RMweb Premium airnimal Posted June 7, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 7, 2021 Building up the frames much like the original builders would have done. I think people will think this method of construction is daft rather than building the complete side and then joining it together. But it works for me as long as I don't forget to drill the holes for the top bars before I glue in the upright pillars. I have forgotten them in the past and had to drill the holes in the outside pillars before pushing wire through to the middle pillars and then heating the wire with a soldering iron and pushing them through. That method is nerve wracking with the hot iron next to so much plastic. 11 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Popular Post airnimal Posted June 8, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Popular Post Share Posted June 8, 2021 A small amount of progress has been done this morning. I prefer to do one complete side so I can see if the wagon looks like it should before attempting the other side. 10 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Popular Post airnimal Posted June 8, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Popular Post Share Posted June 8, 2021 Nearly finished one side. I made a mistake with the step under the doors which hopefully I have rectified without to much damage. The mistake was because I was looking at the drawing which is in two half's and I mistook the step as being one long one where as it is in two pieces. Not having very clear photographs doesn't help as well. 13 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium airnimal Posted June 9, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 9, 2021 Last night I was looking at this wagon and something didn't look right. I had not got the spacing right of the plank widths. I was to far into the build to take out the offending pieces without destroying the whole side and starting again so I put an overlay on with the correct spacing. This has reduced the depth of the framing but looking at the photographs of the real thing it dose not look wrong. So this morning I have started on the other side. Hopefully I will have learned the lesson from the first side and not repeat the mistakes but then again with my track record I won't bank on it ! 12 4 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium airnimal Posted June 15, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 15, 2021 (edited) I haven't done any more work on the NSR cattle wagon because my mojo took a leave of absence. I had put boxes under most of my wagons with lead weights in but just recently I had been glueing old brass pins from plugs underneath with double sided tape. After a couple fell off I decided to go back to my old method and do the job properly. I had run out of 12BA nuts and bolts after using 200 over the last 5 years. The last lot I got were at an exhibition so I had to find a source by mail order. I find this stressful but in the end I got what I wanted with very good service from Item Mail Order Ltd. I went on line to enquire only for a gentleman to phone me a short time later and the items I wanted were ordered and delivered this morning. Under 24 hours and they were here. Excellent service. With the weather bright and sunny I went for a ride on my bike on Sunday and managed 60 + miles. I must keep it up and get back to doing this sort of mile regularly. Other news is I'm a grandad again ! My middle daughter in Australia gave us a baby girl this morning. I don't know when we will get to go and she her and the others, it doesn't look likely this year. Edited June 15, 2021 by airnimal 13 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CKPR Posted June 15, 2021 Share Posted June 15, 2021 Excellent work as ever and I'm taking notes for my first efforts at scratch-building wagons in 7mm - are the W-irons home-made or from commercial etchings ? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted June 15, 2021 Share Posted June 15, 2021 Congratulations - I'm not sure it's you who deserves the round of applause, but you know what I mean 1 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium airnimal Posted June 15, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 15, 2021 CKPR, the W-irons are my own LNWR etchings. They are not on the open market but I have sold some to friends who have asked for them. I cut my own ones down because I don't want to solder my brake gear to the wings. Over the years I have produced a couple of wagon kits for myself and a few close friends with the excess been sold by word of mouth. I have made patterns for resins kits for other people and made masters for my own. I keep getting asked to produce more but I don't really want to become a small business. Another reason is I don't have a business brain or the desire to make money. I am not a rich man but I have enough for my modest life. Surly being content is one of life's pleasures. Simon, thanks for the thumbs up. My wife and my other daughters are over the moon. It means they have a reason to go shopping for baby things. 9 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
swampy Posted June 15, 2021 Share Posted June 15, 2021 4 hours ago, airnimal said: Other news is I'm a grandad again ! My middle daughter in Australia gave us a baby girl this morning. Congratulations and ditto! Other news is I'm a grandad again ! My middle daughter in Australia Leeds gave us a baby girl boy this morning. 2 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Western Star Posted June 15, 2021 Share Posted June 15, 2021 (edited) 4 hours ago, airnimal said: I got what I wanted with very good service from Item Mail Order Ltd. I went on line to enquire only for a gentleman to phone me a short time later and the items I wanted were ordered and delivered this morning. Under 24 hours and they were here. Excellent service. I agree with you, ordering BA tackle by telephone is so easy and there is the benefit of being able to make a substitution if the desired item is not available. I recommend this supplier whenever I am asked about small nuts/bolts. regards, Graham Edited June 15, 2021 by Western Star 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium airnimal Posted June 21, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 21, 2021 Things have been slack on the modelling side of life lately. Grandad duties have been to the forefront quite a bit and will be for the rest of the week. But I did get into the workshop for an hour while one of the little ones had an afternoon nap. Managed to get the other side done and the end stanchions on. The top of the doors need putting in and all the timbers want chamfering. 16 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Popular Post airnimal Posted June 22, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Popular Post Share Posted June 22, 2021 I managed to get a bit more done today even with having one grandson here again. I made a pair of spacers for the wheelbase to locate the wheels. Easy to make just by clamping together and drilling as one from a couple of pieces of 60 thou plastic. This cattle wagon may stall for awhile because I might start on a couple of patterns for some resin wagon bodies for a friend. I didn't want to get in producing them myself but having discussions with my friend, we may produce a small run for ourselves. 