Airfix Chops

[relaxinghobby]

 

Developed a system to have the white metal tender top be removable, a soldered on tongue of metal that fits in the slot made by Airfix in their rear buffer beam and a screw at the front up the link to the loco.

 

 

All the white deposits are from the acid flux I used, the little yellow pots by Power Flow from a plumbers shops, even after the parts have been washed the white persists. It can be rubbed away later with a pot scrubber.

Soldered some off cuts of w/m along the sides to attach the coal mound to later.

 

 

 

The second tender was another loco drive adaptation, intended for my Tri-ang 3F to Midland Johnson 2F. Another 90 % finished model which got abandoned for some long forgotten reason. Whilst looking for parts for the 4-4-0 I found it and maybe will finish it if I can find that missing wheel set.

These tenders are from the old Ks Midland spinner kit, they seem to turn up second hand now and again.

[relaxinghobby]

Still have the little Spanish Style 2-4-0 to finish. Pushing to finish this tender for ages but could not think of a way to make a curved top edge, trying several schemes to cut strips of tube which ended up with wonky edges so they would not sit straight.

 

Then noticed this edge on a pop top freezer box. several makes are available check edge styles for modelling possibilities.

 

 

This make of  plastic freezer food box with a pop top lid the curve top edge is just right for a 4mm tender and it is easy to get a straight cut by sliding the knife along the flat side of the box. No makers name on this box but you can use it in the microwave.

 

 

Close up picture reveals the ugly truth, gaps at A and S shock me to realise the end piece is slightly wonky. The harsh reality of close up photography. The coal hole is anything but square. There staying like that, they will be invisible when the tender is coupled up behind the loco.

 

The thicker white plasticard top allows for a little step at A and C which gives good location for the curved strip.

 

 

 

Back to the 4-4-0. First attempt at spectacle plate windows edges, by cutting tiny strips of plasticcard but this green variety has broken apart, too brittle perhaps ?

 

Edited April 12, 2021 by relaxinghobby
doh !

[relaxinghobby]

 

 

The loco has gone to the paint shop, a clean dust free margarine tub and is already in basic grey.

So this photo is now an historic record.

Some work still needs to be done, a few corrections to tender. That gap at the bottom of the tender side where the metal meets the black base of the tender. Some sort of railing or door at the loco end. This is based on a Midland Railway tender which had two vertical stanchions on the front foot plate to stop the crew falling off. The coal load, where every one has been giving me advice on how to hide the motor.

 

 

Working on this model away from any other meant that I had lost a sense of it's size or scale, it seemed to be to big. Not to worry, compared to this 20th century 0-6-0 it is definitely a small Victorian era engine.

[relaxinghobby]

 

 

Many of my models never get finished, particularly the locomotives are never get properly finished, usually I can't get them to run, even wagons can sometimes refuse to roll, an easy task you would think just to get a wagon kit to sit square and run true but not for me, not always and some end up non working and half finished at the end of the scrap siding.

 

Like this 0-4-2 based on the first loco sent to Australia. The chassis and wheels are all plastic cut down from an Airfix prairie kit, it happened to be the correct wheel base shortened by cutting the ends cut off, the same for the footplate. The boiler began as a cash-till roll tube with a fire box built up from strips of plasticard wrapped around it. It was intended to be a boiler wagon load, being delivered to a loco works perhaps. Now with a smoke box from an Hornby 14XX it sits on this loco and the flat topped dome is some plastic innards from a Biro. The cab is from post card , a try out of a design drawn up on the computer and printed out onto thin cardboard. A home made fold up kit sort of thing.

 

Unlikely to ever be motorisable it has become a modeled scrap derelict. It used to have a companion the little Airfix pug, a heavily painted red one with missing valve gear. It has now gone off to the workbench to be improved and motorised.

 

 

 

[relaxinghobby]

 

 

 

The trials of adapting something from second hand, you don't know what's been done to it, for instance what type of paint did they use?

