After posting some photos of one of my before and after tinplate restorations, somebody asked if I could do a step-by-step tutorial of the restoration process. During my latest restoration I made sure to take photos along the way. So here we go.

Here is the Lionel 517 caboose as I got it. It had some rust here and there and the paint was in poor condition. Again, as has been discussed many times here before, the amount and type of restoration has to be up to the owner.





The first step is to completely disassemble the caboose. Using a small screw driver and needle nose pliers, I carefully bent up the attachment tabs. Sometimes one will break but you can usually do without it or apply a little epoxy during the assembly process. Here is the caboose after the dismantling.



The next step is to remove the old paint. For this, I prefer to sandblast the parts, which is quick and easy and provides a nice surface to work with. Paint strippers and brake fluid also work but are messier and take a little more time. This is what the parts look like when they come out of the sandblasting cabinet.



Next the parts are primed. You want to make sure the coats of primer are not too dry or too wet. The primer should not be dry looking as it hits the part. It also should not be so wet that it starts to run. This photo shows the parts after priming.



At this point I filled in some of the deeper surface pits with automotive glazing putty which is available at most auto parts stores. Once the putty was dry, I dry sanded the area with 600 grit sandpaper. Only a small amount of putty will remain, basically only in the pits. I then reprimed the parts to cover the putty. I then dry sanded the parts with 600 grit sandpaper to give the primed pieces a smooth finish. This will give you a better final finish. Make sure to brush the part off after sanding.

Now we move on to painting. Most of the time I use off the shelve spray paint. If I'm trying to match a color exactly I will get paint from Charles Woods or one of the other suppliers. The key to painting is to make sure the paint goes on in wet coats with out going too heavy. It make take a little practice, but you will pick up on it quickly. Each brand of paint is a little different, so you will have to adjust your spraying techniques accordingly. Temperature and humidity also greatly affect the painting process so follow the paint manufacturer's recommendations. Another thing to note here, paint will change color once it's cured so don't make a final judgment until that point. These photos show the painting process which was done outside.







As soon as the parts can be gently handled, I move them to the baking oven. I usually paint the parts on small pieces of cardboard so I can pick the wet part up with the cardboard and move to the oven while it is wet. The sooner the parts are in the oven, the less chance of something landing in the paint, like bugs, dust, etc. My oven consists of a cardboard box lined with aluminum foil. Inside are two clamp on light fixtures. The oven only needs to get around 120 degrees and this system works well. I usually leave the parts in the oven for about 2 to 2-1/4 hours. After that time, the paint is fully cured and the part can be handled. Using this method I have been able to complete a full restoration, start to finish, in 24 hours. Here are some photos of the oven setup.





All unpainted metal parts such as wheels, axles, couplers, etc., were cleaned up using a wire wheel on my bench grinder. Brass parts like the platform railings were cleaned with a brass brush and polished with brass polish such as Brasso. There are times where a part is too badly corroded or damaged, requiring the part be replaced. In the case of this caboose, the couplers and coupler pockets could not be cleaned so they were replaced with new components.

After the paint has cured, it is time to start the assembly process. Basically you work in reverse that you did during disassembly. Make sure the parts are tightly fitted together before carefully bending the tabs back into place. As stated earlier, if a broken tab prevents a solid joint, a small dab of epoxy will help strengthen the weak point. Also make sure to oil all moving parts at this time, such as wheels, axles and couplers. These photos show the caboose during assembly.









Once everything is back together, your new car will be ready for the rails. The restoration process can be quite rewarding. Just remember to take your time. After a little practice on some small easier items, you'll be ready to tackle a more challenging project. Good luck. Here are the photos of the completed caboose.

Thanks, that's extremely informative and it's a real before and after contrast. Nice work. A couple of questions:

Do you have your own sand blast cabinet? If so, where did you get it and what is the approximate cost?, and how much compressor power does it require? What is your cleaning medium? I've seen some inexpensive sand blast cabinets at Harbor Freight, but I'm always a bit suspicious of super-discount tools. Do you have any problem with the blast medium getting out as dust?

You mention automotive glazing putty. I assume you are talking about a product equivalent to spackle, not Bondo. Can you get this at an ordinary auto parts store, or do you have to go to a body shop supply?

