S7 scratch building

[Western Star]

Mike,

 

If I can do as well as your picture then I shall be pleased.  Mind if I send all my unpainted stock to you?

 

best wishes, Graham

[airnimal]

Casey Jim,  and Graham, painting has always being my hang up be it the lounge or anything at all. It is all probably something to do with my past. My father never painted anything in his life other than his beloved pedal cycles and tricycle. 

I left school at 15 to be a sign writer but only lasted 30 months because I couldn't stand the boss. Years later I spent 7 years painting all the taxi ways and runways at a large international airport. If you got anything wrong or out of line my colleagues use to take photos and post them in the mess room for everyone to take the Mickey.

I am sure Freud would have a field day with me. Now tell me Michael when did this all start .............

Edited June 25, 2019 by airnimal

[MarcD]

stop beating yourself up they are better painted than my wagons.

 

Marc

[Tricky]

It is amazing how our past affects our present. Mike, there is absolutely nothing wrong with your painting; quite the opposite. If you don’t believe it for yourself then at least take it from us!!!

[Coal Tank]

Hi Mike I'm sure that we all feel the same putting what I do on here is quite worrying and I rarely post anywhere else now

John 

[Guy Rixon]

That wooden effect looks just right to me. It looks weathered, but not especially dirty, which I think is right for a goods wagon. It is not aggressively grained: I think one does not see much grain in aged wood. It has the fine, darkened scratches where loads have been dragged over the floor, but is not deeply gouged. What's not to like?

 

Possibly the only deviation from exact realism is the colour. I suspect that aged planks would be greyer. But I've tried shades of grey to represent old wood and it doesn't convince as well as the more-tinted versions.

 

My father was a designer of theatrical scenery and he used to say that a set should be painted according to what the audience expected to see, rather than as dogmatic reproduction of real colour. This is that and it works very well.

[Coal Tank]

[Poggy1165]

Occasionally, and I mean very occasionally, I somehow manage to create a wagon interior that looks the dog's wotsits. But I have absolutely no clue how I manage it and I can guarantee I shall not be able to replicate it next time. If you can consistently get a finish as good as this I don't think there's much to worry about in the scheme of things. It's possible someone, somewhere, can do better, but the other 99% can't.

[airnimal]

A bit of a change today. It is about time I finished the chopper tank which is 95% complete.  The list includes the beading on the side sheets of the cab and the tank fillers in the cab.

So I dug out some half round brass wire and bent a couple to the shape of the cab cut outs. I first tinned the wire before tacking them in place at a couple of points before getting out the RSU to complete the final soldering. It was     

just then a matter of cleaning up the joint to make it look a little better.

Other things to do include making the stretcher bars between the brake shoes and I think that is it. I am still thinking how to do the stretcher bars because of the split axle construction. 

I have also dropped the front wheels a millimetre because the body was sitting to low at the front end. 

Typically now the front wheels are not quite as smooth running as before so I will have to revisit this again. 

Edited July 1, 2019 by airnimal

[Argos]

On 01/07/2019 at 15:33, airnimal said:

I am still thinking how to do the stretcher bars because of the split axle construction. 

 

Hi Mike,

 

For my 2mm scale split frame chassis I have two approaches,

 

For brake stretcher bars I use 0.6mm dia plastic rod cut to size between the brakes with a 0.3mm hole drilled about 5mm deep in each end.

This can then be slipped over a short length of 0.3mm wire soldered in the brake shoe. A small dab of superglue holds all in place. 

The result is surprisingly rigid.

 

For 2mm scale the 0.6mm rod is obviously over scale but is barely noticeable, for 7mm I would assume you could use an appropriate scale diameter.

 

For stretcher beams I use some 0.25mm thick PCB from Eileens (no doubt available elsewhere) 

https://eileensemporium.com/index.php?option=com_hikashop&ctrl=product&task=show&cid=4184&name=thin-pcb-approx-2-5-x-2-x-0-25mm&Itemid=189&category_pathway=1108

 

This is simply cut to shape, gaped to isolate the two sides and soldered to the short 0.3mm wire in the brake shoes.

 

Hope this helps, and apologies if I am teaching you to suck eggs.

