# New accucraft ruby project



## Red_noir (Nov 13, 2013)

Hello everyone!

I'm new to the forum, and this is my first post after lurking around for sometime. I recently took the plunge into live steam locomotives by purchasing a Accucraft ruby no.1

I plan on kit-bashing the Ruby since in my humble opinion it looks too much like a toy than a scale working live steam model. I'm not new to steam, I also modeled a live steam launch a few years back using a macc steam boiler and tvr1a engine. 

I hope to post my progress here and would like some input as this is my first locomotive.

Two videos of my steam launch.

First video
www.http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=R1PHftzGssk

Second video
www.http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=txWwzNXY-aU




So I guess my first question would be any tips for a new ruby owner? And are there any live steam clubs in my area ( located in Ontario, Canada )


Thanks in advance!

Chuck


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Chuck and welcome to the forum. I made a few modes to my ruby that where simple and easily done. I added a cow catcher and front head light. I also removed the saddle takes and made just wood running boards to replace the tanks. Now not so toy like. I also installed R/C . Later RJD


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

Welcome Chuck, Looking at your video (second doesn't work) I think you won't have any issues at all. The ruby was my first purchase in when I got into garden scale and I'm still happy I made that decision. At first I also deleted the side tanks in favor of some running boards. I then modified a new bright tender to be used with it. Worked great for the first two seasons. Now I'm in the middle of a complete rebuild which will only use the original chassis. It will include tender from scratch, new boiler and full R/C. Having lots of fun and hoping to have it done for spring. I like you pipe wrap in the video. What did you use for that?

I found this very helpful when getting mine going: Ruby Timing


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Hi Chuck 

This appeared on MLS some time ago: 

http://www.mylargescale.com/Features/BuildersLogs/tabid/66/EntryId/41/Bashing-a-Ruby-Kit.aspx 

Also, the current issue of Garden Railways Mag has a very nice article by Eric Schade on Ruby mods. He is an excellent source of creative live steam loco bashing information and threads 

Have fun 

Jerry


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## redbeard (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Chuck and Welcome!

You might want to scroll through the articles in the "Informative Threads Index" which is at the beginning of the live steam forum. MANY of the articles are about Ruby modifications. The sky is the limit......
Larry


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Chuck,

there is an Ontario Garden RR club, (probably several! Ontario is a big place!) but the one I know of is here:

CENTRAL ONTARIO GARDEN RAILWAY ASSOCIATION 


They have members who do live steam..there is a group called "Wednesday Night Water Boiling" from Ontario,
who are live steamers..many of the members of WNWB are also members of the COGRA.
In addition to their steamups in Ontario, a few times a year they make the trek across the border
to join us for steamups in Western NY:

Upstate Steamers

Scot


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## Red_noir (Nov 13, 2013)

Thanks so much everyone! Lots of good info. 

I'll post when my ruby arrives, and the mods I plan on doining as well here. Quick question what's the min radius a ruby will run on? 

Chuck


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## Kovacjr (Jan 2, 2008)

Chuck,
I would not run on less than 24" as it gets tipsy running fast on a tight curve. Most of the new Rubys now have 1/2" cylinders so that makes an improvement, not sure of the kit though. 

Don't forget about Vance's website with the Ruby Gallery of mods. http://www.nmia.com/~vrbass/steam/ruby/rubygallery.htm 
Here is a photo of my ruby from many years ago, you would never guess it was an IDA also.

I had a very intensive build log on here but they went into the trash with the old server. All I'm left with is my own photos.












Jay


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## Red_noir (Nov 13, 2013)

Awesome thanks Jason ! I'm really leaning towards building something along these images. I hope to scratch build a beartrap spark arrester, and water tank tender with a side water tank beside the boiler.  