Can't shift this Fire Engine Red, been in soak for 48 hours in dishwasher powder solution. The red is a very thick red. It's swamped the rivets and other detail not like model paint but more like treacle. Unlike the thin, even and well behaved crimson Humbrol that went quickly.

 

I looked up paint stripping techniques for kits and locos here on RMweb and came up with my own contribution from years ago, amongst others, it's funny how you forget. So the combined lore of RMweb modelling says Dettol can cause a sticky mess and caustic soda cleaners do the trick, I had hoped the dish washer powder solution I'd been using was caustic soda but it just seems to be the much weaker washing soda.

 

[relaxinghobby]

Problem how to turn an Airfix 0-4-2 into an 0-4-4 ?

 

 

58a 72

Attempt number one I've hacksawed away at the chassis to allow room for a bogie to swing. The hole is for the motor fixing screw. A quicky plasticard bodge built bogie has been slung together to test for room to swing and try it for position. I want tall sides so it acts as a bogie and side frames going up under the body sides, so this is a way of trying the idea out. Eventually there will be a metal one.

 

There is also a cunning plan to pivot it from that motor fixing screw and then produce the ultimate 0-4-4 chassis. It will deal with the difficult weight distribution of this type of loco. The body will sit on top and both the front and rear parts of the chassis will have some side to side movement under the body. I hope to control the rear over hang on tight curves and get good weight distribution and haulage ? Watch this space.

 

67a

 

65a The body does clear the large Airfix motor. The join between the green inserts cut from one Wren body and glued onto the black body shows my poor measuring out hacksawing skills. The parts are supported at the back by rectangles of plasticard. One piece at a time with 24 hour intervals so the glue had time to set. I have been using Tamiya Cement, it gives a little bit of fiddling around time and it does a bit of gap filling too. The bunker parts where fixed with the help of metal straight edges and squares I can fill the gaps later.

 

70 a

 

 

The body needs to ride about 2 mm higher, plenty of room for ballast.

 

 

 

[33C]

Are you going to spring load it? Retractable pen springs are great, plentiful and cheap. I take the springs out, chop the pen tube down and glue the end back on. Still got a pen! 🤪

[relaxinghobby]

Hi 33C

I hope to make it some sort of double bogie contraption, the two front axles on a sub chassis pivoting with the rear bogie. A bit like the way a bogie diesel model works. Both ends will have the ability  to swivel slightly inside the body shell. Not prototypical but perhaps it will give model better weight distribution and on  train set bends go around a tight bend ability?

[relaxinghobby]

Not an Airfix chop but very similar, work to an ancient Hornby body. Similar to any plastic model.

 

 

 

To removed the top of the square firebox on this 3F, because I want to turn it into a round topped earlier version. Drilled horizontally along above the handrail molding, leaving many tiny holes and cut between them with a large Stanley knife. Junior hacked sawed down from the top to remove the square section.

 

 

Big old flat file good for finishing a rough sawn edge. Drawn across the rough edges while holding the work piece, loco body plastic does not need much force.

 

 

Nice clean square edge ready to receive a bit of round pipe.

[relaxinghobby]

 

A stroke of luck, I found this plastic tube just the right diameter to make a round top replacement for the fire box. Lucky twice as I quickly found it and it's not only the right diameter but the right sort of plastic to easily glue in place with normal modelling solvent glues. The plastic tube is the stake from one of those rechargeable LED garden lights you can push into the ground. The sort that provides little low fairy lights amongst the flower beds and cabbages. The rechargeable LED light had long ago corroded and failed, being in use in the weather. That white is masking tape I wrapped around it to give an edge I could saw to.

 

D stands for dome and C for cab, even thought I have been careful to mark out and cut carefully the hole and the curved plastic piece to fit, they are not a perfect fit, the dome end is slightly different to the cab end.

