Salvaging an old brass tender.

P. Roehling · 2008-03-14T21:28:00+00:00

Found an old Max Grey (probably) S.P. oil tender on eBay for a "buy it now" price of $75 and took a chance. Turned out to be a *really* old max Grey tender, probably from the mid to late '50s, as it had only a generic brass turning to represent the brake cylinder, minimal detail elsewhere, twice-oversized rivets, and -get this- solid brass wheels with no plating whatsoever. On the other hand, all the basic dimensions were correct, and with the exception of the left rear stirrup step all the original parts were present and accounted for.A trip through the old parts box yielded (A) a proper S.P. pressure style cap for the oil bunker, (B) an oil dipstick, (C) a marker light box for the tender deck, and, (D) an S.P. style water-cooler box for the bulkhead.A call to Walthers revealed that -wonder of wonders- they actually had Cal-Scale tender brake sets and NWSL replacement wheelsets in stock, so those got ordered.The missing left rear stirrup step presented more of a problem as nobody makes anything today that resembles the original, so I cut one out of an .065 brass sheet; using a jeweler's saw to cut it out, fine diamond-grit pattern-makers files to clean it up, and the right-hand rear stirrup-step as a template.The original S.P. tenders had a series of three grab-irons on the face of the tender bulkhead so the engine crew could climb up on the deck at fuel and water stops, so I bent them from .015 steel guitar string that I favor over brass wire both for it's strength and for it's ability to withstand higher soldering temperatures without melting. I also used the same gauge of guitar string to make the fuel line that led from the fuel bunker to the locomotive, and for the brake rods.The brake line on the rear of the tender I fashioned from a short length of .045 brass-wound guitar string that I use because of it's strength. (My locos get used a lot, and soft brass brake lines tend to get broken off in handling.)Upon disassembling the tender I discovered there was a 2...

Mar 14, 2008 28 Replies

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Steve Caple 18 years ago

You should see what 40+ years will do to the rubber bands in an Athearn diseasel!!

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P. Roehling 18 years ago

"Steve Caple" wrote

"Diseasel"

I like that!

Sounds like a Dr. Seuss character who spread cholera at Christmas.

-Pete

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David Nebenzahl 18 years ago

On 3/19/2008 10:49 AM P. Roehling spake thus:

Or like a 6-axle weasel.

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P. Roehling 18 years ago

"David Nebenzahl" wrote

Hmm. You should enjoy these...

formatting link

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Steve Caple 18 years ago

Oh, those are great - #2 has Sean Hannity to a T!

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P. Roehling 18 years ago

"Steve Caple" wrote

Me, I liked #6.

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Paul Newhouse 18 years ago

#6 was the only one that wasn't mis-spelt

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P. Roehling 18 years ago

"Paul Newhouse" wrote

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David Nebenzahl 18 years ago

On 3/20/2008 10:09 AM P. Roehling spake thus:

Yeah, double "??"??

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