Glad you got it done Chris. I've got one sitting in a box. Bought several structures from Ernie Lorber himself at train show at Stony Brook University on Long Island many many years ago. Opted for the smaller 320 because I knew I'd never have a big enough layout and would never have engines that would require the bigger one. Now that my space limits me to a 4x8, maybe a 5x9, I'll never even have space for the 320 and Atlas turntable I bought to go with it. I can't wait to see pics of it completed.
Chris, took your advice! First this kit had never been properly prepared for paint. Nothing filed or sanded. I found that the paint on the walls was most likely latex. I was able to remove it with rubbing alcohol and a toothbrush. After washing I found a flat heavy cookie sheet and did what you stated. Put it in late one night in a cold oven, heated the oven to 250 degrees, shut the oven off. 30 minutes later my wife starts complaining, you stunk up the house. 12 hours later when I removed them from the oven they were flat again. Wife was till complaining days later. I had to clean the oven and then did a heat up of cut lemons in water for about 3 hours to get the rest of the so called smell out. But those parts are flat. Most of the other parts are close to flat and could possibly be used. I'm not allowed to use the oven again. The upper windows were also painted and have a ton of flash on them. Must be a different kind of paint as the rubbing alcohol wouldn't remove the paint. My next step is to remove the flash and the try to figure out what they were painted with so I can repaint hopefully without a problem. More work that just buying a new kit, a large challenge! Did you get your roof problem solved? I was also wanting to use a different material. I was at Hobby Lobby and they had sheets of basswood in large sizes that seemed affordable. Most of the sheets seemed to lay flat. My other thought was some thin, flat MDF. Not sure what would happen with any weight on them! John
Where did you get those lights for the interior from?
@John of O posted:Chris, took your advice! First this kit had never been properly prepared for paint. Nothing filed or sanded. I found that the paint on the walls was most likely latex. I was able to remove it with rubbing alcohol and a toothbrush. After washing I found a flat heavy cookie sheet and did what you stated. Put it in late one night in a cold oven, heated the oven to 250 degrees, shut the oven off. 30 minutes later my wife starts complaining, you stunk up the house. 12 hours later when I removed them from the oven they were flat again. Wife was till complaining days later. I had to clean the oven and then did a heat up of cut lemons in water for about 3 hours to get the rest of the so called smell out. But those parts are flat. Most of the other parts are close to flat and could possibly be used. I'm not allowed to use the oven again. The upper windows were also painted and have a ton of flash on them. Must be a different kind of paint as the rubbing alcohol wouldn't remove the paint. My next step is to remove the flash and the try to figure out what they were painted with so I can repaint hopefully without a problem. More work that just buying a new kit, a large challenge! Did you get your roof problem solved? I was also wanting to use a different material. I was at Hobby Lobby and they had sheets of basswood in large sizes that seemed affordable. Most of the sheets seemed to lay flat. My other thought was some thin, flat MDF. Not sure what would happen with any weight on them! John
Now that's funny. I told you to use the fan!
I just opted for the clear roof. I will eventually get th interior detailed,. So the clear roof is a good way to go for me.
As far as the plywood roof, NO, I'd have to glue it down to make it stay flat.
@A.J. posted:Where did you get those lights for the interior from?
I used a uber small brass tube and the lamp shades I have listed above. For the bulbs they're LEDs soldered to enamled wire and then run under the roundhouse.
The lamp shades are from Scale City Designs. The brass tubing is 3/64" from K&S. The LEDs are PLCC2 3528s.
I would recommend using Norm Charbonneau's wiring. I soldered my individual load resistors to a 14ga copper wire then soldered the enameled wire to the resistors.
