ROSSPOP

I`v had a hankering to build a Keyser kit. The last one built and completed was back in the 1970`s .It was a GWR 44XX and after a great struggle it ran quite well but with a slight duck waddle...... By chance I came across a Keyser HO kit, made for the European market in the late 1970`s I think, selling for a very give away price. So I snapped it up on impulse. It was produced for the German market and is a kit of the diminutive `Glaskasterl` driver only operated loco. I have to say that the castings are exquisit and as well as the `traditional ` thick brass chassis sides it also has a very nice fold up etched brass chassis complete with brake hangers and shoes. It also has shouldered coupling rod bearings and metal threaded crankpin bearing holes in all drivers........ blimey !! don`t remember being that spoilt with the British kit offerings. Obviously after 50years the wheels are badly corroded..... But I`ve managed to save them...... The axles were ok but I polished them to be a better push fit in order to reduce any dreaded wheel wobble as they are only the size of shirt buttons. The chasssis is unlike any Keyser kit I`ve come across.... Just to be awkward it has no brass bearings and the rear axle hole is a larger diameter than the rest. So, delving into the far reaches of the railway shed, I still had some 4mm modelling parts and found a set of suitable bearings . These were easily soldered into place using the traditional method of using the coupling rods as a jig to alighn everything up... At the same time I added the brake rigging rods for extra chassis stiffening . The K`s motor had deteriorated , even in it`s plastic shrink wrapping. I serviced it back into working order but found it an unreliable performer. I therefore modified the chassis to take a small Mashima motor and branchlines fold up 38.1 gearbox. I also managed to `power` off the centre axle which I think improves performance.... To be continued..........

Yes , the Iwata CR3 and the Mobius 0.3 worked straight out of the box with absolutely no Quality Control issues. I consider the two remaining H&S airbrushes to be slightly ahead on design and performance. I know that H&S have been underpressure in supplying these two new 2024 products and I had to wait 3 months for my Ultra 2024 to arrive.. Perhaps because of this my Ultra 2024 had the most QC issues that had been ignored at the final assembly test, as the needle chucking nut was jammed so tight I had to use penetrating oil to undo it by hand . The problem being a roughly produced thread which I was able to sort myself. The second issue was that the main needle packing screw and PTFE bearing was set too tight , preventing the needle to slide easily through it. I stripped it all down and tweaked the packing screw to relieve the tightness. There was a minor issue with the 2024 Evolution CR Plus. Again , I needed to use penetrating oil to release the jammed thread on the rear chrome body piece. Oh well!! Ya pays ya money !!

So....... The tail end of last year I began a rest period from railway modelling (40 years of irt so far) and purchased three cheapo Fengda airbrushes FE180, 183, and II6 trigger brush ( each one less than £25) in order to restart some aircraft modelling last done back in the 1960`s. The main aims have been twofold.... to improve my airbrushing skills.... and to move from enamels to modern acrylic paints for both aircraft and train modelling. What have I learnt about airbrushing? and airbrushes !!! Well cheapo airbrushes will work almost as well as the mega expensive brands if you know how to fettle them into shape. That means using beeswax or chinese thread sealant ( or PTFE plumbers tape) to stop the air leaks at the nozzle cap threads. Polish the needle using polishing cream to improve the trigger smoothness and paint flow. Cleaning and Lubrication of all moving parts. Unfortunately cheapo airbrushes decline with use because the chrome finish starts to come off. The threads deteriorate quickly if you use lacquer or solvent products as all the rubber seals will dry , crack and perish The only PTFE seal on a cheap brush is usually the needle packing bush. But..... I was able to learn a lot about stripping airbrushes down and fettling them into good working order as well as experimenting with various types of acrylic paint and how to thin them for use with various nozzle needle sizes. First all airbrushed ( using acrylics and cheapo airbrushes) 1/48 Spitfire kit since my youth Which then led me on to upgrading my airbrush collection over the past 6months.... Top to bottom........ Harder and Steenbeck Evolution CR plus Solo 0.28 version . £135 from Everything Airbrush Gaahleri Premium Mobius 0.3 ( new chinese company causing a stir in the Youtube airbrushing community, £59 including postage from the USA. Harder and Steenbeck Ultra 2024. 0.45 £82 from GraphicAir. Iwata Revolution CR3. 0.3 £ 120. from SnMStuff All excellent products and performance........ BUTT.... Which of these arrived needing absolutely NO fettling to work properly ??????

No real advantage faffing with that as the transfer thickness would leave it all with four separate letters with the same visual problem..... it is as it is.... Fox replacements would be better IMO.... John

The Tender is still in the paint shop , but the engine has her colour scheme; not quite my best paint job and still a lot of details to fit including a fully detailed cab and sliding window frames.

Now you know how it is........ I`ve got the buffer head and the tiny spring that goes on it.....it`s the tiny nut that keeps it all in place that`s gone to the carpet monster....... More serious than that ..I dropped the tender chassis soon after etch priming and bent four of the cast brake hangers and rigging....took well over an hour to tweek it all back into shape.......

Well yer tis....... First livery coat........ Change of plan.... have used Railmatch Garter Blue enamel.........

Meanwhile...back in the shed, the battle goes on...

Has to be as green as a green thing on a green bean from a green field in Greenland ........

Nah! PURE GREEN!!

The true Railway motive colour is always Green....Pure Green.......😇

First time use of Railmatch etch black primer thinned 50/50 with Railmatch etched Primer thinner.

Thanks Mick, yes I`ve seen them too....I expected that to happen even Hatchette`s replacements were bad. There must be plenty still around. John

I`ll continue this thread as the painting commences. The chassis is completed with Slaters drivers in place of the dreadful and unusable( as a working model) Hatchette offerings. Priming will be done with Railmatch HMG etch primer using an Aztec airbrush with Orange 0.7 nozzle. ( less metal to be aggravated by an etch primer)