UP 4-6-6-4 challenger imported by Tenshodo in 1999 repair (cont) and CNJ 4-6-4T painting and Nate's new engine
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9 hours later and I forgot to eat!
UP 4-6-6-4 2-tone challenger.
Decaling and clear coating.
2-tone UP steam gets silver with black outlines.
Tender first.
Fun aligning that narrow decal!
Much easier on the cab side!
There wasn't enough stripes in the UP decal set so I bought thin silver stripes for the side of the 'running boards'.
Insured the 2nd stripe is parallel to the first stripe.
Running board was, also, fun to 'do'!
I find it less likely to have corners 'fold' when applying them when they are cut at a 45 degree angle.
Nothing worse that trying to remove that 'fold' after the decal is on the surface!
One side done.
Funny how I can't see those black outlines on the stripes and nomenclature!
Had to use an old set of decals for the number boards.
Surprised Microscale didn't supply them in the correct size plus they didn't provide the nomenclature that goes under the cab numbers.
Interesting.
When I, first, applied the dark grey it didn't look dark enough...
But now it does with the stripes added!
A soft tissue used to pat, not rub, the decal to remove all water and then pressed to force the decal over any rivets.
Solvaset used, sparingly, to 'set' the decals. Usually, 2 applications is sufficient.
Took a lot of work getting to this 'stage'!
The 'Union Pacific' is suppose to be centered between the stripes.
The other side no problem.
This side had a large 'tool box' door protruding where part of the decal would 'be.
It would have looked ugly so I just raised the decal to get a 'clean look'.
Happy with how the running board decals 'turned out'.
While 'clear coating' the engine, the 'pressure' dome 'flew off' the needle nose tweezers and landed 'upside down' on the shop floor. Had to strip it and re-paint it.
200 degrees for 2 hours.
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CNJ 4-6-4T painting.
A 'first': got this engine painted, decaled and clear coated in one day.
Of course it helped that there is no tender!
Cleaned all the parts with dish washing fluid.
Used the 'air' to remove most of the water and then into the toaster oven for 15 minutes.
Drilled holes in the 'tender' for either the 'sound' to escape or to install the speaker at this location.
There isn't a whole lot of room in this engine so the speaker will, probably, be located here with a 'soft foam' coal load.
Also, drilled some holes in the frame in case the speaker can fit inside the boiler.
2 coats of black, each at 200 degrees for 2 hours.
I bought a set of champ decals plus I saw this 'dry transfer' decals so I, also, purchased them.
Have used these on my RC airplanes so they must be taped in place so, if all the 'decal' is not transferred to the surface, the decal can be place exactly in the same 'spot'.
Tools of the trade for 'dry transfers'. I usually use paper stumps from Michaels but I couldn't find them in my shop!
After the first pressure, do it a second time and then do it a third time as one, usually, misses getting all of the decal on the surface!
After 2 coats of black and 2 'bakings', the brass parts painted brass.
Clear coated including the UP 'dome'.
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With Thanksgiving this Thursday, the Ross meeting was only 3 people and only Nate 'operated'.
We 're-programmed' his new diesel.
