Phil Mc's workbench

[Phil Mc]

Stealth mode engaged !

(except for the louvres, which I assume are self-coloured plastic)

 

 

 

Cheers,

Phil.

[Phil Mc]

Stealth mode has given way to Ghost mode !

 

Primer has been concentrated on what will eventually be the lighter coloured areas.

 

 

 

BUT

I've made a rookie mistake, I checked I had the necessary paint colours before I started this, but didn't open them.

Now I've looked, and found they aren't fit for spraying. 

So it looks like this is another project to visit the WIP shelf until supplies are replenished. 

 

Cheers,

Phil.

[Phil Mc]

So while I'm waiting for paint to be delivered, I figured I could weather these-

 

 

Excuse the pic, they don't really look Pink !!

 

First stage is going to be a Grey wash, to hopefully break up the solid block of colour.

Cheers,

Phil.

[Phil Mc]

Wash gone on.

 

 

 

 

Varnish next.

 

Cheers,

Phil.

[Phil Mc]

I decided when I started these that they were going to be finished as a loaded rake, because I know that all I would see when they were in use is the false floor in the rear wagon that hides the flashing light circuitry !

 

As bought, the light is powered by a couple of batteries, but I figured I should be able to adapt it to collect power from the track.

This would save on excess handling of the rear wagon to turn the light on/off with the switch underneath.

 

I used an 'Express Models  DCC STPOP' rectifier & regulation board, which is their posh name for a circuit board that allows LED's to be powered from the track.

The LED's light up constantly when used with DCC, or when power is applied in either direction on DC control. It also has a built in 'stay alive' capacitor to keep the lights on for a short while if power supply is interrupted.

 

First job was to bodge it all together to see if it worked.  

 

It did, so I had to figure out how to bodge it properly !

 

The axle of each wheelset is 'live' to one wheel, so DCC CONCEPTS axle pick-up springs could be used.

First issue was the pick-ups I have in stock wouldn't fit over the axles, I think they make larger diameter ones but I haven't got any !

Anyway, I gently twisted them onto the tapered tang of a needle file, which opened the spring up enough to fit over the axle.

I also made a plastic washer and put it on the axle, to prevent the spring from touching the insulated wheel.

Like this-

 

All 4 axles were done, and put back in the bogies, checking the polarities so each bogie had an axle picking up power from each rail.

So both bogies look like this-

 

The batteries had already been removed from the existing circuit board during my bodgery, and I'd found that if the power leads from the new board were connected to the existing board,   -ve to the inside of the battery holder nearest the LED, +ve to the battery holder furthest from the LED, (and the on/off switch was on!!) then the LED flashed as expected.

 

I put a resistor in the circuit (not sure if it's needed but I wasn't risking it !), and made sure the everything was insulated with heatshrink tubing, especially where I'd run the lead through the space where the batteries had been removed from, to keep it neat and able to be screwed back into place.

 

The Black heatshrink tube is visible here, it goes right from the resistor to where the end of the resistor leg is soldered inside the base of the righthand battery housing.

The Red wire is soldered to the inner face of the outside of the  lefthand battery holder. There's more space between each part than it looks in the pic !

 

Red wire to top, Black wire to bottom !

 

The 4 wires from the axles were fed through conveniently placed holes in the wagon floor, and soldered to the feed wires to the new board and covered with heatshrink.

I had to cut a hole in the false floor to accommodate the board, but it'll be hidden under the wagon load.

 

 

Next is finishing weathering and producing the loads.

 

Cheers,

Phil.

Edited December 2, 2020 by Phil Mc

[Phil Mc]

The insides of the wagons were treated to a dusting of various shades of rust powders.

 

 

Which I decided was a bit pointless. 

 

So a less subtle approach was a liberal coating of rust powders mixed with decal-fix. Then dry White powder over the top.

 

 

This was then partially removed with a brush dipped in White Spirit.

My prototype pics show that there's less 'dust' up the sides toward the corners, so I've tried to copy that shape.

 

 

Hopefully, adding the loads will stop the interior looking quite as weird as they do at the moment !

 

Cheers,

Phil.

[Phil Mc]

The underframes, bogies & wheels (front & back faces) have had a coat of frame dirt.

 

 

Polystyrene blocks have also been cut, to form the base of the load.

 

 

Cheers,

Phil.

[Phil Mc]

Another look through my prototype pics suggested that the loads are just high enough to be above the top edge of the wagon.

They also appear to have 3 or occasionally 4 'peaks' to the load along the length of the wagon, presumably dependent how how many scoops of the digger bucket it takes to fill them !

Also, the load seems to dip down in each corner of the wagons. I've tried to replicate this by shaping the poly insert like this- 

 

 

I 'loaded' one wagon yesterday, just to see if I was happy with the result.

This is how it looked just after applying the glue-

 

 

And a couple of pics now the glue has set-

 

 

Think I'm happy enough to continue with the rest.

 

Cheers,

Phil.

[Northmoor]

1 hour ago, Phil Mc said:

Another look through my prototype pics suggested that the loads are just high enough to be above the top edge of the wagon.

They also appear to have 3 or occasionally 4 'peaks' to the load along the length of the wagon, presumably dependent how how many scoops of the digger bucket it takes to fill them !

Also, the load seems to dip down in each corner of the wagons.

 

Nice job and well observed, it's a heap after all, they aren't flat-topped.  Often missed on many layouts I've seen; level loads and also massive overloading compared to the real prototype levels.  I've bought some second hand wagons before with coal stacked a scale 2' above the sides.....

