Time on my hands?

Hi Nigel. Thank you for your reply. Two types, which is most useful, or do they do different jobs?Best wishes Kevin 

Different jobs, one to soften the transfer and allow it to sink into in nooks and cracks/gaps (between planks) or over strapping/framing/bolt heads, the other one is to gently melt the  the transfer so that it blends with the finish. No "patches". Go gently with this one, as it can melt the transfer if overdone. Nothing complicated to this, both are simply painted over the transfer when it is in position and dry. Repeat as necessary. There is a third one to put on prior to putting the transfer down. Basically reduces the surface tension so the transfer sinks rather than floats. Drop of water usually does the job. If you have ever hung wallpaper it's a doddle, if not it requires some practice.


Nigel

Hi Nigel. Thank you for your reply.   Wallpaper? Alas, Mum was responsible for that job, I was better at stripping off the old stuff. Meanwhile , I had better learn about weathering if only to cover up my errors. Best wishes Kevin 

Not done any decals myself Kevin, but a lot of people on another forum I'm on swear by this stuff.

https://www.humbrol.com/uk-en/decalfix-125ml-bottle.html


Ed

Hi Ed.  Thank you for your reply. I have just looked at Humbrols ad on how to do it, and it looks very good .Best wishes Kevin 

Hi Nigel.  Having emailed Dapol on the subject of Couplings for their Presflo Wagon Kits, today I received a reply. They mentioned parts for tension lock Couplings. “ The pockets provided are not NEM’s”.
It looks like I will have to do my own experiments and trial runs, as I haven’t got any confidence that the plastic will support Kadees, and will have to check out the NEM pockets as recommended by Jeff (SR Man) from Parkside and then fit the, droopy Kadees and prop them up. There is a note about some parts maybe out of shape, remedy place in bowl of warm water and bend to shape? Sounds a bit dodgy to me. The Magnets came from York Magnets today and I realised that although they are excellent for holding “square flat parts together “ they do not work so well with the Presflo Wagon Kits as they are neither square nor flat.   Best wishes Kevin 

Kevin, the droopy Kadee couplers is not the fault of the coupler but the box they sit.

It was known many years ago that some plastic kits needed some warmth to get them back into shape.

Hi Kevin,

The Parkside kit is the mounting block, not the NEM pocket. Unless this has changed since I last bought them.This provides a triangular mortise into which the tenon-NEM pocket found on Bachmann NEM tension lock couplers is attached. You will need the mounting block and Bachmann NEM couplers, the tension lock part gets binned. 

Makes this method expensive and wasteful. Adjusting the height is a pain as well, as usually some of the mounting block height has to be taken off, and the blocks have to be glued on, no mounting ho!es. This is a weak point. See my post of several years ago on how to do this.

I have gone back to using regular gear boxes and whisker couplers, which can be glued and screwed using self-tapping screws or a regular screw going into an undersized drilled hole.

Kadee will even do most of the work for you for a bit more. Set #3 is 4 assembled #148 medium length, center set whisker couplers mounted in gear boxes. Shim to height, glue and screw, or shim to height and screw. Gaugemaster has these, £7.00, enough for 2 wagons. 

One of the issues with most plastic freight kits is the design has not been updated to accommodate coupler changes. Some of the Dapol masters date back to Airfix days.
Caveat emptor.

Nigel

Edit. I just checked, the post was 6 years ago.

Hi Nigel. Thank you for your reply. Just my luck. But I will do my best to get over it. Best wishes Kevin 

Hi Ron. Thank you for your reply. Many years ago, when I was earning, I wouldn’t have bothered with Kits and in all probability if I had not been recommended to this kit and if RTR Presflo Wagons were a available now I would have saved up for them. But I will press on regardless. Best wishes Kevin 

Hi Kevin,

The price difference between a RTR Presflo and the kit is only about £4.00. And the RTR from their pictures comes with Dapol pockets (their version of the NEM 362). Which with a sliver of styrene as a shim and minimal fettling will accept Kadee NEM couplers without the droop. I am not sure what the kit comes with. Probably depends on the vintage. 

If you add in the time this takes you are probably better off buying the RTR version. It can get tedious and frustrating retro-fitting Kadees when a model wasn't designed for it and/or the manufacturer does not use NEM standards.

Nigel

Hi Nigel.   Thank you for your reply. Apart from adding wagons to my layout, there is the “ Occupational Challenge “.As for my fingers not wanting to follow my wishes, I need all the challenges that will be found in model making .
Best wishes Kevin 

Hi Nigel. I have come up with another question, the Dapol Presflo Wagon C40, the bodywork went together without a problem, but, now that I have started on the chassis 1/ do I assemble the chassis around the wheels or 2/ do I assemble the chassis and then squeeze in the wheels afterwards ?  Best wishes Kevin 

Hi Kevin,

Afterwards when the plastic has hardened after gluing together. Leave it a few days. Never tried doing it wheels first with a plastic kit. Good point though. I have attached one side and then worked out where the other one goes using the wheel set when building to EM gauge.


I have done it wheels first with white metal kits. Not so flexible as plastic. Easier to use split axles and a sleeve.


Nigel

Hi Nigel.  Thank you. It is the way that they illustrate the instructions . In the third “ box “ maybe it is space saving, whereas if the chassis assembly was in the third box, and fitting the wheels was in another box, I wouldn’t have needed to pose the question. Painting could be another issue?   Best wishes Kevin 

Hi Nigel.   I have fitted the side frames, the wheels are in, and the glue is set on the ends , that support the Couplings.It rolls well, now there are a lot of fiddly bits to fit. And when/ if as it is the first one it is complete. There is the job of painting, and in such a way to allow the wheels to roll as before. Plus of course the weight. Best wishes Kevin 

Hi Kevin,

Wheels out when painting. Cover the bearings on the inside with a small square of masking tape.


Nigel

Hi Nigel. Thank you for your reply. That reminds me on these kits the bearings are plastic, which doesn’t seem as good as the separate brass ones.  Best wishes Kevin 

Hi Nigel and interested parties. Somewhere on this fine forum I have read about British outline Rolling stock being too light for its own good. I have a bunch of Dapol RTR Wagons that I fitted with Kadee Couplings, and whilst I was about it , I added liquid lead. It strikes me that as my Kits haven’t got any weight at all, answer, more liquid lead, but, how much? Kit building is an interesting diversion, but will I bother with it again??? “ Answers on a Post Card “. Best wishes Kevin 

There is a formula Kevin - I should know it because I've asked often enough.  If you look up NMRA standards, the suggested weights are there.  I you can't find it - Sol is your man.