 

To trim down the curved section cut from the tube it was rubbed on my old favorite flattening tool, a piece of sandpaper glued to a flat bit of plywood.

[relaxinghobby]

This one has not been shown for a while it is an attempt to motorise a chopped down Airfix pug. I trimmed back the cab length to allow a coal bunker before the spectacle plate.

 

 

Trying to give it a Beyer Peacock look like the one at the Foxfield Railway.

[relaxinghobby]

The motor bogie does not run so I've been dismantling it to see how to get it going.

 

 

Working with tiny parts here, screws are small and dark so if they fall onto the floor and roll somewhere there is a low chance of finding them. A bit negative I know so as a hedge against that I'm working in the bottom of an ice-cream tub.

 

In close up the picture shows one of the motor bogies from the little Bachmann double bogie and double bonnet shunter. As a model it comes with two separate motor bogies. A win-win if you want to motorise two small 4 wheeled shunters, not just a win-win but a bo-bo...bwin-bwin.

 

The motor section is very narrow and can fit up inside the Airfix pug easily.

 

Trouble is this one does not run.

 

 

Edited September 26, 2022 by relaxinghobby

[relaxinghobby]

Electrical contact between wheels and motor is a bit vague, depending on metal strips just touching here and there in the right places and Bachmann have blackened the metal which I think is causing a block to the flow of electricity so I can try and scrape the black to get back to shiny metal.

 

 

Look there's a hair there just touching the white cog, only noticed that in this enlarged picture. It must be sticking to the grease.

 

Top motor contact barely reaches the motor and on pulling off the wheels I fine the contact metal behind has the chemical blackening so I've polished it up with a find nail file abrasives strip. There was also a small amount of burrs on the back of the spokes which could not have helped and the nail file abrasion also took that away.

 

 

All fine dust and grease washed away in bottle top filled with WD40 a good general cleaning solvent.

 

The wheels are not original solid disc ones, they are from the Bachmann gandy dancer I think and replace the original disc wheels. They are all a push fit in the internal gears and are readily interchangeable.

 

 

 

Pictures of top inside motor bogie. I've polished the topside of the contact strip. Then when the tops on it's the underside of the contact strip that makes contact with the motor contact. I've now only just noticed that, I will have to dismantle it and clean up the under side. Which is what I've done to take these pictures.

 

This work has bought about a big improvement, it now runs but only slowly, there is  still a problem somewhere where one of the metal strips is only making partial contact and the only 4 wheel only pickup might be a problem.

 

Homework mark redo and try again

 

Edited September 26, 2022 by relaxinghobby
corrections

[relaxinghobby]

 

 

Two models based on the same foundation. The old Triang Hornby 3 F, For the 2F just the footplate and filed down chassis on the left. This is a model I take out now and then look at, think about how to finish it and then put it away again. The right-hand is a 3F back dated to a round top and sits on the current Hornby general purpose 0-6-0 chassis. The cab needs cutting down.

[33C]

33 minutes ago, relaxinghobby said:

 

 

Two models based on the same foundation. The old Triang Hornby 3 F, For the 2F just the footplate and filed down chassis on the left. This is a model I take out now and then look at, think about how to finish it and then put it away again. The right-hand is a 3F back dated to a round top and sits on the current Hornby general purpose 0-6-0 chassis. The cab needs cutting down.

Your practically there with both! "Finish them!"👎 😀

[relaxinghobby]

Another diversion, I finally found an old Airfix J94 kit I can chop about and convert into the current tender version.

I saw it at the Spar Valley Line near Tonbridge Wells in the Autumn.

 

 

There are quite a lot of photos about on the internet of the J94s as both saddle tanks and the tender version, so working from these I got the razor saw out and set square, marked some lines and cut carefully the footplate and chassis. Fore and aft of the boiler.

A new boiler is rolled from 20 thou plastikard wrapped around a metal tube and heat formed with boiling water.

