# wood-sided steel boxcar bash?



## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I recently started a thread about the range of boxcar types and the lack of commercially available models:

http://www.mylargescale.com/Communi...fault.aspx 

I did some searchng and found that REA/Aristo used to make a wooden truss reefer. I found a couple and I'll be repainting those


But I wanted to make something like this, the faded red boxcra, partially obscured, in the middle:











Steel ends, wooden sides

So I took an old out of service aristo 40 foot steel boxcar to see if I could easily modify it. I was not wanting to make it perfect, just to get the general "look and feel."



Scraped off the side detail:










And then ordered some scribed siding from MicroMark. The siding is 1/16 by 3 by 24 inches













And it looks pretty good from a side view










But here's the problem, as you might expect:










It's too deep. Now I know the roof on the Aristo car is not the same type. I'm looking for an easy mod. It seems to me my options are:

1. Plane down the siding. I have a drill press mounted Wagner safe-t-planer which might work, but taking the siding down to less than 1/16 is going to make it very fragile, and hard to glue


2. Build some kind of overhang into the roof. It'll still be off on the sides, but I could probably feather the edges a little and fake it. 


So--any suggestions?


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

From the prototype pic there looks to be a trim board. Looks like you could widen the roof to cover the trim board covering the top edge. On the ends, I'd just bevel the siding edge and step back to 10'. 
Gonna do the metal roof too? 

Instead of planing the wood thinner, what about removing the plastic sides and inlaying the wood flush? Of course that's not the easy way... 

John


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I just did some searching and what I'm looking to copy is basically a USRA double sheathed boxcar. I've seen a few pictures, and there seems to have been be a lot of copies of the USRA design and a lot of variation in the roofs. 

I thought about cutting the sides off altogether and just using the ends and the roof, but the existing boxcar is square and sturdy, and the doors work even with the wood siding in place. Still, cut off the sides, glue some styrene angle at the ends, make new sides from styrene.....


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## rwjenkins (Jan 2, 2008)

Northeastern Scale Lumber has scribed siding in 1/32" thickness (x 3-1/2" wide x 24" long). 

http://northeasternscalelumber.com/osc/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=2_36_67_80&products_id=199 

The 3/32" line spacing is probably your best bet, that would be correct for 1:32, close enough for 1:29.


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

3/32 is what I ordered from micro-mark. I did not know about the northeast sacle umber stuff--I will order some of that, At 1/32 it ought to be about perfect. Thanks!


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I just ran the 1/6 stock through the Wagner Safe-t-planer. MUCH better. It just barely sticks out past the plastic trim, almost undetectable. Now to figure out the best glue...


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## docwatsonva (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike,

Have you come up with a glue to attach wood to plastic yet? I've had great success with Welder. I got mine at Lowes. It is also waterproof. I use it like contact cement. I apply the glue to both surfaces, wait about 5-10 minutes, and stick together. The stuff bonds almost everything.

Doc


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## livesteam5629 (Jan 2, 2008)

Why don't you use scribed styrene from Plastistruc. Once painted who will know if it is wood or not. Styrene much thinner also. 
N


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I actually thought that wood would look--like wood. Styrene would be easier, no doubt, and when it's painted the difference might not matter. It's an experiment.

I glued the panels to one side using epoxy. It's messy, maybe I should try the contact cement.

I'll post some pictures later. Can't paint this weekend because it's raining


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

Here's a shot of the thinned siding--I would guess took it down to around 1/32, and now it seems just about right











The epoxy is setting on both sides. 


I may try wetting the wood before I paint it, to raise the grain a little.

Typically double sheathed boxcars had wooden doors, but I have seen a few shot on the web of double sheathed cars with Youngstown doors. It would be easier to just use the Aristo door.


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Careful with wetting wood that thin. If it gets too wet and swells too much, you've just corrugated the side of your car. I don't think it's worth the effort. The grain will be just fine without artificially raisiing it. If you do want it a bit rougher, take some 60-grit sandpaper to it. 

Later, 

K


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

Maybe--I was just going to dampen it very slightly. I'll experiment on some scrap.

I made some roofwalk out of coffee stirrers, and fabricated a door










I'm not sure if I'll go with a wooden door, or use Aristo's door. I've seen pictures of double sheathed boxes with both kinds of door. Wood seems to have been more common. 


I'm not sure how I'd do the hardware on the wooden door, and I was kind of thinking "fast, cheap and dirty" for this projects. If I have to make tiny styrene fixtures and rivets...


Any suggestions?


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

If I have to make tiny styrene fixtures and rivets... 
Grandt Line have plastic rivets by the 100 for a few bucks.


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks Pete and thanks Kevin--I just made something out of parts of the ice hatches from a reefer I had cut up long ago.

Terrible day for painting, but I could not resist. 





















The roof is not right and probably it should have a brake wheel on the roof, but the prototypes were all over the place and I think I'll leave it. I'll probably streak the roof with gray, and I think badge it for Lehigh Valley


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## DKRickman (Mar 25, 2008)

NICE!!! That's quite an improvement over the ubiquitous 1937 AAR steel car.


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike,

Excellent!! Love the look!


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

If I had not seen the orginal car from the begining and only the repainted part I would have believed you were just repainting a car from Aristo. 

Your project turned out fantastic for a down and dirty bash.


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