 








 








 








Ozark minitures makes detail parts, just wondering if they are solderable to brass/copper? Or are they just glued in place? Chuck


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Welcome to MLS Steam. The Ruby is a great little loco to start with. I made mine into a Forney with RC. The older ones with the 3/8 cylinders were a bit hard to control manually. They wanted to run FAST. You can see a number of Ruby conversions including mine on Vance's website. Good luck and have fun with it. Keep us posted. 

PS That bear trap looks to be metal, however I have found that JB Weld works for most parts that don't see temperatures over 300 degF.


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Vance's Things to do with an Accucraft Ruby page is still up.

plus the Ruby Project Gallery.

Scot


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## BigRedOne (Dec 13, 2012)

Number 5 with the tender is a neat little locomotive, and I love the pictures.


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## Red_noir (Nov 13, 2013)

Well the bear trap I'll be making out of brass and silver solder it all together. As for the white cast metal parts I'm not sure how to secure them to the loco as of yet, so that heat won't be an issue on them. 

Ya really excited to start a new project. Actually went and stocked up on butane an oil today  also bought rollers due to the fact I don't have any track set-up at the moment. 


Chuck


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## Red_noir (Nov 13, 2013)

Detailed photo here.  








Chuck


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## Kovacjr (Jan 2, 2008)

Chuck, That bear trap is from the Aster C&S Mogul. 

Accucraft once made a bear trap for their C&S 60 and sold it as parts but I don't thing there are any of those left new, many are out there though in peoples parts bins. 

As to the whitemetal parts, they seem to hold up ok as long as they are not on the smokebox. Usually a 30min JB Weld works best. The rest of the loco is pretty cool in comparison. Don't forget about Trackside Details are they make brass detail parts also.


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## Red_noir (Nov 13, 2013)

Well just a quick update... I'm currently away from home and have been tracking my ruby's progress across the US and into Canada. Looks like it will be waiting for me at my post office on Monday when I arrive. 

Will post pics of the un boxing and first steam up before I tear it apart and remove all the paint! Should be fun. 

After that it's wish list time.......... 

Chuck


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## Charles M (Jan 2, 2008)

Good luck with the paint removal ! I had to repair a small dent in the smokebox of my " Mimi " ( Ruby as a 2-4-2 ) as it came from the factory. ( Only I noticed the dent , as it was virtually invisable to everybody else. ) Nothing I had for paint stripper would work. Accucraft paints stick very well. I finally sanded the paint off of the smokebox and filled the dent with silver solder to smooth it out and then re-painted the thing. Also while I had it apart I did the smokebx opening in the bottom modification and fitted a full liner in the smokebox to keep from scorching the new paint. 

Charles M SA#74


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## Red_noir (Nov 13, 2013)

Well I've used circa 1842 paint stripper in the past on a accucraft shay I did some work on in the past. Paint bubbled up and came off really easy. I'm hopping that will be the case this time around. I've been looking into what paint to use after it's all done and I think I've settled on dupli-color high heat in spray cans. Hope this yields favorable results. I'll have to do a few test pieces to confirm this though. 

Jason I took ur advice on track side detail parts in brass, they seem to have every little bit I want for this project with lots to spare.  

I do have a question about one of the earlier pics I posted. The one in question is the porter style with two truck tender. What style smoke stack is that? I'm thinking it's called a balloon stack but my searches have yielded nothing similar. Does anyone know anything about that huge stack? 


Chuck


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## cocobear1313 (Apr 27, 2012)

Bake it on at about 225 F and it will harden up and seems to display more agressive adhesion. 

Dave


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## Kovacjr (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Red_noir on 20 Nov 2013 08:43 PM 

Jason I took ur advice on track side detail parts in brass, they seem to have every little bit I want for this project with lots to spare.  

I do have a question about one of the earlier pics I posted. The one in question is the porter style with two truck tender. What style smoke stack is that? I'm thinking it's called a balloon stack but my searches have yielded nothing similar. Does anyone know anything about that huge stack? 


