Gluemarks on a Train

[AhmadKane]

I like the 500 series blue. Absolutely love it. Second behind the Hello Kitty one, which is also a 500 series

 

I wanna buy one for myself, and the recession in Indonesia causing a lot of people wanting to rid their models. I saw an e500.

 

However theres a ton of gluemarks! The guy had obviously made a layout close to the train, whats worse is that the head had glue marks. I think he thought the mouth of the 500 series could be taken off like the Hayabusa and the Komachi

 

I dont know if this is fixable or restorable if Im honest. I want mine is good condition and I loathe the fact that these errors could be permanent. Worst case scenario would be massive structural damage to the body. 

 

Can anyone help?

 

P.S there seems to be some scratches and ripped stickers too

 

 

Edited October 5, 2020 by disturbman

[roadstar_na6]

try warm soapy water for the glue marks.

[railsquid]

Unless it's a PVA-like glue I doubt it will come away easily. Looks like some of the paint is damaged, and that nose cone is in bad shape.

 

Personally I wouldn't touch it unless you're planning on making a scrap diorama.

[Kanpai Keith]

That’ll be a flat back, fill and paint providing you can find the exact colour.

 

Squid is the voice of reason, don’t touch it.

[Welshbloke]

Agreed, that's not cleaning up.

 

I have had some success dissolving older glues with warm water (like the strange crusty yellow stuff one very weary whitemetal loco kit had been assembled with), but modern ones are usually solvent based.

[Kanpai Keith]

47 minutes ago, Welshbloke said:

Agreed, that's not cleaning up.

 

I have had some success dissolving older glues with warm water (like the strange crusty yellow stuff one very weary whitemetal loco kit had been assembled with), but modern ones are usually solvent based.

and solvent based adhesive will melt amorphous polymers such as styrene, ABS, polycarbonate

[cteno4]

Yep you can make a test attempt with some cotton swabs and warm soapy water. Try to wet the area of one off them and just keep very gently rubbing with a good wet swab for a while. If it is a water soluble glue (like a PVA scenery glue) it may eventually come up, but it takes some time with the glue being wet to get it soft enough to come up without taking the paint with it. I would maybe try placing a little dot of thick paper towel (like 5-10mm in diameter) over a spot and wet the paper towel well and let it sit for a few minutes and then take it off and try rubbing gently with a wet swab.

 

try this on a dot that is the least visible from above to see if it works, if not then like folks said it’s an organic solvent based glue (Ie plastic model glue, household cement, CA glues, etc) using anything to take off then glue will go at the paint and even the plastic. Then it would just be better to sand,mfill and repaint, but I don’t think you want to do that.

 

some look like blobs of plaster or wood PVA glue, but the big gash almost looks like it a soldering iron went across it. The nose almost looks like it was plastic solvent cement damage from the joint or it was dropped really hard directly on the nose. Many of the marks in the blue look like something abrasive scratched some paint off but maybe little brushes of plaster or something on top.

 

you could try using a permanent marker to try to mute the Places where the blue and black are white, but like folks said matching the color will be really hard and the effect of the patch may be worse than the original mark, but it could reduce it so it doesn’t scream at you. Markers don’t tend to pile up higher like paints. Permanent markers Are solvent based so you just want tiny touches of it. Again you could test on one little dot but like others have said going down that route it may come out looking worse. But if you are discusted with it as is and no one will buy it then it could be an experiment for you. Worst case you could sell the parts off! Kato 500 couplers break a fair amount (the old diaphragm connection types) and folks burn out motors. Of findnthe chap that will buy cheap and doesn’t care about the blemishes.

 

good thing is the 500 is really a large run model so you might be able to find a second set with some other issues you could Frankenstein the two sets. But this match up may be hard to find.

 

usually the issue with buying used, have to really trust the seller and their description and need good close ups of the trains to look for stuff like this, but even then it can be hard to notice in pictures. But on the other hand I’ve gotten great deals with used trains and in the whole the few issues that have come up have made it worthwhile in toto to buy used when good deals come along.

 

jeff

[Welshbloke]

From experience, buying used Japanese N with problems is never a good idea. Getting spares for anything which isn't either currently being made or for which pre-orders are being invited for parts is a pain. I say that as someone with a few part sets (and sets needing parts).

 

If it's silly cheap and you can use the parts which aren't damaged then go for it. I have 5/6ths of the Panorama Express Alps set minus the powered MoRo 164, the dummy half of the set gets towed around by a KuMoYa as a unit on test.

[Kamome]

I would echo the other forum member’s responses. Unless this chap is practically giving it away and you fancy a project, avoid it. From the look of the damage it has had multiple incidents so who knows what other issues you might have to rectify. If these things annoy you now, I’m sure you’ll regret parting with your cash for this, even if you can get it looking passable again. 
 

The Kato 500s always seem to be common on auction sites and used ones are everywhere, especially the older runs so I am sure you will find another in much better condition.

 

[katoftw]

It is junk. Worth 10% max of new cost.

[nah00]

Unless you really want a project and you're basically getting it for free I would stay away. Best case is you have to sand, try to paint match, airbush and then blend the color in. 

 

The other thing I would worry about is if this is what the outside looks like, what condition is the mechanism inside in? Nothing worse than a train that doesn't run or runs very poorly that you can't get parts for or have to disassemble the motor (or motors, I forget if this has two power cars) to hope you can get it to run. 

 

If it is one of your favorite trains you don't want to settle for a used model that has been abused. Usually you can find 'used' ones on auction sites that have been run once or twice or go with a new one. 

[Ochanomizu]

I'm with Katoftw ... that's not a model .. it is junk.

 

Wait for the next release or buy something on line.