Gentlemen:
I'll start with a short introduction. My name is Maurice, I am a Life member of the NMRA and have visited three National Conventions (London, Toronto and Seattle). I live in the Netherlands.
Way back in 1978 I bought an All Nation (General Models) kit of a 4-6-2 Pacific. I started constructing it, but due to unknown causes the wheels wouldn't stay on the rails. This frustrated me, so I asked several people to solve the problem, but nobody could. The kit landed in the cupboard.
A few month ago my son showed interest in the model. I gave him the box with all its contents and he started working on it. After some weeks he discovered, that one of the frame plates was not quite true, which caused the frame to be warped. None of those who had looked at the model had discovered this. After a session with a gas burner the frameplate was gently coaxed into the right position and after that assembly of the frame was a piece of cake.
Of course we have a lot of questions.
First is painting. Much of the parts of the kit are Zamac. There used to be a special Floquil paint to seal the surface, so that other paints would adhere to it. But that was when Floquil used toluene in their paint, long since forbidden. So what should I use nowadays? And could I use the same primer for the brass parts in the kit?
Where do we get detail parts like lost wax castings? the Back Shop and Precision Scale still in business? (I didn't check).
Does anyone know whether there is a front for the cab of the locomotive? As far as I know, there is just the brass sheet which forms the sides and roof of the cab and which fits over the brass ribs at the back of the boiler. But my son isn't convinced... Also a small part of the boiler casting is missing. Any suggestions as to how this can be corrected?
Answers will be very welcome!
Regards,
Maurice
