Virtual Members' Day Exhibition - the demo stands

[Mr.S.corn78]

8 minutes ago, Taz said:

Once I have double checked the Comet plans against prototype photos (where possible) I then mark out the roof with positions of roof vents and handrails. A set of compasses is really useful for this job. All the holes then need to be drilled out. Hand drilling aluminium can be a tedius and painful process so I use the pillar drill.

 

 

Always try and prop the roof up so the point you are drilling is as close to 90 degrees to the drill. This will reduce the chances of the drill wandering and also decrease the likelihood of the drill bit snapping.

 

Once the holes have been opened out if necessary you can glue in the supplied roof vents. I do this from behind with superglue. .45 wire is used to form any hand rails on the roof.

The roof mounted water tanks are 20thou plastic sheet. Using the supplied plan cut to size and preform a curve using a knife handle or similar.

Then secure with superglue to the roof. You will need to clamp this while the glue sets

 

 

The roof panels are made using thin tape supplied by Comet (C20). Using prototype pictures the spacings of the panels are identified (note GWR coaches did not have regular sized roof panels but each panel was the same size as the compartment beneath - This means on a composite the spacing of the tape is not constant).

The tape is laid over the roof overlength. I then strengthen the ends with a drop of runny superglue and then trim the ends. (Note this is not the roof from the brake second I have used for most of the demo photos)

 

 

Can you post up some more pictures/info of/on the drill please as from the pics you have posted it looks like it would be a good addition to the bench.

Thanks

[Brinkly]

3 minutes ago, Mr.S.corn78 said:

 

Can you post up some more pictures/info of/on the drill please as from the pics you have posted it looks like it would be a good addition to the bench.

Thanks

 

Oh it is a wonderful drill, isn't it Brian!  Tell us all what model it is!  

Edited April 26, 2020 by Brinkly

[Brinkly]

4 minutes ago, Taz said:

It has been a godsend.

If you ever want it back a replacement will go straight to the top of my shopping list 

 

And straight to my front door!  I'll need to take something hostage... 

[Mick Bonwick]

42 minutes ago, The Fatadder said:

@Mick Bonwick

One topic I was planning to talk to you about this year is weathering ballasting, are there any hints you could offer please?

 

Rich, there are as many ways of weathering ballast as there are types of ballast, but I expect you already know that.

 

My approach is to paint the sleepers and rail before the ballast is laid and wait for it all to dry hard. Anywhere between 2 and ?? days. This will give you the opportunity to establish what colour(s) to use on the ballast.

 

I use an airbrush to apply a thinned acrylic coat of the track grime colour chosen and wait for that to dry. 24 hours at least. This will allow you to see if there are any areas that need a further coat, places that have been missed, etc.

 

Final task is to apply weathering powders in various places to vary the tone of the grime. If you don't do this you will end up with track that looks as if it has been airbrushed. Find a reference photograph of the type of track you're weathering in the area you're modelling and use it as a guide.

 

[Keith Addenbrooke]

1 hour ago, Taz said:

Next I solder the door hinges. On Collett coaches the top and middle hinge are shallow and the bottom hinge deeper. I think the deeper hinge on the detailing etch is too long so once added to the side I file it down a bit.

A question if I may: is the bottom hinge deeper to reflect the profile of the tumble home, so the three hinges would still be in a vertical line?  Just thinking through the geometry as the door opens over a platform but I don’t know if this is relevant.  Just wondered,  Keith.

[Re6/6]

2 hours ago, Taz said:

I don’t claim to be a master builder and my models certainly aren’t display cabinet quality but hopefully they pass muster as good layout coaches (to pinch a term from Tony Wright).

 

I beg to differ old chap!

 

This is one of two 4-LAV sets that Brian built for Balcombe.

 

[St Enodoc]

13 minutes ago, Keith Addenbrooke said:

A question if I may: is the bottom hinge deeper to reflect the profile of the tumble home, so the three hinges would still be in a vertical line?  Just thinking through the geometry as the door opens over a platform but I don’t know if this is relevant.  Just wondered,  Keith.

That's right Keith, all three hinge pins need to be in line vertically.

[Taz]

10 minutes ago, Keith Addenbrooke said:

A question if I may: is the bottom hinge deeper to reflect the profile of the tumble home, so the three hinges would still be in a vertical line?  Just thinking through the geometry as the door opens over a platform but I don’t know if this is relevant.  Just wondered,  Keith.

That is correct.