I’ve got three layers glued together here. I'm out of liquid solvent so had to use Humbrol Precision Poly which is a bit too thick but can just about be squeezed into the space between the layers.

 

 

The wheels are metal from a defunct Mainline J72, they can be forced into the axle holes after a slot has been cut out underneath to make a horse shoe shape.

The cab had the bottom cut off but did not look right so I stuck some plastic back on.

The cab sides have been filled and a new suitably shaped lookout needs to be cut.

 

I’ve used the back spectacle plate as the new front one. Keeping the lower half with the back-head detail on.

 

The tender is a cut down Airfix Schools. the 4 sides back, front and two sides are trimmed back to produce a small tender of some vague pre-grouping style. An internal sub chassis holds the wheels but needs levelling up.

Maybe this model will have a motorised tender rather than a motor and gearbox in the loco?  Watch this space but don't hold your breath, unless you are Houdini.

 

 

[33C]

8 hours ago, relaxinghobby said:

Another diversion, I finally found an old Airfix J94 kit I can chop about and convert into the current tender version.

I saw it at the Spar Valley Line near Tonbridge Wells in the Autumn.

 

 

There are quite a lot of photos about on the internet of the J94s as both saddle tanks and the tender version, so working from these I got the razor saw out and set square, marked some lines and cut carefully the footplate and chassis. Fore and aft of the boiler.

A new boiler is rolled from 20 thou plastikard wrapped around a metal tube and heat formed with boiling water.

I’ve got three layers glued together here. I'm out of liquid solvent so had to use Humbrol Precision Poly which is a bit too thick but can just about be squeezed into the space between the layers.

 

 

The wheels are metal from a defunct Mainline J72, they can be forced into the axle holes after a slot has been cut out underneath to make a horse shoe shape.

The cab had the bottom cut off but did not look right so I stuck some plastic back on.

The cab sides have been filled and a new suitably shaped lookout needs to be cut.

 

I’ve used the back spectacle plate as the new front one. Keeping the lower half with the back-head detail on.

 

The tender is a cut down Airfix Schools. the 4 sides back, front and two sides are trimmed back to produce a small tender of some vague pre-grouping style. An internal sub chassis holds the wheels but needs levelling up.

Maybe this model will have a motorised tender rather than a motor and gearbox in the loco?  Watch this space but don't hold your breath, unless you are Houdini.

 

 

Looking like the L.T.S.R. "Ottoman" class.

[relaxinghobby]

Dec 22

For me the modelling stream has split into to many channels. To extend the fast flowing river dividing into many smaller slow moving rivulets analogy, as it approaches the sea and becomes a swampy slow moving delta. Full of many dead ends and muddy traps

 

So my modelling stream has become divided into many different little projects and overall progress and slowed and almost stopped. I'm stuck in a swamp of a messy worktop with boxes of different half done models blocking easy progress. The sticky mud of my swamp is when there is some problem that stops progress of any particular model. Each has to be thought about and a solution invented or tried, that's a lot of deep thought for me as I am a modeller of little brain, it seems easier to start something new than to clear the work top and just concentrate on one model and get that model done and ignore all the others.

 

Also there are the real world things that need to be done, bills to pay etc. Study, house hold chores they can get in the way too but demand attention.

 

So with modelling time I know that it will be quicker and a lot less frustrating to only work on one until the end as a finished model gives a sense of achievement which is part of why we follow this interest.

 

So to follow some muddy islets in the swamp of my modelling life.

 

Wagons after a surge of modelling of some old time wagons, getting the main bodies built and wheels running they await final detailing, a long and careful process that needs steady concentration and application.

 

 

J94

I finally got hold of an old Airfix kit of their old J94 saddle tank so that I could chop it about to do the modifications I have had in mind for ages. Which was not as easy as I thought.