Chuck 

Great, Trackside is just about out only option for brass parts. 
The stack is somewhat of a Congdon. But being a electric model that one looks built up of styrene


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

If you want to go with a Congdon stack, David's Fletcher's Mason Bogie plans show one. Check on the MasterClass forum. Also my builder's log of building a live steam Mason Bogie shows how I built one.


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## Red_noir (Nov 13, 2013)

Ok quick update, just back from my trip to the east coast. And have notification in my mail box that my accucraft ruby has arrived!!! Should have some pics this week. I can wait to get started. 

Chuck


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## Red_noir (Nov 13, 2013)

It's here!! Unpacked it and started taking it apart! Lol 

Spent most of my afternoon building something along the lines of a bark box. Other than that just removing items and removing paint pretty busy 5 hours of fun. 
 











 











Have a video too, but gotta look up how to post that. More stuff to come just thought I'd sneak away from work for a bit to post this 

Chuck


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## Red_noir (Nov 13, 2013)




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## Red_noir (Nov 13, 2013)

Quick update..... So I turned down the steam domes so they no longer look so ornate and went ahead and striped all the black paint. The side tank is almost complete and I removed the side window dividers from the cab and added rain strips on the roof much like the mich cal shay has. I also went ahead and ordered some stainless fasteners, since I hate the idea of using brass bolts ( I sheared a bolt the other day on the fwd boiler cradle, how I hate this design.) I also made custom valve wheels out of some flange steam fittings I had laying around. Here are the pics. 

Chuck


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## redbeard (Jan 2, 2008)

Looking good! Ruby looks good stripped!








Larry


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## gordini (Jan 12, 2012)

Chuck welcome to the forum, i am sure guys here will help you in anything you ask, take a look on my Ruby modification.


www.thomasworkbench.com


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

Coming along very nice Chuck. Like how you hid the safety. I'd love to hear the bark box when you can get some video. Your new valve wheels look great but watch your fingers. That metal will get hot. Those ugly plastic ones go a long way keeping your fingertips safe from burns.


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## Red_noir (Nov 13, 2013)

Ya it's comming along I'm at the point now that's most enjoyable the detailing. I still have to decide on what paint I should use. And a method of weathering that works with heat! As for the bark box it sounds great gotta figure out how to upload video on here. I am gonna re think my chuffer design so that the smoke box isn't so cluttered. 

Some brass detail parts are comming in slow by mail. So it should be a bit before she's complete but that's the enjoyable part working slow and getting it the way I want. 

Chuck


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## Red_noir (Nov 13, 2013)

Anyone know the oring size for the cly's? I would like to change them out with silicone orings


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## Kovacjr (Jan 2, 2008)

Chuck, 

Seems my reply never came though. I also PM you the size but they are 1/2" OD on the piston and 1/4" OD on the glands. I stock the silicone Orings for all Accu and most others along with Orings for the oil drains, safetys and filler caps. 

Jay


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Chuck, 

For paint, I've had luck with run-of-the-mill Krylon. Prior to painting, I wash the parts in muratic acid, which cleans off any oxidation and gives a nice bit of "tooth" for the paint to adhere. Then I prime it, followed by the finish coat within 1 hour of priming it. If I can't get both coats on within an hour, then I'll prime it and let that set for at least 24 hours. Once the top coat is applied and dry to the touch--if it's a live steamer--I'll bake it in the oven at 200 degrees for 30 minutes or so. I haven't a clue if this really does anything, but "can't hurt" as the saying goes. The result is a very durable paint finish. 

As for weathering, I prefer acrylic washes. I've found they stand up to cleaning excess oil from the locomotive fairly well, though had I to do my mogul again, I'd dull-coat the front pilot first. That thing gets oil everywhere. 

Later, 

K


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## Red_noir (Nov 13, 2013)

Awesome thanks guys!! jay I sent u a response, sorry was busy with work I'm an aircraft engineer by trade for a major canadian airline and they keep us busy! 

I wish I could go to diamond head, I keep watching youtube videos... Maybe next one. 

Still waiting on hardware  

Chuck


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