My coming out of Lockdown workbench

[Penrhos1920]

13 minutes ago, 57xx said:

 

If you're going unsprung, why not remove the whole buffer and replace with cast ones? I replace the whole buffer assembly on my Cambrian wagons with Lanarkshire Models ones. They are much more detailed overall. There's only been one or two very obscure buffer types I've not been able to find replacements for.

 

That’s a good idea, but it might be a little pricey as I’ve got a draw full of them.  90 kits if I can still count.

[Penrhos1920]

17 minutes ago, 57xx said:

 

If you're going unsprung, why 

 

Are you trying to say something @57xx ??  Have you been talking to my wife?

[57xx]

2 hours ago, Penrhos1920 said:

 

That’s a good idea, but it might be a little pricey as I’ve got a draw full of them.  90 kits if I can still count.

 

Ah yes, I can see that being a problem. I might have dozens of kits but they've been built over time and thus spread out the purchasing to cushion the blow. I would add however, for what you get, they are very good value IMO.

[57xx]

2 hours ago, Penrhos1920 said:

 

Are you trying to say something @57xx ??  Have you been talking to my wife?

 

I couldn't possibly comment on a public forum...

[Penrhos1920]

I’ve spent last few days applying transfers to Crocodiles and bogie coal wagons.  But I have now run of them.  Transfers I mean, not wagons.  So I’m off to order more from the HMRS but I doubt I’ll get them anytime soon.

 

Next in the queue for transfers were 4 Rhymney covered goods vans.  Two were converted from Ratio iron minks:

and the other pair were 3D printed from my design base upon drawings in Railway Modeller many years ago:

I’ve previously found it impossible to get methfix transfers to adhere.  So I painted an area of varnish, as can be seen on the doors on the right hand van, and tried again.  And failed just as spectacularly!  So I’ve changed to pressfix today and they appear to be sticking.  Hooray.

 

 The plan is for one of the vans to look like this, the problem is how to replicate all of the chalk marks.  Any ideas please? 

[Darwinian]

White gel pen might do although getting varied density would need some after work. Think they are available in different tip sizes.

 

Nice RR vans by the way, I wouldn't mind one of those if they ran into GWR days.

[Penrhos1920]

On 14/04/2020 at 19:49, Darwinian said:

 

 

Nice RR vans by the way, I wouldn't mind one of those if they ran into GWR days.

 

Yes they ran in GWR days.  It’s available from Shapeways, just search for Rhymney, either as a complete body or sides and ends.  I’ve only printed the whole body myself, I’ve tried to bring the price down by making it into a ‘kit’, but I haven’t tried it.  Standard PO buffers from, LMS, 51L or Gibson. The running numbers of the last batch which included, number 85, are on my website.  Here’s the completed quartet, they are all different designs.

 

 

[Penrhos1920]

This week I’ve been trying a new to me weathering technique of fading the lettering on my P.O. wagons.  I’ve taken a colour that’s close to the body colour, diluted it with Matt varnish and thinned it.  Then I’ve brushed it randomly over the lettering.  I think that some wagons have come out just right and others need another coat.

 

 

I've also been trying creating weathered wood in my well wagons.  I’m using Lifecolors weathered wood colours and following a tutorial here 

 

 

 

the thing is, I don’t think I’ve got it right.  I’ve photographed them with an open I did a few years ago which to my mind is better, but still not right.

 

 

[57xx]

23 hours ago, Penrhos1920 said:

 

the thing is, I don’t think I’ve got it right.  I’ve photographed them with an open I did a few years ago which to my mind is better, but still not right.

 

What are thinking - too much brown still?

 

You could also try a dark brown/black wash to run into the plank grooves ?

 

[Penrhos1920]

Yes too brown AND too white.  A dark brown wash for the plank groves might fix them both.  The brown is probably because I didn’t dry my brush enough when I used the burnt umber.  The white is because the last colour I used was “Wood cold light shade” which is white in my eyes.

[57xx]

I tend to use light greys rather than whites, but as you say, the wash might will tone that down nicely.

Edited April 18, 2020 by 57xx

[Penrhos1920]

The weathered wood saga continues.  I’ve applied a dark wash but over did it on some of them.  The plan is to a little, and I mean little, dry brushing of light silver-grey.  

 

 

Sprung buffer heads have  finally arrived.  So Saturday I fitted buffers to all but 2 wagons.  I avoided 2 because they were not straight forward.  The first was a white metal open that has little plastikard squares behind the bufferbeam with 0.5mm holes which weren’t playing ball.  So new ones were fitted.  The other is a much modified Ratio iron mink wagon I just couldn’t see how to get anything in behind the bufferbeam to bend the buffer tails over.  

 

 

Yesterday saw me take off bits of the clasp brakes so that I could do the buffers.  And today I’ve reassembled the brakes.   It took an inordinate amount of time.  Loads more than it should have, but now it’s done and I’m sure they will survive on the layout.  But it needs a repaint and the problem is I can’t remember which colour I painted but I really don’t want to redo the transfers (except the GW which for some reason we’re the wrong size).

