Jump to content
 

Recommended Posts

Sounds like the issue I had in the past when trying to scratchbuild was the thickness of the brass.

 

I'm tempted to have a go at the CSP Kerr Stuart kit at some point in the future. For now, the Hornby B2 Peckett will tide me over. Thanks everyone, and sorry for derailing your thread, Dave!

Link to post
Share on other sites

42 minutes ago, Regularity said:

I will disagree with that, but only slightly.

The flux serves to chemically clean the joint, and may also help to "wet" the join a bit.

The important word there, though, is clean: the parts must be made mechanically clean first.

There are only two  three. three things that you need to know about soldering! Heat, flux, and cleanliness of the joint.

 

Four! There are only four things that you need to know about soldering! Heat, flux, cleanliness of the joint and ruthless efficiency!

spanishnq2.jpg.e54ba0e49e42792cc6980a7010037bec.jpg

 

  • Like 4
  • Craftsmanship/clever 1
  • Funny 6
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

I think it helps if you start off by giving the surfaces a rub with emery paper, so they’re clean and bright with no oxidisation, then a dab of flux, then tin both pieces in turn, applying soldering iron with a smidgen of solder on it, rather than dry, as this helps the heat flow off the iron and get the brass to the right temperature. Then think about doing a join.

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

I seem to always be plugging these books but Iain Rice's Etched Loco Construction and Locomotive kit chassis construction (Wild Swan) are excellent, although the chassis book is a little out of date with respect to motors and transmissions, the rest is pure gold!

  • Like 2
  • Agree 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
2 minutes ago, Barclay said:

I seem to always be plugging these books but Iain Rice's Etched Loco Construction and Locomotive kit chassis construction (Wild Swan) are excellent, although the chassis book is a little out of date with respect to motors and transmissions, the rest is pure gold!

I take a different view, as I dislike rigid-axle compensation, and build chassis so that I drop out the wheelsets on their axles (I also use a GW Models wheels press) for painting and maintenance.

But the major points of both books are that they are brim full of ideas and techniques, and overflowing with encouragement to have a go.

Just don't treat everything as an immutable law: I don't think Iain would want you too, either.

  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

I have had my 0.5mm cutter re-ground. I also took another broken cutter that I found in a box that came with the machine and have had that ground to 1/8th inch. This will make it easier to make holes for axles. Until now I have put the usual 1.5mm cutter through and have had to open the holes out using a broach. This will also make it far easier to make frame plates with horns for removable wheelsets.

cutters-1.jpg.84c0f52bb87059c2825330db080f5c8b.jpg

The cold has turned into a chest infection, so I'm now on antibiotics and feel like crap and won't be using these for a while yet. :bo_mini:

 

  • Like 1
  • Friendly/supportive 6
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

First time I've looked at this thread and I've got to say the layout and modelling are stunning.  There's so much inspiration in the photo's, I particularly like the weathering and the industrial loco's I never knew existed. I've never really looked at industrial railways until the advent of the Hornby Peckett etc, now I feel like I've missed out on so much. 

Fantastic stuff! :)

Link to post
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, sb67 said:

First time I've looked at this thread and I've got to say the layout and modelling are stunning.  There's so much inspiration in the photo's, I particularly like the weathering and the industrial loco's I never knew existed. I've never really looked at industrial railways until the advent of the Hornby Peckett etc, now I feel like I've missed out on so much. 

Fantastic stuff! :)

Welcome to the world of industrials!

 

I haven't been doing much with this at all, except for playing with it. There isn't much more to do really and what there is is just making wagon loads, detailing and, of course, building more engines!

 

Going back to the previous page, and Lady Of The Lakes, the one-piece 3D-printed body wasn't going to work due to clearance problems with the rods and running plate/splashers. Tom has made a new print of only what would be above the running plate, so I have to make the frames and running plate from scratch now.

 

CVMRscratches-001.jpg.42e7fe2674917c79f5de4da0c98639b8.jpg

 

There's also some progress been made on the 'Lord Ward' type Manning Wardle.

 

LW1.jpg.7250887904e13d17d756a3562e66f04e.jpg

 

LordWardbuild-003.jpg.c51797138b770f176e960c1095cd8b33.jpg

 

CVMRscratches-002.jpg.e96dd346fee4399cb9d5d5e74b412670.jpg

The buffers are borrowed from Lady Of The Lakes, for the photo. I've got a gearbox in there now but the next major job is to make the wheels from scratch. I can't bring myself to use the Markits type wheels that are under it at the moment at all. I have the brass Gibson wheels, which will donate their tyres but the wheels themselves will be scratchbuilt, possibly from brass but I'm looking at machinable plastics.

