jim.snowdon Posted October 23, 2017 Share Posted October 23, 2017 You would be better cutting squares from 10 x 20 thou. Evergreen strip. It's easier than trying to cut slices off the end of a 20 x 20 strip. I find it easier, as well, to dot mark the nut positions with a fine permanent marker (the sort that are sold for labelling CDs, for example), then place the squares using the tip of a fine needle and a touch of solvent. Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted October 23, 2017 Author Share Posted October 23, 2017 You would be better cutting squares from 10 x 20 thou. Evergreen strip. It's easier than trying to cut slices off the end of a 20 x 20 strip. I find it easier, as well, to dot mark the nut positions with a fine permanent marker (the sort that are sold for labelling CDs, for example), then place the squares using the tip of a fine needle and a touch of solvent. Jim Jim, Thanks for the tip. I'll have a rake through my evergreen section tomorrow. The fine marker tip will also get a go, Best regards, Ernie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted October 25, 2017 Author Share Posted October 25, 2017 Tipping the scales... I hope Linda is not planning any baking as I've got the scales in the workshop. A Parkside SNCF Mineral weighs in at 1.9 ounces... With trimmed pieces of lead flashing between the underframe members I've got it up to 4 ounces. I was trying for 5 ounces, so maybe 4 ounces as an empty and 5 ounces as a load. Here is the Hill of Beans, I mean Lead that will bring the cut and shut mineral to 4 ounces... Recycling.. I was thinking about a source of springs for drawbars and thought of the springs from old biro's. In a box of rubbish was one that had dried up, out came the spring and it looked like 1/2 the length would be fine. Cut easily with pliers and here it is on a test run. Weathering. Again another thought put into practice, stencilling the white stripe using masking tape.. Then a little first stage weathering.... The Lionheart Mineral is being weathered when I clean my brushes, the brush is slightly wetted with thinners and then used to brush and stipple over, wiping with a finger in a downward motion. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted October 26, 2017 Author Share Posted October 26, 2017 RCH Hook Please see the image of a Stenson Models RCH drawhook. I tinned the sides of the hook during assembly to represent the shape of the prototype hook. With a reasonable blob of solder on the iron and a bottom to top motion the molten solder naturally forms the required shape... The point of the hook will get dressed off slightly. That stops it having any tendency to catch the links during coupling. The link shown is an ebay purchase of some lost wax screw couplings. The brass is quite hard and needs a little fettling to swing nicely in the hook. Here is the link to the Stensons models Website, my connection is that Phil responded to my request to produce the hook. Well done Phil... http://www.stensonmodels.co.uk/product/rch-coupling-hooks-4-pairs-7mm-sm33d/ 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim.snowdon Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 A good alternative is the range of etched coupling hooks from Ambis, via Hobby Holidays. Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted October 26, 2017 Author Share Posted October 26, 2017 A good alternative is the range of etched coupling hooks from Ambis, via Hobby Holidays. Jim Nice range but the hooks do not have the RCH gedges slot of the prototype, just a hole. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted October 26, 2017 Author Share Posted October 26, 2017 Tonight Matthew I am Weathering.. I thought I'd got some mineral wagon decals already on a black background... wrong I only had M and P prefix numbers.... I had a couple of sets of Parkside ones just in white, so out came the black paint. I'd started a go at weathering yesterday, so thought that while the brush was out I'd do a bit more. At the same time the underframe needed painting in places, so I mixed black and dark grey and set about painting the underframe, trying to avoid the colour looking too even, dipping first in a darker bit on the palette, then adding a bit more grey. At this stage it's just a base. I'm thinking of using 1200 grit wet and dry to cut down anything too harsh. The black panels will get squared off and the numbers applied. I need to find a couple of colour pictures to use as models for the final weathering. The pictures were taken with flash and that makes it all look quite shocking.... Here is something not quite so harsh... My Lionheart Mineral with the final rinse of the brush, worked into it... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim.snowdon Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 Nice range but the hooks do not have the RCH gedges slot of the prototype, just a hole. That is, of course, easily dealt with by use of a saw, if considered essential. It depends a lot on whether you want to view your models from 2" or 24". If the former, S7 is almost a necessity, along with brake blocks that almost touch the wheels. Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted October 27, 2017 Author Share Posted October 27, 2017 Numbers... Today was the usual Friday madhouse at work. Just a few minutes to try some letters. Parkside waterslide. Not sure about the size or font. COMMENTS PLEASE.. Then a couple of pictures without flash. This one before the letters were added.. Here with the numbers applied 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted October 27, 2017 Author Share Posted October 27, 2017 UIC drawgear Looking at some Mineral Wagons I note that a number have UIC couplings. The UIC drawgear these days mostly has a tail pin with the rubbers fitted and that is connected by a big pin to the drawhook. In the 'old days' wagons had a volute spring in the middle of the wagon with long rods to provide a continuous path for the traction force... I need to look at more pictures of the older wagons to see how the hooks are arranged.. The UIC hook is a fatter beast with a hole to take the pin that supports the coupling. Here in comparison with the RCH hook. Note these are not to the same scale... The coupling nowadays tends to be supported on a 'letterbox'. The big hole in the front of the headstock often seen is a UIC attempt to make wagons able to take a 'draw only' auto coupler i.e. the buffers were to remain. Here is the letterbox on an early twin... More trivia facts later.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim.snowdon Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 Numbers... Today was the usual Friday madhouse at work. Just a few minutes to try some letters. Parkside waterslide. Not sure about the size or font. COMMENTS PLEASE.. Size and font fine, spacing a bit off. There shouldn't be a gap between the B and the number, and the 9 and 8 have got squashed together somewhere in the application. Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted October 27, 2017 Author Share Posted October 27, 2017 Size and font fine, spacing a bit off. There shouldn't be a gap between the B and the number, and the 9 and 8 have got squashed together somewhere in the application. Jim Jim, Thanks for the feedback. I just wanted to see how they went on, the number was a bit of a random choice I don't think the 9 and 8 were squashed together. I'm away at the moment but will check the other one on the same sheet, to see how the 9 and 8 are spaced. If they are close like in the picture, it's not a big job to cut and spread them out, likewise to close up the B to the numbers. The real ones would have been sign written I'm sure for the most part. Stencils coming on scene later. Regards Ernie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted October 31, 2017 Author Share Posted October 31, 2017 Tonight a spot of weathering. The weathering on the cut and shut mineral wagon was more suited as camouflage for a tank rather than a wagon.... I had some dark brown weathering wash and thought that it might accentuate the angles in the bodywork. So with a fine brush added it to the angles and nooks & crannies, then brushed it out onto the flat surfaces. Finally a piece of kitchen roll was pulled downwards over the surface. Maybe a slight improvement.. I used the same wash on a Parkside SNCF loan Mineral. This time the intention is to represent a more recent repaint. I suspect in reality repainting was very few and far between. There are wagons running today that haven't had a repaint since being built in the 1980's... The pictures show up bits I've missed.... Finally I finished on my Lionheart model. This one and the SNCF loaner will run empty, so the interiors will also get weathered.. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted November 1, 2017 Author Share Posted November 1, 2017 (edited) Waste Not Want Not. The underframes from my Cut and Shut Minerals had been looked at with a view to re-use. However they are stretched vertically so the buffer heights are too high. Thinking about making an underframe to replace a very badly assembled Slaters van, I decided to remove the existing tri-ang axleboxes, clean up the back of the solebar and mount some whitemetal boxes. Here is the dimensional comparison between the two... Here is the box held in place with a clip Here is the solebar ready for the axlebox... The Tri-ang frame is nice and square and flat. It should do a turn Edited November 2, 2017 by The Bigbee Line 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted November 2, 2017 Author Share Posted November 2, 2017 I used to worry about difference in buffer heights, not any more... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted November 2, 2017 Author Share Posted November 2, 2017 In the picture from the previous post, both wagons are fitted with UIC Screw Couplings. However the wagon on the left has a more pointed hook, more like the RCH point. It is not a UIC vehicle so may be a bastardised design.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted November 3, 2017 Author Share Posted November 3, 2017 Stress Break. Just having a break from work. I cut the rest of the Tri-ang axle guards off last night and also cut out the rest of the Parkside van floor. Here the van body with the floor removed.. With the Tri-and underframe trimmed it is tried for size... When it has been cemented into place I will cut out the middle just to leave the solebars. To locate the underframe I am cementing pieces of scrap plastic to either side of the body. To locate these a piece of steel plate was laid against the underside to act as a locator for the bits of plastic. By cocking the iphone to one side I was able to get this shot inside the body. After the cement is dry the steel plate will 'ping' off. