Is there a standard dimension for the smoke box number plates? Does anyone know what those dimensions are? What font was used for the numbers? Thanks! Tim
Don, I just aquired a pair of caboose candle lamps. Not Frisco, but I thought they were cool anyhow! Would a Coonskin sconce turned verticle be too out of form? I thought they would look good on my walls like that, in case of power failures! lol Dan
Here is the progress thus far on my O scale number plates for steam loco smoke box/headlight bracket. I guess they don't exist so I am making my own. I am casting them in resin after making the pattern by hand. this is the first one near completion minus the white border and numbers. I have cast about a dozen or so and think I am almost there. I am guessing at the size. These are a little shy of a scale 2 feet wide. I hope to get it accurate with the correct dimensions and number font.
First, I printed what looked like a good coonskin on the printer, cut it out and glued it to a piece of styrene. Next, I filed and filed and filed until it looked right. Then, I pressed this "master" copy into clay provided in the casting kit. I then made the protruding edge by taking a very tiny flat screw driver and going around the entire edge of the coonskin pressing it deep enough into the clay for the resin to fill. After hardening, I took this resin pattern, cleaned and filed it into shape. I also made it a little flatter with some sand paper. I then made a rubber mold, poured resin and started mass producing. Pictured is my coonskin master and some other part casting I am doing.
Crap I was going to look up that drawing for you. I promise I will do it. Basically, it is a 2:1 thing. Twice as long as it is high. Kemtron (Precision Scale) used to make an O scale coonskin number plate/headlight bracket. Don't know if they still do or not.
OK I started looking for the drawing today. I thought it was someplace it isn't. I spend most of my time looking for stuff. I WILL find that drawing. I'm thinking it's 12 x 24 over the points if that helps.
I went through downloads from this site and found drawings for "Frisco" Monogram Coonskins to go on freight cars. These have well-marked dimensions. Unfortunately, they are not what is requested here, and worse I do not know where they exist on the site. On the other hand, there was discussion in this thread about standard dimensions for these plates: http://www.frisco.org/shipit/index.php?threads/number-plate-coonskin-dimensions.4825/ Further, this photo, albeit from an old prototype, is shot square-on. It could be sized using the above dimensions to provide an acceptable guide for a locomotive number coonskin: http://www.frisco.org/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17794&d=1328028043 No substitute for Don's drawing to be sure, but when reduced to 1/87, or even 1/48, it might be o.k. DanHyde should wait for something more accurate . George Nelson
Tim - thanks very much for sharing your technique. I've really been intrigued with a casting kit at Hobby Lobby; your directions and photos are cause for renewed interest in giving casthing on my own a try. Best Regards,
I've looked everywhere I can think of and haven't found the drawing, so here's a photo of a casting. I've Photoshopped out the info on it for clarity and by request of the owner. I've dimensioned it and it should be sufficient for anyone to work with.
