Hi All

So the next stage was to start with the sides, first step is to add the beading around the door way, I did this by starting at one side of the door and tacking with solder the beading around the door entrance, only once I had attached it all round did I cut the waste from the door entrance. The photo shows the beading still tacked across the door before I cut it off.

The beading is supplied etched on the back with a channel so to attach it after cleaning the etch with a wire brush, paint on some flux and then tin the beading with solder, if the beading is clean the solder should easily flood down the channel and across the back of the etching. then take the beading and roughly shape it to the opening and start by tacking to one side of the door. When hot the solder is shiny silver, as it cools it goes dull like lead. once the first tack has cooled you can tack around the opening. and then once securly in place take the iron all round the beading and the solder should melt out behind securing it in place.

I found for the first tack I had to hold the beading in place with a screw driver until the solder had cooled, after that first tack it was much easier.

I used my old 30 Watt iron with 145 degree solder and Carrs Red Flux. The solder flowed easily and I found I could tack the beading and then gradually bend the beading with the screw driver to force it into the corners, tacking as I went around the door surround.

The next step was to tack the sides to the foot plate, again a jig would be helpful hear because if this step goes out of square the whole build will be a wonky. As my dad used to say, measure twice and cut once, well with this ensure that after tacking the sides lightly to the footplate that you check that both sides are square and level with a set square. I used a Stanley adjustable square.

Adding the front cab spectacle plate adds reinforcement, again check for square before fully soldering in place.

This brings us to the little matter of rivets, above and below the spectacle rings.

Jim says use a riveting tool or a scriber to create the rivet detail.

This didn??™t mean much to me as I wasn??™t about to spend ??80 on a rivet tool. I tried creating rivets using scrap brass from the edge of the fret and a masonry nail and hammer. No matter how I tried I could not create a set of rivets without bending and twisting the brass, so I decided to drill out the etchings and use very fine pin heads from a needle craft shop to create the rivets.

I bought the pins and then (not having a pin vice and fine drill) decided to use a needle point file to drill out the holes, I found by pressing the point of the file into the etched marks where the rivets should be and twisting to file through, that it formed perfect rivet heads on the opposite side. No need to drill or file right through just press hard to form the rivets.

I am now going to design my own riveter that will allow the user to form perfect rivet heads, at a consistent distance apart with consistant pressure.

So having soldered a 6 BA nut in place at both back and front of the footplate and added the sides, the back spectacle plate and front spectacle plate, I used superglue to glue the floor casting and coal bunker front in place.

The next step was to form up the inner tanks and get them soldered into place.

More tomorrow.