2-8-2 kitbash info for RogerT

[lanny]

Hi Roger and all,

Here's a 'new' thread as you suggested, Roger, regarding my 'experimental' kit bash of a Spec Connie into a 'generic ICRR Mike'. In answer to your question, Roger, the front strip is right at 7/32" and the rear strip is right at 23/32". I used .030 styrene stock to cut the strips from. .030 is a little thinner than the Spectrum boiler, though the Spectrum boiler thickness varies a little. The over-all length of my kit bash is very close to the length of the BLI heavy Mike.

These two 'additions' were done in order to get 'close' to the look of an ICRR. However I can't get an 'exact' look of any ICRR series Mikes because most all were Harrimans with 'straight' boilers, slightly taperd inward in the last boiler course to the cab.

The Spectrum Connie boiler is obviously not a 'straight' cylinder ... but I can personally live with that because the valve gear, steam cylinders and cab are very similar if not exactly like ICRR.

I am not a 'measuring person' (I tend to just 'eyeball' things since I am not a 'fine scale' modeler). Thanks to 'Orsonroy' and a couple of my own ICRR CDs, I do have lots of good 2-8-2 photos. And when I have questions ... I just ask Orsonroy - he is a tremendous resource and reference guide!:)

I've posted photos of my #908 but not with the finished boiler. It's all done now and earning 'revenue' on my layout. Here is one photo of the completed unit. I had some great help shortening the tender from my good friend, 'bojangle'.



lanny

[rogertra]

Thanks Lanny.

One more question about the strips.  About how wide are they?

[guslcp]

Hi Lanny...Great job on that "Conmike"...  What did the conversion consist of..??   Did you stretch the Connie..??  Whatever you did...It looks really kool..!!

Gus (LC&P).

[lanny]

One more question about the strips.  About how wide are they?

Hi Roger,

The smokebox strip is .030 x 7/32" white styrene and the rear boiler strip is .030 x 23/32" white styrene.

Gus: Two things ... the photo I included is the completed ICRR Consolidation #908 which required a lot of 'striping' of the Spectrum boiler, adding brass and stryrene correct detail parts (some scratch built), shortening the tender and adding detail parts, and again, scratch building parts (The mechanics of the shortening were done by my good friend 'bojangle')

The photo of the Spectrum Consolidation that I have spliced and stretched is a project I just started. I won't do anymore to it until 'bojangle' works on stretching the chassis and adding the trailing truck. I don't know for sure how he will do that, but will post photos when completed.

I am pretty sure that most everything will be stripped off the boiler for the Spec Connie to Mike conversion and there will be a lot of 'super detailing' and 'scratch building' in this 'kit bash'.

lanny

[rogertra]

One more question about the strips.  About how wide are they?

Hi Roger,

The smokebox strip is .030 x 7/32" white styrene and the rear boiler strip is .030 x 23/32" white styrene.

Thanks Lanny.

I've pasted the two messages and your photo of the 2-8-2 into a word document so I can refer to them when I complete the turntable and roundhouse rebuild.

[Bill Baker]

Lanny,

That is absolutely amazing work!  I have a spare Spectrum consolidation which I may attempt a kitbash myself this coming winter.  Please, be sure and post frame extension pictures when your friend Bojangles completes it.

I pretty well understand your procedures on your boiler extension, but for the life of me I can't figure out how to extend the frame for the trailing wheels.  Particularly where they would be mounted under the cab.

Oh, one addition question on the splicing.  I assume you used a dremmel tool.....did it require a special cutting wheel?  If so what kind?

Well, ok, another question. What grit sandpaper did you use on the squadron putty?

Bill

[rogertra]

Bill.

You NEVER use a Dremel or any powered cutting tool to cut plastic.  Use only a saw for shapes, like boilers, and a knife for flat sheets.

A Dremel or similar tool rotates too fast, even at the slowest speeds, to cut plastic without melting it.  Get a good quality, fine toothed saw, like an X-acto razor saw blade, like this one: -
http://www.artstuff.net/xacto_saw_blades.htm

and use that and carefully cut the boiler.

[lanny]

Hi Bill,

Roger is 'right on' regarding the Dremel tool. I didn't use a Dremel and don't think I ever would. The speed alone would probably melt the styrene before making a cut. I used an Xacto saw blade. I know there is a better way to measure, no doubt, but my cuts were 'eyeballed' and very carefully done 'freehand' ... thankfully they came out pretty straight.

