Post by cab4 on Aug 1, 2011 10:22:48 GMT -5
One of my More Recent projects are a set of Silverliner IIIs. These were originally $165 a pop from IHP, and since i didn't model Philadelphia so much, I didn't bother. However, lately these cars have been showing up for ridiculously low prices. I received a pair of them for a combined $35, minus trucks, and then another kit from Texas (don't know who wants one of them there!) that was marked way down.
However, as is the case with old Resin kits, they needed work. The $35 pair were not necessarily seriously damaged, but they weren't in the best shape as far as Alclad II paints are concerned. This paint needs a dead smooth surface, other wise it looks really bad (not only do imperfections shine out, but the paint around reflects the imperfection).
The third kit was brand new and untouched, perfect.
This is a photo of one of the Silverliners straight out of the box. The paint was nasty, there were large ridges on the face where someone had removed the cast on ladder, and holes drilled for grab irons or platforms. They had also been VERY rough around the front windows, removing the window gaskets. There is also a NASTY kink in the model.
I decided to leave the paint alone, having had bad experiences with stripping paint and these Resin models. I did however fill in the holes, and rebuild the window gaskets.
First I attempted to remove the ridges, and then i used VERY thin styrene rod to repair any damaged fluting, as well as to fill in the unnecessary holes. In this picture, you can see the "plugs" before i sanded them all flush. other than some white styrene showing, you can barely tell the face fluting on the model was ever damaged. You can also see where i rolled Tamiya Epoxy puddy into little strings and molded them around the window, making a new window gasket. Way to tedious to do more than once!
Jumping to the finished product, complete with super sensitive Alclad II Chrome paint, you can see that hols and imperfections are now gone.
Another major issue was the severe kinks in the shell and frame. I fixed this by heating up the shell and frame until it was soft, straightening it out by hand, and then plunging it into ice, which seems to have done the trick.
Now all that is required is Lighting (both inside and out), passengers, Grab Irons, door chains, and horns (the horns are tricky to find). I'm waiting to do these until after my third unit is done.
Here are the current running pair, #225 and #236. Pantographs were installed by drilling pilot holes and then taping them for 1/90 screws. The insulators are very weak and would tear away if you tried to twist the screw directly into a drilled hole.
Here is the Current kit. IHP molded steps on both ends (steps are only needed on the pantograph end). I shaved these off flush with a razor blade and used fine sand paper to polish the plastic. I also used a razor to remove the window flash carefully. I'm going to paint it with the rest of my projects in line for Alclad Paints (Arrow IIIs, PATCO cars).
Here is the model loosely held together outside of the box-
Here are all the main parts laid out. Its a simple kit
Using an exacto knife to scrape the ladder off, holding it flush with the surface as to not mar the face of the Silverliner. Done right, it will smoothly scraped any imperfection off the surface.
You be the judge if you think i did a good job!
Here i'm clearing the window flash. I use the SIDES of the blade, not the bladed itself. The flash tends to tear away before the rest of the model, and so just by using pressure, you can shear off the window flash flush with the window frame without marring the sides.
trying to slice it smooth risks marring the edges, and filing/sanding takes forever. If the window flash isn't to thick, this works pretty good. If it is thick, it might pay to sand it BEHIND the shell first, then do this.
This is the model in it's current state. I'll add paint, windows, and a pantograph as soon as my other models are ready for similar work.
Here is a prototype picture of #225-
However, as is the case with old Resin kits, they needed work. The $35 pair were not necessarily seriously damaged, but they weren't in the best shape as far as Alclad II paints are concerned. This paint needs a dead smooth surface, other wise it looks really bad (not only do imperfections shine out, but the paint around reflects the imperfection).
The third kit was brand new and untouched, perfect.
This is a photo of one of the Silverliners straight out of the box. The paint was nasty, there were large ridges on the face where someone had removed the cast on ladder, and holes drilled for grab irons or platforms. They had also been VERY rough around the front windows, removing the window gaskets. There is also a NASTY kink in the model.
I decided to leave the paint alone, having had bad experiences with stripping paint and these Resin models. I did however fill in the holes, and rebuild the window gaskets.
First I attempted to remove the ridges, and then i used VERY thin styrene rod to repair any damaged fluting, as well as to fill in the unnecessary holes. In this picture, you can see the "plugs" before i sanded them all flush. other than some white styrene showing, you can barely tell the face fluting on the model was ever damaged. You can also see where i rolled Tamiya Epoxy puddy into little strings and molded them around the window, making a new window gasket. Way to tedious to do more than once!
Jumping to the finished product, complete with super sensitive Alclad II Chrome paint, you can see that hols and imperfections are now gone.
Another major issue was the severe kinks in the shell and frame. I fixed this by heating up the shell and frame until it was soft, straightening it out by hand, and then plunging it into ice, which seems to have done the trick.
Now all that is required is Lighting (both inside and out), passengers, Grab Irons, door chains, and horns (the horns are tricky to find). I'm waiting to do these until after my third unit is done.
Here are the current running pair, #225 and #236. Pantographs were installed by drilling pilot holes and then taping them for 1/90 screws. The insulators are very weak and would tear away if you tried to twist the screw directly into a drilled hole.
Here is the Current kit. IHP molded steps on both ends (steps are only needed on the pantograph end). I shaved these off flush with a razor blade and used fine sand paper to polish the plastic. I also used a razor to remove the window flash carefully. I'm going to paint it with the rest of my projects in line for Alclad Paints (Arrow IIIs, PATCO cars).
Here is the model loosely held together outside of the box-
Here are all the main parts laid out. Its a simple kit
Using an exacto knife to scrape the ladder off, holding it flush with the surface as to not mar the face of the Silverliner. Done right, it will smoothly scraped any imperfection off the surface.
You be the judge if you think i did a good job!
Here i'm clearing the window flash. I use the SIDES of the blade, not the bladed itself. The flash tends to tear away before the rest of the model, and so just by using pressure, you can shear off the window flash flush with the window frame without marring the sides.
trying to slice it smooth risks marring the edges, and filing/sanding takes forever. If the window flash isn't to thick, this works pretty good. If it is thick, it might pay to sand it BEHIND the shell first, then do this.
This is the model in it's current state. I'll add paint, windows, and a pantograph as soon as my other models are ready for similar work.
Here is a prototype picture of #225-
