It's Done!!!

[2-8-2]

I wanted to come here and vent before I sent them an email. I received the engine at my lunch break from work today, and was furious for the better part of the day. I doubt I could've put together a friendly email.

My crappy digital camera wouldn't have taken decent pics, and I had been out looking for a new one anyway. So tonight I finally got a nice one. After I get things figured out, I'll take some pics and post them here for you guys to review. I dunno, maybe I'm being too picky. I've asked a few friends what they thought about the engine, and they can all see the defects as easily as I could.

 

[Russ Bellinis]

I wanted to come here and vent before I sent them an email. I received the engine at my lunch break from work today, and was furious for the better part of the day. I doubt I could've put together a friendly email.

My crappy digital camera wouldn't have taken decent pics, and I had been out looking for a new one anyway. So tonight I finally got a nice one. After I get things figured out, I'll take some pics and post them here for you guys to review. I dunno, maybe I'm being too picky. I've asked a few friends what they thought about the engine, and they can all see the defects as easily as I could.

If the defects are so obvious that freinds can see them easily without you pointing them out first, I think that is a good indication that it was not a very professional job. I still would urge you to do as I suggested. There is no point in worrying or fretting over what they might or might not do. Give them an opportunity to fix it, and decide what to do afterwards based on what they decide to do, not on conjecture.

 

[2-8-2]

Here you can see how misaligned the decal is. Also visible is the striped coloring I described in an earlier post. As noted before, this shouldn't even be a decal, it should've been painted on.

The image on the left shows how poorly the handrails were painted, and again how misaligned the decal is on the cab. The W&N logo here looks pretty good, but is way off-center on the rear of the engine. The image on the right shows how the decal doesn't even wrap all the way around, as a gap can be seen near the cab. Here again you can see how poorly the steps were painted, and even see some missing paint around the lights on the nose.

SLA has agreed to issue me a full refund, plus additional for postage. They also offered to send me a new undecorated GP-7 if I send them this unit. I guess I can't complain about that. But now I'm back to square one...I don't have anyone who can paint my engine for me.

On a side note, my new digital camera did a GREAT job at taking these photos! I'm very impressed.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

What about an old fashioned sign painter or perhaps an auto or motorcycle detail artist?

 

[brakie]

2-8-2,Have you contacted the painter and told him of the problems?

 

[2-8-2]

SLA has agreed to issue me a full refund, plus additional for postage. They also offered to send me a new undecorated GP-7 if I send them this unit. I guess I can't complain about that. But now I'm back to square one...I don't have anyone who can paint my engine for me.

Yes, I've contacted the painter per the above response.

 

[LongIslandTom]

But now I'm back to square one...I don't have anyone who can paint my engine for me.

The paint scheme looks easy enough to do... How about trying your hand at airbrushing?

 

[2-8-2]

The paint scheme looks easy enough to do... How about trying your hand at airbrushing?

I thought about it, believe me. If I had the right equipment, I would definitely give it a try. However, spending $160 to have a pro do it is cheaper than buying what I would need to do it myself.

 

[Clerk]

That is sharp. I love it:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

 

[LongIslandTom]

2-8-2:

Hell, for $160 you can get a VERY nice airbrush and compressor. The airbrush I'm using is the Badger 200 internal mix single action, and it costs $60 these days. The compressor you can get from Sears for $70.

I've been using this setup to do my painting and I never had any problems. Here's one of my locos I painted up in my freelanced road name:

 

[Russ Bellinis]

I just did a search on the gauge on custom painting and found a couple of guys here on the gauge doing custom painting. You might want to do the search and contact some folks and see what they coulddo for you.

 

[2-8-2]

Well, this thread can officially come to a close.

Today I received a new undecorated GP-7, and a refund check. My hat's off to SLS for keeping their word. I would've rather had things go differently, as I'm still without an engine for my railroad...but I'm happy with this nonetheless.

I'm going to start searching around for an airbrush, and just do it myself this time.