1. husafreak

    husafreak TrainBoard Member

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    Decals! I need to put together a sheet of the graphics I need. I think it would be good to get one sheet together for all my loco projects. Doing them one at a time is too expensive and wasteful. And I also understood nothing you just said!
    Except about the Floquil Primer, best I ever used, I went through many bottles of that stuff when I was building architecture models. No matter the final paint that lacquer primer was the finest.
     
  2. LWR21

    LWR21 TrainBoard Member

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    Hi Rob, there's a DVI to HDMI adapter that I've used for my old XP machines that I use for CAD. There's a few on amazon for around $10USD.
     
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  3. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    Perfect, ordered and arriving Sunday. Found one with a 6' cable for $7.50 shipped and taxed. This gives me time to prep and paint another S2 shell before decalling them.
     
  4. Curn

    Curn TrainBoard Member

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    I run Correl Draw 12 in a VM of Windows XP using Virtual Box. USB or serial connected printer should pass through to the VM form the host.

    I'm going to have to build one or two of these Alcos.
     
  5. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    I have tried using the USB to parallel adapters with my Alps, but the MD1000 just don't play with them well. It will send a print command, but since I use spot mode, the printer needs to send an "I finished printing that layer, which layer do you want to print next?" command back to the printer driver. ( I am told it can only be done through the proper centronics prototcol)

    When the print driver receives this signal, the paper scrolls to the beginning, and I can open the tray, and change out the printer ribbon for another spot color. I almost always use 5 or more spot colors, but can only hold 4 ribbons. So what I like best about the feature is that I can examine the previous layer printed, and if some of the ink lifted, print the same color again until it looks like good coverage.
     
  6. gmorider

    gmorider TrainBoard Member

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    I am more computer centric than electronics centric. (do I sound like millennial geek speak?) Anyway, you are the man. I can learn a lot from associating with folks like you. However, I sometimes have to make decisions about things so as not to get distracted from what I need to do.Which I am doing right now a little. :) fyi, also listening to the drip, drip drip oustside. rain in forecast for next two days. :rolleyes:
     
  7. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    So, I have, in my hot little hands, a 250W American Beauty:
    [​IMG]

    I bought it maybe 15 years ago, so mine has a silver panel, but is the same model number. The intent was to use it to assemble all the etched brass kits I have, which is a significant quantity, and to hand lay code 40 turnouts. Needless to say, it has spent most of it's life sitting, or loaned out to friends of mine, but I have never actually used it other than a few test solder joints. I was polishing my second S2 shell today, and started to think I could apply the handrails with this baby, and that the end of the handrail that attaches to the cab, would be actually soldered instead of superglued, which might make it hold better.

    What say you, have any of you ever messed with a resistance soldering rig before?
     
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  8. tjdreams

    tjdreams TrainBoard Member

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    I've had the 100W version for 5 or 6 years now. i bought it to build one of ZThek's SW1 Brass switcher bodies. Like anything else it took some time and practice to get good with it. A lot of trial and error to figure out the heat setting vs material thickness.

    It works great for attaching feeder wires to the track with out melting the ties in the slightest. I've also used it to start on a scratch built Brass building. Which reminds me now that i finally found the brass parts I was missing i need to finish it and try to build that SW-1 kit. I hadn't thought about using it to attach the grab irons & handrails to the brass shells. Defiantly worth a try, soldering them on should hold a lot better than glue. Just got to watch the heat setting so you don't melt/ disintegrate the etched parts.

    I'll be keeping a eye on this thread to see how it works out for you.

    David
     
  9. Curn

    Curn TrainBoard Member

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    I have the same American Beauty resistance solder unit. It takes some practice, especially with thin materials like the handrails. Even with the tweezer handle, some helping hands are very useful. I use it mostly for track work/feeders. With my skill level, I would be hesitant to use it to solder the handrails, but I suppose with some practice on scrap materials, I would be willing to give it a go. But that is actually the reason I haven't built my Toma brass shay yet. Maybe I should probably buy one of those relatively cheap Metal Earth model kits and use that to learn how to solder etch parts.
     
