ian@stenochs

Hi All, Nick is quite right. Its no use just accumulating tooling if most of it never gets used. I know quite a lot of modellers who have never built anything because they don't have ALL the information to hand. Same goes for tools. Get used to the basics and add as your experience and skills increase. As I said in an earlier post I have only found the need for 3 collets in scratchbuilding 50+ S7 locos where all the wheels have had to be turned in some way or another. Happy modelling, Ian

In 20+ years of building 7mm scale locos I have only found a need for 3 collets on my Myford, 1/8, 5/32 & 3/16. All for turning axles. For anything else which needs to be set to run true I have a 'griptru' 3 jaw chuck and an independent 4 jaw chuck. The later sees very little use. What I find most useful is 4 jaw scroll chuck which will hold square bar, very good for making axleboxes, and with soft jaws fitted machined to hold wheels. Ian

I've been thinking of making a rear-mounted tool post for parting off as illustrated by Ian for the last few months. Part of the reason for not having got around to it is that there is an alternative for lathes with a reversible spindle. That is to mount the tool upside-down at the front and run the spindle in reverse. My gut feeling is that with this approach it would be easier to see what was going on. Hi. My parting tool holder has a fixing screw on right hand side, see my picture, which does not let the tool get close to the chuck if held upside down in front tool post. Not a problem with small stock or brass but co uld be if larger steel being parted. If he tool is set up to the correct height before starting you dont need to see the cutting edge. There is not much you can do if there is a dig in as there is usually no warning, it just happens sometimes with a bang! Been there got the tee shirt! Rear post allows the swarf to fall by gravity away from the cut. Happy modelling. Ian

I think I'd better learn to use the milling machine first.... Hi. You dont need a milling machine! All the machining was done on the lathe. 1. The stock was faced off while the stock was held in the 4 jaw chuck. The ficing hole was drilled at the same time. 2. With the stock bolted to the cross slide the slot was milled with the cutter in the chuck. Add packing to extend slot down and upend stock to extend upwards. 3. The clamping screw holes were drilled in the vertical drill but could have been done by clamping the stock to the cross slide. 4. I used a Myford tee nut but the long screw was threaded while held in the 3 jaw with the die in a tailstock holder but could have been done in the vice with a normal hand held die stock. Socket screws and clamp nut are commercial items. Hope this is of help. Happy modelling. Ian

"Surely that means the piece is now trying to LIFT the parting tool, which makes it LESS stable?" Hi, The saddle is locked to the bed, you can see the locking nut and spanner still in place on my photo, and my cross slide gibs are adjusted to minimise play. If the tool digs due to my over enthusiastic feed it tends to lift thus releasing it from the work. With the tool upside down the swarf falls away from the cutting edge and doesn't get jammed as it often does with the parting tool in the normal tool post. Hope this helps. Happy modelling. Ian.

Hi, I have been catching up on this thread and thought that the attached photo might be of some interest. I am making the parts for the inside motion on my latest build and the pictures how the blanks being parted off on my Myford. The stock is mild steel filled to shape and drilled for axle and crank pin on the lathe while held in the 4 jaw chuck. Enough of the bar is shaped to allow 8 crank cheeks to be parted off, 2 locos worth. The parting tool is held upside down in a home made rear tool post. The lathe is run in normal direction at 300rpm with the saddle locked and cross slide fed slowly by hand. I use a little splash of Rocol cutting fluid as lubricant. Also visible in the picture is my S7 wheel profiling tool which is mounted on the same toolpost. It just requires the toolpost to be turned 180 degrees and the tool is ready for use. For anyone who wants to copy. The toolpost is made from a piece of 40mm square bar. Faced off while held in the 4 jaw and drilled at the same time. The post was then mounted on the cross slide and the slot put in with an end mill held in the 3 jaw chuck. The fixing for the form tool is an 8mm bolt. The whole for which was drilled with the tapping drill in the chuck. This ensures centre height. The thread was started with the tap in the chuck and the chuck turned by hand, it was finished with a plug tap by hand off the lathe. I hope this is useful. Happy modelling, Ian.

[quote name="AngryMeerkat" post="1521685" timestamp="1405951807" With the fan mounted direct, do you have any problem with paint build up on the blades or do you use a filter? This is the only problem I can see, but as I intent to clean the airbrush by spraying into the extractor I'm hoping the thinners will clean the fan as they pass through. Mark Hi You do need a filter as there is a build up of paint on the blades and casing which reduces the suck. As I described above a filter made from horticultural fleece works for me. Happy modelling Ian.

Hi I build and paint about a dozen locos plus other items of stock per year. Almost all are 7 mm scale and I have been using my extractor for the last 10 + years. Celulose and enamel both from airbrusb and spray cans. House still here. Happy modelling. Ian

Hi, Good stuff, I made one very similar a while ago and it works extremely well. If your fan has an induction motor there are no brushes to spark so safe on the thinners vapour. I have used mine extensively and found that the fan blades collected a build up of paint which over time reduced the effectiveness of the 'suck' I had to dismantle the fan and chip off the build up but that restored it as good as new. To cut down on the cleaning I have added a coarse filter to catch the worst of the paint overspray. I use the fine fleece sold in B&Q to cover tender plants. They sell it by the metre off a roll. A piece about a foot square stapled onto a light wooden frame and mounted just in front of the fan lasts about a year before it is too clogged. Replacement takes but a few minutes. Happy modelling, Ian.

Hi. I too have had wheels that bad. I think it may be that the card backing is not acid free rather than damp storage. I'm sure Slaters will replace them but as I always re-profile my wheels on tbe lathe I have never tried. Ian.