 

 

 

[airnimal]

Angus,  thanks for the idea for the  brake stretchers. I had not thought about using plastic rod, I was still thinking along the line of PCB. Which ever I go with it has to be able to be removable so I can take everything apart for painting.

The tank fillers I have cobbled together with the base and lid scratch built from nickel. The strap over the top were cut from a couple of brass castings for tank wagon of unknown origin. The T handle stumped me for awhile before I dug some brass coach handles that came from Ron Chaplin many moons ago. I filed them flat and then rounded them with wet and dry before buffing them with a wire wheel. They came out better than I expected. 

After dropping the front wheels down to get the ride hight correct, there was a bit of stiffness in the front wheels. 

So I removed the front frame spacer and tried a new design using a couple of bits of brass tube with a hard plastic between. This was not a success and made it worst. So I cut a new piece of tufnol and replaced the original brackets. The difference is amazing. The wheels are so free with the sprung axle  light and true. I have had trouble with the front end for a long time, so I checked the old spacer and found it to be nearly 1mm to long. 

[airnimal]

I keep thinking that I am not getting any further with ideas for my shunting plank layout. 

So I have got out my templates and laid them on the floor to see how much I can get in 12'. Not a lot in Scaleseven. 

It will have to be just a simple goods yard with a couple of sidings and use the run around loop using the fiddle yard. I can have 3 baseboards each 4' long which will clear the point work. One board will be 2'6"" wide tapering down to 2' over the other 2 boards. I am not sure if I will ever take it out to exhibit it or if it will remain just in my den. I better make it removable just in case we do ever move house. 

I have not done a lot of modelling other make a hash of a 2 plank drop side door wagon. 

[Tricky]

Well it's a start which is the main thing. If I were you, I would be content to make something that at least is a realistic setting on which to admire and photograph your beautiful rolling stock. Having somewhere for them to run up and down is a bonus, and I would be falling over myself to get started on track laying if I had 12' to play with! Life, I think, is way too short to agonise over this, I'd just get on with it and see what comes as I start pulling...! I appreciate that isn't everyone's modus operandi though! Having said all that, some way of running round would be essential I would say, even if that's achieved with off-stage traversers or sectors.

However, if I imagine what your 'hash' of a 2-plank might actually look like, I would also imagine that whatever you end up doing will be magnificent.

[Western Star]

Catch / trap points?

[airnimal]

Richard, as you say life is to short so that is why I must start something. Although I have been modelling for years I have never finished a layout, started many but never finished. I first built baseboards around the walls of my bedroom over 50 years ago but for many years I have just built stock and dreamed of what could be. I have a lot to think about as well as many things I have little experience of. I will consult my good friend Peter who has built his first layout over the past few years. He knows more about electrics than I do so he has a head start on me.

He has offered to build the baseboards because he has all the woodworking equipment in his garage but it is so full he has to wait for a sunny day to use it outside. Having said that he did have someone else build his baseboards because he was so busy. 

I have been looking on line for companies who offer baseboard building services and I might go down this route to speed things up.

Then there is the space I have available which may determine wether I can alter the size and if I can fit it around my 3 bikes which have to share the same room.

 

Graham, I don't know the rules regarding small goods yards requirements and I will probably upset the more knowledgeable out there who will no doubt fall over themselves laughing. Rules and regs are not my cup of tea so if people can not be to hard on me when I drop a howler I who'll be grateful.

[meil]

1 hour ago, Western Star said:

Catch / trap points?

In a goods yard without connection to passenger carrying lines?

[Caley Jim]

1 hour ago, meil said:

In a goods yard without connection to passenger carrying lines?

A headshunt can act as a trap if the turnout between it and the mainline are operated as a crossover.

Jim

[airnimal]

After going seeing my good friend Peter I decided I was going to order some baseboards off the shelf rather than make my own. Unfortunately the company that I chose have a bit of a back log. I then read a bit more including an article on baseboard construction with advice about finding a good wood yard to cut the 9mm birch ply wood to order. Looking on line I have found one such place not far from my house, so before I go any further I will go and investigate whether this is worth my while and make my own.