 

 

0-6-2t

I got a cheap non-running Hornby L1 2-6-4 tank and thought I could use the chassis to be an old style 0-6-2. It was easy to get running, a wire had come off inside. But the motor was far to high for the job I had in mind and I had to do major hacksaw surgery on the chassis to tuck the motor down low and out of the way in the much smaller body of an 0-6-2t.

 

Now it does not look right under the M7 body the wheel spacing is far too short and towards the front but it does look good under the Wren 0-6-0 body that I have already extended to make an

0-4-4 t.

 

so folks which way to go long M7 body or short Wren body ?

 

More distraction and body chopping on the way

 

 

 

 

Then along comes the pretty little class C

 

Now 33C posted a few photos of his motorisation of a Great British Locomotives static model of a SECR class C and implied it was “easy”. I thought as I have most of the same ingredients as he started out with I could also do a quick and “easy” motorisation too. You must think I am naive as I immediately picked up my junior hack saw and set to. After all I have been lead to think it would be a quicky. Hope over experience.

 

I am like a child locked into a sweet shop overnight when I am really a bull in a china shop panicking and can't get out.

Picking up the hack saw yet again too late in the evening when I am really a a bit too tired to carry out much.

 

 

It gets worse as I was picking through one of my many scrap boxes to find something for the current project I see something else and start to think. I vague look comes in my eye and a new plan starts to form. Another diversion.

 

For instance I found an old short 0-6-0 chassis that would look good under a Triang Nelly with just a bit of hack-sawing and modification if only I could find that missing worm gear.........

 

It's gone all swampy again.

 

>>>

 

A new distraction has come along, in the past I have always tried to post a photo along with each of my modelling entries. To illustrate what I've been trying to do or show the problem. Show and tell.

 

Now since the photo apocalypse and there now here seems no chance of our old pictures returning I sometimes get requests via Notifications and Messages to repost old pictures. Several problems with this; I have to hunt them down if I still have them. I had my own photo apocalypse when I wiped the memory card or DS? on my digital camera. Pressed the wrong button somehow.

 

The surviving photos on my computer hard disk are not labelled but just roughly place in monthly order, sort of but not always, so it all has to be sorted through and then each original picture photo-shopped, reduced in size and sorted through.

 

It all takes away valuable modelling time and energy. Also when looking back at old posts I feel the need to check spelling and correct my dumb grammar. And looking at old post and pictures there is the painful reminder of my failures for many of the models featured where never finished for one reason or another. Or only ran in a so so fashion. Even writing this and correcting it takes valuable modelling time. So I'm not so keen on finding the photos.

 

I might do it occasionally when I feel like it. I would rather be modelling working on the current project. Or revisit the thread entry only if I take up that old project and have another go. The sticky mud of the swamp clings. Or the siren song of the never finished model in it's little box calls faintly. Make me, make me.

 

So the conundrum is, shall I use my spare time for modelling or hunting out and editing old photos?

I'd rather model and encourage followers of threads to post some entries of their stuff?

 

An on going insurance. Maybe for models that inspire me I click on and save the image, especially at the half built stage as this shows its construction method. Then I have a library for future reference on my local storage device?

 

Here's muddling on.

[relaxinghobby]

I'm cutting down an old Hornby or Wren 0-6-0 tank chassis. It has the right wheel base for the little pre-grouping 0-6-0 I'm building.

 

There is little metal remaining at the front so I left a central fin to reinforce the chassis in that area. But it gets in the way of the footplate and superstructure.

 

Do I dare cut the protuberance off?

 

 

By the way, the plinth here is from one of those non-working display locos in TT or H0. That got cut up for parts and details. On the left hand side there is a groove, it's where I cut through the plastic track and widened the gauge for 00.

 

 

Cardboard pattern footplate.

