Brass coach construction - when to fit the door handles and grab rails.

[Brinkly]

Hello everyone,

 

I’m part way through converting some Hornby Railroad MK1 coaches: I’m fitting Comet etched sides to them. 

 

Before I do anything I’m after a quick bit of advice. 

 

I plan to paint these coaches in BR Chocolate & Cream and line them using a bow pen. Would it be sensible to leave the door handles and grab rails off for the time being, gluing them in carefully after painting. Or would I be better to solder them in now at the build stage? 

 

Kind regards,

 

Nick.

Edited October 13, 2019 by Brinkly
Typo

[Kris]

I tend to do it before painting because the solder gives a much better hold. It does make painting much harder though. 

[Captain Kernow]

NIck, if the grab handles go anywhere near where the bowpen needs to go, then leave them off until the painting and lining has been done, otherwise you will regret it!

 

[Brinkly]

16 minutes ago, Captain Kernow said:

NIck, if the grab handles go anywhere near where the bowpen needs to go, then leave them off until the painting and lining has been done, otherwise you will regret it!

 

 

Thanks Tim. That was my thinking.

 

Regards,

 

Nick

[Captain Kernow]

What you could also try is to paint and line a short piece of scrap brass, let the paint harden off and try to solder a spare grab handle from behind. It's possible, in my view, that you might get away with that.

 

[johnarcher]

Would it help to tin the handles (laborious I know), and the inside of the coach side around the holes, and solder them in with low-temp solder after painting?

Edited October 13, 2019 by johnarcher

[Barry Ten]

I prefer to leave them off until last and then secure them with a tiny dab of cyano. The one time I did try soldering them inside, I saw signs of the paint starting to cockle so I stopped immediately. I haven't tried using low-met since the glue methods works well enough for me.

[micklner]

Glue them in last, then seal them and the whole body with spray varnish to prevent tarnishing, hide any glue marks etc.

Edited October 13, 2019 by micklner

[The Johnster]

I've got 16 of them to do on a Comet Collett flat ended suburban, and I'm dreading it and keep bottling out and putting it off; the handles are incredibly fiddly, and the thought of making up 16 identical grab rails terrifies me.  I'll have to bite the bullet eventually, though, and I'm thinking about a Comet flat ended B set and a 'cyclops' A44 auto trailer as well!

 

I did think about soldering them in before painting, spraying the sides, and scraping paint off the handles and grab rails post-assembly, but opted for painting first and attaching these details as the last job; the coach is finished apart from this!  I've picked them out in brass paint on RTR coaches and my Hornby Colletts already have them picked out of course; it makes a huge difference and is certainly worth doing.

[TheSignalEngineer]

I've soldered on the ones not affected by lining before painting then carefully cleaned any paint off. As the Good Captain says it's a real pain to line with them in place. I glued the rest on after painting and lining, a dab of superglue on the back is usually sufficient, then varnished at the end. 

[Mike G]

Nick

You can solder them on depending which paint you use. If it's enamel or acrylic, then it's no don't do it (don't ask). You can do it with cellulose, well I have and haven't had a problem in over 50 (Comet) coaches and they've been lined and numbered prior.  I think the trick is not to linger with the iron if it doesn't take first time, come away, clean and have another go.

The alternative is to put them in with cyano BEFORE you put the glazing in - and leave to dry for 24 hrs so that the fumes disappear. I've been using Klear (original formula) for putting the glazing in my coaches. 

 

Hope you're keeping well.

 

Mike

[Siberian Snooper]

On 13/10/2019 at 17:18, The Johnster said:

I've got 16 of them to do on a Comet Collett flat ended suburban, and I'm dreading it and keep bottling out and putting it off; the handles are incredibly fiddly, and the thought of making up 16 identical grab rails terrifies me.  I'll have to bite the bullet eventually, though, and I'm thinking about a Comet flat ended B set and a 'cyclops' A44 auto trailer as well!

 

I did think about soldering them in before painting, spraying the sides, and scraping paint off the handles and grab rails post-assembly, but opted for painting first and attaching these details as the last job; the coach is finished apart from this!  I've picked them out in brass paint on RTR coaches and my Hornby Colletts already have them picked out of course; it makes a huge difference and is certainly worth doing.

 

 

Slater's do lost wax grab and 'T' handles,  give  David White a ring,  he's always been obliging when I have required them.

 

 

[The Johnster]

List wax grab handles might be just what I’m looking for, Siberian; many thanks for the tip!

[brossard]

For T handles I always find them a fiddle in 4mm.  A tip I learned from somewhere (I forget) is to grind down the heads of dressmakers pins to a T.  These are easy to handle and the pin can be cut off after fitting.

 

I add handles and railings after painting.  Just make sure everything has been trial fitted and is correct first.

 

John

[The Johnster]

2 hours ago, The Johnster said:

List wax grab handles might be just what I’m looking for, Siberian; many thanks for the tip!

I might have meant lost wax...

[Siberian Snooper]

10 hours ago, The Johnster said:

I might have meant lost wax...

 

I new what you meant.

 

 

[Brinkly]

Hello everyone,

 

Thank you all for your replies. Apologies in replying: we have been internet less for the past few days. 

 

I've opted to keep the handrails and grab rails off the coaches to be fitted after painting. 

 

Once again, thanks for all the tips. 

 

Kind regards,

 

Nick.