 

in the mean time I thought I would make a load for the L&Y one plank open to disguise my poor wood painted interior. I had bought a resin cast load of chemical glass jars from Skytrex at Telford a couple of years ago that I had not used. I had seen Rob Pulhams load in one of his wagons which gave me an idea. I cut down the casting in length and removed 2 rows before painting it using Rob's ideas on colours. Looking through some of my many books on old England I came across a photo of some packing crates that would fit the bill perfectly. 

A packing crate was quickly made from 60 thou plastikard and 4 etch washers along with some .8mm hexagon bolts. It just needs painting now and securing with some tie downs.

 

Also shown here is a 2 plank L&Y drop side fruit wagon that I have been making over last couple of weeks. 

I am not sure this will get any further because I have struggled with this one. Some times I have to have I make several attempts before I get things right and this is one of them.

[Tricky]

Very nice indeed.

I’ll pm you if I may on the subject of baseboards...

 

[Ruston]

6 hours ago, airnimal said:

After going seeing my good friend Peter I decided I was going to order some baseboards off the shelf rather than make my own. Unfortunately the company that I chose have a bit of a back log. I then read a bit more including an article on baseboard construction with advice about finding a good wood yard to cut the 9mm birch ply wood to order. Looking on line I have found one such place not far from my house, so before I go any further I will go and investigate whether this is worth my while and make my own.

 

in the mean time I thought I would make a load for the L&Y one plank open to disguise my poor wood painted interior. I had bought a resin cast load of chemical glass jars from Skytrex at Telford a couple of years ago that I had not used. I had seen Rob Pulhams load in one of his wagons which gave me an idea. I cut down the casting in length and removed 2 rows before painting it using Rob's ideas on colours. Looking through some of my many books on old England I came across a photo of some packing crates that would fit the bill perfectly. 

A packing crate was quickly made from 60 thou plastikard and 4 etch washers along with some .8mm hexagon bolts. It just needs painting now and securing with some tie downs.

 

Also shown here is a 2 plank L&Y drop side fruit wagon that I have been making over last couple of weeks. 

I am not sure this will get any further because I have struggled with this one. Some times I have to have I make several attempts before I get things right and this is one of them.

 

 

 

 

 

Can you please tell us more about these packing crates? I have never heard of these before but I could use some on my own layout for wagons carrying such loads as you have here. Can you also give the prototype dimensions, please?

[airnimal]

Ruston, packing crates like the one my wagon have been around from the beginning of the railways in one form or another. They were mainly used for coal but other were used for other traffic that were delicate like clay pipes and pottery. The LNWR and L&Y both used them for coal traffic to the docks for loading on to ships. There is a good photograph in Vol 1 of L&Y wagons page 64 taken in 1860 at Preston which is very similar to the one I modelled. British Railways also used them for brick traffic. Geoff Kent did an article on them in MRJ. 

I started to paint my container with a  new tin of Humbrol  that was stirred well before use, but after leaving overnight to dry it is still wet 12 hours later. Once again my attempt at painting has ended in frustration and the container has gone in the bin.

I may take a break from railways for a while to recharge my batteries. I have a large amount of family commitments coming up with new grandchildren arriving soon along with looking after the older one over the summer holidays while their parents work.

Edited July 12, 2019 by airnimal

[airnimal]

While I decide which way to go over the baseboards  I have had a look over the many wagons that need more work on them. I tried to paint one of my brake vans in the 2 tone livery but made a complete mess of it. So I stripped all the paint from it before spraying in the grey as with the other LNWR wagons. 

It still needs the tare weight applying and the glazing putting in. I put the wrong number plates on it at first. I managed to prise them off, but one went somewhere never to be seen again.

 

Has anybody been to the LNWR meeting held at Kidderminster on the Seven Valley Railway ? 

I belive it is being held this Saturday and I was wondering if I should make an effort to go. 

And do people bring models with them to show what they are making.

[Tricky]

My signal cabin might be there - but I won't be...

[MarcD]

We went there a few years ago we took part of our Lowick layout. Great day out. We were tempted to go back but it's just to far away from home with a 4 year old.

Marc

[airnimal]

I have found some very old Methfix transfers for the tare weight lettering. They are not as fine as the others I have used but don't look as bad as the photo in real life. Close up shots can be so cruel. 

A dose of track dust will hopefully be tone down and blend them in a little more.