 

As supplied the Comet bottom hinge sticks out further than the top two.

so I file them down a bit so they match the other hinges.

 

On a coach with a continuous curve such as a Mk1 or Bulleid you need to use the larger hinges top and bottom with the smaller hinge in the middle.

again filing of the two larger hinges is required to make them line up.

 

[The Fatadder]

Thanks Mick, 

that looks exactly what I’m after (and will hopefully solve the excessive colour difference between the two grades of ballast I’ve used.  Will be interesting getting the airbrush up to the right height given the size (and weight) of the compressor.

 

 

@AY Mod  I think this approach to sharing modelling demonstrations is a potentially fantastic resource.  When the day is done would it be possible to take each person’s demo and either combine into a single complete thread (or maybe as a single page “article” accessible  from the drop down bar at the top?  It would be really handy as a future reference tool

 

 

[Mick Bonwick]

Hornby PECKETT UPPER BODYWORK

 

Tools

Rigger brush – long bristles to hold plenty of fluid and sharp point to place the fluid accurately.

 

Filbert brush – soft, firm bristles shaped into a rounded but flat end. Holds pigment particles forever and a day, and the shape gives many opportunities for accurately placing them.

 

Paper towels – to wipe the brush when you pick up too much pigment, and to clean up the mess.

 

Glass dish – won’t be attacked by solvent and used to hold clean white spirit.

 

Materials

 

MIG Productions Dark Wash – my favourite, but any dark coloured wash will do the job. I favour enamel washes as they always seem to work well, but you may prefer to use acrylic washes. If using acrylics, then any mention of white spirit should be read as acrylic thinners.

 

AMMO by Mig black pigment A.MIG-3001 – good for replicating sooty deposits and as a base for other grime-encrusted areas.

 

Process

 

 

 

 

 

The whole locomotive has been given a layer of Testor’s Dullcote so that there is a uniformly matt surface to work on. This exercise will be restricted to the upper surfaces of the tank and the cab roof. An image of the subsequently completed project can be seen on flickr:

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/laughinglobster/49784567033/in/dateposted/

 

The bare metalwork (chimney, valves, whistle) on the top of the locomotive has been given an application of MIG Productions dark wash, thinned with white spirit, to create false shadows and emphasise detail. This process is exactly the same as that used in the Janus grille exercise – dip the rigger into white spirit, dip the tip of the bristles into the wash and then just touch the tip against the target detail. If you leave a blob behind, don’t worry about it, just leave it for 15 or 20 minutes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

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There are many makes of weathering powders (pigments) on the market, and some of them have been around for many years. My choices are made from more recent manufacturers who aimed their products at larger scale plastic kit builders – armour, aircraft, vehicles, etc. My impression is that the particles in these latter products are more finely ground, small enough to fall into the depressions in the matt surface.

 

Application of the pigment is done by dipping the filbert brush into the lid of the pot, rather than the pot itself. If there is nothing adhering to the inside of the lid when you open the pot, then just give the pot a shake and tap it firmly on the worksurface. Oh! Put the lid back on first. The thin layer of pigment on the inside of the lid is plenty for the task ahead.

 

Stroke the brush across the cab roof and the pigment will leave smears on the matt surface. Continue this until the whole surface is covered. It will take a little time, but you will end up with a layer of pigment that can’t be removed when you rub your finger across it.

 

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Continue to apply pigment in the same way across the upper surfaces of the locomotive. One word of warning here. Well, several words, actually. Make sure that the wash has completely dried before you start working with the pigment. Here’s what happens if you’re impatient, but you may find that this is an effect you want to utilise.

 

 

[Brinkly]

Right time to get on with some modelling rather than watching layouts!

 

Sprung Wagon

 

We turn to sprung w-irons. As I mentioned earlier, there are a couple of options, but I will concentrate on the two I am most familiar with: Bill Bedford and Masokits. Both are good products, but my preference is the Masokit system and it will become apparent why further down. 

 

We will take a look at the Bill Bedford system first. Available from a couple of suppliers, Elieen's Emporium and now retailing at £8.80 for 6 units; enough for three wagons. 

 

 

The etch is quite fine and works by a length of guitar wire being thread through the bearing carrier; thus, a sprung unit. 

 

 

There isn't a setting jig for these units, but  Palatine Models produce an etched wagon base, which is very helpful. £4 for three units. Total cost per wagon so far, around £4.20 or so. This unit has been fitted with Ultrascale wheels and white metal clasp brakes from MJT.

