Upgrading an 00 gauge Lima Class 33 - waste of time?

[Lacathedrale]

Here is my progress so far. I used Maskol on the other end so I could paint the window gaskets, and it just bonded so thoroughly to the underlying paint that the whole end was ruined - I couldn't paint over it, and had to use pins, scalpels and tweezers to try and remove it - the result is that it looks like it's got an awful case of excema. Additionally, the railmatch warning yellow covered so poorly that I had to try to mix up a new batch and that was slightly  off-colour.

 

While the loco seems fine at the three-foot rule, and I think at this stage that's the best I can hope for - overall, I'm dissatisfied.

 

I would say that while I have learned and experimented a decent amount - the result has been very wide of the mark, and not something I am proud of at all.

 

 

Still awaiting nameplates, painting the gaskets on this side, some sleeper grime on the undercarriage and a few more touch-ups to the cab front weathering.

[PM47079]

I have not used maskol, instead relying on tamiya masking tape. I will steer clear of it. I don't use railmatch yellow, I use vauxhall mustard yellow. I don't have an airbrush yet so am restricted to rattle cans. But every time I do a repaint I do get better. This 47 is one of my latest.

[crompton 33]

In the past i've done the rubbers round  the windows first . Then fitted the Glazing . I found that a fine tip Black Permanent Marker Pen works well.

[Lacathedrale]

Thanks both, lots of lessons learned on the final stretch on this one. I did use Tamiya but figured that Maskol was specifically designed for this, so why not? The felt-tipped pen idea would make alot of sense; I have a sharpie so I'll try that on the non-destroyed cab front.

 

After the Maskol fiasco I was ready to launch the whole model across the garden like a javelin, so my temper was short and enthusiasm completely waned (not helped by the fact my layout has totally stalled while both track and control have been paid for, but are in limbo) - I rushed at the final furlong and probably made it worse. In retrospect of today's misadventure - I'm really just  annoyed that there's basically b***r all I can do to fix any of it. In fact, most of the problems I've encountered have been specifically related to the fact it's a plastic RTR loco rather than a kit made of brass.

 

Anyway, in no specific order the mistakes made:

 

Have a DCC setup BEFORE attempting to wire in a DCC chip

Ensure any brass panels sit really REALLY flush

Bend handrails using a jig, not by eye - and fit after painting.

Don't use Maskol (at least, not on something that doesn't already have a hard coat of varnish)

Wash with enamels or oils and 'mop up', or at least add alchohol to break the surface tension of acrylic wash (see the hard edges on the dark patches on the cab fronts of the loco)

Edited November 3, 2018 by Lacathedrale

[ess1uk]

Here is my progress so far. I used Maskol on the other end so I could paint the window gaskets, and it just bonded so thoroughly to the underlying paint that the whole end was ruined - I couldn't paint over it, and had to use pins, scalpels and tweezers to try and remove it - the result is that it looks like it's got an awful case of excema. Additionally, the railmatch warning yellow covered so poorly that I had to try to mix up a new batch and that was slightly  off-colour.

 

While the loco seems fine at the three-foot rule, and I think at this stage that's the best I can hope for - overall, I'm dissatisfied.

 

I would say that while I have learned and experimented a decent amount - the result has been very wide of the mark, and not something I am proud of at all.

 

 

 

Still awaiting nameplates, painting the gaskets on this side, some sleeper grime on the undercarriage and a few more touch-ups to the cab front weathering.

I actually like that finish. Looks like it’s been working hard for a living

[Corbs]

Mate, if that was my loco I'd be over the moon, it looks amazing! I'm not sure if it helps but I always try to leave glazing until after weathering etc. 

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

I think it's a pretty good job.  My only suggestion would be to use powders for weathering not paint.  They go on dry for dust, smoke or rust and you can make dilute or thick washes with them for oils and weather based streaks.  You can use them to lighten or darken the overall paint scheme, they are outstanding and easy to use. 

 

Always apply them over several days or weeks so that you get a chance to build up the effects.

 

And until you varnish it, all completely reversible.

 

Top job, mate.  Almost made me shell out for a couple of Lima 50s to tune up.  Almost!

[Lacathedrale]

Thanks all, maybe you're right and I just need a bit of time - all I can see now are the faults! (that is the best view of the loco)

 

I do actually have some weathering powders (the white marks you can see are from white powder) but I didn't think to use them with alchohol/etc. to make a wash.

 

I think apart from the cab faces which are abysmal, I'm not 100 miles away from my chosen prototype pic:: https://www.flickr.com/photos/143518034@N05/27096459578

[Mike Storey]

Thanks all, maybe you're right and I just need a bit of time - all I can see now are the faults! (that is the best view of the loco)

 

I do actually have some weathering powders (the white marks you can see are from white powder) but I didn't think to use them with alchohol/etc. to make a wash.

 

I think apart from the cab faces which are abysmal, I'm not 100 miles away from my chosen prototype pic:: https://www.flickr.com/photos/143518034@N05/27096459578

 

You are being far too hard on yourself. You had a go, have learnt a lot, and the end result is not half as bad as you think - we are all guilty of being overcritical about our own work. If your ambition was to improve your skills and knowledge, you have been there, done it and got the medal.

 

Personally, the three foot rule is by far the best way to judge anything in this scale. You should see what a cods I made of trying to weather a loco in 16mm/ft - rather more obvious, even at three feet. Luckily, most of it came off......

[Lacathedrale]

Thanks Mike, I appreciate the good thoughts. I took a look at my starting model again, and there is quite a difference even if it's not quite where I wanted it to end up:

 

[SRman]

For what it's worth, I agree 100% with Mike Storey, above.