Hi, Kits are fine and can save build time but as I prefer to work to S7 standards I find it much easier and quicker to build from scratch. That is not to say that I don't buy kits but they seldom get built as designed as I, and I'm sure most builders, have their own prefered way of building. I like my models to be in paintable bits which can then be assembled after the tricky lining so beloved by the old companies is applied. However If a kit for a Sou'West loco comes on the market i will have one unless its a Baltic Tank! Here is my take on the 131 class, I have not got round to the Pumper or Austrian goods yet but are on the list! Probably the Austrian goods would have the widest appeal to the general market. Happy modelling, Ian.

Hi. James Manson designed some of the best looking locos on the Sou 'West having cut his teeth on the GNSR! When I finish building his G&SWR locos then I might get round to his early work . It might help but I have started on one of the bogie/rigid 8 wheeled tenders for a 240 class. Basically same design as the Great North ones. Happy modelling. Ian.

Hi All, So whats new! I built a Caley 1 class 4-4-0T, Meteor produce a kit! I built a 19 class Lambie tank, Meteor produce a kit! I 've made a 171 class 0-4-4T and now there is a kit on the way for it too. I'm nearly finished a Manson 4-6-0 so when will the kit be ready? Happy modelling, Ian.

Hi John, Thanks for your kind words. I like 0-4-4 Tanks and while not from my favourite railway it is a pretty little engine worth modelling. As for information I had a sight of a GA drawing and also copies of a Willie Stewart 7mm drawing I got from the man himself a long time ago. Some of his Caley drawings are now available from the CR Assn.I also collected quite a few photographs of the original. As for the boiler fittings I did turn up masters on my lathe but then made some home copies in RTV rubber moulds and cast them in whitemetal. I did this as I also built one for a friend, see below, though his is one with the short bunker and toolbox. I think it worked on the Killin branch for a wee while. The LMS livery was a bit easier than the Caley! Happy modelling, Ian.

Hi Londontram, I don't know what happened to my post last night but it all seems to have dissipated into the ether!. I was commenting on your ambitious plans for converting RTR models into something else. I must admit to having done that in the past but suggest that a more satisfying way to go is to try scratch building. Its not really as difficult as you would think! The hardest part is convincing yourself that you can do it. There is also a lot more satisfaction to be had in crafting something yourself. You mention a Caley 171 0-4-4T from two terriers! Here is my take on the class, completly scratch except for the driving wheels. I built it in less than a week with another 3 for the painting and lining. Total cost in material about £60 and it is 7mm scale. Happy modelling, Ian.

The Snowhill 2-8-0 has an extended wheelbase.

Hi Mike and All. Your explanation of copyright is very welcome. I certainly feel more confident and may upload some of my collection now. Thank you. Ian.

Mike. I am just concerned that there can be problems using pictures online. Who exactly owns the original? I have duplicate pictures in my collection with different copyright stamps on the back. I think that anything in pregroup livery is now well out of copyright no matter who owns the negative or negatives. Another group which I am a member of was recently caught up in an online copyright fankle which cost quite lot of money to put right. Ian

An interesting collection but I wonder if you hold copyright to them all ? There are pictures included which I already have in my collection and I would think twice about putting them online.Ian.

Hi Jock, Yes I did see it, quite a good piece, written by the Treasurer of the G&SWR Assn. However I see that the Editor in his wisdom missed out the Ampersand! Some might think it a bit petty but the company was very particular in its use and NEVER missed it out in its publications and on all the rolling stock. I think we should strive for historical accuracy but others think differently!. Rant over, but don't get me started on 'Train Station' which really gets up my nose. Anyway there are some good pictures in the article. I really like the Manson designs, elegant with a workmanlike simplicity. I am currently finishing off my model of the first series of his 4-6-0s. Very pretty with their bogie tenders, quite big compared to thecommon goods engines but impressive with a rake of Joint stock clerestory coaches. However the 4-6-0s never got to Muirkirk but might have which is reason enough for me to have one. Happy modelling, Ian.

Hi Jock, Thanks for the link, I had come across this a while ago but had forgotten how much there was on it. Historical modelling does lead one into all sorts of places in search of info. Quite often I get sidetracked and off at a tangent sometimes regretting wasted time and at others enjoying something new. As I said I am currently building stock for the layout which will be firmly set in G&SWR days. This is one of the long term residents at Muirkirk. No 300 was one of Hugh Smellies 22 class steam braked goods engines. She was at Muirkirk until the 1st War when loaned to the Great Western along with 7 other G&SW locos. By then she was on the duplicate list as 300A and a bit worn out! Part of the sidetracking is that I have been building a few models of locos I remember from my spotting days. This is one! 57577 was allocated to Hurlford and was one of the locos that I saw virtually every day and got a wee bit fed up of her but how I wish I could see her now. Happy modelling, Ian.

Hi Jock, Just found your thread. Sorry to read your news but keep positive. I used to spend a bit of time around Kilmarnock and managed to visit Hurlford a few times. Lasting memory is the lines of 2Ps and others waiting their fate. However I model an earlier period when the G&SWR was still in its prime. My current project is a shed layout based on Muirkirk which is a smaller version of the standard Hurlford/Ayr/ Dumfries design I've not got far with the buildings yet but have been making stock. There is lots of info including track layout and photos in LMS Engine sheds volume 7 which covers the G&SWR. Its out of print now but still available on the 2nd hand market. Alternatively see http://www.gswrr.co.uk/page_872673.html for details of what has been published in Sou west Journal, a few articles about Hurlford there. The DL Smith papers are in the Scottish Record office in Edinburgh including his extensive loco records which he used in compiling his loco history. Have you read the Tales? Probably the most entertaining book on railways written. Happy modelling, Ian.