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  10. bostonjim

    bostonjim TrainBoard Member

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    I have never used one. I have a Train Cat double-track girder bridge that needs that to construct it correctly. I can't imagine constructing it with CA. I still have a stash of brass kits waiting for the time I get a resistance soldering set. Meanwhile, there are other projects to work on that use only glues and solvents. That does look handy for a lot of track work projects. Jim
     
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  11. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    I had that same Train Cat bridge, but gave it away for Christmas. I plan on making my bridges to match specific prototypes going forward.
     
  12. bostonjim

    bostonjim TrainBoard Member

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    You are certainly able to do that with your skills. I wish I had gotten 2 of them since there were two underpasses on our block that had them. The viaduct had a varied combination of bridges. Most were girder-style but there was a small truss bridge and a couple of stone arch bridges. Your motto is spot on. You've got to get them while they are available. It doesn't look like TrainCat is still operating. Too Bad. I liked there stuff. Take care. Jim
     
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  13. southernnscale

    southernnscale TrainBoard Supporter

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    Yea I hate they have changed there shipping and work ! Now it just takes to long!
     
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  14. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    So, I had relatives from Hawaii in town the past week, and did not do any modeling. I did however receive the DVI to HDMI dongle I needed to connect my decal printer thin client to my TV, and load the thin client with Corel Draw 9, and the Alps MD 1000 printer driver. That's all I can install on that thin client because it only has 512 megs of storage, and there is only 30 megs left. Not a problem because I tested that the printer works printing decals from a thumb drive through Corel Draw 9. Then I turned on the write prevent after installing, so nothing can change on that thin client. Whatever you do to it, windows will revert back just as it was when you powered up. Windows XP SP2, Alps MD 1000 driver 2.3.2, and Corel Draw 9. (It already had TightVNC, and a few other thin client apps installed from Wyse) Nothing else! Ever!

    So here are the first decals I have drawn up and printed in over 8 years:
    [​IMG]

    There was a slight bit of white ink lifting on the finest text (the white Safety First stencle that goes on the loco steps), which was a problem I was battling 10 years ago when I started getting white ribbons manufactured for the MD 5500 printer. It was thought that the wax ink needs to be hotter for the new formulation white ink, but as a workaround, I just print extras on each sheet in hopes that I can overlay 2 bad ones and they will fill in the missing data.
    [​IMG]

    I print the decals, then paint a layer of Microscale Liquid Decal Film over the printing to seal it into a waterslide decal. Once the liquid decal film dries, I can apply the decals to my shell.
    [​IMG]
     
  15. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    More progress, I added the signature NP steam bell that all NP Diesel switchers were outfit with, applied the decals, and painted the handrails safety yellow:

    [​IMG]

    This is an extremely satisfying model, and by applying seperately formed grab irons, the bell, making and applying my own decals, and all that is yet to come, I have extracted the maximum modeling pleasure for this offering. Thanks Rudy, this model has brought back that old time modeling excitement I had lost 10 years ago!

    I so much hope you make an RS11, as that model would be so satisfying and so much fun.
     
  16. JoeS

    JoeS TrainBoard Member

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    Wow! Robert that looks great. Ok you made the Bell? How did you do that?

    The bell really does give a different character.
     
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  17. ZFRANK

    ZFRANK TrainBoard Member

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    Shell came out very well!

    Verstuurd vanaf mijn ANE-LX1 met Tapatalk
     
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  18. minzemaennchen

    minzemaennchen TrainBoard Member

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    Here is my version in Seaboard Coast Line colours. It’s the shell without the grab irons, because Shapeways stuffed up....only extra are bi-directional LED lights
    [​IMG]
     
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  19. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    Very nice Gerd, I see you added window glazing too. Those Zebra Stripes look great too!

    I wish the NP had those "Zebra Safety Stripes" on the steps too, instead they have a "Safety First" slogan stenciled on the steps.
     
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  20. shortpainter

    shortpainter TrainBoard Member

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    Excellent work, guys!
     
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