18 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcD Posted June 22, 2021 Share Posted June 22, 2021 Simple but effective. Marc 5 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium airnimal Posted June 24, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 24, 2021 A small amount of work has taken place this morning to my latest cattle wagon. There is a tie bar on the inside just above the ones on the sides. A start has been made on the brake gear from bits of etch found in my bits box. I have screwed a piece of angle to a batten on the floor and soldered each side of the brakes to it. I have left them over long to be trimmed to length when I fit the V-irons and the tumbler. 12 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Popular Post airnimal Posted June 24, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Popular Post Share Posted June 24, 2021 I have soldered the brake gear up and put the safety loops on but one is slightly wider than the other so I will replace that tomorrow. I have spaced the V-irons apart with a bit of tube soldered together. To prevent it all falling apart I turned down a cocktail stick to go through them while I soldered it all up. I will tart it all up tomorrow but the majority of it is done. 12 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium airnimal Posted June 25, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 25, 2021 I had to revisit the V-irons because they didn't sit right. So I unsoldered them and placed them back to back only to discover that they were different even from the same sheet of etch. They were hand drawn many years ago before CAD was available. I put them together and tidy them up taking a few thou off one of them to make them a better match. Anyway I took the opportunity to cut a bit of plastic to locate the behind the solebar which makes for easier fixing later. I always use metal for brakegear. How many times at exhibitions do you see wagons on second hand stalls for sale with bits of broken plastic brake parts. I must admit it is one of my pet hates. 14 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Popular Post airnimal Posted June 25, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Popular Post Share Posted June 25, 2021 I am getting close to finishing this NSR cattle wagon now with most of major work done but the thing that takes a fair few hours are all the detail work. I found a plastic roof amongst my collection of bits from some unknown wagon kit that just needed to be cut down. I am surprised how small my 7 ton van from the same company is compared to the cattle wagon. 25 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Popular Post airnimal Posted July 2, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Popular Post Share Posted July 2, 2021 I was unhappy with the W-irons and my attempts to add rivets, they were not quite in line. Several more goes at making new ones led to a complete lack of mojo. So I left modelling on the back burner for a few days and did other things. I relayed some flagstones outside the front door that had moved and were sticking up causing a trip hazard. Not having done any physical work for many years it comes as a shock to the old body moving heavy flagstones around. But I am pleased with the result only to be told by my other half that I had made a good job but could I not relay all the others ! Can we ever win ? Good news from the Hospital, my condition is stable and is not requiring treatment at present. So after some positive news and seeing our grandchildren which always makes me feel better I had another go at the W-irons. This time I am satisfied with the outcome. Once I get this cattle wagon out of the way I can put my mind to other things. 17 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium airnimal Posted July 3, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 3, 2021 (edited) I have been playing around with twisted wire for the chain on the brake rack. At the normal range of vision it doesn't look to bad but close up photos are cruel. The smallest chain in my box of bits looks very heavy when draped over the wagon next to the twisted wire version. Edited July 3, 2021 by airnimal 12 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Popular Post airnimal Posted July 3, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Popular Post Share Posted July 3, 2021 Having posted the last photos I decided to see if I could solder the retaining pin on the bottom of the chain. 11 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium airnimal Posted July 3, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 3, 2021 Not being a football fan I am making the hinges on the doors from some Evergreen I- beam. I could have used some 80 thou channel but I didn't have any. So I filed down one side to leave me with the channel I wanted. Once it had been applied and left to dry I filed it down to the shape I wanted. Close up are very cruel but once it has been painted I hope it won't be to bad. 14 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir douglas Posted July 3, 2021 Share Posted July 3, 2021 even though the chamfers themselves are small and barely seen, overall they make a big difference 6 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Popular Post airnimal Posted July 4, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Popular Post Share Posted July 4, 2021 Nearly finished the majority of the work just the small matter of the drilling of the holes to accept the hex bolts. Trying to keep the holes in the middle of the ironwork is not easy. I have changed the glue I use from superglue to Wellbond. I am not sure what this glue is but it looks like resin W. I hold the hex bolts with some tweezers and dip the tip in the glue before placing them in the holes and pushing them home. This is a very slow process and I can only do a few at a time before taking a break. 14 1 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Popular Post airnimal Posted July 5, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Popular Post Share Posted July 5, 2021 I could do with finishing this cattle wagon now, I am getting a bit fed up with it. When things take so long to make my enthusiasm drops off towards the end. How does one keep going on a long build ? I have spent most of the day helping my youngest daughter with her car. She phoned last night to say she had a puncture and the car was booked in for a service at 10 this morning. So up bright and early to sort her out and follow her to the garage with the grandsons. Then look after the little ones for 3 hours before taking her back for the car. Had a letter last week from the Hospital saying my condition was stable with no treatment necessary just yet. Today I got a text from the Hospital saying the Doctor wants to talk to me and he is going to phone tomorrow. Perhaps he wants to know how to build some wagons ? 12 4 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mol_PMB Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 Sometimes life gets in the way! Pleased to see you are still making excellent progress and I hope the medical news remains good. 5 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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