Garden Railway Forum

The current wife gave me an IP Railcar for Christmas and I made a start back in January. On my return to the shed yesterday I found that the conditions had not been kind to the components.



It didn't take much to make it fall apart so it has been reduced to the sum of it parts and stained before it gets braced and reassembled.



I gave it a quick coat of stain as I was wanting a wood finish but this seems to show the grain off across the whole panel and some what ruins the appearance of planks.

Agreed Jim... my main complaint about the manufacture of wooden kits is the lack of thought in producing panels with the grain running in the correct direction. I know it is done to fit as many parts within a given area of material but any additional cost would be minimal and I'm sure would encourage more sales.

It looks like the bits are bowed as well by damp?

It could be damp I suppose, they have bowed inwards on the score lines.

Guess extreme heat wouldn't have helped, I'm sure some good glue and some heavy weights will cure it.

I think I will give up on the wood effect and brace it with some brass angle. I suppose that any little critter such as this is unlikely to have remained pristine so perhaps a good slathering of battleship grey on the timber work and PMR blue on the tin work might look the part.

I am slightly reluctant to try and correct the bowing without a good bit of bracing as it may occur again.

I would go for either plywood or subtsantial stripwood as bracing stuck with PVA under weights to keep flat. I have doubts about the adhesive properties between brass and timber with the chance of further movement and differing expansion rates.

Peter Butler wrote: ↑Wed Jul 18, 2018 10:28 am Agreed Jim... my main complaint about the manufacture of wooden kits is the lack of thought in producing panels with the grain running in the correct direction. I know it is done to fit as many parts within a given area of material but any additional cost would be minimal and I'm sure would encourage more sales.

+1 on this. It's a great shame, and spoils many models.

I really don't know what to do with these.
I think they are far to bad to try and straighten as the amount of bracing needed will stick out like a sore thumb.

Lineside wreck?

Present from the current wife, so perhaps not.

I was think that it is the sort of little critter that would have been built in house so perhaps a more rough and ready body may be the answer.

I have just found some plank pattern plasticard.
The planks are approx 2mm wide.

(Scuffles for fag packet, sums for doing of on. Blast packed up smoking. Erm, hang on......)

Scale 1 1/2 inch wide, too narrow methinks.

Never say never Jim, bring them with you next time we meet and I will try to fix the problem. Other than that I will show you how to scribe Plastikard planking.
Congratulations on giving up smoking!

Thank you Peter that sounds good.

Big Jim wrote: ↑Thu Jul 19, 2018 9:01 pm I really don't know what to do with these.
I think they are far to bad to try and straighten as the amount of bracing needed will stick out like a sore thumb.

Jim,
I'd be tempted to try laminating them again. Get some thin ply of the same thickness or slightly thicker, turn the grain the other way and glue the bowed sides to it using generous amounts of waterproof PVA, then leave it under heavy weights for about a week. That should hopefully straighten things out and give you a more rigid vehicle eventually. With more 'meat' at the corner joins you might find no extra bracing is required but if it is, I'd use short pieces of quadrant moulding.

What kind of plywood is that? I've never had any warp that bad and I've done my share of laser cutting (and still do).

Busted Bricks wrote: ↑Fri Jul 20, 2018 4:45 pm What kind of plywood is that? I've never had any warp that bad and I've done my share of laser cutting (and still do).

Cr@p plywood I presume.

Seriously though, 1mm