I use a 600 emery paper on Green Squadron putty and 'wet sand' ... I think you can get finer as well.

There are two approaches to lengthening the boiler you should consider. Use .030 styrene stock and carefully bend and glue (difficult, but it can be done ... I did it that way).

Or, get PCV piping ... around 1" diameter (you'll have to check your measurements to make sure its accurate ... or perhaps Plastistuc or some other hobby mfg makes styrene tubing about the correct size. In any case, that would be the easiest in forming the boiler curve.

It will be awhile before I get more done because I just sent it to 'Bojangle' for his expertise in doing the chassis lengthening. I'll post something on the forum when I get it back ... but that probably will be 3 or 4 weeks.

Its very scary the first time you 'chop'/'cut' a Spec. boiler , but go slow and it will be fine.

lanny

[Bill Baker]

Rober and Lanny,

Thanks for the great advice about dremmel tools.  I used one to modify a styrene structure and did run across the speed and melting problems you refered to.  Using a fine tooth saw makes good sense.

I've printed out this thread and will wait until you post the frame modifications.

Again, thanks for the advice.

Bill

[lanny]

Here's a further progress on the ICRR Mike kit bash from a Spec. 2-8-0. My good friend and consumate craftsman, 'Bojangle' did the necessary frame work, etc to install the trailing truck (from a Spectrum 'heavy Mountain'). He also has done some added work on the boiler, including filling in the holes. Next step will be the detailing ... and there will be lots of it!



Lanny

[guslcp]

Lanny...Looks like you got your work cut out for you....It's gonna take a heap of work to get that boiler "shipshape".  Keep us posted on progress and the "how-to's" involved.
Good luck..!!

Gus (LC&P).

[rogertra]

Here's a further progress on the ICRR Mike kit bash from a Spec. 2-8-0. My good friend and consumate craftsman, 'Bojangle' did the necessary frame work, etc to install the trailing truck (from a Spectrum 'heavy Mountain').

Lanny

Lanny.

Any chance of getting a close up or two or three of the frame extension?

Side view (Without the trailing truck) underside etc..

You can send them privately if you don't want to clutter up the board but you never know, others may also be interested.

Guess I'd better order a couple of three Heavy Mountain trailing trucks, while they have them in stock.

[r.cprmier]

Gus;
Hey, Amigo; how's it going?

If anyone can do that job, Lanny can.  Did you see hos posts of his precvious work?  it is really great!

RIch

[lanny]

Hi Rich and all,

First of all a question, Rich ... if you can get 'Baker' trailing trucks that come from the Spectrum Heavy from Bachmann, can you also get 'Delta' trailing trucks that will fit the Spectrum Heavy? The ICRR Mountains used Delta trucks and I thought that it was impossible to get parts like that ordered from Bachmann? Let me know.

Thanks for the kind words ... actually, I haven't done that much as yet. My part will be the detailing/kit bashing. I'll definitely send some 'closeups' when the locomotive comes back from 'Bojangle'. Actually, I can't really take credit for these first steps except for cutting and splicing the boiler. I sent it to him to do the frame extension and he did some resplicing and filling for me as well. He has really helped me with some great modeling advice.

I should also mention that this will not be a totally 'exact' 'rivet for rivet' version of an ICRR Mike (from any ICRR Mike series). The Spectrum Consolidation gear tower sits over the rear driver but in the ICRR Mike prototypes you can see all the way through over the rear driver to the other side.

That's one of the 'concessions' I am making to stay with the great Spectrum mechanism. As far as I can tell in talking with Orsonroy and other ICRR experts, the only way to get a completely prototypically accurate ICRR Mike would be to 'scratch build' the boiler and motor/gearing mechanism, or perhaps, work with a BLI/Athearn mike and replace  the boiler with PCV tubing and do lots of scratc/kit bashing. Both options (which would give a more accurate ICRR Mike) are not 'up my alley' 

I checked out the IHC Mikes, and while they are nice runners I just don't think they would make a very good starting point to kit bash and ICRR Mike (Just my personal opinion). In any case I'm puting my IHC Mike premiers up for sale on eBay

I will post some frame 'close ups' for you and share some of 'Bojangles' advice on how he did it, in the near future.

regards

lanny

[rogertra]

I will post some frame 'close ups' for you and share some of 'Bojangles' advice on how he did it, in the near future.

regards

lanny

I'll be waiting with bated breath.

Thanks Lanny.