 

Here you can see the chassis, apologies for the crude close up, under a David Geen LMS cattle van. Depending on what kit you are using (some Ratio products have the solebars as part of the body) you might need file away some of the rear of the solebar to enable fitting of these units. 

 

So that is the Bedford system. 

 

 

 

[Brinkly]

Wagon Springing - Masokits System

 

Now lets have a look at the Masokits system. Price is £3.50 per unit and can be obtained from Mike Clarke; a link is here on the Scalefour Society website. 

 

This is what you get for your well-spent pennies! W-irons, spring carrier and washers. 

 

First job is to remove the w-irons from the etch; I use a pair of etch cutters for this job. Fold up; I tend to use a small hold and fold for this. 

Mike proves you with a length of .6mm brass. This is to be used to help set the distance between the units. I stray away from this, as I found there was still a tendency for the w-irons to move a little. 

 

I use graph paper and a pair of rulers. The lines mark the ends of the units. 

 

Slip the setting jig between the irons, get it square and parallel and solder the bar inplace. 

 

This should be your end result. The soldering on the one shown above is a little untidy - the tip on the iron is on the way out. 

 

Next job, we fit the bearings into the spring carrier, and place washers inbetween. 145 solder is used. 

 

Remove them from the fret and bend the spring retainer down.

 

Fit into the w-irons.

 

And give it a little test. This one has a massive piece of lead balanced ontop. 

 

 

Hopefully, it should run straight and true!

 

More in a bit. 

 

 

[Barry O]

49 minutes ago, The Fatadder said:

Thanks Mick, 

that looks exactly what I’m after (and will hopefully solve the excessive colour difference between the two grades of ballast I’ve used.  Will be interesting getting the airbrush up to the right height given the size (and weight) of the compressor.

 

Try and check photos of track. Weathering is about observation of the real thing. Track grime colour varies across the ballast. Oil etc drops off coupling rods and motion work on steam locos..along the edges of the sleepers.

Baz

[Taz]

2 hours ago, Mr.S.corn78 said:

 

Can you post up some more pictures/info of/on the drill please as from the pics you have posted it looks like it would be a good addition to the bench.

Thanks

Hi,

 

The drill is a Proxxon TBM220

 

 

I use 5mm and 8mm drill bits. The 8mm is used for the vent holes which I then enlarge (normally 1.4mm) by hand with a pin vice.
 

Proxxon list it on their website so they are still available.

 

 

 

Edited April 26, 2020 by Taz

[Mick Bonwick]

Hornby S15 TENDER INTERIOR

 

Tools

 

Filbert brush – soft, firm bristles shaped into a rounded but flat end. Holds pigment particles forever and a day, and the shape gives many opportunities for accurately placing them.

 

Paper towels – to wipe the brush when you pick up too much pigment, and to clean up the mess.

 

Materials

 

MIG Productions P033 Dark Mud and P414 Track Brown pigments. These are out of production but can now be found as Abteilung 502 products ABTP033 Dark Mud and ABTP414 Track Rust. Same stuff, different labels. Used to represent new rust and old rust respectively.

 

I#####################################

 

 

 

My interests centre around Southern stuff. Pause for claps, jeers and other responses.

 

I have a Hornby S15 awaiting attention and it will need to have a well-used tender behind. Pause for more claps, jeers and other responses.

 

The coal load is easily removed, and the coal space will be portrayed as nearly empty, so the interior needs to be suitably distressed.

 

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To protect the remainder of the bodywork I have created a card mask that fits around the top edge of the tender. Testor’s Dullcote has been applied across the top. Note that the spray booth was operating at full blast when doing this, you don’t want to breathe in Testor’s Dullcote. Any matt varnish would do the job required here, just to create a uniformly matt surface to work on.

 

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I have collected a small quantity of pigment from the inside of the pot lid and, using the rounded edge of the filbert brush, applied it to the lines of rivets in the tender water area (for want of a better, or the correct, name). The colour used is Track Brown, and application continued along all panel edges and rivet lines.

 

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A change of pigment, now, to Dark Mud. The same method of picking up the pigment from the pot lid and applying to the tender was used, except that the flat edge of the filbert brush was used. This allowed the spreading of the new colour to blend in with the darker tone to prevent hard lines appearing between tones and colours.

