STEPS 6A, 6B & 6C
BUILDING A SOUTHERN TUXEDO GP7 by BOB HARPE
YOU WILL NOTICE THAT I AM DOUBLING UP ON YOU TONIGHT, BUT YOU'VE GOT THE
ENTIRE WEEK END TO COMPLETE THESE SIMPLE STEPS. ;-)
STEP 6A) SEE PIC BELOW:
THIS STEP AND STEP 6B ARE OPTIONAL, BUT WILL ADD TO THE PROTOTYPICAL
APPEARANCE OF YOUR MODEL AND ARE NOT DIFFICULT TO COMPLETE.
REMOVE THE EXISTING EXHAUST STACKS AND SAND CAREFULLY WITH 400 WET OR DRY AND
FINISH WITH 600 WET OR DRY SANDPAPER. YOU WILL NOTICE IN THE PIC 6A THAT THE
OUTLINE FOR THE NEW DA STACKS CAN BE SEEN WHEN YOU HAVE REMOVED THE OLD
STACKS.
STEP 6B) SEE TO PIC BELOW:
REPLACE THE OLD STACKS WITH DA 2402. ALLOW TO DRY COMPLETELY.
STEP 6C) SEE PIC BELOW:
WE WILL COMPLETE THE ADDITION OF ALL THE DETAILS THAT ARE TO BE ADDED TO THE LONG
HOOD. YOU CAN INSTALL THE LIFT RINGS, SAND FILLER, SPARK ARRESTORS, GRAB IRON, THE
BRASS GRAB IRON BEHIND THE CAB AND THE FOUR P2K FAN GRILLS.
I WOULD SUGGEST USING AN ACC TYPE CEMENT OR CYANOPOXY TO INSTALL THE FOUR FAN
GRILLS AS THESE PARTS ARE MADE OF DELRIN AND MODEL CEMENT WILL NOT HOLD THESE
DETAILS IN PLACE.
HINT: APPLY YOUR ACC OR CYANOPOXY WITH THE TIP OF A SHORT PIECE OF .012 BRASS
WIRE DIPPED IN THE ADHESIVE. APPLY THE ADHESIVE SPARINGLY TO THE RIMS OF THE
FAN HOLES ON THE ROOF TOP AND THEN CAREFULLY INSTALL THE FAN GRILLS. HOLD IN
PLACE WITH YOUR FINGER TIP UNTIL THE ACC DRIES.
Bob Harpe
QUESTION:
Done, :o)
THIS PROJECT IS REALLY MAKING ME LOOK AT THE PROTOTYPE MORE SO THAN EVER BEFORE. AS I HAVE DISCUSSED WITH YOU OFF LIST, I'M DOING A DIFFERENT GP-7 AND DIFFERENT ERA. I'M BUILDING #2195 WHICH HAS DYNAMIC BRAKES AND MODELING 1960-62 TIME FRAME WHICH PRE-DATES SOME OF YOUR MODIFICATIONS. BUT, I'M USING AN UNDEC PROTO 2000 WITH DYNAMIC BRAKES, SO MUCH IS SIMILAR. ALL WELL AND GOOD FOR ME AS I'M STILL LEARNING A LOT FROM THIS SERIES.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF OBSERVATIONS AND A QUESTION AT THIS POINT. ON MY MODEL, I
INSTALLED THE FAN GRILLS AND THE FANS AS WELL. I'M UNSURE IF YOU HAVE PUT IN THE
FANS AND THE "BLACK BACKING" MATERIAL AS WELL AS THE GRILLS. I HAVEN'T INSTALLED
THE BLACK BACKING MATERIAL YET. ADVISE/ADVICE PLEASE.
AGAIN, ON MY MODEL, THESE PARTS (GRILLS AND FANS), GLUED IN PERFECT WITH TESTOR'S
LIQUID PLASTIC CEMENT. THE PARTS JUST DIDN'T "FEEL" LIKE DELRIN TO ME, SO I TRIED
IT AND IT WORKED. ODD TO ME, BECAUSE ON A COUPLE OF LIFELIKE SD-7'S I BUILT (FROM
UNDEC MODELS), ALL OF THE DETAIL PARTS WOULDN'T HOLD WITH THIS CEMENT OR ACC.
