How To Add Dents And Gouges To HO Gondolas!

You all wanted to see how I did this and now you can! The method is quite simple, using a torch and some basic hobby tools.
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[cedricconner]

Man that’s one of your gifts from god some people will have to study and study but it’s just natural you get any closer to the real than that hands down ❤

[tomryan]

I saw an old video where the guy used a soldering iron to make the dents, and he actually put a hole in the car! But he used a decal to cover it up!! Very tricky! Good luck.

[scottwilkins]

Hey Dan, great work. For heat I use a small electric air heater that is used for heat shrink tubing, real cheap on ebay. *

[robnielsen]

Hi Dan, found your video but ended up watching in through an email link from Model Railroad Hobbyist. Congrats on getting "published"! In answer to Kory's email about patches an article I read once suggested using electrical tape cut to size and placed over the holes. Thanks for sharing your technique, I might have to try it!

[AJ-wkvk]

Excellent idea and work, as always. Greetings from Germany.

[csxbaltimoresubdivision]

Great video dan, the car really looks amazing thanks for

[markhayes]

I will definitely apply this technique to my gondolas. Thanks for the post.

[richardcolemanjr]

Dan that's an interesting technique. I did a similar one. Some time ago you could buy a cast and make dents. I'm working on specialized tank cars like those with the two valve covers you see UTLX and TILX use. Those Athearn LP cars can be cut down to make those gray OPCX vinyl chloride tankers.

[WestCoastRails]

Great technique Dan for doing the dents...I do the same. After using the dental pick for scratching...how would you paint in the rust on the scratches?

[TM-gmzk]

Do you have a tutorial on your mud splatter technique?

[ckain]

You have been putting ( a waste over flow tanks ) I think that’s what you called them. On your engines . Do you have a video on how you make them

[lizzie]

I'm a new subscriber. What temperature setting do you use to soften the plastic in an oven? Thanks!!

[nkdfun]

You should get a butane cooking torch.  The kind that's used to create the hard sugar glaze on a Crème Brulee.

[randysrockandrollrailroad]

Very Cool, kinda iffy in N scale lol,
Thanks for sharing

[Tcostello]

Hey Dan, great video! Regarding your trash cars built from the Walthers bulkhead cars what material did you use to custom build the sides?

[railbuilderdhd]

When you remove the detail parts do you cut them off and glue them back or just work slowly to remove them with pins intact on detail parts?

[coolruehle]

Butane and Propane burn around 2400F and 3600F respectively . That being said, the softening point of polystyrene is about 200+ F. I don't think it really mattes which fuel you use.

[milwmodeler]

The only problem I see with this is that the false bottom becomes evident from the outside because the dents starts half-way up the side. I think that if you did a bit more disassembly, the affect would be much more realistic. If you're concerned about the false bottom no longer fitting flush with dented side walls, I'd use ground cover to fill the voids. I've never seen a clean gondola in service, there's always dirt and crap around the perimeter.

[sykor]

Dan have u tried this with a heat gun as an alternative? Ur thoughts?

[alexweis]

hay dan would that work for n scale cars like gondolas/coal hopper cars really look amazing please let me know thanks alex