Defacing Engines Questions

Hi everyone,

I have never defaced an engine before but I'm just curious as to the many ways in which it could be done. I've seen a few people here do it and some of them look excellent. I'm considering trying it out *if* I can find the time.

I'm sure there are many methods in which some will cost more time rather than money and vice versa.

Since the discussion might get very confusing after too many replies, I might as well post all my questions distinctly on the first go.

1. What is the most ideal and most beautiful way to deface an engine? How long and how much per engine does it take on average?

2. What is the fastest and time-saving way (although not the most ideal way)? How long does it take? How much per engine on average?

3. What is the cheapest way (although not the most ideal way)? How long does it take?

4. What recommendations / comments / complaints / advice do you have about defacing engines?


I think that's about it.

Thanks!

-plarnold

[Super]

Those are all hard questions to answer. It all depends...

Depends on which train you wish to deface and your skills in moding. The easiest and fastest I would say is to use a faced train that just has a screw holding the face on. Remove the screw & face, caliper the size of the face then find yourself a smoke box door from HO or OO train parts to glue in its place and you are done. This becomes trickier with some of the faced trains that uses the face and its screw to also hold the bracket for the screw that holds the battery compartment screw in which case you can remove the face plate screw but will then have to Super Glue the bracket back in for the compartment screw.

How long will it take, the fastest way is the one explained above which would take 15 minutes or more with the glue drying time. Of course if you are looking into painting and signage to completely change a look it can add to the time considerably. I must also mention that there are a few faces that are part of the train schell and has to be cut out or ground down to deface. These would take a lot longer and require some experience in modifying.

For me, I take my sweet time. It takes me quite a while. From the initial idea, investigation into the train I am defacing like its parts and what it takes to remove the face and install a smoke box door, the engineering brainstorming in my mind, my favorite part, to come up with possible obstacles Painting to be prepared for or additions to the mod. Painting will also add to the time. I am currently working on a Tank Engine deface and waiting on the smoke box door before I start. I like to have everything on hand before starting.

Just start with an easy face and give it a whirl especially if it is an extra train.

As Super says, it entirely depends on which engine you select, as there are many ways in which the face is fixed on.

I'm in the process of detailing Salty, of which more in due course. The front (black & yellow striped) part just screws off, and it looks from the inside as if the face is just fixed on by three plastic studs that have been melted on their ends, but having drilled those out I found that there had been a generous dose of solvent glue used as well. In the end I had to cut the face out from the inside using a saw-disc on a rotary drill tool, which worked well but might not be an ideal introduction for the inexperienced or faint-hearted.

[Super]

Thats right Chrisjo. I forgot about the melted plastic rivet studs on some faces. I think that Mavis might also be like that. Diesel and all like him, have a molded face right to the shell, but Paxton, who is basically from the same mold as Diesel, has a removable face. Most likely because Paxton uses a AA battery as opposed to the C size that Diesel does. The Paxton face uses a screw to hold the face and the bracket for the battery box screw. Did they release later a Diesel that used a AA that you installed from the bottom? Will have to check that out as he was our first deface and I am not entirely satisfied to how he looks.

I agree with super, start with an easier loco like thomas, for example. All he has is one screw. What I did for my thomson mod a while back was I used a dremel and trimmed down the "lip" in the plastic surrounding the four screw holes. From there you glue on your smokebox or different faceplate.

Super, How much are those HO scale smoke box doors and how easily do they just go on? Are they the perfect size on arrival?

-plarnold

[Super]

There are different sizes, that is why you have to measure either the front of the boiler or the face you take off. Prices vary also, you have to search and if you see something you like then check the size or ask the seller if its not in the listing. Try doing a search in your country's Ebay Model Railroad or auction site. You can use the term, Smokebox Doors, Boiler Doors, Steam Parts, Boiler etc. It usually costs more to ship than for the door themselves as they are so small and lightweight so I always buy more then one because its may be free or very little for additional items. As far as fitting perfectly, you may have to file or grind off tabs or ridges on the back so the door will sit flat on your Mod as they usually have line up inner circles or ridges to fit the OO train that they are actually made for. I have bought several from a UK seller on Ebay. He used to have more of a variety but his stock may be diminishing through sales. http://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_odkw=&LH...x&_sacat=0

[Ucwepn]

GWR King class Hornby smokebox door is a perfect fit for Thomas