’t many surfaces without a project going on
Yay! Guess where? envelope stuck to the inside side of the green trash bin, glued in place with turkey gravy! Sticky ugly semi disolved envelope, tore opened when I peeled it away but sandwiched between 2 layers of bubble plastic were 2 mini envelopes with my precious cargo, untouched by gravy grease. I just have to clean under my fingernails now. Some day's... I tell you!
More great news, Mail arrived today with my Z Shorties Shinkansen Type! Out to the garage I go... Happy Happy, Joy Joy!
I read all the instructions for the previous loco model assembly, but there is no S2 specific instructions, and the underframe is completely different from the SW1200, SW1500, and TR4B, so I am proceeding with care and caution. I read this entire thread, and found no posts where anyone has assembled their S2. So I am working on assembling the drive underframe, and I have a few issues so far. First, the hole where the unpowered truck is screwed in is too big for the truck retaining screw. It just drops all the way in to the screw head, without threads making any contact with the hole sides. I solved this by filling the hole with solder, then drilling it out so now the screw has someting to bite. The next issue is that that unpowered truck don't swivel smoothly. When holding it upside down so the trucks sit on the frame, I can feel some kind of bind then pop when I rotate the truck. I think the wheel flanges are rubbing something on the frame, and I might need to either add a shim, or remove material. Still exploring my options. The third issue is the powered truck will not fit in the cradle. The gear tower on the truck has plastic nubs that hold the electrical pickups aligned, as well as the hole where the truck retaining pin goes through. These nubs are required to provide a gap between the electrical pickups and the frame to prevent shorting out the pickups, so I can't sand them down. I gently bent the frame out where the truck pin slot is so the trucks would be able to swivel, however the material on the top of the slot won't bend and needs to be ground. Before I do something I can't undo and ruin the underframe, I am requesting photos from other modelers who successfully assembled their drive mechanism on the S2. Thanks, Robert
Update: those last 2 issues resolved. I laser cut a .18mm x 6mm shim with 3mm hole out of mylar, for the unpowered truck. It's super smooth, and the truck swings freely, but I might need to add one more if the wheel flanges short out. I used a tapered round shaft Pounce Wheel (rivet maker wheel) to widen the powered truck gear tower hole a bit so I can get the powered truck in without rubbing. I also laser cut some cab windows while making the shim.
OK, I might not need the unpowered truck shim, as I get further along, I see that the unpowered truck is designed to rub the PC board that the motor is soldered to. I suspect I need to cut that board in half and slide it in, then that acts as a truck tower wiper. Clever design. Instructions would have saved time though.
You might want to use the small springs that come with the MTL couplers on top of the tabs on the unpowered truck to improve electrical pick-up .
For my SW1200, I also soldered wires to the unpowered truck. Works fine until now. /Frank Verstuurd vanaf mijn ANE-LX1 met Tapatalk
The SW1200 & SW1500 designs don’t modify the PC board. I wouldn’t think there would be a significant departure from that design, but looking at the Shapeways renders of the Alco, it looks like there is an extra bit right in the middle where the PC board goes. The thing that weirded me out the most in the previous designs is that all the isolation is provided by the primer layer on the chassis. The primer is a thick enough insulator and it works well. Matt
So as you can see, I laser cut an insulator for the unpowered trucks, where electrical connections are made. I have to cut the PC Board, then slide it in over the mylar insulator with the wiper arc cut in it. This makes a very snug fit that won't need glue, and makes a track for the truck wiper tops to ride in preventing shorts. The bottom washer shim is probably not needed. I also cut cab window glazing, so it has a more finished look when completed.