After many years I'm finally building a model kit! Easing back in with an InterMountain box car kit. Not on my workbench but on the cabin table. Last time I built one of these I was working away from home staying in a hotel. The little Tupperware sewing kit makes a nice compact travel tool box.
Really nice! I put up my folding tables for the first time in the garage and laid out the modules. getting closer to golden spike moment.
Well at least you are starting out with a 40' boxcar... and not a tank car. Those free standing grabs and ladders can be a real P.I.T.A. so get ready to catch them as they fly off the sprues. I recommend heating the knife blade or razor blade to ease the pressure needed to cut. It will prevent breakage and flying objects. Sent from my SM-J737T using Tapatalk
Those three modules in the front are interlocking Ttrak kits? Who makes those modules? Sent from my SM-J737T using Tapatalk
Thanks for the tip Cal. I cut parts in a clear bag to contain anything going airborne. I broke a piece of brake rigging because the surface of my cutting board was too flexible sitting on the Tupperware lid. Next time I'll use a small piece of strip wood as a backer.
So as I said before my workbench was full of non train stuff. I decided since I can’t work on my truck, I would work on my son’s truck. I pulled him off his PlayStation and had him do most of the work pulling a dash, and changing a heater core. He did pretty good, it took him a while to listen to me when he was trying to stay inside the truck, that he was going to need to get out to get to all the bolts. He finally listened, and the job went smoother. The truck is all back together now, we took it out for a drive. It was nice to drive this one again, I have not been able to for a few months.
All my modules are CMR TTRAK. the corners are CMR 16” rounded corners, with a 14” deep single in the middle. but I’d recommend asking them to make a 15” version so you can run off the shelf 13.75 and 15” unitrak. If I were ordering again that what I would have done. Kato don’t actually make a 16” radius except in 16 super elevated double track. Which means to use them as two 90s you have to go easement >superelevated >easement >easement> superelevated >easement. I dont like that and even my Shinkansen at top speed doesn’t have an issue on regular flat 15”. So what I’m doing for these is 15” unitrack inner and my usual code 80 atlas for outer with unitrack to Tomix ends.
Back on 2/24/21, I posted the an image with a comment about making a bench power supply. Several great suggestions/comments from you guys, so on 2/26, I ordered the following from Aliexpress, shipped from China and in my mailbox today. Pretty good service as customs was most of the delay. At any rate here are some images of the unit. It has posts for 3.3v, 5v, 12v, and variable volts. I have not connected the 24 pin plug as yet and do not know if I will need the resistor mentioned earlier. ATX unit, has dual 8cm fans : The bench power unit ( cost $14.00 ) delivered. Keep you posted, be well, Carl
Wow! Wish I had found that before I built mine. looks really good and, fingers crossed, its just plug and play!
Thanks for the comments ! Chris - you are right, let's hope it is truly plug and play. If not, I may be up the creek but most likely it would be the need for the resistor. I am actually thinking about sectioning out a length of the cable so not so much to deal with. Tim - yes it is DC only. I am also researching making a bench unit and feeding it with a 19v laptop power supply. I have a bunch of parts due in next Monday. It will have a variable voltage outlet plus the following fixed + 3v, 6v,, 9v, and 12v. I need to decide about putting fuses on each output or not, probably be best to do so. Be well ! !, Carl
Here it is, for what it's worth. 3.3v output vs multimeter : 5v output : 12v : variable v's 1.8 - 10.8 At 1st I was a bit miffed that it did not go higher than 10.8v but then I remembered the highest voltage output from the ATX is 12v, so the 10.8 would be about right. The multimeter matched their variable readout all the way through the range, $14.00 investment, not too shabby ! I have not tried the USB port. Be well, Carl
Well done - that’s a huge job. Mine failed last year on my ‘06 Nissan Frontier and I paid a lot of money to have a shop do the repair.
There's not much to build. Just connect the ATX connector from a PC power supply and you are in business!
My next mission is to rebuild the read diff in my 4wd truck. Once I get my Biden Bucks, I’m ordering the parts, and getting the tool I need, then it’s off to work!