Replacing Builder's plates

Classic Toy Trains Forum
1

I have a K-line K-4 and one of it’s builder’s plates went missing. Does anyone know where I could get a replacement?

Alex weihmann

2

The replacement doesn’t have to be a k-line, it can be any brand or make…

3

Alex, This may be a tough one, but if you don’t get any other response, you may want to get a photo as detailed as you can from a web site. Download the photo and then print it on decal paper adjusted to the proper dimensions. This may take a good bit of trial and error, but that is the best I can offer.

Dennis

4

You might try Dennis’s idea on a small piece of brass. Maybe even draw or write something with a fine line marker on the brass & epoxy it on the eng. K&S brass can be found at some hobby shops. Can you get us a picture of the plate on the other side of the eng. ?

Thanks, John

5

Here’s a close up of the one on the other side:

6

Any other idea’s… Does anyone make replacment plates?

7

Alex : I have another idea, though a lot of work but I think it can be done. You’ll need a book they sell on making your own castings. Dave Vergun, who you may know from this forum has been making a lot of things & I think he has some info on the last couple Sunday Photo Fun threads. You may have to remove the plate from the other side & use for your mold for the new one. One other idea would be checking into photo etching, which I don’t know a thing about. Just an idea .

Thanks, John

8

I was thinking about the casting, but I don’t know if I would really have the skill and know how, because I am only 14. If it’s pretty straight foward I’ll try it, but I think I m going to put that as a a backup plan.

9

That’s alright Alex !! It may be an idea for when you get older, though you can always study up on the idea & gather information for later, & have a project on the “back burner” !!

Thanks, John

10

I have the same engine and I think a decal would work as a replacement. I don’t know if one is available or not but this link is a good place to start looking.

http://www.pdhobbyshop.com/show_manufacturer.php?category=Trains&sub_category=%26quot%3BO%26quot%3B%20Scale%202%20Rail&sub_sub_category=Decals

11

a gentle bump…

12

To be filed under category of “more work than it’s probably worth”. You used to be able to get photo resist material from radioshack. You COULD use the digital camera to get a nice clean sot of the original one and use a photoshop clone to make a life sized version at 600 dpi. Print this out on transparency material and use this to make a mask (Do not do this in color, you want a crips clean B&W image). I believe you also want to use the phot editing tools to make a reverse image. You aren’t going to actualy etch the material but use the photo resist to make blacked out parts permanent. In normal photo etch, you mask the stuff you want to keep, expose to UV light and then chemically remove the unexposed resist and then etch whats been exposed. You want to use the resist material to make the black parts STAY black and wash away the stuff you want to stay “bright”. Then coat the material with a clear coat to seal it. Not an easy assignment.

13

I’d try casting it. That would be the best way to go and fairly easy. All you need is some clay, Silly Putty or even Play-Do and press it firmly against the remaining builder’s plate. Then carefully peel it off. Then heat up some solder and let it drip into the “mold” you’ve made. If you don’t have solder, try some plaster, latex wood filler, latex paint, melted plastic, JB weld, or even white glue. For these options, spray the mold first with some WD-40 so the cast piece will release easily from the mold.

When the cast piece is ready, paint it all black. Then dry brush the high spots with gold paint. Glue it on the loco and off you go.

Jim

14

Thanks! I think Im going to try this. And thank you everyone for yor help and suggestiones

15

Jim,

what a coincidence, I just emailed him basically the same advice! nearly word for word

you can use clay or even make your own from flour and water (but work fast before crust forms). purchase a small tube of epoxy or resin from HD or lowes and pour it inside (building a dike around).

you can make the clay impression on a friend’s model or even at a hobby store if they let you (just takes 2 seconds to slam the clay onto the plate and then pull it off again).

if using resins or epoxy, I’d say not to use the wd-40 b/c it might interfere with curing process. The clay will come off. If it doesn’t, acetone will separate the clay from the final product. Acetone is used by your mom or girlfriend for removing fingernail polish

16

Just got the email, I have the other builder’s plate, so i think I’ll try you and Jims advice

17

Well I looked at the plate on the other side, and was sad to discover that ti had no raised areas on it that would allow making a mold with clay. I was thinking, and I am going to get a piece of brass and cut it to the proper size. Then using photo shop, I will recreate the plate and shrink it down to 1/48 scale, and print it on clear abrasive paper, and attach it to the brass. I will keep you updated.

Alex Weihmann

18

this is the fun of learning.

if you have a good dig camera with macro, take closeup of builders plate; photoshop it; then print it out in plastic

19

How do you print on plastic? Do you mean abrasive injet paper?

20

Document protectors go thru most copy machine. But even better, go to Office Depot and get yourself Avery #8165 ink jet sheets; railroaders have been using these to make decals.