Hi everyone,
currently working on Trumpeter´s railway gondola, nice kit, but missing all the detail underneath. That makes me to scratch build detailed Kunze-Knorr brake, used in Germany on most wagons after WWI for another 15 years.
Once I have the brake finished, I am making silicone moulds to get resin castings needed for any other car I want to build in the future.
After hard research I got enough references and started building.
Brake comes in a few parts, main cylinder, two valves, one of them very complicated, with brake power switch and brake shutoff lever , an the other one easier, with lever to empty air from system. At the end, all the rods and arms to transfer effect to the wheels.
So far I have finished both valves:





Main cylinder needs about 12 more parts, then I will start with the arms and rods, and the air system parts as well.



If anynone interested, more details can be seen at my website here:
gondola brake

Thanks for looking, any comments are welcome.
Libor

Here is main cylinder finished. Sorry for poor quality pictures.


Thanks for looking
Libor

Jihaaaaaaaa....here we go again... :D:D

Thanks, Stjepan,
this is just beginning, that for sure
I have better pictures of the finished cylinder now, also job done on rods and arms. More of them needed to operate the wheel brakes, spring for hooks will be added, some smal details and air tank at the end.


Unfortunatelly I cannot show glued completed brake until all the moulds are made.
Thanks for looking
Libor

Hi Gravedigger, Very COOL , Every time I read one of your posts I see somthing different/Always somthing for me to learn. Any way my railcars are on hold but will be completed in the future, other projects have priority, besides I may not be able to use all your kit improvement ideas, but with your permission I'll try. I am usually OOB, and appreciate the info on the missing details, not included in the kits. Enjoying your crash course on german WWII railcars. milvehfan

Great stuff as usual Libor. Although quite hidden, they will still add a lot to the finished article ... maybe something to keep in mind for the end diormama ... rise them up a bit so this work can be seen!

Thank you, Milvehfan and Frank,
for kind words. This is actually just simple improvement, more consuming time than bringing visible effect, my primary idea is about to get moulds and be able to give this nice detail to any other wagon in the future.
Nice thought, Frank, I will follow it.
Cheers
Libor

Another small update, I have finished the air tank and rods to operate the wheel brakes. Just a few arms with pins, and the parts for hooks spring.

Thanks for looking
Libor

All the parts finished, and I have started the moulds. Finally they will be one piece moulds, but made by halves. This is much easier than to do complicated cut in two levels or separate large areas. Small parts glued on thin plastic sheet, which will make airspace to avoid bubbles in resin castings. Thin feeder will be grinded off to get clean parts then.


Thanks for looking
Libor

Some moulds are done already, rest of the parts ready to make up moulds. For very complicated pieces (valves and cylinder with air tank) I will make one piece moulds from softer silicone.Light surfacer applied on these, as the super glue used on some areas can cause sometimes that the silicone never gets cured. It is also recommended to see better any defects to be fixed before making of mould.




Thanks for looking
Libor

wow! mond blowing!

Thanks, Andrew
well, first moulds are ready for casting of resin, so we´ll see soon, what comes from inside



Cheers
Libor

I have finished my moulds and I am back in building. All the valves glued on main cylinder, now I´ll keep going with mechanical parts and the air system.




Thanks for looking
Libor

I'm really astounded by what you're scratchbuilding here! Superb.
Can i ask you a question? What do you use to cut for example styrene rods absolutely square?
I'm using a nwsl Chopper, but my cuts are, well... not so square. Probably because of the angle of the blade.
By hand the result are far wors. What's your magic?

Thanks

Thanks, Rob,
actually I use just my model knife or saw so far, but it is not always perfect, I just tried to order this thing.
mastercut
I have read positive reference about it somewhere, and I will find out soon, how good that is.
Cheers
Libor

Looks like the chopper to me.

I'll try and let you know when it comes.
Cheers
Libor

I finished a few more parts and glued them on the chassis. Most of pipes added, now I need to work on the wheel brakes.





Thanks for looking
Libor

A few details added today, brake spring, brake power switches, cylinder connected to main line and the valve glued back on its place.





Thanks for looking.
Libor

I have done pressure casting tests and my results are absolutely stunning, clean, perfect copies of their masters, faraway from my best hopes. Here is a couple of pictures taken tonight (poor quality with my camera without day light, sorry) Here, short casting, missing screw heads without pressure:

And perfect result from the pressure container:

Brake cylinder, thinnest parts are just 0,25 mm thick

Tomorrow I will bring finished wheel brakes with the parts shown above used.
Cheers
Libor

My scratchbuilding for Trumpeter gondola is over, here some pictures. I´ll bring the final ones, once painted.



Thanks for looking
Libor

The brake is painted and some weathering will be added later. Full log is available at my website.



Thanks for looking
Libor

The brake is finished.



Thanks for looking
Libor

Truly STUNNING workmanship. Fantastic.

Thank you for kind words, Russ.
Libor