Mi-Jack Lists! Hello! Hope everyone had a great Labor Day Weekend. I know Robert Ray did. Damn fine job on those Wood Chip cars. What else did you manage to crank out? Photos, lots of photos! Me, I took Sunday and Monday off from any such Z productivity except my own. Like Robert Ray, I need some time to work on my Z. Was difficult with the fiance' wanting to go here or there, but I did manage to get some stuff done. Decaled my second set of Spine cars, got a third set ready to decal, decaled two of my 89' AC flat cars for a tie-bar Long Runner. Modified some MTL trucks for extended coupler action! Need to attach them later. Watched my GP35's go round and round, and had two consecutive visits from Jeffrey White. Lots of Z talk! Last thing I did was get my brass sheets ready for cleaning and filming for the soon to take place etching process. A little History on this Z scale Mi-Jack project: In July of 2004, with MTL announcing that they had plans to release a Gunderson Husky, I became interested in Intermodal Operations. I used my scratchbuilding techniques to fabricate a Mi-Jack Translift crane using Evergreen styrene plastic. About a month went by and I finally finished it. But, it lacked many details that only etched details could give it. I could have made it all from styrene, but that would have made it very delicate to handle or display. In early 2005 I expanded my knowledge of crafting and bought the new Micro-Mark home etching kit. With some experience, I finally etched the platforms, ladders, and wheel guards for the Mi-Jack. I finally painted the Mi-Jack and applied some decals I made. That is the story of my original Mi-Jack. Ever since scratch building that first Mi-Jack, I have had so many fellow Z scalers tell me they want one. Well, here it is, September of 2006 and they are nearing completion. I doubt I will ever make them again. Nice project though, but I have so many other projects I am working on for other Z scalers. I need to finish these Mi-Jacks so I can continue on with my regular work load. ---------------------------------------------------------- Ok, This morning I have rumaged across my messy desk and finally found the original list for Mi-Jacks. Yes, Mi-Jacks. This is what I have so far. Mi-Jack Kits: John Mui (1) Randy Smidt (1) Bryan Keyser (1) Don Avila (1) Robert Ray (1) Malcolm Cleaveland (1) Jim Manley (1) Mi-Jacks RTR: Juerg Ruedi (1) Jeffrey White (2) Me, Myself, & I (3) These are the two lists I have. I initially wanted to make 10 kits and 10 RTR Mi-Jacks. If you would like to have you name placed on one of these lists, please post me a message now. 7 Kits are reserved with only 3 left. 6 RTR reserved, 4 left. ---------------------------------------------------------- Description of the Z scale Mi-Jack! Kit will include: 11 cast resin detailed parts (complete Mi-Jack body) 13 brass etched parts (handrail/platforms, ladders, wheel guards) Decals Instruction sheet The cast resin parts have been cleaned but might use a little filing or sanding. Not much is needed. Superglue gel is recommended for assembly of both the cast resin parts and the brass to the cast resin. Suggest airbrushing with several light coats. If using spray can, suggest 3oz can of Floquil Reefer Yellow #130031. Hold Mi-Jack at least 18" - 24" away from can and apply several very light coats for a good finish! Decals included to make the Mi-Jack look even more real! Spray a flat clear finish over the decals to protect them. Finished! RTR Mi-Jack will include: One completely assembled, painted, and decaled Mi-Jack. No work required for assembly! Railroad logos will be placed on your Mi-Jack if requested, otherwise just plain Mi-Jack logos applied. Added Extra: I designed this model so that the frame that attaches to the containers will move freely side to side. This will give a bit of realism to your Mi-Jack. With my own Intermodal Yard, I hope to use this for animation purposes, and possibly more! Pricing: Due to the time and materials used to make this Mi-Jack a reality, the cost of each kit is $65 plus $4.05 USPS Priority Shipping. The RTR is $100.00 plus $4.05 USPS Priority Shipping. Shipping overseas is by Airmail Letter Post. Payment is due when I have all kits ready for shipping. Or, if you'd like, you can advance payment. I'll accept a personal check, USPS Money Order, but prefer Paypal. --------------------------------------------------------- OK, there you have it. Simple yet descriptive. If your name is already on one of the list, Thank you. If you find your name is not on one of the lists, and you'd like it to be, post a message to this Trainboard Thread only. Hobo Tim
I can't wait to get mine. I do have one other question, I got your AC Spine Car Decals Tim, but I don't know the placement of the decals. Yesterday I built my 10 cars, and jeff built his 5 cars. I picked up the decals from Rob Kluz at the Columbus convention last year, and just got around to doing my cars, but this morning after the paint had cured, I could not find decal placement? Help? -Thanks, Robert
Tim, Great news on your progress. Can I change mine from kit to RTR? I'd rather pay you to assemble, as I can use the extra time, and you could probably use the cash....... Let me know. I can prepay if you'd like.
