# A Tale of Two Combines



## peninsok (Feb 9, 2009)

@import url(http://www.mylargescale.com/Provide...ad.ashx?type=style&file=SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css); @import url(http://www.mylargescale.com/Provide...ad.ashx?type=style&file=SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css); Seeing a drawing by Ted Stinson in Garden Railways magazine for a narrow gauge combine started me thinking of scratch building one. Another idea came to mind. Having converted one of the LGB shorty bogie coaches into a tram, I was left with one lonely coach. Laying the coach over the drawing, it became apparent that a conversion to a combine was possible. 
The Ted Stinson drawing showed a combine with a duckbill roof but as this was to be a freelance conversion, I could live with the LGB clerestory roof.








The starting point, an LGB “shorty” coach










Cuts made to body. Ends sitting on stripwood to determine the length of material to be inserted. The single window section was sent to the “stuff” bin.










Underframe cut at the centre and new floor and frame inserts fitted.










Ends fitted to extended underframe to recheck length of side inserts.










Roof cut awaiting installation of extension.Underframe detailing, truss rods etc still to be fabricated and installed. Side extensions fitted waiting for doors. The extensions were made from 3mm styrene scribed to match the LGB body.











Doors fitted and roof finished ready for sanding

Why the Tale of Two Combines? 

On the “myLargescale.com Forum”, Steve Stockham described the conversion of an AMS combine using replacement sides from a company in the UK. The finished conversion is the one in the rear of this photo. 









The centre one intrigued me and gave me the incentive to build a second combine. Why? Because it had a cupola, roof walk and hand rails.










The starting point was another LGB coach.Both parts were to be used, with the short cut off section being spaced away from the main body to allow for the insertion of the baggage area.










The two sections spaced apart to allow for checking the measurement of the underframe which had to be constructed. The underframe was constructed from 3mm styrene sheet cut to size on my table saw. The solebars were also cut on this saw. A Formica insert was fitted to give minimal clearance for the blade to allow for cutting the 11mm wide strips for the sole bars. (All styrene used in these builds, 0.5mm,1mm, 2mm and 3mm were purchased in large format sheets from Petone. The sheets cost from $19.00 for the 0.5mm sheets up to about $35.00 for a 3mm sheet)
















The next part of the conversion was to dismantle the European style steps, platform & railings and replace the railings with American style ones. The American ones were salvaged from the tram conversion and glued to the modified platforms. The extensions were cut from the steps.

The pivots for the bogies were turned down from 12mm diameter styrene rod to fit the bogie pivot holes. Bolsters were fabricated from 3mm styrene, fitted with the bogie (truck) pivots. These assemblies were fitted to the underframe and the solebars cut to length after mounting the end platforms. 
Headstocks were then fitted to the solebars.Three mm styrene was scribed to match the existing body and fitted after cutting the door opening.The roof was cut and lengthened to fit the modified body. After filling and shaping the roof, a section was cut out to receive the cupola. 










The doors were cut from 3mm styrene with 0.5mm thick framing. 
The cupola was fabricated from 3mm scribed styrene with a 1mm thick roof.









Glazing for the cupola and doors is being milled from 3mm clear acrylic. Original glazing is being used for the passenger compartments. The original seating is also being used in both conversions.
When the undeframe details have been added, both combines will be painted in yellow, and paint to the correct colour has been matched and mixed by the automotive paint department at Mitre 10.(Auto Paint Division) The paint is PPG Dulon. Once painted I will be contacting Stan Cedarleaf for decals.


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## Robert (Jan 2, 2008)

Nice work. What do you use for gap filling and sanding? Looking forward to some re-paint images.


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## Michael Glavin (Jan 2, 2009)

I concur, very nice work!!! 

Would you please elaborate on scribing the styrene for siding? 

Michael


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Intriguing! I will very much like to see both of these as finished products! Nice work too!


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Very nice and interesting project(s)!


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## peninsok (Feb 9, 2009)

@import url(http://www.mylargescale.com/Provide...ad.ashx?type=style&file=SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css); Posted By Robert on 02 Dec 2010 09:44 AM 
Nice work. What do you use for gap filling and sanding? Looking forward to some re-paint images.

Gap filling was done with a material called "Builders Bog" It is a two part product containing styrene. It is used by builders/carpenters for hole filling and similar. It sets in 10-15 minutes an can be sawed, drilled, sanded quite easily


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## peninsok (Feb 9, 2009)

The 3mm thick styrene sheet was cut to size and placed against the LGB coach side to get the correct spacing for scribing. I used an Exacto #11 blade, with the tip removed, (about 2mm) and using the markings and an engineers square scribed the styrene using the back of the blade. The scoring was repeated until the depth matched the LGB component. A light sanding removed the "furred" edges an a razor saw was dragged up and down the panel to represent the woodgrain on the LGB [email protected] url(http://www.mylargescale.com/Providers/HtmlEditorProviders/CEHtmlEditorProvider/Load.ashx?type=style&file=SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css);


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Nice job, they both turned out very well!


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Nice work!


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