[Phil Mc]

Most of the pics I've taken are at Dove Holes, so they have just been loaded.

I suppose the load may settle slightly in transit, but I'm just trying to copy what I see !

 

Anyway, too late now, there all loaded. 

 

I've also run a cotton bud soaked in White Spirit around the edge of the handbrake wheels, and over, what I guess is, a valve handle. They look cleaner than anywhere else in my pics, presumably due to handling.

 

More pics tomorrow, when the glue is dry.

 

Cheers,

Phil.

Edited November 26, 2020 by Phil Mc

[ess1uk]

Great looking wagons 

[Phil Mc]

This morning it briefly stopped raining long enough to take some pics of the finished wagons !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers,

Phil.

[Phil Mc]

Supplies have arrived to carry on with the 50.

The primer had highlighted that a mould jointline needed rubbing down on each corner of the body, so I did that, with the intention of priming again afterwards.

I've got 'Rail White' for the White band in the livery, but I wasn't convinced it is the right colour, so I figured I'd use that as primer to see how it looked.

 

Doesn't look right to me !!

 

 

I painted up a little test piece to see if it just because it's on White primer that's tricking me into thinking it's wrong, but that just confirmed my decision.

The 'White' band is Gloss white to the left, 'Rail White' in the centre, and Matt White to the right.

I think I'll be using Gloss White.

Excuse the poor pic !!

 

 

Then after all that, I've sprayed the ends Yellow. 

 

Cheers,

Phil.

 

[37403]

Good stuff. How do you deal with "imperfections" before painting. I note you've said you rub down, would you use filler then wet and dry?

[Phil Mc]

51 minutes ago, 37403 said:

Good stuff. How do you deal with "imperfections" before painting. I note you've said you rub down, would you use filler then wet and dry?

 

In this case it was a step that was proud of the body, so it just needed rubbing down.

I used 2000 grit wet&dry, used wet. I was taking off not much more than the thickness of the primer.

 

If I'm using filler, I use the Humbrol variety. Always have, so it's what I'm used to, and it's capable of sanding down to a nice smooth finish.

 

Cheers,

phil.

[newbryford]

On 29/11/2020 at 10:49, Phil Mc said:

This morning it briefly stopped raining long enough to take some pics of the finished wagons 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers,

Phil.

 

You need to do these two......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Phil Mc]

6 hours ago, newbryford said:

 

You need to do these two......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I still can’t bring myself to model graffiti !!

I know it’s part of the ‘scene’, but that doesn’t mean I’ve got to like it.......

 

cheers,

Phil

[bradfordbuffer]

5 hours ago, Phil Mc said:

I still can’t bring myself to model graffiti !!

I know it’s part of the ‘scene’, but that doesn’t mean I’ve got to like it.......

 

cheers,

Phil

That NB he is graffiti mad! Frustrated tager?

Your toys Phil ....stick to weathering ...dont encourage tagging...just say NO!

[bradfordbuffer]

On 03/12/2020 at 12:22, bradfordbuffer said:

That NB he is graffiti mad! Frustrated tager?

Your toys Phil ....stick to weathering ...dont encourage tagging...just say NO!

Well this graffiti tend is catching!

Look what you can have in 'oo' or 'o' the shop also does other scales to order....not used it my self so dont know about service or quality....looks ok though.

Screen shot attatched

G

Edited December 5, 2020 by bradfordbuffer
Typo

[Phil Mc]

I've only got as far as adding the White for the bodyside stripe and the lower Cream colour, to the 50.

Work on it has been temporarily suspended, while I work on 2 50's !

 

These 2 were under the Christmas tree....

 

But (as seen in a separate thread on the subject) I've decided I don't like the shade of Blue Hornby used, so they're in the process of being re-worked.

 

Progress so far....

 

 

 

 

Now I've got to wait for the arrival of the transfers that I didn't know I needed, before I can finish them ! 

 

Cheers,

Phil.

[newbryford]

1 hour ago, Phil Mc said:

 

But (as seen in a separate thread on the subject) I've decided I don't like the shade of Blue Hornby used, 

 

 

 

 

Guilty as charged..

 

 

[virginhst539]

Hornby dont seem to be having much luck with diesels at the moment. Logos on sector 60s, nmt logos and now these. Starting to get cold feet about the lner 800 thats on pre order now. Your 50s look absolutly superb 

[Phil Mc]

On 29/12/2020 at 23:30, virginhst539 said:

Hornby dont seem to be having much luck with diesels at the moment. Logos on sector 60s, nmt logos and now these. Starting to get cold feet about the lner 800 thats on pre order now. Your 50s look absolutly superb 

 

Not sure any of the mistakes are down to 'luck'....

Wonky NMT logos you could put down to an issue with the printing machine, but the result should never have got through QC !

Getting the colours wrong, especially on something that is so easy to research, is just daft, and does the brand no favours with its customers !!

 

 

Anyway, enough ranting.

While waiting for supplies, I've started something else......

 

Forgot to take a pic before I started, but I'm sure we all know what a BNIB Peak looks like !

 

First a coat of my favoured Grey wash was applied, and left to dry.

 

 

Then most of it was removed, with a brush dampened with White Spirit.

 

 

Before a final 'polish' with a dry cloth.

 

 

We already have a 'really dirty' Peak, and a 'quite dirty' one, so the plan is for this one to be 'quite clean' !

 

Cheers,

Phil.

[Phil Mc]

Hopefully it looks 'clean' as opposed to 'straight out of the box'.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers,

Phil.

 

[Phil Mc]

Bit of progress on the stripey hoover......

 

 

 

Cheers,

Phil.