RMweb Premium Popular Post Michael Edge Posted November 20, 2019 Author RMweb Premium Popular Post Share Posted November 20, 2019 I finished the EF1 yesterday. Pantographs are fun to build on this one, instead of just being assembled on insulators in the roof they are built up on channels which extend out over the cab ends. These are built up on the roof with two side rails, the ends carry insulators and yokes to the pantograph rails. The photo shows how these are built up in the kit, the yoke is a fold up and the insulators are etched layers which look very convincing when painted. Ideally the portion of the rail between the yoke and insulator could be cut out to leave a gap here but I can't find an easy way to do this. The lower pantograph arms pivot on cross wires with a flat etch soldered to the middle. The upward arm of this will carry the spring end, the lower arm hits the roof to restrict upward movement. The pan heads are etched and the upper arms are made from wire. The kit instructions include a paper pattern jig to set up the diagonal bracing. The wire are threaded through the etched parts and flattened at the ends to retain them. View from above with both pans fitted and a representation of the external wiring. These pantographs are really big! The completed loco from underneath, the connecting wires fit neatly through the holes in the drag beams where the connecting link would be fitted - these are Bo+Bo, not Bo-Bo locos. There is very little clearance between the drag beam ends and the cab steps which allows very little bogie swing. As set up here the loco will easily go round 28" radius but for anything tighter the drag beam ends will have to be shortened. i'm not painting this one just yet so in time honoured fashion, here's one I made earlier. Kit development work for the rest of this week before setting off to Warley on Friday afternoon so any updates will be in the Judith Edge kits thread. 17 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Michael Edge Posted November 26, 2019 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted November 26, 2019 Before starting the next big job (7mm ROD 2-8-0) I did a bit more work on 40936, the tender etch produced some interest at Warley but as I said before I only have one of these. Parts for the tender set out here, I didn't etch any frame spacers for this so the inner frames have been assembled on screwed spacers in the axle holes. Two of my "universal" spacers bolted under the footplate which is half etched underneath to leave locations for the steps and outside frames, buffer beam and drag beam also fitted in half etches. This is .015" n/s, half etch leaves the visible edge just about scale thickness. A few space fillers on this etch, BR aws bang plates and buffer extension pads - also the loco smokebox wrapper which I had forgotten was there when O made one to fit on the loco.... Inner frames soldered to the spacers, next under the footplate the steps are soldered in place. Buffers are Slater's, fitted on pads. All steps and one frame fitted, the outer frames are cut out to clear the buffer tails and 12BA nuts but this doesn't show behind the step plates when finished. Cross wires for brakes soldered in and the guard irons bent outwards, final shape later. That's all on this for now, main job this afternoon. 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Blandford1969 Posted November 26, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 26, 2019 That tender is seriously nice, I will just have to hope one day you do some more. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted November 26, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 26, 2019 Really good to meet you on Sunday Michael, it's always good to put a face to a name. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Michael Edge Posted November 27, 2019 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted November 27, 2019 11 hours ago, Blandford1969 said: That tender is seriously nice, I will just have to hope one day you do some more. That's the easy bit, the half etched sides (something I don't usually do) with a curve at the top will be more "interesting". This is the first Midland style tender I've etched, scratchbuilding technique would have been to add the flat beading from thin strip to full thickness sides. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Michael Edge Posted November 27, 2019 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted November 27, 2019 10 hours ago, chris p bacon said: Really good to meet you on Sunday Michael, it's always good to put a face to a name. Likewise! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted November 27, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 27, 2019 Thanks for the quartering lesson. I think I MAY have to replace a couple of wheels but to get it to run would be worthwhile. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Michael Edge Posted December 6, 2019 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 6, 2019 Next 7mm job underway now This is our GC 4000 gal. tender scaled up to 7mm and etched in.022" n/s. Everything seems to fit, this is for an ROD loco. 