 

Edited January 22, 2023 by relaxinghobby
editing

[cypherman]

On 02/01/2023 at 06:44, relaxinghobby said:

Dec 22

For me the modelling stream has split into to many channels. To extend the fast flowing river dividing into many smaller slow moving rivulets analogy, as it approaches the sea and becomes a swampy slow moving delta. Full of many dead ends and muddy traps

 

So my modelling stream has become divided into many different little projects and overall progress and slowed and almost stopped. I'm stuck in a swamp of a messy worktop with boxes of different half done models blocking easy progress. The sticky mud of my swamp is when there is some problem that stops progress of any particular model. Each has to be thought about and a solution invented or tried, that's a lot of deep thought for me as I am a modeller of little brain, it seems easier to start something new than to clear the work top and just concentrate on one model and get that model done and ignore all the others.

 

Also there are the real world things that need to be done, bills to pay etc. Study, house hold chores they can get in the way too but demand attention.

 

So with modelling time I know that it will be quicker and a lot less frustrating to only work on one until the end as a finished model gives a sense of achievement which is part of why we follow this interest.

 

So to follow some muddy islets in the swamp of my modelling life.

 

Wagons after a surge of modelling of some old time wagons, getting the main bodies built and wheels running they await final detailing, a long and careful process that needs steady concentration and application.

 

 

J94

I finally got hold of an old Airfix kit of their old J94 saddle tank so that I could chop it about to do the modifications I have had in mind for ages. Which was not as easy as I thought.

 

 

0-6-2t

I got a cheap non-running Hornby L1 2-6-4 tank and thought I could use the chassis to be an old style 0-6-2. It was easy to get running, a wire had come off inside. But the motor was far to high for the job I had in mind and I had to do major hacksaw surgery on the chassis to tuck the motor down low and out of the way in the much smaller body of an 0-6-2t.

 

Now it does not look right under the M7 body the wheel spacing is far too short and towards the front but it does look good under the Wren 0-6-0 body that I have already extended to make an

0-4-4 t.

 

so folks which way to go long M7 body or short Wren body ?

 

More distraction and body chopping on the way

 

 

 

 

Then along comes the pretty little class C

 

Now 33C posted a few photos of his motorisation of a Great British Locomotives static model of a SECR class C and implied it was “easy”. I thought as I have most of the same ingredients as he started out with I could also do a quick and “easy” motorisation too. You must think I am naive as I immediately picked up my junior hack saw and set to. After all I have been lead to think it would be a quicky. Hope over experience.

 

I am like a child locked into a sweet shop overnight when I am really a bull in a china shop panicking and can't get out.

Picking up the hack saw yet again too late in the evening when I am really a a bit too tired to carry out much.

 

 

It gets worse as I was picking through one of my many scrap boxes to find something for the current project I see something else and start to think. I vague look comes in my eye and a new plan starts to form. Another diversion.

 

For instance I found an old short 0-6-0 chassis that would look good under a Triang Nelly with just a bit of hack-sawing and modification if only I could find that missing worm gear.........

 

It's gone all swampy again.

 

>>>

 

A new distraction has come along, in the past I have always tried to post a photo along with each of my modelling entries. To illustrate what I've been trying to do or show the problem. Show and tell.

 

Now since the photo apocalypse and there now here seems no chance of our old pictures returning I sometimes get requests via Notifications and Messages to repost old pictures. Several problems with this; I have to hunt them down if I still have them. I had my own photo apocalypse when I wiped the memory card or DS? on my digital camera. Pressed the wrong button somehow.

 

The surviving photos on my computer hard disk are not labelled but just roughly place in monthly order, sort of but not always, so it all has to be sorted through and then each original picture photo-shopped, reduced in size and sorted through.

 

It all takes away valuable modelling time and energy. Also when looking back at old posts I feel the need to check spelling and correct my dumb grammar. And looking at old post and pictures there is the painful reminder of my failures for many of the models featured where never finished for one reason or another. Or only ran in a so so fashion. Even writing this and correcting it takes valuable modelling time. So I'm not so keen on finding the photos.

