Re: 730 Gets a Boiler
Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2019 2:59 pm
Cab Refresh...
Figured after 23 years when the loco was originally out-shopped, it was time to "freshen up" the cab. If nothing else, the original pin stripe work was wearing thin from handling. On the cab, engineer's side in particular, from reaching thru the side windows to move the Johnson Bar. Some of the original green paint had chipped off along the cab floor. For now, will just concentrate on updating the cab finish.
After the rest of the cab was treated to some fresh paint, found there were parts of the cab needing additional attention. Drats! In the above photo, you can see where duct tape was used to mask the old wooden looking side panels. For the most part, this worked great...EXCEPT around the edges. The duct tape did NOT survive the pounding from the blast. Tried to go back and touch up the wood panel edges with a brush...and that only made matters worse. The surface finish looked like crap. So much for taking a short cut!
Used a sanding sponge to "feather" the edges, all around the wood panel. After that, used a shop vac to suck off the sanding dust. Took a shop towel with Naptha to wipe the rest of the residue off. When dry, masked the area AROUND the wood panels. What color? Found out some time ago, the original builder used Rustoleum primer red.
Applied the red primer spray and used one of those 1200/1500 watt box heaters blowing hot air against the cab side...up close and personal...for several hours to accelerate the drying. When this was completely dry, the surface would get a satin clear coat. btw...use the same heater when heating surfaces and adhesive backed vinyl to get surface temperatures up to 100 deg F (nominal) before removing the backing paper and setting vinyl graphics in place. The vinyl lays down easily and smoothly.
Might not see this in any of the photos, but the cab is resting on a couple 3/4 x 3/4 pine strips on top of a laboratory turntable. This made it SO easy to paint one side of the cab, spin the entire structure around around and paint the other side...without having to touch cab. Worked great!
When the clear coat was dry, reversed the masking process. This time, masked the wood panels.
Thereafter, sprayed the surrounding cab sides with the Rustoleum Hunter Green paint. When dry, got out a small brush and painted the cab armrests with Rustoleum satin canyon black hand...carefully. Installed the original builders plates. And the cab was almost ready for installation on the cab floor.
While I don't have any photos of the cab roof, it too was sand blasted...top and bottom. The underside sprayed satin black. When dry, flipped the roof over and painted the top side. This too received red primer and an over spray with clear satin before getting screwed to the cab.
Would also like to point out, the front cab doors were removed (carefully so the screws wouldn't break) and the door edges filed so the door could swing easily and "nest" in the door opening.
Next time, I'll get into some cab "highlighting". 'til then...Carl B.
Figured after 23 years when the loco was originally out-shopped, it was time to "freshen up" the cab. If nothing else, the original pin stripe work was wearing thin from handling. On the cab, engineer's side in particular, from reaching thru the side windows to move the Johnson Bar. Some of the original green paint had chipped off along the cab floor. For now, will just concentrate on updating the cab finish.
After the rest of the cab was treated to some fresh paint, found there were parts of the cab needing additional attention. Drats! In the above photo, you can see where duct tape was used to mask the old wooden looking side panels. For the most part, this worked great...EXCEPT around the edges. The duct tape did NOT survive the pounding from the blast. Tried to go back and touch up the wood panel edges with a brush...and that only made matters worse. The surface finish looked like crap. So much for taking a short cut!
Used a sanding sponge to "feather" the edges, all around the wood panel. After that, used a shop vac to suck off the sanding dust. Took a shop towel with Naptha to wipe the rest of the residue off. When dry, masked the area AROUND the wood panels. What color? Found out some time ago, the original builder used Rustoleum primer red.
Applied the red primer spray and used one of those 1200/1500 watt box heaters blowing hot air against the cab side...up close and personal...for several hours to accelerate the drying. When this was completely dry, the surface would get a satin clear coat. btw...use the same heater when heating surfaces and adhesive backed vinyl to get surface temperatures up to 100 deg F (nominal) before removing the backing paper and setting vinyl graphics in place. The vinyl lays down easily and smoothly.
Might not see this in any of the photos, but the cab is resting on a couple 3/4 x 3/4 pine strips on top of a laboratory turntable. This made it SO easy to paint one side of the cab, spin the entire structure around around and paint the other side...without having to touch cab. Worked great!
When the clear coat was dry, reversed the masking process. This time, masked the wood panels.
Thereafter, sprayed the surrounding cab sides with the Rustoleum Hunter Green paint. When dry, got out a small brush and painted the cab armrests with Rustoleum satin canyon black hand...carefully. Installed the original builders plates. And the cab was almost ready for installation on the cab floor.
While I don't have any photos of the cab roof, it too was sand blasted...top and bottom. The underside sprayed satin black. When dry, flipped the roof over and painted the top side. This too received red primer and an over spray with clear satin before getting screwed to the cab.
Would also like to point out, the front cab doors were removed (carefully so the screws wouldn't break) and the door edges filed so the door could swing easily and "nest" in the door opening.
Next time, I'll get into some cab "highlighting". 'til then...Carl B.