Large Scale Central

Mini Heisler

Latest venture is building a mini single boggie heisler with the realization that the one I’m building doesn’t look anything like the real one and only 1 ever built. Found the picture on Pinterest of a On3 one that is listed as being on the roster of Rio Allosius Mining & Co and it’s look and stature just struck me as being cool and being as I pretty much have everything for the build I decided to do it. Started with a LGB powered tender chassis, cut the sides down to a desired height and then with a flat 1/4" composite plate I cut out the length and width needed before proceeding with cutting a square section in the middle out so that the chassis would sit flat and secure it to the tender housing using 2/56 machine screws. I removed the bearing journals and springs for an old etech tender chassis and glued them to the side of the tender housing at the wheel location and finally added truss rods to the sides. at this point I am deciding on type of cab and have started on building the boiler using PVC fittings and a Lionel 0-6-0 sand dome, More to come

modelsside of chassistemp cab fitted

Well got the boiler size decided and partially constructed, rivets installed using 1/2 sided 2mm beads and now just starting to band it. Found a water regulator screen that fits the stack and caped it with a hole plug. Still undecided about the cab but leaning toward one from a aristocraft Rogers. V cylinders built out of old stanza ones and secured to the boiler. Will be making a smoke box door out of a hole plug and styrene strip. More to come

ember screen

 

rivets and cylinders

Found a smoke box door that fit so decided to use it, fitted the smoke stack and it is held in by a screw from the bottom and you can pick it up by it, makes a nice handle. still need to add a short piece to the rear of the boiler so there is room for the steam dome which will be in the cab like a Porter. Still using the old 2015 cab for fitting purposes but going to use the one from a 2-4-2 rogers. Getting time to mount the boiler to the chassis, more to come, BBmini heisler with smoke stack and test cap

I don’t know, Bill, that m2015 cab looks pretty good there!

Now this is kitbashing!

Sort of worked myself into a dilemma by finding a generator and thought I would use it although the model doesn’t show one but sports a electric headlight so thought why not, by adding the short piece at the back of the boiler and going with a horizontal boiler instead of the large vertical one wound up with enough room in front to the cab. Was pointed out how noisy they were and right in front of the cab would probably be impossible to hear anyone say any thing, so turned my attention toward the front which I have extra room in front of the bell that was crying for attention, so that’s where I placed it and it is in such a location that I have room for detailing conduit both to the head light but also back to the cab as well, pleased with the location, more to come, Bill

generator in the front

cylinders

color

Finally had a non humid day and was able to get some paint on the heisler just for some inspiration decided on red for the cab with the rest of the engine black and silver. The red is a combination of ACE bright red and then sprayed over with Krylon sea glass paint in a color of ruby it is sort of like a candy paint has a color tint but able to see through it hard to tell from the small amount in the sand dome but looks much different on a larger area, more to come, Bill

That 2015 cab is going to be awfully upset when you pull it from “his” train! Looking great as always, Bill, and I thank you for the detailed parts listing! This sort of 'bash will guide the “Rehabilitation of the Missile Sponges,” scheduled to start next year!

Very fun project!

Got a little more done on the mini heisler, was able to secure the rear of the boiler by adding some “L” shaped supports to either side of the fire box securing them down to the deck using 2/56 screws and then threading them into the fire box with the same size screws. Secured the front using 1 # 2/56 screw that passes from under the deck into the front boiler support. I then added diamond non skid plate detail using hex net mesh fabric glued to the deck and then painted. Still have some minor detailing to do to the chassis but it is getting there, More to come, Bill

chassis painteddiamond plate

After much fitting, looking and soul searching, I have finally decided on which cab to use on my mini heisler and have picked the aristocraft 2-4-2 Rogers and the basic reason was it fit better. It was larger than the one from the LGB 2015 and will require less cutting and piecing hopefully making it closer to 1:20 scale. The cab required me to cut the 2 tabs off the back where the rear pilot was fitted and also 2 locating points under the windows but other than that not much else. The cab steps up on both the sides of the front corners and the front left to right in the center where the boiler is because of the Rogers design but that will be a simple fix using flat plate styrene cut to accept the boiler on the front section and the sides I found hatch covers from the top of stanza tanks that just fit the opening and will add detail to the side of the cab. While fitting the cab I discovered that the drive gearing mechanism isn’t set back far enough for me to add detail and rather than tearing everything apart I figured that it wouldn’t show up anyways so I’m just going to leave it alone. Now looking at mounting the cab along with wiring, lights and details so there will be more to come, Bill

new cab fitted

Been hot as the devil here lately so being as work area is outside only work getting done is at night so it has been slow, but got all the open areas filled along with the arch way in the front for the boiler. Still undecided as to shortening the cab roof but will wait and see after I get the tender section fitted, More to come BB

cab fitted

Bill,

for "I then added diamond non skid plate detail using hex net mesh fabric glued to the deck and then painted. "

What kind of glue did you use? This was to the base ‘composite’ board, right?

The loco is looking grand. You are an inspiration.

WES

Used titebond III, thanks for the comment, Bill

Bill,

Tell me more about the beadwork. You said you use 2mm half-beads. obviously glued on, but tell me more about the process; marking, what kind of glue, placing beads …

I can see myself using superglue and sticking beads to my finger, or other such mess. There’s got to be a method.

thanks,

WES

Spill the beads out and arrange them with the round side up that place a small drop on gel super glue on a disposable object then with (I use the end of a tooth pick) wet the sharp end with a bit of super glue then touch the spot you want the rivet and then do that to 5 or 6 spots and move the tooth pick to the bead location and without adding any more glue pick up the bead and place on the spot that you touched on your model continue till all 5 or 6 spots have been done and start all over

Oh, don’t use the beads that have glue already on them they are almost impossible to get off the shipping sheet and if you do it leaves little fuzzy edges around the bead, save your money and just buy the regular ones

Too cool! Nice work.

Rivets ALWAYS seem to be a problem, no matter what.

Use to use HO track nails but that meant drilling holes and cutting the point off, but looked great, then tried bird shot and put a dimple in the plastic with a dremel then putting the shot in, advantage was no tip to cut off, disadvantage was getting the dimple in the right place, tried rivet decals and they were OK but the decal material would sometime show thru + they were very fragel, then Mirce rivets, that came out of Russia worked good but were designed for airplane models and were flat tried putting them on and adding a drop of glue to each one which worked but it was almost impossible to get them all the same but at least they were straight. Now I use both the mirce for location and spacing and add the beads on top and although the rivets are a little large they look good and I just like rivets, Bill

Finally got some color and painted it with fire engine red then with some ruby that is transparent that is used to paint glass and it came out a very ruby red that almost looked candy but when is sprayed the Krylon Matt clear on it became very frosty think it was too humid, decided to leave it cause it gives it a dusty look and it is going to service the moral pits anyway so I don’t have to make it dusty, on to the tender section next, BB

painted