What do other people do to restore old stock that you want to return to as close as possible to factory new condition? For example I have several Joueff tipper wagons which are in good condition, but look old and I would like to make them look a bit fresher.
The metal bits, wheels and couplings etc will probably respond to t-cut, but I don't think it will do the plastic bits any favours.
People restoring old games consoles and music equipment use products such as Oxi-clean and Retrobright and I wondered if anybody had tried that on model railway stock.
I am going to have to change the wheels on one Joueff Coach as the originals are quite badly discolored and the flanges are chipped. Indeed the bogies looked a bit ragged so I am expecting to have to re-fit them with brass bearings. This will mean a nice square drill hole so I might have to cut the bogies lengthwise and re-glue them afterwards, but hopefully I can do that without it showing.
The rooves on two of them are scratched, so will need a gentle re-spray. I probably won't do the third one as it doesn't need it and they all look slightly different colours anyway, just like the prototypes.
I am still slightly conflicted about some of the other mods that I have read about such as lowering the bogies, yes they will look more realistic, but will will detract from the authenticity.
The only other change I am contemplating is removing the wire loop parts of the couplings and replacing them at one end with Greenwich ones. This might not be feasible, but they are all packed away ready for the big move now so that will have to wait.
I once wanted a reasonably gentle cleaner to clean a very dirty, but raee, railcar body. Originally I was going to strip it and re-paint it but I realised it had the original factory finish, with lettering, under the grime so cleaning seemed a better option. I brushed it gently with - toothpaste! I was happy with the result.Railcar was a Billard A150D.
I would have thought Isopropyl alcohol would clean them well without damage.
Sugar soap might be a candidate. I understand that many household cleaners include additives that leave a residue. From memory washing up liquid includes silicates to make crockery and glassware 'sparkle'.
(Just finished washing the back hall ceiling with the stuff prior to painting. :) )
I find Dettol remarkably effective,seems to remove most and gunge and does'nt seem to effect plastic.Andy.
Quote from: engerth399 on July 03, 2021, 17:18
I brushed it gently with - toothpaste!
Good idea, I use that on my welding visor, it eventually brings up a nice finish.
Quote from: Iain Morrison on July 03, 2021, 19:07
Most people want to make the factory finish look old, worn and weathered.
Not for me, I want them as more as Icons than models, and some of them look a bit scuzzy.
Quote from: hughn on July 03, 2021, 19:32
I would have thought Isopropyl alcohol would clean them well without damage.
I will certainly be trying that with a baby toothbrush to get the crud off, but it won't bring that plasticy shine back.
Quote from: GraemeD on July 03, 2021, 20:20
I understand that many household cleaners include additives that leave a residue. From memory washing up liquid includes silicates to make crockery and glassware 'sparkle' )
That's worth a try. I did wonder about putting them in the dishwasher for just that reason. But they would have to go in the cage or get bounced around everywhere.
Quote from: Andy Cundick on July 03, 2021, 22:18
I find Dettol remarkably effective,seems to remove most and gunge and does'nt seem to effect plastic.Andy.
I am not sure about that, I use it as a paint stripper!
Quote from: Iain Morrison on July 03, 2021, 19:07
Most people want to make the factory finish look old, worn and weathered.
If you look at pictures of French railcars most of them look quite clean and neat.
Quote from: GraemeD on July 03, 2021, 20:20
Sugar soap might be a candidate. I understand that many household cleaners include additives that leave a residue. From memory washing up liquid includes silicates to make crockery and glassware 'sparkle'.
(Just finished washing the back hall ceiling with the stuff prior to painting. :) )
I should have added that sugar soap doesn't have additives apparently and so doesn't (potentially) contaminate the surface preventing paint sticking. I'm not sure how valid that is.
Quote from: engerth399 on July 04, 2021, 08:02
If you look at pictures of French railcars most of them look quite clean and neat.
I hadn't noticed, thanks. My main layout is based on a heritage line where the volunteers keep everything sparkling. Not only is that leaning towards prototypical practice but cuts down on the weathering needed ;)
Because the red and green Jouef tipper wagons and toastrack coaches are very easy to obtain in as new condition I have never bothered too much about restoring them!
Over the years I have just gradualy upgraded the ones I have by purchasing better ones and selling the ones that were not so good, often making a small profit in the process! The end result is that I now have several of each variety in as new condition.
For me it is just not worth the effort of restoring them.
However, I have stripped enamel paint off a couple of the V skips in the past my submerging them is metholated sprit overnight and then using a wooden cocktail stick to help remove the last of the paint the next morning.
The chassis of the v skips are easy to clean up, but the body is made of a diferent plastic and is not so easy to get all the paint off.
However, it is posiable to re-paint the V body using Humbrol 'stock green' as this is almost the same shade as the original plastic.
Obvioulsy the grey/brown version of the V skip are somwhat harder to find.
Regarding the colour of the coach roof, the ones produced in the 1980's have a lighter shade of green than the ones made upto 1972.
The V skips (and log bolster) were not made after 1972, and the grey/brown skips were not made after 1968.
I should also mention that there is no prototype for the Jouef V skip, they are freelance design based around the need to make them tip up not based on any real V skip wagons.
See page 5 of the December 2018 009 News and page 3 of the January 2019 009 News that are both available on the members section of the Society web site for more details of the various versions of the items in the Jouef H0e range.
Thanks Brian, yes you articles have definitely helped, thanks.
I have been quite picky about my purchases so no real dogs, but some just seem a bit lifeless. My last two tippers came boxed from the 009 Soc and are very good, certainly no visible problems, I would just like them to look a bit "newer" :-)
My two (plastic) log bolsters are very similar and were chosen because they still had their springs, I was surprised how many on sale don't.
I have one coach that is in amazingly good condition, it looks almost unused and only cost £15. The second is pretty good but needs the end of one running board repaired, that was £18. The third was in a bundle and doesn't run well at all, and only has one good running board end, that is coming off to repair the second. That remaining one is going to probably going to be converted into a freelance composite brake van at some time.
Do you think that the 2mm height reduction on these that some people have mentioned is a good plan?
As for locos, I currently have 3 chassis, 1 good body and 4 cabless ones. I would like to make one as close as possible to the original and then see whats left. I am looking at the tramfabriek motor conversion and if they work I might even use the other chassis for other locos. I never thought of using one of them in another body!
One tip I do have for cleaning up older plastic RTR models including the Jouef V skips and toast rack coaches is to clean them using water and washing up liquid.
I use a soft brush to gently work in almost neat washing up liquid to every area of the model then rinse it clean, again using the soft brush to get into every area and section of detail. I shake as much water off as I can and them just let it dry in the air.
The end results of this simple cleaning can be quite stunning and can return an otherwise dirty and dusty looking model to as new condition.