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium t-b-g Posted December 6, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 6, 2019 Hello Mike, That is looking good. Will it be a full 7mm kit with castings? If so, I may need one or two. I will just mention a couple of things that are fairly easy to alter if you feel it may be required. The upper steps on GCR tenders have the angle bracket attaching them to the step plate under the step rather than above it. Presumably so they can be made with a 90 degree angle onto the straight lower section of the step plate. I have not seen one with the angle above the step but maybe there were variations I am not aware of. Also, the front dragbox plate between the loco and tender is, as far as I can tell, tapered towards the bottom to match the angle of the step plate. I am not sure if they were all like that but most were. The ROD tenders on 63601 and on Morayshire certainly are. If you have seen some with vertical edges and the angle above the step, I would be interested to know where you found them. Regards Tony Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Michael Edge Posted December 9, 2019 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 9, 2019 We're not thinking of selling this as a kit, there's a perfectly good Gladiator kit already available - I just did it this way with a one-off etch to see how well it worked. Yes. I've got the top steps upside down and you're right about the drag beam - all will be altered this week. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Popular Post Michael Edge Posted December 18, 2019 Author RMweb Premium Popular Post Share Posted December 18, 2019 By way of a change from 7mm work I've built this Alexander J27 this week. The customer bought this kit second hand, there were as expected two alternative smokebox castings in it but neither was for a J27 so I had to make one. Similarly onof the tender frame alternatives was missing - the one I needed of course - so new ones cut out of n/s sheet. As usual with Dave's kits this one is excellent but I was asked to use the etched frame kits from 52F Models for it. I had a few misgivings about the complexity of these (and the length of the instructions) but it all went together perfectly and much more easily than I had anticipated. It works perfectly as well, coupling rods only loosely fitted at the moment, paintshop next. I've done a bit more work on 40936 as well, washout plugs and most of the boiler fittings on now and coupled to the etched tender frame. The old MayGib driving wheels come out at a rather wide (14.8mm) back to back dimension so I've had it running round the layout to test it, seems OK anyway. Sharp eyed viewers may notice that the tender frame has P4 wheels in it. These were the only ones I had to hand to set it up but out of curiosity I tried running it (they are set to the same 14.8mm back to back) and it runs very well over almost all the layout, only derailing at one end of the fiddle yard where the outer rail in some of the pointwork is a bit low. They will be replaced with 00/EM profile before finishing though. 19 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Michael Edge Posted December 19, 2019 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 19, 2019 Back to 7mm now, this is the loco to go with the GC tender. This will be an ROD 2-8-0 as first sent to France in WW1. 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium t-b-g Posted December 19, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 19, 2019 1 hour ago, Michael Edge said: Back to 7mm now, this is the loco to go with the GC tender. This will be an ROD 2-8-0 as first sent to France in WW1. Looking lovely Mike. It is nice to see a GCR cab roof done properly! I have seen so many that just show a lack of appreciation of how the real ones were constructed. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Daddyman Posted December 19, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 19, 2019 (edited) The motor bogie on the EF1 is very interesting. The only thing that stops me buying your Class 17 is having to use Black Beetles or Spuds. Would this system work in the Class 17? (And the ES1) Edited December 19, 2019 by Daddyman Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted December 19, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 19, 2019 2 hours ago, Daddyman said: The motor bogie on the EF1 is very interesting. The only thing that stops me buying your Class 17 is having to use Black Beetles or Spuds. Would this system work in the Class 17? (And the ES1) With a bit of ingenuity/bodging/adaptation, one of these fits quite nicely and provides plenty of pulling power. http://www.highlevelkits.co.uk/loriderpage.html Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Daddyman Posted December 20, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 20, 2019 (edited) 9 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said: With a bit of ingenuity/bodging/adaptation, one of these fits quite nicely and provides plenty of pulling power. http://www.highlevelkits.co.uk/loriderpage.html Mike. Thanks. Define bodging! And Mike's system is probably cheaper/simpler. Edited December 20, 2019 by Daddyman Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted December 20, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 20, 2019 1 hour ago, Daddyman said: Define bodging! My standard method of modelling! Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Michael Edge Posted December 20, 2019 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 20, 2019 13 hours ago, Daddyman said: The motor bogie on the EF1 is very interesting. The only thing that stops me buying your Class 17 is having to use Black Beetles or Spuds. Would this system work in the Class 17? (And the ES1) I've not done this with the Clayton kit or the ES1 but both kits include parts to make up non powered bogie so the same system should be possible. The ES1 bogie is a much shorter wheelbase and a shorter motor than the Mitsumi might be needed. Mike's use of the High Level LoRider works well but as I recall it took him quite a long time. I have suggested to Chris that a range of motor bogies might be a good idea. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Daddyman Posted December 20, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 20, 2019 7 minutes ago, Michael Edge said: I've not done this with the Clayton kit or the ES1 but both kits include parts to make up non powered bogie so the same system should be possible. The ES1 bogie is a much shorter wheelbase and a shorter motor than the Mitsumi might be needed. Mike's use of the High Level LoRider works well but as I recall it took him quite a long time. I have suggested to Chris that a range of motor bogies might be a good idea. Thanks, Mike. HL motor bogies would be good, yes. With your system on the EF1, the modeller is left to their own devices for setting the height/position of the worm relative to the gears, and for sourcing parts. Thanks to High Level, I'm from a generation that has never had to get gears and worms meshing (it's done for us in a HL gearbox), and I wouldn't know how to do it, or what worm/gears to get. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted December 20, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 20, 2019 27 minutes ago, Michael Edge said: Mike's use of the High Level LoRider works well but as I recall it took him quite a long time. I have suggested to Chris that a range of motor bogies might be a good idea. I classed it as R & D Mike! I keep plugging away at Chris also! Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Michael Edge Posted December 20, 2019 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 20, 2019 37 minutes ago, Daddyman said: Thanks, Mike. HL motor bogies would be good, yes. With your system on the EF1, the modeller is left to their own devices for setting the height/position of the worm relative to the gears, and for sourcing parts. Thanks to High Level, I'm from a generation that has never had to get gears and worms meshing (it's done for us in a HL gearbox), and I wouldn't know how to do it, or what worm/gears to get. The gears I mostly use are moulded in white plastic, Squires usually sell them but they are easily available from China. They are quite coarse and not too difficult to set. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon A Posted December 20, 2019 Share Posted December 20, 2019 Would a couple of High Level quad drives fit? Gordon A 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_Under Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 Given the demise of Hollywood Foundry (through retirement), I’d say there is a market for motor bogies, or drive stretchers of appropriate length. Some sort of compensation would be a bonus too. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Michael Edge Posted December 21, 2019 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 21, 2019 19 hours ago, Gordon A said: Would a couple of High Level quad drives fit? Gordon A Not long enough unfortunately. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Michael Edge Posted December 24, 2019 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 24, 2019 Finished J27, grit blasted and ready for painting. More work on 40936 at the weekend. Tender sides formed to shape, I don't really like half etching to leave beading but this flat Midland stuff is difficult to do in any other way. Once the tops are rolled over the sides are quite rigid though. The lower part of the side is reinforced with an etch which will support the tank and coal space top. Broaches through the handrail holes locate this, solder only along the bottom edge - soldering along the top edge would produce a line of distortion here on the outside, sometimes this comes in the right places but I prefer to avoid it if possible. The back of the tank is already soldered to the footplate. This is what it looks like from the inside, sides just soldered along the bottom (from the inside) and to the back. Tank top slid into place, the half etched line will locate the rear coal plate, holes for water filler and dome. All soldering done from underneath here, this is the point where the tank can easily get out of square so careful checking is needed. Attached to the loco, rear coal plate soldered in (all back details and handrails added before this), the front coal plate is just resting in place at the moment. The vents (lost wax castings from the spares box) are a bit high and might be replaced if I'm feeling picky enough. Finally for today, the firebox on the ROD. 14 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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