Experimenting with Southern Pacific C-40-3 Caboose

Maybe I missed something from your earlier posts but how are you making the rivets again? Currently doing a MTH steel side caboose into a CB&Q Waycar.

Doug

Nice rows of rivets...I am about to restore an old (kit-built?) caboose with cardboard sides that has rows of impressed rivets..

Finished one side and I think this will work. Malcolm

i see you are using the spiked wheel to  impress the rivets that show up one the reverse side of the .10 strip. How do U keep the same pressure so all look same dimple. Also, over the years i have seen adheavsives give and then parts peel off. You using those riv strips glued to the car structure. U using any special glue tha tmelts the strip to it.

lastly, I hated English in school and maybe my spelling and grammer shows it, but I am not into poetry and ,"burn to the socket" escapes me. WHAT! Haven't heard of any sockets about the heart. maybe the shoulder.

Phil

Nice work and looks great and good idea using the star wheel.  Nick   

Great idea. Why did I think of that. What do you use for thicker plastic. In my case I am reconfiguring an existing caboose. Short of relaminating the sides which, is an idea. 

Doug

Very nice Malcolm, I like the tool choice.

Try an internet search on: pounce wheel

For rivets I have used the Archer Rivet Decals on a Plastistrut Warren Truss bridge. The problem is their cost. As I am building 2 bridges it will take 3 sheets on decals. They are beautiful but at 18.00 a sheet I can buy another bridge for the price of the decals.

Dick

We were looking at pounce wheels - dirt cheap and easy to find.  I did not invest, because I thought the rivets would be too close together.

Your rivets are beautiful.  How about a part number and a source?  We are going to do .005 paperrivet strips, and I was thinking about an old fashioned typewriter, but this would work.

To Brother Love

The rivet work on this steel caboose, has got to be very complex, but you have work out a method to get the job done. Contrats.

Look forward to following this post and seeing how you get things done.

Hope you have more to show in photos & description.

Thanks to all! Dick, I have also used the Archer rivets and they are great but too costly to use here.

Bob, I have had these rivet tools for years and do not remember where I got them (I also do not remember what I had for breakfast yesterday).

Thanks Gary.

Al, You got it, that little handle could not be controlled properly but with the 1" dowel.......no problem.

I continue to learn new tricks every day. After I cut the rivet strip from the .010" styrene I pull it across an emery board twice holding it down with thumb pressure. This takes the "cut edge" off and they stick better. It sort of tapers the edge so they look more like the prototype.

I recently built 3 B&LE cabs for 2 clients before I learned my new trick. I was never satisfied with those cabs even though they were. I am rebuilding those three so I can send them some that I am more pleased with.

Malcolm

Malcolm with you there is NO experimenting, because you set the STANDARD and others learn from you!!!!

Ralph