SURPRISINGLY, ACC JUST SAT THERE AND DIDN'T EVEN HARDEN UP. I THINK ALL THOSE PARTS
WERE DELRIN. I HAD TO USE A WHITE GLUE CALLED R/C-56 THAT DID A GREAT JOB. THIS
WAS SEVERAL YEARS AGO. ODD INDEED. ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS EXPERIENCE?
FINALLY, I NOTICED ON STEP 7B, YOU STATED TO USE A SPACER FOR THE GRAB IRONS AND THE
SIZE INDICATED IS .030 BY .250 INCHES. I THINK YOU MEANT .030 BY .125 WHICH IS 1/8"
WHICH FITS NICELY BETWEEN THE GRABS. IS THIS A CASE OF THE "FAT FINGERS" OR ARE YOU
TRYING TO SEE IF WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION?? HA HA.
THIS IS REALLY FUN AND I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR TAKING US THROUGH THIS PROJECT.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND ALL.
MIKE GARBER
ANSWER:
THE SPACER USED IN PIC 7B IS .030 THICK, ALMOST 3 SCALE INCHES AND .250 OR
1/4 " WIDE WHICH FITS PERFECTLY BETWEEN THE TWO LEGS OF THE GRAB IRONS AND IS
NARROW ENOUGH TO NOT COVER THE GRAB HOLES.
THE GRABS THAT I HAVE MEASURED ON SR LOCOMOTIVES ARE ALMOST 3" - 3 1/2" FROM
THE BODY AND I JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE SOME .030 THICK PLASTIC ON HAND SO THAT'S
WHAT I USED.
I DO NOT INSTALL THE FANS UNTIL THEY ARE PAINTED A SILVER/GREY COLOR AND THE
ENTIRE
LOCOMOTIVE HAS BEEN PAINTED, DECALED AND READY FOR WEATHERING. THIS GOES FOR
THE BLACK COVERS ALSO.
BOB HARPE
QUESTION:
I NOTICED YOU ARE ADDING DA EXHAUST STACKS IN STEP 6A. DID I MISS AN UPDATE ON THE PARTS LIST? THE LIST I HAVE DOESN'T HAVE THOSE LISTED. I GUESS I WILL HAVE TO FORCE MYSELF TO GO TO THE TRAIN STORE AND GET SOME!! ;-)
MICHAEL T. GILMORE
I DIDN'T LIST THESE DETAILS ON THE ORIGINAL PARTS SHEET, BUT AFTER LOOKING AT
THEM AND SEEING THE DIFFERENCE, I THOUGHT I'D ADD THEM TO THE MODEL.
I DID MARK THAT STEP AS OPTIONAL THOUGH BECAUSE THE P2K STACKS REALLY DON'T
LOOK THAT BAD AND THEY CAN BE USED AND YOU'LL STILL HAVE A NICE MODEL WHEN
IT'S COMPLETE.
BOB HARPE
QUESTION:
SORRY FOR THE LATE POST. MY AOHELL QUIT ON ME FOR ABOUT 12 DAYS SO I GOT A
LITTLE BEHIND ON THE PROJECT.
AT ANY RATE. I'VE PICKED UP MOST THE PARTS ALREADY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 2
THINGS. THE FIRST IS THE EVERGREEN CHANNEL. THE ORIGINAL PART # WAS
INCORRECT AND I REMEMBER THE CORRECT ONE BEING POSTED BUT I CAN'T FIND
MENTION OF IT NOW. SECONDLY IS THE .024" BRASS WIRE. THE CLOSEST THING I
CAN FIND IS DA .022" AND K&S .025" BRASS WIRE. OF THE 2 SIZES, WHICH WOULD
BE THE BETTER CHOICE?
THANKS IN ADVANCE AND SORRY AGAIN ABOUT THE LATE POST.
JOSH BLEVINS
DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE EVERGREEN CHANNEL AS I DON'T THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO USE
IT ON THIS MODEL THE WAY THE TANK AREA IS MADE.
THE .025 BRASS WIRE WILL WORK IN PLACE OF THE .024 WIRE LISTED ON THE PARTS
LIST.
BOB HARPE
© Bob Harpe 2003
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