I watched this series of videos before starting construction of my bridge. The videos were very helpful and the fact the errors were pointed out helped me build with less mistakes. I modified the floor assembly by gluing all he stringers and splicers together on a flat surface using a ruler to keep the stringers nice and straight. Once the glue was cured I inserted the cross bearers and then glued the locating straps on. The intermediate braces were put in place and then the steel straps were inserted. I knew had a very flat but flexible floor assembly. I put the floor assembly between two straight edges that were clamped down to hold the floor in place. Next came the bottom lace pieces. I read the instructions on how to install these and watched the video a second time. In the video the edges of the bottom lace did not always come together but by starting in the center and being very careful to glue each piece in the center of the locating strap I was able to get all the bottom lace pieces installed and all lined up perfectly. Having a very flexible floor help tremendously by allowing me to make minor adjustments to square the cross bearers so the bottom lace lined up correctly. Once the lace was in place I carefully glued all the floor pieces, set weights on the assembly and let the glue cure. The finished floor lays flat and is perfectly square. For the bridge superstructure I built jigs to get everything nice and flat for the bottom cord and the cut angles to exactly match the plans. To build the jig I bought a piece of 1 x 8 popular board and tapped the plan on top of this board. I then used a push pin to punch holes at each end of the cut angles, removed the plan, and used a straight edge to draw a line between each of the two points. I would then clamp a block of wood to the 1 x 8 on the line and used the block as a guide to cut the girder. I cut them longer than needed, placed the girder on the plan and if the angle of the cut looked good I placed the girder up against the block and with the girder just off the edge of the board. I would then use the face of the board as a guild to sand the girder to length a little at a time test fitting until the girder matched the plan exactly. This kept the cut angle the same and kept the cut nice and square. The process was very slow, but the results were worth the time spent. I placed the cut girders on the plan and glued the splicers on. Each splicer snapped into place, so I knew the angle was correct. I built both upper cords and when the glue had cured place one on tope of the other and they matched up exactly. I will post more when I complete the rest of the build.
Rob, you're an awesome modeler, so don't be so critical on yourself. Remember, the Central Valley bridge build has your full attention right now, so you see it with a discerning eye. You made adjustments and corrections and everything looks outstanding in my book. Thanks for sharing and I enjoy your insights on your new channel. Nice job.
Just bought two of these myself and plan to put them basically end to end but with an actual steel built girder bridge in between... maybe even short steel girders on each of the ends making a bridge above my basement living room about 82 inches long.. so I will actually be walking underneath it as it is all to be suspended from the ceiling. So thanks a million for the tips!! And look forward to more of your projects! !!
I have watched this series like 5 times, awesome work, beautiful outcome. Want to build one myself but need it like 32 to 36" long. Need to figure out how to expand it. with out buying two bridges. Anyway, awesome job.
Nice work. The many tabs that hold are not there to hold the parts.. they are the channels neded to cst the parts with no missing plastic. it is incredible the way they have them down to such tiny sprues in today's pressure injection molding processes. Better to trim a few extra nubs than to have a bad casting.
Looks good. I am enjoying the new channel. The thing about where you put those slivers of styrene in, They might not have been noticeable in final assembly but you would have still known they were there. I look forward to part 2. Will
Sure glad to see this. I'm building a new layout and incorporating this bridge into my layout.
I watched this series of videos before starting construction of my bridge. The videos were very helpful and the fact the errors were pointed out helped me build with less mistakes. I modified the floor assembly by gluing all he stringers and splicers together on a flat surface using a ruler to keep the stringers nice and straight.
Once the glue was cured I inserted the cross bearers and then glued the locating straps on. The intermediate braces were put in place and then the steel straps were inserted. I knew had a very flat but flexible floor assembly. I put the floor assembly between two straight edges that were clamped down to hold the floor in place.
Next came the bottom lace pieces. I read the instructions on how to install these and watched the video a second time. In the video the edges of the bottom lace did not always come together but by starting in the center and being very careful to glue each piece in the center of the locating strap I was able to get all the bottom lace pieces installed and all lined up perfectly. Having a very flexible floor help tremendously by allowing me to make minor adjustments to square the cross bearers so the bottom lace lined up correctly.
Once the lace was in place I carefully glued all the floor pieces, set weights on the assembly and let the glue cure. The finished floor lays flat and is perfectly square.
For the bridge superstructure I built jigs to get everything nice and flat for the bottom cord and the cut angles to exactly match the plans. To build the jig I bought a piece of 1 x 8 popular board and tapped the plan on top of this board. I then used a push pin to punch holes at each end of the cut angles, removed the plan, and used a straight edge to draw a line between each of the two points. I would then clamp a block of wood to the 1 x 8 on the line and used the block as a guide to cut the girder. I cut them longer than needed, placed the girder on the plan and if the angle of the cut looked good I placed the girder up against the block and with the girder just off the edge of the board. I would then use the face of the board as a guild to sand the girder to length a little at a time test fitting until the girder matched the plan exactly. This kept the cut angle the same and kept the cut nice and square. The process was very slow, but the results were worth the time spent. I placed the cut girders on the plan and glued the splicers on. Each splicer snapped into place, so I knew the angle was correct. I built both upper cords and when the glue had cured place one on tope of the other and they matched up exactly.
I will post more when I complete the rest of the build.
Rob, you're an awesome modeler, so don't be so critical on yourself. Remember, the Central Valley bridge build has your full attention right now, so you see it with a discerning eye. You made adjustments and corrections and everything looks outstanding in my book. Thanks for sharing and I enjoy your insights on your new channel. Nice job.
I wanted to take a few moments out of my day, and thank you; thank you! I found this video to be very helpful. Nice work too...
Just bought two of these myself and plan to put them basically end to end but with an actual steel built girder bridge in between... maybe even short steel girders on each of the ends making a bridge above my basement living room about 82 inches long.. so I will actually be walking underneath it as it is all to be suspended from the ceiling. So thanks a million for the tips!! And look forward to more of your projects! !!
Just got this kit from Walthers for my husband and it came with a full diagram of the bridge.
Just started on the CVMW #1901 bridge kit, basically the single track version of this bridge. This series will come in very handy!
I have watched this series like 5 times, awesome work, beautiful outcome. Want to build one myself but need it like 32 to 36" long. Need to figure out how to expand it. with out buying two bridges. Anyway, awesome job.
contact CVMW. they sell the expansion hits you can buy seperatley to make it longer.
I am enjoying the new channel as I am very interested in the modeling side of things! Thank you!!
We have re-tooled and made improvements to the bottom "X" fitments and 2 inch center-to-center tie locating ribs added as of June 15, of 2015.
Nice work. The many tabs that hold are not there to hold the parts.. they are the channels neded to cst the parts with no missing plastic. it is incredible the way they have them down to such tiny sprues in today's pressure injection molding processes. Better to trim a few extra nubs than to have a bad casting.
Looks good!
Looks good. I am enjoying the new channel. The thing about where you put those slivers of styrene in, They might not have been noticeable in final assembly but you would have still known they were there. I look forward to part 2.
Will
looking good.
Thanks for these videos. Glad you're making some mistakes too, they're more informative than just everything going well. Now I'm warned.
Try tamiyas glue theirs a fast and slow version both are amazing
I was wondering where you got the steel weight blocks you were using ??
I use these! Great for assembling structure models. hwww.ebay.com/i/230791362645