- Hand rail casting (15/JAN/2008) This was an experiment I had done. It is an Athearn GP38-2/40-2 handrail cast in dental steel. Small sections can be done like this, but not the long hood side hand rail sets.
- KATO Frame Milling Fixture (09/SEP/2008) This fixture allows me to securely hold and cut a KATO SD40/SD45 frame.
- Building EMD Sealed Cab Doors (10/SEP/2008) Basically take a Cannon & Co. cab door and glue it over the existing cab door. Before gluing the door in place, cut the windows larger on the existing door so you can install the glass in the Cannon door from the inside after painting.
- Atlas GP Inertial Hatch Removal Tool (20/SEP/2008) This is a very simple tool. It consists of a piece of 3/4" thick aluminum plate squared up. The Atlas hood fits perfectly over the plate and is very snug. I then cut the necessary recesses in the plate to allow the hood to fit properly. With the hood in place I can then use my mill to remove the inertial filter hatch so I can replace it with a much nicer Cannon & Co. part. This tool greatly simplifies the hatch removal procedure and keeps the roof line square.
PHOTO #1 - tool PHOTO #2 - tool with hood in place PHOTO #3 - inertial filter hatch removed PHOTO #4 - New bridge at rear of inertial compartment replaced. When removing the hatch, the part that bridges the hood sides at the rear of the inertial roof is very thin and breaks off during the milling process. I used a piece of 0.030" x 0.125" strip styrene to rebuild it.
- Plano Model Products High Hood Bell Bracket (27/OCT/2008) Today I received a detail part from Keith at Plano Model products that he says he has had for some time. If this is something you would like to see as a production part, I suggest you contact Keith and voice your wants. Also, Keith is not sure if the part is to the correct size so if there is someone out there who DOES have the correct dimensions for this bracket, please forward them on because I know Keith would like to have them so he can deliver a very correct part.
This bracket is an very easy part to build. It consist of the bracket which is all a fold up assembly, two gusset plates that fit into half etched grooves and the top bell mount bolt plate.
- New Tool (14/DEC/2008) This is a very simple tool that allows me to easily clean up any flash on the outside of a Cannon & Co. upper fan shroud without the fear of crushing the ring between my fingers. I have not done that yet, but I can see it happening. The ring fits snug around the and the tool has a ridge that the ring stops against so I can hold it firmly in place and scrap off any flash. PHOTO