 

I might do it occasionally when I feel like it. I would rather be modelling working on the current project. Or revisit the thread entry only if I take up that old project and have another go. The sticky mud of the swamp clings. Or the siren song of the never finished model in it's little box calls faintly. Make me, make me.

 

So the conundrum is, shall I use my spare time for modelling or hunting out and editing old photos?

I'd rather model and encourage followers of threads to post some entries of their stuff?

 

An on going insurance. Maybe for models that inspire me I click on and save the image, especially at the half built stage as this shows its construction method. Then I have a library for future reference on my local storage device?

 

Here's muddling on.

Hi,

I found that the Wrenn 0-6-2 chassis was a better fit for the Hornby M7 body. This is one I built.

[33C]

On 02/01/2023 at 06:44, relaxinghobby said:

Dec 22

For me the modelling stream has split into to many channels. To extend the fast flowing river dividing into many smaller slow moving rivulets analogy, as it approaches the sea and becomes a swampy slow moving delta. Full of many dead ends and muddy traps

 

So my modelling stream has become divided into many different little projects and overall progress and slowed and almost stopped. I'm stuck in a swamp of a messy worktop with boxes of different half done models blocking easy progress. The sticky mud of my swamp is when there is some problem that stops progress of any particular model. Each has to be thought about and a solution invented or tried, that's a lot of deep thought for me as I am a modeller of little brain, it seems easier to start something new than to clear the work top and just concentrate on one model and get that model done and ignore all the others.

 

Also there are the real world things that need to be done, bills to pay etc. Study, house hold chores they can get in the way too but demand attention.

 

So with modelling time I know that it will be quicker and a lot less frustrating to only work on one until the end as a finished model gives a sense of achievement which is part of why we follow this interest.

 

So to follow some muddy islets in the swamp of my modelling life.

 

Wagons after a surge of modelling of some old time wagons, getting the main bodies built and wheels running they await final detailing, a long and careful process that needs steady concentration and application.

 

 

J94

I finally got hold of an old Airfix kit of their old J94 saddle tank so that I could chop it about to do the modifications I have had in mind for ages. Which was not as easy as I thought.

 

 

0-6-2t

I got a cheap non-running Hornby L1 2-6-4 tank and thought I could use the chassis to be an old style 0-6-2. It was easy to get running, a wire had come off inside. But the motor was far to high for the job I had in mind and I had to do major hacksaw surgery on the chassis to tuck the motor down low and out of the way in the much smaller body of an 0-6-2t.

 

Now it does not look right under the M7 body the wheel spacing is far too short and towards the front but it does look good under the Wren 0-6-0 body that I have already extended to make an

0-4-4 t.

 

so folks which way to go long M7 body or short Wren body ?

 

More distraction and body chopping on the way

 

 

 

 

Then along comes the pretty little class C

 

Now 33C posted a few photos of his motorisation of a Great British Locomotives static model of a SECR class C and implied it was “easy”. I thought as I have most of the same ingredients as he started out with I could also do a quick and “easy” motorisation too. You must think I am naive as I immediately picked up my junior hack saw and set to. After all I have been lead to think it would be a quicky. Hope over experience.

 

I am like a child locked into a sweet shop overnight when I am really a bull in a china shop panicking and can't get out.

Picking up the hack saw yet again too late in the evening when I am really a a bit too tired to carry out much.

 

 

It gets worse as I was picking through one of my many scrap boxes to find something for the current project I see something else and start to think. I vague look comes in my eye and a new plan starts to form. Another diversion.

 

For instance I found an old short 0-6-0 chassis that would look good under a Triang Nelly with just a bit of hack-sawing and modification if only I could find that missing worm gear.........

 

It's gone all swampy again.

 

>>>

 

A new distraction has come along, in the past I have always tried to post a photo along with each of my modelling entries. To illustrate what I've been trying to do or show the problem. Show and tell.

