Nothing to say

[early0electric]

Loco - The Train Collectors Association has a Pacific Northwest Division which includes BC. You might want to consider contacting them for membership and membership to the TCA. If you join I believe you will get access to The Standard of the World book online AND access to 50+ years of the TCA Quarterly.  Might be worth checking out.

Mike

http://www.traincollector.org/

http://www.tcamembers.org/membership/divisions/find/index.shtml

[romiin]

thanks

[starfire700]

Loco, In answer to your 511 vs 811 question.....
the 811 is classic period large series O gauge and the 511 is classic period small series standard gauge.
That is some of the "basic" knowledge that the TCA Standard of the World book can give you in a nutshell
as example, just to give a quick overview of prewar flatcars Lionel produced.....
Standard gauge 11, 511, 211 and O gauge 831, 811, 2811, 651, 2651, 3651 and 3811. I think I have them all, if you don't count the Madison hardware "backroom production".
Most series' kept the numbers consistent (all flats end in # 1), but some got thrown off when early O gauge was produced and numbered (800, 801, 802......)
Also the evolution of numbers follows eras and features, such as gauge, automatic couplers and operating mechanisms.
I can't stress enough how much the TCA book will clarify this. 

[romiin]

Thanks I will get one.

[romiin]

Has anyone tried powder coating any restoration projects.  Just wondering how that would work?

[starfire700]

Powder-coating requires the powdered paint being applied through an electrostatic process to the metal surface, then baked-on in a special oven. The equipment necessary would make this difficult to do except in a shop set-up for powder-coating. I believe the item first has to go through a cleaning process before coating. A local shop might do this for you, but costs and minimum quantities could be a problem. We powder-coated loco boilers, cabs and other parts, plus car frames when we produced Marx Trains in the 1990's. The result is a very smooth/hard finish, also a thick finish. We would have to grind the paint off of 1 side of tabs, so they would fit through slots, when hand-assembling locos. 

[romiin]

Do you have any pictures of something finished in powder coat?  I was wondering about the thickness of the paint being a problem, when putting all the lttle trim pieces back on

[pjdog350]

I was thinking the same thing Loco? I had a problem yesterday with one of the Lionel 1700’s I mess with the vestibule was to high and not moving well. Causing the second car to derail. I would think power coating the finish would be thicker?

[romiin]

I guess maybe using a primer, might not be good either for thickness. Have you had that problem with using primer?

[pjdog350]

Yes. Primer does add to the thickness. Causes problems with the tabs getting into the slots.

[romiin]

Can you use any paint without primer, or does it have to be a self primer paint.

[pjdog350]

I’m not sure I should say anything on this. I’m not a paint expert. You need to talk to my friend Richard in Louisiana. He is a world-class museum piece restorer and painter. He uses automotive paint with a airbrush. His work is the best I’ve ever seen. You will never see a blemish in his work. He will not stand for it.

[romiin]

love guys like that, if you do it do it right. I might try restoring a beatup box car I have.  Just fishing around for paint procedures. I'm pretty sure I won't be airbrushing it, haven't ever done that.  Spray bomb it is. 

[pjdog350]

Krylon use to sell a great spray can with a special head. It did a fine fan spray. But I can’t find it anymore. I email Krylon and showed them what a mess there new head does. Showed what I had been using. They didn’t seem to understand that there current product was junk. They did ask for the numbers on the bottom of the can and offered to refund my money? So they did the right thing but I don’t want to use my airbrush anymore. If I have to go b ack to that I’ll just stop restoring. I told them I don’t want a refund I want to old good spray head back.

My friend (Richard) told me that ACE hardware has a can spray that’s like the old Krylon but with CV-19 and all I’m trying to stay at home. I still have a few cans of the good head so when they are done I’m am too. Sherwin Williams said to use the old good heads on the new cans of paint. Didn’t work. Different size!

[Terry]

They sell heads for spray cans. The grafitti people do them. So do the big outdoor muralists. Maybe you find them at an arts and crafts store?