 

[richbrummitt]

You have my sympathy I don't like lettering wagons either. 

[Penrhos1920]

Do you ever have one of those days where you get half way through doing something and think “why am I doing this?”  Well yesterday  was one of those days.  It was pointed out to me that the door lock on the Ratio iron mink kit is the wrong way around on one side.  So I had foolishly decided to correct it.  First I found a packet of Kenline white metal door looks.  But after fitting and priming them I decided that they were too big.  So I ripped them off and got out a tiny piece of brass strip and 0.33mm wire and started making them.  Curse after curse ensued.  They’re so fiddly to make!  It was then that I thought “why am I doing this?  You can’t see them in a moving train.  No one will notice.”  But here they are.  Ready to fit, blackened and waiting for the electrofix to dry.

 

 

Anyway it’s done.  One good thing  that happened today was that I looked in my cupboard of partially completed projects. I found one box marked “TLC” and another marked “P4 wagons”.  So I had a look in them I found four wagons that just need  sprucing up and three ballast wagons half built for our P4 group layout “Origami”.  That was an enjoyable time and I think I might pick up these wagons soon to get them done.  I also pondered my  coach bashing project and planned how to cut up the next coach.

 

http://penrhos.me.uk/LowRoofs.shtml#D22

[Compound2632]

56 minutes ago, Penrhos1920 said:

It was pointed out to me that the door lock on the Ratio iron mink kit is the wrong way around on one side. 

 

Bother!

[57xx]

On 21/04/2020 at 21:34, Penrhos1920 said:

The weathered wood saga continues.  I’ve applied a dark wash but over did it on some of them.  The plan is to a little, and I mean little, dry brushing of light silver-grey.  

 

 

 

Was the wash enamel or acrylic? If enamel, a cotton bud moistened in white spirit could be used to lift off some of the excess wash. Don't that anything will do the same with acrylic (not from my experience at least).

[Penrhos1920]

Acrylic- bother 

[Penrhos1920]

I’ve just spent the last 5 minutes wondering why the pets won’t stick together.  Then I realised that the bottle of MEK wasn’t MEK but IPA!!  It’s been one of those days.  My 4 compartment brake third nearly was a 3 compartment brake third.

[KalKat]

You're gluing animals to each other ?!!!!

 

 

Emma

[Penrhos1920]

18 hours ago, KalKat said:

You're gluing animals to each other ?!!!!

 

 

Emma

 

Yes.  Haven’t you seen 2cats glued together by their tails before?  Hours of amusement.

[Penrhos1920]

It feels like ages since I last posted, but it’s only 4 days!  Lots has been happening.  The railway room has been occupied everyday and progress has been made on several fronts.

 

5 Ratio iron minks have received replacement door locks on one side only.  For some weird reason the locks are a mirror image on just one side.  Once you know it you’ve got to sort it out.

 

So we have a standard GWR iron mink, if ever there was such a thing!  A Rhymney ex Spillers iron mink, a GWR passenger fitted iron mink, another Rhymney iron mink, but this one is 6” longer and has self contained buffers and finally a Taff Vale iron mink that is 1’ 6” longer and needs painting.

[Mikkel]

Iron Minks are such well-proportioned vans, I think. This is the most interesting selection I've seen yet. The RR suits them particularly well.

[Penrhos1920]

Coaches have been progressing well as well.  I've made a few improvements to the joining together process.  The first is I've noticed that the kit sides are not all the same thickness.  So I've been measuring the thickness and padding out top and bottom of the thinest piece so that they are the same:

 

 

This means that when they are brought together face, up with the bottom rail hanging off my cutting board, the panels are matched as close as possible.  Theere is still some filling to be done but to stop filler getting in the wrong places and causing a mess that ruins otherwise good areas I've been masking in the same way as when I paint:

 

 

Now that the sides are glued together the bottom under the rail needs to be made so the inside of the sides which touch the floor line up, otherwise you get a coach that isn't straight.  Then the outside bottom panel needs sortig out.  On some of the kits its ok, but on most the bottom moulding is missing so I cut off what is there and replace with a piece os 10 x 20 thou strip.  The sides and ends are assembled and the compartment partitions put in.  Only then can the filling be sanded as the unsupported side does not have enough strength.  This coach is the holy grail of GWR 4mm coaches, a T52.  This side is easy as it's only 3 pieces, but the other side....

 

 

I've almost run out of kits to bash and these are the only bits left.  I don't need another composite so what can I make from these bits.  Suggestions on a sanitised post card please.

 

[Compound2632]

9 minutes ago, Penrhos1920 said:

I don't need another composite so what can I make from these bits.  Suggestions on a sanitised post card please.

 

There aren't any suitable all firsts?

[Penrhos1920]

2 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

There aren't any suitable all firsts?

 

There were no firsts with the profile of the Ratio kits.  Third or brake third are my options, but no luggage compartment doors either.