I am very aware of all the faults in my own work, and the photographic close-ups show them to me quite cruelly. Then I look at some commercial models and note a few ragged paint edges, bits of thin painting, slight kinks in lines ... and I realise that maybe my own work is not too bad after all ... not perfect, but not too bad.

For what it's worth, I agree 100% with Mike Storey, above.

I am very aware of all the faults in my own work, and the photographic close-ups show them to me quite cruelly. Then I look at some commercial models and note a few ragged paint edges, bits of thin painting, slight kinks in lines ... and I realise that maybe my own work is not too bad after all ... not perfect, but not too bad.

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

The paint and weathering is all fine, the problems are really that the Lima class 33 doesn't really look like a 33!  Something went wrong when it got scaled up from HO I suspect.

 

Probably the only Limas worth working on are the 31, 47 and 73.  The 50 at a push (needs the HO scale bogies swapping with the class 37 bogies)

 

But ideal practice fodder for modding skills.

[Hroth]

Here is my progress so far. I used Maskol on the other end so I could paint the window gaskets, and it just bonded so thoroughly to the underlying paint that the whole end was ruined - I couldn't paint over it, and had to use pins, scalpels and tweezers to try and remove it - the result is that it looks like it's got an awful case of excema. Additionally, the railmatch warning yellow covered so poorly that I had to try to mix up a new batch and that was slightly  off-colour.

 

While the loco seems fine at the three-foot rule, and I think at this stage that's the best I can hope for - overall, I'm dissatisfied.

 

I would say that while I have learned and experimented a decent amount - the result has been very wide of the mark, and not something I am proud of at all.

 

 

Still awaiting nameplates, painting the gaskets on this side, some sleeper grime on the undercarriage and a few more touch-ups to the cab front weathering.

I really do like what you've done to that Lima 33 - it looks far more like a real one than the out of the box starting point!

A suggestion for the Maskol damaged end, brush the scabby areas over with a "rust" colour and imply that the window frames are disintegrating....

[John Tomlinson]

Isn't it general nature to see the faults in one's own work, after all you know it better than anyone else? I'd suggest that if you don't see the faults in your efforts you're probably rather rubbish as a modeller, as critical assessment is the only way to move forward.

 

As far as this goes, if the yellow really bugs you then perhaps try a very thin coat of it, more thinner than paint, brushed over, to soften the hard edges of shading. Try slipping a thin piece of paper round the front handrail while you do it to keep the paint off.

 

Otherwise, there's no comparison to the toylike starting point, so you should be pleased.

 

John.

[steve1023]

Dude - you have done a good job on that. Well played.

 

Steve

[TRAILRAGE]

Think you did a Dam good job there mate, Much better than my effort and this make me want to go revisit what I had done on mine.

 

Cheers Trailrage

[Hal Nail]

Hard to say without seeing the damaged end but cant successive grades of very fine wet and dry - down to 2000 - used wet in little circular motions get you back to a smooth finish and then just do the yellow again? try, say, Humbrol which I prefer for it's coverage, in very thin coats with minimal brush strokes using a soft brush and build up coats as necessary for "body" (because you're worth it etc!). Then use the 2000 grade again to flat it off.

 

Worth a try if you aren't happy with it now.

Edited November 9, 2018 by Hal Nail

[Lacathedrale]

Hi guys, in the interest of the 3' rule this is the 'finished' model at a few feet away. I added the nameplates, some light weathering around the chassis and lower body sides and around the exhaust and fan on the roof.

 

I think there are a few tiny bits to finish off (such as a pinwash on the cantrail grilles and fixing that clean stripe on the cab front), but largely done. This is the 'mucked up' end btw:

 

[Fat Controller]

I had to struggle to see the Maskol damage; I thought it was a very convincing attempt to simulate a real-life repaint where the existing paint hadn't been rubbed-down properly.

[MJI]

We are always critical of our own models.

 

It looks fine at normal distance, run it use it and do another.

 

Absolute worst case is paint strip and redo, but it looks realistically tatty

[sb67]

The finished loco looks great Lacathedrale, this has turned into a really inspiring thread, makes me want to dig out some old Lima stuff I have.

Steve.

[Lacathedrale]

Finally got a bit of track to run this on and come across a rather big problem - one of the bogie retaining screws pinged off onto the carpet when I was reassembling and I thought I could get away with it - but I can't. Fingers crossed that I can find it - if not, is there an easy way to find out a compatible replacement?

[SRman]

If it is a steel screw, run a strong magnet over the carpet. I have an old meter magnet just for this purpose and for remagnetising my screwdrivers.

[Lacathedrale]

Found it, and gave the loco a test run today - I runs fine (for a Lima), relatively quiet (for a Lima) and it's possibly to run it at an OK slow speed (for a Lima). The stall speed is still fairly high (low?) so it does start moving pretty sharpish from a stop but all functions as one would expect on DC. Compared to a 37 I have (with the motor unmodified, but with all-wheel pickup and P4 wheelsets) it's definitely quieter and lurches far less, but is in no way comparable to modern locos in terms of noise and slow speed control.

[Lacathedrale]

Found it, and gave the loco a test run today - I runs fine (for a Lima), relatively quiet (for a Lima) and it's possibly to run it at an OK slow speed (for a Lima). The stall speed is still fairly high (low?) so it does start moving pretty sharpish from a stop but all functions as one would expect on DC. Compared to a 37 I have (with the motor unmodified, but with all-wheel pickup and P4 wheelsets) it's definitely quieter and lurches far less, but is in no way comparable to modern locos in terms of noise and slow speed control.