 

I've stalled with this at the moment as both builds need me to produce drawings and patterns. To be honest, I'm having fun just opening boxes and slapping dirt on things for Charlie Strong's scrapyard.

Edited by Ruston
  • Like 8
  • Thanks 1
  • Craftsmanship/clever 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

On 16/01/2020 at 18:56, Giles said:

I do applaud your productivity and use of these techniques (not to mention the results!)..... Pantograph milling has been something of a game-changer it would seem?

It certainly has, Giles. Before it I had scratch built only one locomotive and on that the body was plasticard, with only the frames being brass. I had to laboriously saw and file the frames and that's too much hassle for me. Styrene is far easier to work than brass and alterations to a styrene pattern are relatively simple if it does turn out that something's wrong. It's still scratchbuilding but the difference is that the machine cuts the final brass parts that go to make up the finished model.

 

It also means that when making anything that requires two or more parts to be identical, the finished parts are identical, with holes in the exact same places. This is where it can go wrong when mrking, sawing, drilling and filing by hand.

 

It suits my way of working, where everything is done without computer aid - I do the drawings with pencil and paper, and operate the machine by hand. It's not that I have anything against computer aided drawing, it's just that I can't do it and wouldn't have a clue how to. It's all Greek to me!

  • Like 6
  • Agree 3
  • Friendly/supportive 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
10 hours ago, micknich2003 said:

Dave, you have not posted any progress for some weeks, I hope you are well and not ill. Or is the layout now complete and time to move on to a new project?

Hi Mick,

 

Everything's OK. It's just that with the layout being 99 per cent complete, I've turned my attention to the new micro layout. I have a couple of locos to build for this one, plus a few wagons and coaches to finish for it. It's been too cold in the garage to use it, or to use the pantograph. I've been doing most of my modelling on the micro layout indoors but I will get back to this one later this year.

  • Like 4
  • Thanks 1
  • Friendly/supportive 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

I am contemplating selling the CVMR, and perhaps the rolling stock with it, in order to make way for something new. I've enjoyed building it and doing something different but the call of British Railways, rusty 16-ton minerals, 21t hoppers and the coal industry is too much to resist.

Offers invited...

  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...
  • 9 months later...

As no one wanted to buy it, and it's just sitting in the garage taking up space, the CVMR is about to have a revival.

 

Apart from using it to test new and newly-built locomotives on DC, nothing has run since November 2019. A minor wiring fault stopped play and I never got around to fixing it and then my interest in it waned as I got Charlie Strong's yard up and running. I will soon sort the wiring as the layout is going DCC.

 

This means that the majority of the locomotive fleet will not be able to run as they are not suitable for conversion to DCC, due to their small size and that they were all stuffed with as much lead as I could get into them so they could get up the bank with 6 wagons.

The plan is to have just a small fleet of engines to run the railway as the late Victorian/Edwardian set up that it is. Some of them I already have, and can be converted. Others don't even exist yet.

 

The planned fleet is:

14-inch Barclay - The Mercian kit-built one that I bought and that is currently P4 gauge. This is a nice heavy engine that can be used up to the colliery and quarries.

The Beyer Peacock 2-4-0T - This has plenty of space inside and removing the extra weight shouldn't be a problem. This will run the low-level with the passenger service.

 

Peckett B2 0-6-0ST - Hornby RTR. The flanges have been turned down, so it should be able to run on the colliery line. It has a decent amount of weight to it and I know that I can get DCC sound into it.

 

Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST - Corbs' Railway Mania kit. This one is still only a bunch of pixels on a screen at the moment.  Mixed traffic.

 

I  also have a couple of un-messed with Hornby W4 Pecketts that are in original condition, with the Salter safety valves etc. These are also possibilities to add in future.

Providing I can get sound and Stay Alives in that lot, they will be reliable and sufficient to make running the layout an interesting and with two people running trains at the same time, without the hassle of switching sections in and out.

  • Like 6
  • Friendly/supportive 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, AlfaZagato said:

Will we see any of the curiosities lamenting in Charlie's yard?

Charlies is DCC, so they cannot run on there. They are all too nice just to slather in muck and rust and be static items.

  • Agree 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium
13 hours ago, Ruston said:

Charlies is DCC, so they cannot run on there. They are all too nice just to slather in muck and rust and be static items.

Dcc fitted locos can run on dc .. you can even get the engine sound to work.

 

Baz

Link to post
Share on other sites

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 account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...