# Turning a Shay upside down (on purpose! - pics)



## tj-lee (Jan 2, 2008)

Normally I try to keep my engines right side up even when working on them (for maintenance, lubrication and what not). Usually I perch them up on a simple platform. The piece of 1/2 inch plywood that the Shay is sitting on is 24 inches long and is 5 inches wide. I have some shorter ones that I use when working on smaller engines like my Climax or Annies.











The plywood is attached to a piece of 4×4 post and that in turn is attached to another small piece of plywood that is sized to set nicely in a small lazy-susan I have on my workbench. The ability to spin the loco around to different orientations is nice when painting, adding details, or making repairs. It’s nice but it does not provide access to the underside of the engine.



In past I've used the normal "lay the engine on a rolled up towel or soft blanket on its side" method, or the "save the Styrofoam packaging the engine originally came in and use the top half to nest the engine in and flipping it upside down" method to get to the underside of the engine. But since I have detailed my engines a bit there are props and pieces that always seem to get snapped off when using either method. 











What I needed was the upside down equivalent of my work platform. 










So armed with a box cutter and some foam packaging I started cutting and building up foam bits on top of my engine. Then I glued them to a plywood strip and mounted the strip to a block that would fit the lazy-susan.











Eventually I came up with an "upside down" mounting platform. I remove the smoke stack from the Shay, set the platform on it, secure it by tying a long, soft shoelace at each end, and then flipping the whole thing upside down.










The end result is quite secure and makes working on the underside of my engine easy. Nothing gets broken off and I can set this on my lazy-susan.


Best,
TJ 

TJsTrains.com


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

TJ

Nice solution to your problem.


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## tj-lee (Jan 2, 2008)

SteveC, 

> Nice solution to your problem. 

Thanks! It certainly makes lubricating the trucks through the access ports a lot easier. And cleaning the undercarriage and wheels. 

Best, 
TJ


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

5 star idea! 

Greg


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## tj-lee (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg, 

> 5 star idea! 

Thanks! It was actually a lot easier to construct than I thought it would be. Some foam, some glue, and it's a lot more stable than you would think. Wish I had built it sooner. 

Best, 
TJ


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## Emerald (Oct 7, 2011)

Not a '*Shay*', it must be a '*hVHS'*


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Great idea. I'm always breaking the detail parts on my Shay, not so much once it's upside down but typically in the act of turning it over. I guess you got that covered too.


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

3 pieces of old cedar fence boards and some screws, and the sponge liner out of a Bachmann engine box Easey Peasey!! No muss no fuss!! Regal


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## tj-lee (Jan 2, 2008)

Todd, 

> not so much once it's upside down but typically in the act of turning it over. I guess you got that covered too. 

Once the Shay is secured to the platform (right-side up) it is easy to flip over and nothing is damaged. I could not figure out how to take a pic while flipping it since it takes two hands. 

Jerry, 

All my engines have irregular top surfaces so I could not make a flat piece of foam work for me. 

Best, 
TJ


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Very neat Idea TJ.. You need to bring it up and show me how it's done ...hehehehe 
I'll even let you run it out on the layout.. me


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## tj-lee (Jan 2, 2008)

Noel, 

> You need to bring it up and show me how it's done ...hehehehe 

Be glad to. Build you one if you want. Don't know if I'd survive the cats in and around your layout with my allergies! 

Best, 
TJ


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