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ANOTHER GREAT FRISCO RAFFLE!

Series covering making a Frisco 739 from a PFM NP 4-6-0

Discussion in '4-6-0 Ten Wheeler' started by frisco1522, Jan 19, 2012.

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  1. Jim James

    Jim James Staff Member Staff Member

    Thank you. I need to get a decent pencil type iron. Mine is junky and dirty without a replaceable tip even. What size or type of solder do you favor?
     
    Jim James, Jan 22, 2012
    #21
  2. frisco1522

    frisco1522 Staff Member Staff Member

    I bought a Weller (I think) soldering station with adjustable heat. I use a 1/8" screwdriver type tip most of the time, but when I'm soldering leads to the mini connectors and stuff like that I use a pointed tip.
    I have a roll of 1/32 or so rosin core that I use mostly, along with the paste flux.
    I need to get a small torch so I can use some silver solder for bigger stuff. I used to have a Bernzomatic that used a small tank and had a small tip and worked great on small jobs.
    I also built (many, many years ago) a huge resistance soldering rig. A friend gave me a transformer out of an X-ray machine and I sawed the secondary off of it and made about 8 or so wraps with #8 copper wire for a secondary which feeds a 1/4" carbon electrode point. I have to be really careful with it because it will vaporize stuff if I get on it too hard. I have an old sewing machine variable foot switch for it and you have to get on and off of it in a hurry or your smaller parts will go bye-bye.
     
    frisco1522, Jan 22, 2012
    #22
  3. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Jim, a temperature-controlled soldering iron is the way to go. I recently bought a Hakko FX-888 that I am totally enamoured with. Check it out here:
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Hakko-F...473?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f0f7eb3e1

    It is good for real fine work when you turn down the heat, as Don describes, or it will solder 10 gauge stuff just as easily when you crank up the heat. A stand-alone pencil just won't pull that off.
     
    klrwhizkid, Jan 22, 2012
    #23
  4. renapper (Richard Napper RIP 3/8/2013)

    renapper (Richard Napper RIP 3/8/2013) Passed away March 8, 2013

    Jim,
    Don's method will work just fine, I have a Weller soldering station that I use alot; but for soldering to a brass engine, I use my American Beauty resistance soldering unit and silver solder. You can solder another part onto the brass engine right next to another part without it falling off if you use the resistance soldering unit becuase the only thing that gets hot is the one part you are working on. A regular soldering iron must heat up the whole surface to solder on anything which risks having other parts fall back off.
     
    renapper (Richard Napper RIP 3/8/2013), Jan 23, 2012
    #24
  5. Sirfoldalot

    Sirfoldalot Frisco.org Supporter Frisco.org Supporter

    Don, I see that the pipe fitters have not forgotten their trade.
    Thanks to all for the good information.
     
    Sirfoldalot, Jan 23, 2012
    #25
  6. frisco1522

    frisco1522 Staff Member Staff Member

    More pipefitter work, power reverse installed and other small items.
     

    Attached Files:

    frisco1522, Jan 23, 2012
    #26
  7. Sirfoldalot

    Sirfoldalot Frisco.org Supporter Frisco.org Supporter

    I believe these guys have a power reverse on their locomotive at about the 16+ minute mark.
    Don, I have also discovered how you got started - and your love - for railroading.

    Hope all enjoy this as much as I have.
    http://youtu.be/9CpStbkuNNk

    PS .. The construction of the bell at 12:10 is of particular interest!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 24, 2012
    Sirfoldalot, Jan 24, 2012
    #27
  8. frisco1522

    frisco1522 Staff Member Staff Member

    Some rare stuff there. The 1344 is a compound 4-6-2. Like all the old cars and the roundhouse scene.
     
    frisco1522, Jan 24, 2012
    #28
  9. tmfrisco

    tmfrisco Member Frisco.org Supporter

    I must say that I enjoyed the film overall. I remember the "Our Gang" films, although we had sound in the 50s when I watched them. However, I was surprised to feel the emotions rising inside of me at the opening "run a way engine" scenes. I was involved in a fatality accident, had several near misses, found a lady who had fallen between cars on the east end of the Arkansas River bridge, along with fatalities of my fellow workers, and I guess those repressed memories sprang up inside as I watched the engine "run over" Stymie sp? with the stuck foot in the switch. Don't take this as criticism of the film, just relaying how I felt, and still feel, after having watched it. I remember watching railroad films of the dastardly villain tying the innocent lady to the tracks and feeling nothing, but I guess those days are over.
    Terry
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 24, 2012
    tmfrisco, Jan 24, 2012
    #29
  10. SAFN SAAP

    SAFN SAAP Member

    Sherrel,

    I never laughed so hard. That poor ATSF Pacific! Those tires! Oh those tires! I loved the bell. New valve gear known as the "Our Gang." One dog power! Flour for the steam! Water for the dog! Classic! I love it!
     
    SAFN SAAP, Jan 24, 2012
    #30
  11. frisco1522

    frisco1522 Staff Member Staff Member

    Today the shop goat brought the tender over from the tank shop. They have cut down the bunker sides and set a brakeman's doghouse on the water deck. As soon as the oil bunker is finished, they will drop it into the tender.
     

    Attached Files:

    frisco1522, Jan 24, 2012
    #31
  12. renapper (Richard Napper RIP 3/8/2013)

    renapper (Richard Napper RIP 3/8/2013) Passed away March 8, 2013

    Excellent work, Don.
     
    renapper (Richard Napper RIP 3/8/2013), Jan 25, 2012
    #32
  13. frisco1522

    frisco1522 Staff Member Staff Member

    739 just stopped by to stick her nose in.
     

    Attached Files:

    frisco1522, Jan 25, 2012
    #33
  14. yardmaster

    yardmaster Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Don, my hat's off to your backshop foreman. The work itself, not to mention the progress reports, are most impressive.

    Best Regards,
     
    yardmaster, Jan 26, 2012
    #34
  15. Sirfoldalot

    Sirfoldalot Frisco.org Supporter Frisco.org Supporter

    If only (in that era) they would have mounted the bell on the top of the smoke box door.
     
    Sirfoldalot, Jan 26, 2012
    #35
  16. Ozarktraveler

    Ozarktraveler Member

    LOVING this series!...
     
    Ozarktraveler, Jan 26, 2012
    #36
  17. frisco1522

    frisco1522 Staff Member Staff Member

    Well, our little girl has been very busy for the last week. The shop foreman signed off on all the work, she was test fired successfully and then sent to the paint shop. After that, she was sent on a break in run to St. Louis and back. Pictures show her at Newburg relatively clean and then after running to St. Louis and back with the local. She's ready for her new owner.
     

    Attached Files:

    frisco1522, Jan 29, 2012
    #37
  18. meteor910

    meteor910 2009 Engineer of the Year Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Wunderbar! 739 turned out really nice.

    K
     
    meteor910, Jan 29, 2012
    #38
  19. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    The one word that comes to mind immediately is Masterful!
     
    klrwhizkid, Jan 29, 2012
    #39
  20. Jim James

    Jim James Staff Member Staff Member

    Wow! That is so cool. I am now accepting all unwanted brass locos. Anyone?
     
    Jim James, Jan 29, 2012
    #40
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