# ET&WNC Hoppers



## Bruce Chandler (Jan 2, 2008)

I just finished building four ET&WNC hoppers.

All lumber was cut to scale size from basswood sheets.

Jigs were built to aid construction of the frames and sides.

Truss rods are made from brass rod. Rods are threaded to accept 0-80 nuts. I
made the square nuts from standard 0-80 hex nuts.

Slope sheets are wood covered by .010 brass sheets cut to size.

Stirrup steps were formed from 1/8" brass strip bent to shape. I squared off
escutcheon pins to hold them in place.

Grab irons were formed from small brass rod. The ends were hammered down and
holes drilled. Ozark 1/4" scale NB castings were used to hold them in place.

Small pins were used for the inside of the sides, to represent the bolt heads.

I added up all that I used. For EACH car, there are:
- 261 NB castings
- 244 pins
- 16 escutcheon pins. 

This was the first one done: 



























And the rest: 



























Hard to get them all at once... 




























I have a Build Log Here.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

The English expression "a glutton for punishment" comes to mind.... 

Great job Bruce. I started making some old wooden EBT hoppers, but only committed myself to 2 and only 1 got built !


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## Nutz-n-Bolts (Aug 12, 2010)

Bruce, As usual with your work, these are an outstanding set of hoppers. I love the attention to detail inside and out. They make quite a handsome train. Thanks for sharing.


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Great looking hoppers, Coal train and layout. 

You do great work. 

I just love coal trains and your's shows us what a coal train looked like back in the late 1800s and early 1900s.


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## Mike O (Jan 2, 2008)

Bruce, 

Really nice job on the hoppers. Great finish/weathering. 

Mike


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

WOW those are beautiful. You did a fantastic job on them....I like the caboose too...Did you build that ?

JJ


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## Bruce Chandler (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks!

Yes, a glutton, indeed. I don't know what possessed me to make 4 of these! Though building them all at the same time sure did help make it easier. 


JJ, I did make the caboose. It's modeled after an old ET&WNC caboose. Phil Dippel laser cut the parts for me based on some drawings I did.

There's more details on the caboose here.


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## docwatsonva (Jan 2, 2008)

Bruce,

I have been following your construction on the other site. Those are quite fantastic and the level of detail unsurpassed. Great work.

Doc


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## chaingun (Jan 4, 2008)

Bruce, 

As usual - just outstanding! 

Ted


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## Don Howard (Jan 2, 2008)

Terrific looking cars and train! 

Please explain how you did the square nuts. 
Can, or should, the technique be used to make at least 400? 
If done by hand, have you thought of a way to automate or simplify the method? 

Again, beautiful cars!


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Great looking cars Bruce! Really superb craftsmanship!


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Like all have said.. They look great. Very nice work.. 
How did you come up with nbr. them.. I see a nbr. 10 and a nbr. 28 plus other nbr's. Is it random nbr's or do you have a numbering sys?


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## Bruce Chandler (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Don Howard on 10 Oct 2011 08:54 AM 
Terrific looking cars and train! 

Please explain how you did the square nuts. 
Can, or should, the technique be used to make at least 400? 
If done by hand, have you thought of a way to automate or simplify the method? 

Again, beautiful cars! 


Don,
I started with 0-80 hex nuts. Held them in a pair of pliers while using a Dremel with a cutting wheel. 400? Not bloody likely!  


The best way would be to buy them, but no one makes them that small.


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## Bruce Chandler (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By noelw on 10 Oct 2011 12:45 PM 
Like all have said.. They look great. Very nice work.. 
How did you come up with nbr. them.. I see a nbr. 10 and a nbr. 28 plus other nbr's. Is it random nbr's or do you have a numbering sys? 
Thanks to ALL! It's been a great project.

No rhyme or reason on the numbering scheme. I have an article on the old hoppers from Stemwinder magazine and just chose some numbers that seemed right. I don't know why I didn't get any odd ones.


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

I made some square nuts for my 1-1/2" scale brake beams...



















Made from appropriately sized square brass stock chucked up in a 4-jaw on my Sherline lathe... drilled, tapped, chamfered, and parted off. Probably the easiest route if one has a small lathe and a 4-jaw chuck.


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Bruce, dang fine work, as expected. Question:what scale are those hoppers? As for those square nuts, you really are anal


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## Bruce Chandler (Jan 2, 2008)

Joe, 
They are done in 1:20. Scales out as close as I could make it from the drawings and pictures. In fact, I had to cut the side boards to 9.6" wide to get five of them to equal 4 feet. 

The thing with those square nuts is that you have to be careful not to tighten them too much - you can really put a bow in the frame! 

Now, if you want some REAL talent, take a look at this Duesenberg


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## Phippsburg Eric (Jan 10, 2008)

I visited the WW&F railway over the weekend. One of the fellows was installing new truss rod washers on a flat car. he said they too, have to be carful not to over thighten the nuts, it is quite easy to bow the car. this was a 30 foot two foot gauge car.


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Great work Bruce. I like your crew too


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