Hey, John, I gotta save something for when I retire 30 years from now. ;-) Seriously, I'm getting closer. I just started my Fall/Winter to do list for stuff around the house and for the first time in years it has under 20 items on it, one of which is still working on my basement so I have a place to work. Yes, Tim, the shoebox is a great suggestion, but some of these things need to be done before I even model for 15 minutes a day. ;-) Randy
Another Update! Hah! I swear, for me not being employed, it sure does feel like it. I am either casting resin in molds, cleaning and "resist"-ing sheets of brass, or creating etching artwork, or etching, or exposing resist to UV rays, or stripping, or painting, or decaling! Ugh!!!! This week I have done it all and it seems like I have done nothing! Double Ugh! OK, it is Friday morning at 1:12am and I have just finished etching the first brass fret for the Mi-Jacks. I only did one so far. Will do 7 more tomorrow (I mean today). More after that. I have assembled one completed Mi-Jack. Here it is! TurboCAD Artwork Exposed Brass Etched Brass
Part 2 View of brass attached to Mi-Jack. Another View A view from above! Now, to make several more! Comments Please! Hobo Tim
Tim, That is fine work-- Plez confirm that I'm on the list for a finished model. Are there wheel guards for the outboard sides of the wheels. On the container cranes, hysters and transporters that I have worked with there were guards as the operator may not see an obstical- also emergency stops. Of course that was in "the Beginning" of Container ops and the new gear may have sneeky sensors today. Best, Fred
Tim, That's completely out of my modeling era, but it is a nice chunk of work you got there! Do you use all "homemade" etching methods or did you buy some sort of kit like Micromark? This site makes it seem easy: http://www.geocities.com/nigellawton009/Etching_for_Beginners_Version_5.htm I have just about all he listed except for a laser printer. Because of that I haven't tried it. Also if you do the work your self are you able to do half etches? Just curious because this is one of those thing I think I could do someday.
Tim, It looks really great. Seeing the process you go through is very informative. Thanks for all of your hard work on behalf of Z scale. I can see I'm going to need a new module to hold this beauty. Keep 'em coming! :shade:
Tim - It is truly stunning. A real work of art Could you confirm you got my earlier post and have me on the list for that beauty? Thanks Deane
Ugh! Awake at last! *I must have been really tired! Woke up at 11 am. Of course I got up at 6am to 7am to get my son off to school, but damn I'm tired! *Fred, Deane, both of you have been included on the RTR List! *Fred, if you look closely, you will see the outer wheel guards. The photos don't do justice to that part. Just look at the photo of my yellow Mi-Jack, it has the same guards as the new one does! *Etching; I do all of my own etching at home. I started by using the Micro-Mark etching kit when they first introduced it. I have since improved my etching tank twice. I have thoughts of a newer tank, soon! Anything to make progress faster and simpler. Etching on one side only, as in details, is easily preformed. Just have to know what kind of details you want. It's all in the Artwork you create for the project. It is very easy! If you want to know more, I can send a descriptive email to you! *OK, great to read all the comments on the Mi-Jack progress. It does take alot of work to create something like this, especially to mass produce (at least 10-20), but I have been wanting to make these for almost 2 years now. I find it hard to photogragh progress of my projects, but this time I kept the camera handy. A discipline I need to take up more often! Will post photos when this one Mi-Jack is painted and decaled, soon! All the rest, asap! Thanks for all your support! Hobo Tim
From what little I know, you either iron the image onto the brass or run it through a laminator (heat again) to transfer the image. This is why you need a laser printer, or copier with toner, so the image will transfer with some heat You print the image onto special paper then transfer the image to the brass. The image has to be in exactly the same spot on both sides of the brass so you use register marks, fold the "paper" like a C shape, put the brass in the middle and line up the registration marks. Now the etch will eat through from both sides. If you want detail on one side only, you only need image on that side, but you need something to keep the etch from eating the other side. This is called half etching and you need to watch as it's being etched so it doesn't eat to far into the metal. Or at least that's how I see it.
