Bought a San Juan boxcar kit for the heck of it. IMG_1599 by ArtinCA posted Dec 11, 2021 at 11:17 PM IMG_1598 by ArtinCA posted Dec 11, 2021 at 11:19 PM An interesting challenge. Not a beginner kit, but it does build out nice. More photos on my blog as I go..
It's nice to see some high quality plastic kits. How has the part fit been so far? Well-fitting parts can make even the most advanced models a joy to build. The prices on their website don't seem too extravagant either, especially when you consider that they include trucks and couplers, which similarly-priced HO resin models don't even bother with.
Part fit is good, but there is some work (flash, drilling, etc.) The instructions honestly could use some work. But it's not bad. Indeed. That makes a big difference.
First time doing truss rods. The outside ones are bad, but I plan to do another and may swap the turnbuckles for brass ones.
You may want to experiment with this method. Are you leaving the inside of the turnbuckles open, or do you run the wire all the way though? I've used the monofilament method in HO; it's a bit of a compromise. While the wire goes through in one piece, the fact that the wire is clear helps to hide it at first glance. It may actually work better in O scale because the floor beams are larger and stiffer than HO scale. Sometimes if you overtighten, you have tendency to flex or warp the floor.
Monofilament can be a bit fiddly. I have done these in HO and HOn30. Getting it to look straight can at times require really pulling it rather tight. If not quite there, then it shows a slight bowing effect.