 

Now since the photo apocalypse and there now here seems no chance of our old pictures returning I sometimes get requests via Notifications and Messages to repost old pictures. Several problems with this; I have to hunt them down if I still have them. I had my own photo apocalypse when I wiped the memory card or DS? on my digital camera. Pressed the wrong button somehow.

 

The surviving photos on my computer hard disk are not labelled but just roughly place in monthly order, sort of but not always, so it all has to be sorted through and then each original picture photo-shopped, reduced in size and sorted through.

 

It all takes away valuable modelling time and energy. Also when looking back at old posts I feel the need to check spelling and correct my dumb grammar. And looking at old post and pictures there is the painful reminder of my failures for many of the models featured where never finished for one reason or another. Or only ran in a so so fashion. Even writing this and correcting it takes valuable modelling time. So I'm not so keen on finding the photos.

 

I might do it occasionally when I feel like it. I would rather be modelling working on the current project. Or revisit the thread entry only if I take up that old project and have another go. The sticky mud of the swamp clings. Or the siren song of the never finished model in it's little box calls faintly. Make me, make me.

 

So the conundrum is, shall I use my spare time for modelling or hunting out and editing old photos?

I'd rather model and encourage followers of threads to post some entries of their stuff?

 

An on going insurance. Maybe for models that inspire me I click on and save the image, especially at the half built stage as this shows its construction method. Then I have a library for future reference on my local storage device?

 

Here's muddling on.

I feel you man! Many projects and ideas, so little time, especially recently! Work gets in the way....My way of dealing with it is to compartmentalise the models. Each goes in a Take-Away tub at whatever stage its at. These sit on the bench. If I have 20 mins, I do 20 mins on the job that will take 20 mins. If I suddenly have a day off, the lining takes precedence. And everything in-between. And before you know it, 4 finished models! Finishing late night/early morning is when I do screen time, photography or YouTube. The goal is to do something, anything every day. Just finished painting the footboards and running gear on part of an evil-bay job lot purchase whilst waiting for the washing up to dry. As an aside, I never touched a hacksaw to do my C class! Don't fret yourself, it's supposed to be a "relaxing hobby...."

[relaxinghobby]

Thanks Cypherman for your M7 body conversion. I still feel because the M7 is such a long body it sits better on the longer Hornby Jinty chassis. The shorter Hornby-Wren chassis would suit a South Wales 0-6-2 type or

my similarly short chopped down L1 chassis. As in the photo above. Also the Wren-Hornby has a very tall motor that is difficult to get under the boiler on older smaller prototypes. Even Hornby-Wren had to cheat and add two little bulges to get it in.

 

Margarine tub system of job control. Thanks 33C I'll try, I also have a little shelf near my computer where incomplete models sit, I can look at them and ponder what they need doing next.

 

 

[relaxinghobby]

Current Margarine tub project is at this stage.

 

The one at the back comes out of the one at the front.

 

 

After a couple of sessions with the mini drill, chain drilling, the joining up the holes with a pointed craft knife and using the trusty X-acto razor saw where it will fit.

 

Got to make wheel holes, using the cardboard footplate to help mark them, more chain drilling of a row of holes and opening them up with a knife to come.

 

 

I forgot to mention this was inspired by Manna's use of the same WRen chassis and body to make a Great Northern J6.

I've even got the same green body but will have to ditch the motor as it is far too massive to fit inside this dinky 0-6-0

Edited January 28, 2023 by relaxinghobby

[scots region]

That is some fairly drastic surgery. 

[relaxinghobby]

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe I had cut away too much green but I've been building back better, all new stuff in white plastikard except a new black foot plate.

The footplate was a strip of 1 mm black glued in before I started to cut the body. After a few days to allow the glue to harden I set to with saws and drills. This base footplate kept the two sides in the correct place and a firm base to work around.

 

Splashers are a hard job for me I built these up from a disc and sides holding them together with pins until the glue was set them carefully cut them to size and sanded down to fit.