HOn30 0-6-0 teakettle steamer...

[shaygetz]

Most of you were preparing to see me build a Booth Kelly 2-6-6-0 mallet from 2 lokeys. Well, I can tell you that a Life-Like 0-6-0 is not the right loco mech to start with. Nothing wrong with it mind you, the frame just doesn't lend itself to the severe modification necessary to make it articulate AND retain both motors. I also would prefer the busier looking Walshearts vale gear found on modern steam. There is a bright side though as I've always wanted to make as small a "teakettle" steamer as I could in a relatively painless and low tech way. Teakettle steam, with its full size bells and headlights has always fascinated me, looking more toy than workhorse.

I'm off to a good start here by removing all obvious N scale details, i.e. 'stack, bell, sand and steam domes, headlight, hand rails, cab super-structure and steps. As the picture shows, I've fashioned a new shotgun stack from 1/8" brass tube and widened the running boards to a scale 12" with my ever faithful styrene signage.

 

[shaygetz]

Let's try that again, shall we?

 

[shaygetz]

This picture shows how I add flanges to the bases of stacks, sand and steam domes. I shape the part to the contour it is to follow, then glue a square of styrene to it. Once dry I carefully clip the excess to within a 1/16" around the part then file it to final shape. I finish it with a fillet of gap filling ACC or Crazy Glue.

 

[shaygetz]

Having an awful time with downloads tonight, let's try that one more time....

 

[shaygetz]

Sunday morning finds an unknown N scale modeler done fainted dead away when he saw I hacked another N scale loco into an HO project. The shop rat is tending to him as I take a few more pics. You'll see new handrails, water and sand hatches and a swing bell (yep, it do swing too).

 

[shaygetz]

Another view shows the start of the cab. The particular prototype this follows did not have headlights or handrails but without 'em, it looked kinder nekkid. The cab is an open air affair most definately designed for the hot sugar cane plantation it was built for. I'll be using it for a tie plant lokey though...or maybe a quarry goat...or....

 

[shaygetz]

Another shot. One of the ways I make it easy on myself is to try to incorperate whatever method the original manufacturer used to attach the body to the mechanism. You'll see the bottom of the original loco wrapped in styrene to hide the body clips.

 

[sumpter250]

I like it already!
At some point, maybe I'll have to do an HOn30 version of my On30 2-8-2. Hmmmmmm.... Got an HOn3 outside frame 2-8-2 to bash out of a MDC 2-8-0 first.
Pete

 

[shaygetz]

Originally posted by sumpter250
I like it already!
At some point, maybe I'll have to do an HOn30 version of my On30 2-8-2. Hmmmmmm.... Got an HOn3 outside frame 2-8-2 to bash out of a MDC 2-8-0 first.
Pete

Thanks, Pete. Keep us posted, we gotta show these younguns that the hardest part of 'bashin' is the first saw cut. After that, yer either commited or cryin'

Sunday afternoon finds Bubba and Crankpin hammerin' out a roof and supports.

 

[shaygetz]

Somebody needs to learn how to center a shot. I found that the easiest way to keep all the roof supports the same height was to make a correct template, rest it on the sills of the cab, then lop off the excess with flush cutting nippers. Hobby Lobby sells these for $6.97. I have no more valuable tool for under $10 in my box.

 

[sumpter250]

we gotta show these younguns that the hardest part of 'bashin' is the first saw cut. After that, yer either commited or cryin'

A long time ago I became convinced that we only really learn from our mistakes. I have made some expensive ones, there are projects which will never be completed, because there is no way to rescue them. But, that's how I learned.

 

[Drew1125]

Great job, shaygetz!

 

[Ray Marinaccio]

Seems to me you made the right choice with that loco. Looks great.
I was thinking that a couple of Bachmann 0-6-0 s powered by a larger motor might work better for the articulated.

 

[shaygetz]

Originally posted by sumpter250
A long time ago I became convinced that we only really learn from our mistakes.

I NEVER make mistakes. As long as I have a modeled junkyard and a scrapbox, I'll only have "redirected usage". I believe the biggest reason more folks don't do it is they forget that they're only building a model, i.e. "I can't build a Climax locomotive." They get brain freeze at the idea behind the model and forget that they don't have to make it WORK like the real thing, they only have to make it LOOK like the real thing.

Thanks Charlie. Ray, I didn't think about that but a small double shafted can motor betwixt the two gear towers just might be the ticket. My only regret on this project is the cost. I built the Goose and the Climax together for about the same price, give or take a buck. I'm still thrilled with it though, it's almost a dead ringer to the one that wowed me when I was 12 years old in the June '72 MR as Model of the Month. I jest hasta be more careful wit me budget

 

[shaygetz]

Monday finds new sand lines, whistle and the roof installed.

 

[shaygetz]

This shot shows the new grabs on the back of the cab.

 

[shaygetz]

This side by side with a standard gauge GP35 shows why I love slim gauge so much. It's hard to believe they are both the same scale. Because " Lil' Sparky" is a woodburner, a spark arrester was made from 2 discs of styrene made with a paper punch and the screen from an old faucet areator trimmed and shaped to size.

 

[shaygetz]

A final overhead before she heads into the paint shop.

 

[Greg Elems]

Great series of shots here Shaygetz. That is a one heck of a neat little tea kettle you’ve made. I will definitely keep this thread in mind when I get the nerve up to hack up an HO version for my On30 fleet. Thanks for the nice step by step work you’ve done.

Greg Elems

 

[shaygetz]

Originally posted by Greg Elems
I will definitely keep this thread in mind when I get the nerve up to hack up an HO version for my On30 fleet.

Thanks Greg, I fully understand the working up the nerve part. Doing the Goose and Climax was easy, their base locomotives were already damaged by a really bad paint job. I bought both locos in one lot for $18. After plunking down 22 bucks for the pristine N scale 0-6-0 that started this project, that first saw cut was not easy. But after that it fell together like an episode of "Monster Garage" Break out that razor saw...and keep us posted.