Because I also sandblast car parts and railroad artifacts, I opted for a professional sandblasting cabinet and a two-stage compressor. My cabinet came from TP Tools. It has a duct collection vacuum on it so dust is not a big issue for me.

http://www.tptools.com/

My compressor came from Eaton Compressor. It's a 5 hp. 80 gal. unit that requires 220v.

http://www.eatoncompressor.com/page/page/504413.htm

For blasting media, I usually use Skat Magic fro TP Tools. Their First Choice and Speed Bead products would also work good. Here is their comparison chart.

http://www.tptools.com/lp2/Abrasive_Comparison.html

Here is my setup.





As far as the glazing putty is concerned, you will find this in most auto parts stores next to the Bondo. I believe Bondo even makes their own brand.

Thanks for the info. That is a nice setup, way beyond anything I would think about putting in my shop. All I have is a little airbrush-type bead blasting attachment made by Paasche. I'd like to put in a sandblast setup but no room.

Joe,
I know it may seem a bit funny to ask this, but where did you find that box at? Most boxes normally have 4 flaps on top, where as yours has only one. The sides of your box also seem to be a lot more substantial than a normal cardboard box. I have been looking for a used toaster oven to bake my parts in with no success, but using a box like this would be a lot cheaper.

Nick,

I was going to ask Joe the same question. Also....Allan Miller if you are reading this, this would be an excellent....excellent project to print in one of the OGR issues, as this could also apply to o-gage tinplate.

JoeG.

Joe,

Thanks for taking the time to put this together. It's a great how-to!

I like the idea for the oven as well!

Jim

I don't remember where I got the box. I've had two of them for years.

The box must have been for shipping something pretty heavy as the sides are framed with wood for added strength. Any box would work for this purpose though. I've seen some people even make wood boxes which allows them to make it the exact size they want.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: NJCJOE,

Joe, thanks for the detailed, "How To" photos. That looks like a "Blast"!

The railroad club that I belonged to had a marvelous spray booth that was properly vented to the outside. Unfortunately, we have an acquaintance who has been building and painting custom cars as a hobby for the past 30 years in an unvented area, without a respirator. He now has significant neurological damage of the type that is described on the WARNINGS on the labels of a number of the adhesives, laquers, and paints that he has been using over the years.

Just a thought!

Again, many thanks for taking the time to post the excellent photos!

Cordially,

Dennis

Thanks Dennis.

You do have to be safe when doing restorations. When painting, especially indoors, sandblasting and using tools like wire wheels you need take certain precautions.

Painting cars without a respirator is crazy. The first automobile I painted I didn't realize the charcoal filters were not installed (I was young and stupid). Talk about a major headache afterward.

Excellent "How To" with great photographs, Joe! You offer some great tips on restoration and painting techniques. As you say, you can do the stripping using chemicals if you don't have a cabinet. I've done several that way.

Thank you Joe. Great thread and advice. I wish that sandblaster was nearby or portable. I'd love to have one. I boil everything and use a dremel for the tough spots. Thanks again and the restoration looks great!

You're right Jim and RJ, stripper chemicals will definitely get the job done, just a little more time and mess. My sandblasting cabinet has paid for itself already. It has kind of spoiled me a bit.

They do make small bench top sandblasting cabinets that would be great for toy train restoration, but the problem is you still need a large source of air. A small compressor won't do the job. Before I got my latest compressor, I was always waiting on my old compressor to catch back up. It became very frustrating.

Great job Joe,I always like to see how people do different restorations. Show and tell to me is much better than reading about it. Hope to see more.

Mark Sr

Thanks Mark.

Thanks for taking the time, Joe, to put together the how-to in pictures and narrative. I put together a how-to thread several years ago on another forum (how to do a kickin' pork butt on the home smoker!) and took pics along the way -- from dressing the meat to a final sammich after the 10 hr. process from the smoker to the oven to the table. Just making sure my hands were clean enough to handle the camera at points was an effort in itself!

Thanks again and I love the restored result.

Thanks for spending the time to educate the uneducated. Where did you get the two stickers? I love the blast cabnet. I have the harbor freight version but need to step up to something bigger.

Thank you guys.

1930harley,

What stickers are you talking about?

The one that says Lionel and No 517. Or are they brass?

Those are the original brass plates polished up.

Joe,

Will we see this car on your rails in a tinplate consist on the "Sunday Photo Fun?

Just Wondering,

Joe

I'll have to take some pictures and get them posted.

Here are couple shots of the caboose on the layout, even a double 517 caboose restoration combo. I put some in the Photo Fun section also.