 

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The result. A rusty surface, ready for the deposits of water and coal dust to finish things off. When completed this tender will have real coal added at the bottom of the coal space, and some coal dust distributed around the whole space, like this view, albeit of a different locomotive:

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/laughinglobster/8565377589/in/photolist-G6aSZS-rixc57-e3TNkX-e45e3k-e45emz-e3TNJX-e4aRKd-e3TNQi

[Mr.S.corn78]

1 hour ago, Taz said:

Hi,

 

The drill is a Proxxon TBM220

 

 

I use 5mm and 8mm drill bits. The 8mm is used for the vent holes which I then enlarge (normally 1.4mm) by hand with a pin vice.
 

Proxxon list it on their website so they are still available.

 

 

 

 

Many thanks Taz, will have to do a bit of shopping

[Brinkly]

Long Wheel Based Wagons

 

Having enjoyed a rather nice cup of tea and a slice of cake, I should get on with the next bit of today's demonstration. 

 

I mentioned in an earlier post compensation. This is the principle of the three-legged stool. One axle is fixed, the other can 'rock' up and down. In my experience, this system is the most unreliable in terms of performance - at this point I now run and hide!

 

This Parkside CCT, started by Maurice Hopper and currently undergoing a few upgrades by myself, has MJT internal rockers. One fixed, one rocking. They run quite well in longer trains.

 

 

Buffers have been replaced by myself; the clasp brakes need to be fitted too. 

 

Helpfully, Masokits produces a spring-sub chassis, which I have had near to 100% reliability with when running. They will happily sit at the head of a long train, centre or rear, makes no difference and they stubbornly refuse to come off. 

 

 

 

This is what you get, nice piece of etched brass; it costs £12 currently and has 'spare' bits just in case you make an error!

 

Folding up is straight forward enough.

 

The springing system is more like the Bill Bedford system. 

 

The bearings might need a little filing on the sides and top, but a handy gauge is provided, so errors can't be made.

Trio under construction. The first has Black Beetle wheels, the other two have Maygib.

 

I tend to fit replacement buffers from Lanarkshire Model Supplies. This batch don't have sprung buffers, but others do. I was simply using up what I had.

 

I also fit an internal partition to any van, it helps prevent 'bowing' .

 

Four nearing completion. 

 

All of these will have a good 100 grams of lead added to them, bring them up to a brass coach kit weight. 

 

More in a bit.

[Mick Bonwick]

BLOB REMOVAL

 

This may not turn out to be a particularly good experience. I haven’t done much moving picture stuff, and certainly nothing that I’m prepared to put on public view.

 

Having mentioned blob removal on a couple of occasions, I thought that it would be a good idea to illustrate the process rather than just write about it. I haven’t quite got the hang of background noises, so it might be best to mute this pair of clips.

 

Applying the wash.

 

Thinned enamel wash applied with a rigger brush, using capillary action to get the fluid into the detail areas. The blobs are left to dry for about 15 minutes.

 

https://youtu.be/p21NHzhq8C4

 

Removing the blobs.

 

A clean rigger brush is dampened with white spirit and the bristles laid as flat against the surface as possible. By moving the bristles from side to side against the edge of each blob, the excess paint is removed, but the detail retains its almost-dry layer. It is important to wipe off the removed paint after each stroke. If you don’t do that, all you will do is reposition the paint around the workpiece.

 

https://youtu.be/5XTdlp-sEpo

[mullie]

What a great thread, thanks to all contributors. I'm sure I shall come back to it again and again.

 

One comment I would make in the creation of weathered ballast is if the ballast doesn't need to be heavily weathered I put some clean ballast in a pot and mix with very finely ground charcoal. This discolours it and it can then be laid dry and diluted PVA used in the normal way. I give the track a base coat of Tamiya red/brown as a primer, paint as normal then ballast.

 

Martyn

Edited April 26, 2020 by mullie

[richbrummitt]

9 hours ago, Taz said:

 

The drill is a Proxxon TBM220

Proxxon list it on their website so they are still available.

 

 

Nice looking. Is the chuck one of the tiny collet ones that only goes up to 3.2 / 1/8"?

[Taz]

The drill comes with 6 collets at 1, 1.5, 2, 2.4, 3 & 3.2mm.

The Chuck is screw tightened.

 

To be honest I only ever use the 1 that fits the two drill sizes I use.

 

B.

[St Enodoc]

14 hours ago, Mick Bonwick said:

a well-used tender behind

How did it get a tender behind?

[Tony Teague]

4 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

How did it get a tender behind?

 

From a goods train?

[Tony Teague]

...or was it from passing telegraph poles?

[Mick Bonwick]

4 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

How did it get a tender behind?

 

Rough coupling.