Roof details

Bill Welch has been busy on the workbench. He sent notes and images on improving a kit roof to make it look like a Hutchins. Here’s Bill with the details.

Here is my attempt to model a Hutchins roof using the very basic roof Funaro & Camerlengo provides with their sweet little D&H boxcar kit.

I began by blackening the ends of the roof ribs to create contrast. This helps me see the work when I carve into the casting with a single edge razor blade to create the distinctive “V” shape crimp of the prototypes.

Using a Vernier caliper, I determined the ribs are not spaced evenly. In fact, there were three different spacings, all very close. The varied spacing made it difficult to determining the middle of the sections. Once I was happy with each location, I drew a line to mark the center. I used Testors liquid cement for plastics to attach a length of 0.010-inch styrene rod. I used enough to more or less melt the rod in place.

After it dried overnight, I made marks where the rod should be trimmed on each end and then applied CA along each edge of the rod to secure in place. My goal was to make the rod look more like part of the metal roof stamping. I let it rest for a day and then sanded with #600 grit paper to bevel each end, as if it if blends into the roof panel.

Next, I marked where the Grandt Line Nut/Washers need to be installed and drilled the holes. I think these were their #1 or #101 parts. Once they were in place, I secured then with CA inside the body but held in place with Testors.

The roof saddles to support the running board were very wimpy and needed be build up with strip styrene. The roof is not machine perfect but is closer to the real thing with these changes. Similar work is being done with a 40-foot car F&C PRR X26 boxcar kit that is on my workbench. – Bill Welch

What’s on your workbench?