Mike Hughes workbench

[mike hughes]

I've finally got round to starting workbench thread.

I've been this week working on producing masters (for resin casting) for some LNER vans, I Believe their diagram 172 (dia 195 with AVB)(plywood van), diagram 176 (matchboard) and diagram 187 (also will do BR dia 1/232) (plywood fruit). This is how I've got on a few days ago. The bodies are 80th plastic with evergreen strip. I'll use Parkside roofs. The fruit will take a bit longer as haven't started the ends yet.

Michael
Edited for correct diagram numbers

Edited January 12, 2020 by mike hughes

[mike hughes]

I've added the solebars and the rivet detail in them by drilling through the plastic and putting in 25th rod. Thankfully adding the strapping and corner pieces is bit easier as can use a riveting tool in the 10th plastic before sticking on. With the fruit van I've cut the strapping out and riveted some of it and put it to one side ready to stick on, once the body is together.

 

 

 

Michael

Edited September 14, 2018 by mike hughes

[3 link]

Those masters your building look amazing, can you show us the complete process including the resin casting method please.

 

All the best,

 

Martyn.

[mike hughes]

Those masters your building look amazing, can you show us the complete process including the resin casting method please.

 

All the best,

 

Martyn.

Thanks and will do

 

Michael

[mike hughes]

I’ve made progress with the fruit van so that all 3 are up to the same stage. I made the slats on the end using 40 x 40 strip separating each one by a wooden coffee stirrer. I haven’t too many more bits to add. The end bonnets will be separate as to make it easier to get it out the mold

 

Michael

[Rob Pulham]

Superb Mike.

[deltic17]

Will follow with interest.....looks good......

[mike hughes]

Thanks Rob and Deltic 17.

I’m hoping today or tomorrow to put a coat of grey primer on them to help show any area that need attention

Michael

[Ian Smith]

Mike,

 

I've often thought about having a go at resin casting, albeit for 2mm scale models.  The one thing that I have never been sure of though is how much bigger than scale to make the master - I understand that there is some shrinkage in (at least some) of the casting resins.  Have you made any accommodation for shrinkage in your masters?  If so what sort of percentage increase in size have you built in?  If not what resin are you intending to use, hopefully it is one that has no or very little shrinkage?

 

I look forward to seeing how this project progresses.

 

Ian

[mike hughes]

Mike,

 

I've often thought about having a go at resin casting, albeit for 2mm scale models.  The one thing that I have never been sure of though is how much bigger than scale to make the master - I understand that there is some shrinkage in (at least some) of the casting resins.  Have you made any accommodation for shrinkage in your masters?  If so what sort of percentage increase in size have you built in?  If not what resin are you intending to use, hopefully it is one that has no or very little shrinkage?

 

I look forward to seeing how this project progresses.

 

Ian

For the ones at home haven’t had problems with shrinkage, have had slight shrinkage for some of the ends we sent away.

At the moment I’m using either Axson F180 or F190 depending on what I’m casting

 

Michael

[mike hughes]

I've sprayed up the bodies in primer and marked up the areas that need attention, which I'll be doing fairly soon.

 

Michael

[mike hughes]

I needed to send a kit of a SR 5-plank shock wagon to a customer (I already made a mold for this a while back) but discovered couldn't get the casting good enough, so decided to redo the mold. Glued the top of the wagon on a piece of plastic then put lego bricks around. The bits of plastic rod are for the air to come out whilst filling through the big bit on the bottom of the wagon. Then degassed the rubber to remove the bubbles (before this would suggest brushing on the surface the rubber so not to get bubbles on the wagon)

Once the rubber was set, removed the plastic and brushed the rubber with several coats of a Vaseline/white spirit mix as a release agent (important as the rubber would just stick together). I suspended a piece of wood inside the body as would take it out to help get the to halves apart (release the vacuum formed), poured the rubber up to the top of the wood and wait a day for it to set.

 

How do I change the topic title again?

 

Michael

[jcarta]

Evening Mike

 

Go to your very first post and at the bottom of that post you will see "Edit".

 

Click on "edit" and you will see the first post you wrote .... at the bottom you should see another tab called "Use Full Editor" click on the tab and this will open another window which will allow you to change the topic title....

 

Jim

Edited September 27, 2018 by jcarta

[mike hughes]

Evening Mike

 

Go to your very first post and at the bottom of that post you will see "Edit".

 

Click on "edit" and you will see the first post you wrote .... at the bottom you should see another tab called "Use Full Editor" click on the tab and this will open another window which will allow you to change the topic title....

 

Jim

Many thanks

[mike hughes]

I done a few days back the casting of the wagon, just poured the resin in as haven't mastered degassing the resin yet

 

 

Michael

[mike hughes]

Next I've made a start on 5 Bulleid coaches. 2 x 2 car sets (semi open brake third with Brake corridor composite) and a loose brake composite.

Firstly I soldered 0.45mm wire below the windows in a half etch and then the hinges.

 

Next I bent the solebar up and added the half etch with the rivet detail. Once that was done I soldered that on to the floor into the slots.

 

Michael

[pwr]

Michael

 

Whose kits are these please?

 

Paul R

[Kubes]

Part of his own range of coach and EMU/DMU kits I believe.

Kubes

[mike hughes]

Yes these coaches are part of my range

 

Michael

[N15class]

Is there any pictures of the completed Maunsells or ironclads. As I could not see anything on the website.

[mike hughes]

Is there any pictures of the completed Maunsells or ironclads. As I could not see anything on the website.

There’s some of the Maunsell and Ironclad coaches here

 

https://www.jandmhughesogauge.com/copy-of-rtr-1

 

Michael

[N15class]

Thanks.

[mike hughes]

The next stage was to add the buffer beams, then I added the corner brackets (or whatever they're called) on the outside of the solebar to the bufferbeam.

Next stage was to add the footboards. For the 2 pairs of brake third/brake composite I soldered directly onto the solebar. That wasn't easy so the loose brake composite I marked on the solebar where the footboard where the support pieces went and put a piece of wire into a drilled hole then soldered the footboard on top. Much better, must remember to do that for any future Bulleid coaches.

 

Michael

[mike hughes]

I've soldered the truss rod uprights in place to the markings on the floor, then soldered the truss rods. Next was the 'V' hangers, the outside one joggled to clear the truss rod, added the ones in the middle then soldered a piece of wire in between.

Next I glued in the resin ends, the brake end will have the train alarm equipment removed. Once that was done I've turned my attention to the interior. Firstly I cut a floor from 20th plastic and glued it in place using contact adhesive spread thinly.

 

Michael

[mike hughes]

I've been adding the interiors, first added pieces to allow the glazing to slide in, then a piece covering that. Added the paritions next and the some plastic channel to allow brass wire to act as the corridor handrail. Next cut out the corridor partitions. The red plastic is just some scrap I had laying about. I drilled a hole in the plastic in each corner then used chisels to cut it out.

 

Michael