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Wood tenders, etc
Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2017 8:14 am
by Rufus T. Firefly
Something that caught my eye and made me think of Mr. Turner...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/M-Smart-O-Scale ... Sw42dZJjiFSeller has several different ones listed along with few boilers, etc.....
Re: Wood tenders, etc
Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2017 1:19 pm
by R.K. Maroon
I saw these too. I recall there was also a boiler or two. I have never heard of M-Smart, but I will keep an eye out henceforth.
Re: Wood tenders, etc
Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2017 1:22 pm
by Rufus T. Firefly
R.K. Maroon wrote:I saw these too. I recall there was also a boiler or two. I have never heard of M-Smart, but I will keep an eye out henceforth.
More than 2 listed now - never heard of M-Smart either!
Re: Wood tenders, etc
Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2017 1:47 pm
by rrjjf
Tough to solder to!
Joe
Re: Wood tenders, etc
Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2017 2:48 pm
by Rufus T. Firefly
rrjjf wrote:Tough to solder to!
Re: Wood tenders, etc
Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2017 7:37 pm
by bob turner
Several of my tenders are wood blocks. Two have brass overlays - if my Cab Forward thread still exists, my #4104 has a wood block tender, as does one of my Lobaugh Challengers. Not a great idea, now that we are thinking about sound and battery power.
Re: Wood tenders, etc
Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2017 7:52 pm
by Rufus T. Firefly
bob turner wrote:Several of my tenders are wood blocks.
That's what I remembered; thought you'd have a few thoughts on these given your experience on the subject.
Re: Wood tenders, etc
Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2017 9:42 pm
by bob turner
Another computer lesson for me - tried to edit a copy of the AC-4 tender. Computer sent it to "not trains" instead of the file with the original. Had to do a search. Wood block, with overlays. My father cast those sideframes from my patterns. No, the SP never ran Buckeyes under a 160C.
- tender AC-4.jpg (165.77 KiB) Viewed 6886 times
My first wood block was not so elegant:
- All Nation Doorstops 002.jpg (750.19 KiB) Viewed 6886 times
And this one was a quickie - did not want to do compound curves in brass.
- Mantua 36.jpg (1.05 MiB) Viewed 6886 times
Re: Wood tenders, etc
Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2017 12:15 pm
by Jay Criswell
I've know some scratch builders that soldered their boilers and tender shells over wood forms. Could these not be forms for doing just that? After soldering they remove the wood form. As a matter of fact I have a couple from Will (SI) Simonton.
Jay
Re: Wood tenders, etc
Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2017 12:21 pm
by Rufus T. Firefly
Jay Criswell wrote:I've know some scratch builders that soldered their boilers and tender shells over wood forms. Could these not be forms for doing just that? After soldering they remove the wood form. As a matter of fact I have a couple from Will (SI) Simonton.
Hmmmmmm............. I might be able to use them for a master to cast a tender body in resin
a la Prof. Reutling,
Re: Wood tenders, etc
Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2017 12:34 pm
by Carey Williams
Hello wood block admirers.
I did a quick check in Model Railroading 1943-44 ..flipping through the ads sections assuming wood blocks would be all the range during the metal starved WW2 period ..various ads for the wood car kits ..but no mention of engines ... or any sign of M Smart ...
C D Models of Cleveland were big into wood models ...planes and created with the birth of "S" gauge ..3/16" scale 7/8" gauge ... beginning in 1936? Ads for wood trains covered with paper graphics appeared ..including a full Hiawatha train .
A C Gilbert jumped on the 3/16" train adapting his O scale line to it pre-war .... and stealing the "S" gauge market post war ....
CD models but a foot note ..
Cheers Carey
- Cleveland model ad 1947.JPG (56.1 KiB) Viewed 6848 times
Re: Wood tenders, etc
Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2017 1:40 pm
by Jay Criswell
Sure, Varney and Strombecker did it in HO but used overlays. The Varney version was foil cover and the Strombecker was pre-printed.
If you guys would do a little more research you'd find numerous articles describing the use of these types of wood blocks when building fabricated boilers and tenders. Thornburg (sic) did it frequently. It was common practice. I'm not saying that's exactly what these are but, to me, it makes the most sense....of course since I don't have any common sense all my statements are moot!
Jay
Re: Wood tenders, etc
Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2017 1:48 pm
by bob turner
Jay is spot-on. A wood block as a bending jig and soldering fixture is almost essential. In the above cases and one other, I have simply left the block "in." The Challenger tender is only recognizable from the bottom - the rest looks like a standard brass shell.
Oh, and the NP Challenger needed no rivets, so the wood block stands by itself. Photo soon.
Re: Wood tenders, etc
Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2017 3:07 pm
by Rufus T. Firefly
Jay Criswell wrote:Sure, Varney and Strombecker did it in HO but used overlays. The Varney version was foil cover and the Strombecker was pre-printed.
If you guys would do a little more research you'd find numerous articles describing the use of these types of wood blocks when building fabricated boilers and tenders. Thornburg (sic) did it frequently. It was common practice. I'm not saying that's exactly what these are but, to me, it makes the most sense....of course since I don't have any common sense all my statements are moot!
Oh, I think you're spot on for purpose.
I am familiar with the use of wood blocks and forms for building things; just have not seen ones as nice and clean as most of these are....and thjat's just a wee bit before my time, too.
Re: Wood tenders, etc
Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2017 3:23 pm
by Jay Criswell
Is it possible they were never used for their intended purpose? Yeah, I know, speculation, at best.
Jay