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted November 3, 2017 Author Share Posted November 3, 2017 (edited) Last job for today.. Tack glued the solebar / underframe into position, lined up each side, looks OK. Then ran a bead of cement along both sides. Now to leave until Sunday... Edited November 3, 2017 by The Bigbee Line 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted November 6, 2017 Author Share Posted November 6, 2017 Today Matthew I've been fettling hooks... Work has been busy, partly due to the time of year, leaf fall effects wheels quite badly. I can't get enough wheelsets. I am waiting for some springs to arrive with J hangers to do an LMS style fitted underframe. In the mean time I have been assembling some coupling hooks. To get the thickness they are two layers soldered together. I then tin the outside surfaces with enough solder to give the fatness of the prototype. This one just needs some rounding off on the edges with some fine emery boards. Having found my digital calipers I can select the correct thickness wire to make some scale couplings. I am painting 2 Parkside Mineral wagons that I purchased assembled. They came with Instanters. The centre links appear to be plastic. Nice shape but not weighty enough to hand and fall right. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted November 9, 2017 Author Share Posted November 9, 2017 (edited) I've posted in the main layout thread, to late to put it on the right thread... http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/124772-tenterden-town-goods-uncovered/page-4&do=findComment&comment=2919643 Edited November 9, 2017 by The Bigbee Line 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted November 10, 2017 Author Share Posted November 10, 2017 DOOR BANGERS When assembling some RCH hooks last night I noticed that there were some useful pieces amongst the scrap brass. They looked likely candidates for door bangers on Mineral wagons. I bent one and tried it for size. Seems to look the part. I'll paint it tonight. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted November 11, 2017 Author Share Posted November 11, 2017 (edited) Paperclips - Great suggestion by 'Sir Douglas' After the suggestion by Sir Douglas I found under my nose a pack of Tesco Paperclips. The same size as my copper link material........... Harder to bend and needs more tweeking to get nice straight links, but spot on... Edited November 11, 2017 by The Bigbee Line 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted November 11, 2017 Author Share Posted November 11, 2017 Technique - Practice makes perfect or You learn by your mistakes... Not sure which is applicable, but my soldering has improved, only slightly. The production of 3 link couplings with the correct sized copper and paperclip wire has gone into batch production. The jig saw blade former can take enough wire for 9 links and a paperclip makes 4 links. So 4 sets of couplings and a spare copper link... At first I was putting quite a bit of solder on the tip and using that to transfer the heat to the link, then I found that the side of the tip was fine, but when I pulled the iron away it pulled away a tear of solder. That took quite a bit of cleaning off. Tonight I discovered that if I again used the side of the iron, but when the solder had flowed, slide the tip downwards away from the point. This had the effect of leaving the smallest amount of extra solder... Here is my Haynes Guide.. The batch of links from today... A cruel close up of a soldered link before fettling. The solder is slightly wasted at the joint, might be useful to allow the link to slip through the gedges slot.. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted March 10, 2018 Author Share Posted March 10, 2018 Not too much to report. Work and the weather have conspired against the modeller.. Having an indoor Home Office is a luxury. I've been able to bring some things in from the cold and the desk can double as a work bench. I have a load of partially built wagons in O gauge that need finishing. To that end I have started a batch of Instanters. The brass inner link has been tinned on both sides and they are ready for the 'Fettling Jar'. This is a small jar of coarse sand into which certain small items are placed then at various times during the week, the jar is shaken and tumbled to 'condition the surface of the items. Instanter links soldered... The contents of the fettling jar ready to take the links... 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sf315 Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 (edited) Ahh in true Victorian style I can imagine the advert For a Puddick’s fettling jar. Good to see that your still on with the O gauge mate. Steve. Edited March 11, 2018 by sf315 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now