The trucks will definitely give you more points! Great job so far! Are you trying to have this ready for the next 3rd Division meeting, so it can be judged? Looking forward to judging this for you!
Do they give any extra consideration, or subtract based on scale? Obviously Z would be more challenging as opposed to say HO, due to its smaller size. So I’d think one would be given consideration based on that.
All models and scales are judged the same. There are five different categories that include: Construction, Detail, Conformity, Finish/Lettering, and Scratchbuilt. A model needs to score at least 87 1/2 points in order to earn a merit award. Judges use a matrix scoring chart for each category in order to get a fair score for what the modeler has done. The more work and difficulty of any model regardless of scale will earn more points!
So, I decided I will build 2 at a time, one with the brass shell that I modify, and one that will have a completely scratchbuilt cab. I know the heavy one will pull the best, but the lighter one will earn more points being scratchbuilt. So time to rinse and repeat the past couple days work so I have 2 mechanisms stretched out for the Boxcabs: Make first 2 cuts with razor thin blade: San nubs off both sides smooth: Make another cut carefully leaving material on both sides of cut for gluing extension in: Glue extension material to bottom and sides and clamp the sides tight so the frame stays straight: Glue material for coupler mounting and clamp: Glue second layer of coupler mounting material. DO same for other coupler next: Sand down excess coupler material then drill and tap coupler screw holes: Sand everything nice and smooth to finish the underframe extension:
Laser cut truck sideframes: Glue together more than you need in case one flies off onto oblivion, and put on painting stick then apply primer: Sand truck sideframe detail off Rokuhan trucks, so you can glue the new one on: Temporarily set frame on trucks to compare with previous underframe. Admire and delight in your work so far, then get to work on the air tanks: The air tanks need straps to mount them, so cut copper foil tape and wrap around the tanks: Mount one tank forward to back, and glue the other one side to side: Paint trucks and underframes black: Okay, that's it for today.
Just picked up on this thread Robert Spot on! I sometime believe we Z scale modellers are some of the most inventive in the hobby. Looking at the forums in the U.k the 00/H0 modellers are almost spoon fed with everything they want, be it RTR or Kits. Two of my fellow modellers, who live close to me, sometimes cannot comprehend when they ask "where did you get that from" and I say "I made it" The phrase used to be 'Cheque book modellers' but in the U.K no-one uses cheque books anymore! Kev
Haha! I feel the same way. I look at all the super details ready to run HO and N stuff available these days, and came to the conclusion that the only thing they need to master is a Woodland Scenics landscape learning kit to purchase a contest quality model railroad. In Z Scale if you want it, you have to build it.
Had very little modeling time today. A trip to the bank was met by dead battery, and it was a zoo. After I finished the flying circus I only had time to do the wiring test on one of the mechanisms. So I used this uber flexible 30 gauge silicon wire for the trucks to the board. I added the original car weights and finished the wiring, and not shown was I added a 100 ohm resistor so I can test the mechanism on track with a 9v battery. That limited motor current to 90 milliamps which should be safe, and the mechanism ran forward and back. It was a little balky, but the track and wheels are dirty, and I did not have the weight of the shell on, so I call it a win.
Wow, you never fail to amaze me, time after time! Always loved these little boxcabs ever since Roundhouse did they're HO one decades agao!
So a little switching of gears here, since it's going to be completely scratchbuilt. I decide to change from the demonstrator unit to the production unit that has end doors, because there are so many more photos of them: The measurements are the same, but there are doors on the ends, 2 of those unidentified little boxes on each side of the end doors, and the headlights are moved on the roof instead of above the doors: So I drew up the base shell parts and cut them out today. I was able to raster the rivet detail of the underframe components with the help of Chris333's drawings, the CNW 1000 measurement sheet, and the CNW1000 photo to get a really accurate placement of rivets: I assembles the sides: And once the roof was on I test fit the base shell over the drive mechanism. Here is the side view: And here is the end view:
I *think* those 2 boxes on the ends are sand filler hatches. http://members.trainweb.com/bedt/indloco/errhs.html Also the demonstrator model had sheet metal that wrapped from the side up over the roof and down the other side. Later they had separate roof panels.
What material are you using -- seems to appear to be Polybak/laserboard....but not...? Nice rivet detail and placement solely based on the pic that is provided. Also taking note of the roof panel and the relief lines cut in order to facilitate the necessary roof arc. A small thing to consider, but it also demonstrates great engineering skills.
I sat and thought and thought and could not find a way to cast or make the roof radiators for a couple hours. Then i had an idea... How about layers. So I drew up the idea, and this is the results. It took a long time to assemble one of them, but I will do the other one tomorrow:
Today I finished the roof detail. After building the other radiator I made the smokestack parts, and I am not sire if it's a radio antenna or what, but I made the wire thing between the smokestacks that is supported with 2 stanchions cut down from 1:300 two rope ship stanchions. I turned a small sewing pins to make the vent derail right. All mounted on 2 layers of Polybak: All the other roof details except the headlights were made. The only commercial detail is the steam bell, allowed from the list of excluded details: Next was to make the headlights. I used a V groove but in some plastic tube, then used a silver sharpie to color the inside. I threaded an 0402 LED through then filled it with UV glue to make the lens: Then I sanded wedges out of plastic strip to form the headlight number boards and super-glued to the sides of the headlights to complete the roof detail: And now I can call the roof detail complete, with 61 separate pieces, of which all except the Bell and LED's I had to form or cut myself. That qualifies as a scratchbuilt roof. I'm tired so I'm done for the day:
