2mm Random Ramblings

Once you own a RSU, you never look back (especially in this scale!)

 

I'm quite taken by your high standard of soldering, are you using a wire wheel on clean up? What ever you are doing, the results are top notch.

 

Nice one Andy!

Looks like you have made a much better job of the brake van than I did. Nice kit isn't it. The results that you are getting make me think that an RSU might end up on my tools to get list for when I have a little more cash to spare.

Hmmmm - this looks to perfect to be true!

 

Seriously, that is some exceptional soldering there - or have you just sprayed the finished body with brass paint?

 

With results like this, it looks like an RSU could find its way onto my wish list (typical that it is 2 days AFTER Christmas!) - I wonder if SWMBO would like one as a birthday or anniversary present . Do you have any contact details for the Swanage Model Company (I cant find them through Google) ?

Hi Andy

 

Great work there as usual and the wagons really do look well finished.

 

This post has been timed very well as I now have a resistance soldering thingy here at home which was 'aquired' to learn how to use one and see what results I could get with one. Have you got any hints and tips on using one for 2mm stuff?

 

Thank you.

 

Missy

Andy

 

take care when i tried a home brewed RSU I could burn a hole straight through a etch.....

The problem with a soldering iron is it needs the solder to transfer the heat which means its easy to transfer too much. One thing to try is cutting small pieces of solder off placing where the joint is and then using the RSU the solder should flow in by capiliary. I also have a microflame unit which provides a very small very hot flame mind you you have to be quick I will try that on a 2mm etch.

I do very much admire your neat work are you using solder paint for the strapping. It seems to be fine for that work but does not produce as strong a joint as normal solder and flux in my experience.

Don

Hi folks,

 

Bryn - The models are cleaned up with a scalpel blade, fibreglass brush and some stuff called "bar-keepers friend" which is some sort of powder form of metal cleaner. It seems to clean them up quite well although I think there is a yellow caste to the photos (they were taken under two tungsten spotlights) which probably hides some of the solder blobs and makes the models look better than they are.

 

Kris/Steve - I'm not sure I'd buy an RSU just for 2mm stuff - at £130-odd they're rather pricey and I'd sooner spend the money on a small lathe. My dad bought one to have a go at making his 7mm scale kits. He had a stroke a while ago and lost the use of his right arm (although it's slowly coming back). We thought that it would be easier for him to use an RSU with one hand than a conventional soldering iron. I'm going to try and get him assembling an etched 0 gauge kit tomorrow - he's done bits and pieces so far, but not an entire kit.

 

I'll have a look and see if I can find any contact details for Swanage.

 

Missy - some tips for RSUs; Start with the power on the lowest setting and work up until you get a feel for the power levels needed. I had a go at soldering a couple of bits of scrap brass together, and although I didn't quite manage to blow a hole in the brass, it did glow red hot the first time! I have also found that the heat is very localised

in the metal being soldered. Also remember to take your foot off the switch before removing the probe - it can spark on the higher power settings, but even on the lower settings I don't think it does the probes much good. Solder paste (or solder cream as I use) is an absolute godsend with an RSU, although I do know people who get better results by tinning the metal with 'normal' solder. Hope this helps?

 

I've noticed that all of my blog postings have been of half-finished models! One day I'll post something that is completely finished

 

Andy

The problem with a soldering iron is it needs the solder to transfer the heat which means its easy to transfer too much. One thing to try is cutting small pieces of solder off placing where the joint is and then using the RSU the solder should flow in by capiliary. I also have a microflame unit which provides a very small very hot flame mind you you have to be quick I will try that on a 2mm etch.

I do very much admire your neat work are you using solder paint for the strapping. It seems to be fine for that work but does not produce as strong a joint as normal solder and flux in my experience.

Don

 

 

Hi Don,

 

I tend to use Carrs solder cream for overlays and strapping - it's the stuff that comes in a syringe. For 'big' seams, I use reel solder (ordinary 60/40 stuff bought cheaply from a local hardware store). I have to confess I didn't get on with using the RSU with small bits of chopped-up solder - even with a lot of flux it still formed little blobs, which suggests I hadn't cleaned up the metal as well as I should have. I tend to use the Antex for seams where I need some strength.

 

I've got a pair of 7mm Midland Railway bogies on the workbench at the moment for my dad and they're real pigs to assemble - I need to get a big (75watt!) soldering iron onto a couple of the joints to get enough heat into the brass to get a good clean joint. Having spent the last few years doing 2mm stuff, I'm struggling with the size of stuff!

 

Andy

What Flux are you using Andy. For most work I use Phosphoric acid which a friend had made up to Ian Rice's recipe. i have also had good result with the Frys Powerflux sold in yellow tubs for plumbers. It does need more cleaning off but does the job.

Most 0 gaugers seem to get on well with 40watt temperature controlled irons. However if the casting are really heavy you could try a torch. C+L were selling a small one which I find works pretty well. I do have a weller 75w iron but it seems to take an age to warm up and it is a bit cumbersome.

The solder cream contains flux, but when using reel solder, usually Fluxite. I tried 12% phosphoric acid, but the fumes gave me a nasty cough, so I only use that occasionally if I don't have the usual stuff to hand. I tried Powerflow but found it needed very rigorous cleaning to avoid any problems afterwards.

 

The problem I have with the coach bogie is that the bolster and two brake beams slot into the side frame of the bogie very close to one another. I had previously tried soldering them and made a mess of it, so need to get some heat into everything to get all three tabs into their slots together. The back-up plan is to strip it down and start again!

 

I'll see if I can post a photo of the 75w iron later - it is a bit of a beast!

 

Andy

Andy,

 

Am playing catch up on threads.

 

Blimey That soldering is mighty impressive Are you sure you didn't use cyno?

 

I am too embarrassed to show anymore of my soldering efforts now...which was already extremely embarrassing.

 

Keep up the great work - hope to see you posting more often.

 

Best wishes for 2011,

 

Pete

Hi Pete,

 

Thanks for the compliments! A few years after I started railway modelling I plucked-up the courage to have a go at soldering an 009 kit and made a complete mess of it (although I still have the remnants of the kit hidden away somewhere). I guess it's really a case of practice makes perfect, but the two things that have helped me the most are the Antex iron (which I find far better than most other soldering irons) and the solder cream.

 

I will hopefully be posting a bit more regularly soon - I've been finishing off some decorating and have taken the opportunity to find room for a dedicated modelling bench (rather than regularly covering the dining table in clutter). Can't wait to start using it!

 

Hope to see more of your progress with your various projects.

 

Andy