Silhouette-cut Mk1 side overlays

[CloggyDog]

Hi all,

 

Desiring some more accurate Mk1 coaching stock for Dounreay, I've been playing around with some H0 Mk1 coach side overlays, cut out of 10 thou plasticard on my Silhouette Portait cutter. Andrew Knights and I have been bouncing ideas and test files between us, refining the basic concept.

 

I've just assembled the latest test set of SK/TSO sides, comprising an inner with the just main window openings (toplights, main and door droplights) cut through, an outer with a simpler set of frames also cut through and the door seams and hinges scored and optional outer frames to represent the aluminium Beclawat frames fitted to the latter build lots and retro-fitted to a number of earlier builds. Assembled with limonene. 

 

I think they look rather good and give a nice 3D effect to the windows. Feedback, thoughts and crits welcome. 

 

Next job is to fit them to a Lima Mk1 donor which has had the sides sanded back and the new window apertures opened out sufficient to allow glazing to be inserted from inside after painting. 

 

I've drafted a good dozen Mk1 types in the Silhouette Studio software, one advantage of the Mk1 is that creating one basic set of windows and doors allows most types to be done.

 

And these sides work out very cheap, 25p per coach (2 inners, 2 outers and a complete set of frames). I bulk buy my plasticard sheet, 20 A4 sheets of 10 thou for a tenner and I can get 2 coaches-worth on each sheet. 

 

Once I've ironed out a couple of minor niggles, I'll happily share the files for anyone with a cutter to try out. I already have scale-length BR1 bogie sideframes available as resin castings, although I've not yet worked up a suitable inner frame (it's on the list!)

 

Cheers, 

Alan

 

[aardvark]

So the Portrait can cut an A4 sheet? That's a welcome surprise!

 

I don't have a machine yet, but maybe a Portrait 3 instead of the unobtainable Cameo might be sufficient.  I'm not going to be building Mk1 sides, but I'm still interested in your design as inspiration and encouragement for what I might do.

Edited January 5, 2021 by aardvark

[CloggyDog]

8 hours ago, aardvark said:

So the Portrait can cut an A4 sheet? That's a welcome surprise!

 

I don't have a machine yet, but maybe a Portrait 3 instead of the unobtainable Cameo might be sufficient.  I'm not going to be building Mk1 sides, but I'm still interested in your design as inspiration and encouragement for what I might do.

 

Yes, the Portrait will handle A4 no problem. The sticky mat it comes with is 8" wide and 12" long. The width is the limiting factor, but coach sides can always be aligned to make the best use of the cut space. I've even done an O gauge test side, given the length isn't limited by the cutting mat. I've also used it to cut long signage from a vinyl roll, I believe the max length is something like 10m!

 

Mine is an original Portrait (manual blade adjustment, USB connection only) but it's perfectly fine for cutting through 10 thou plasticard and will score 15, 20 and 30 thou. It does struggle with 40 thou (1mm) sheet though. 

 

With the swivelling blade it came with, I get reliable results down to about 0.7mm width (for window bars, etc).

[Waveydavey]

Those window frames rescaled to fit Bachmann 4mm MK1s would be very handy Alan. I’ve tried the Southern Pride self adhesive ones with disastrous results and the Shawplan ones are a bit too finescale for me as they require a full reglase.

 

[CloggyDog]

43 minutes ago, Waveydavey said:

Those window frames rescaled to fit Bachmann 4mm MK1s would be very handy Alan. I’ve tried the Southern Pride self adhesive ones with disastrous results and the Shawplan ones are a bit too finescale for me as they require a full reglase.

 

 

I'll have a look later, should be easy enough to rescale. 

[47137]

Alan,

 

A while ago I had a go at making a Mk1 brake composite using some laser-cut sides I drew up and had made by York Modelmaking. I had a lot of trouble getting the sides to hold themselves to the right shape (the constant curve of a Mk1 side) and even more trouble getting the very narrow strips above the windows to stay in a continuous straight line.

 

Possibly, a strip of small L section brass would help along the tops of the sides. I suppose, much depends on how much of the Lima carcass you keep - I seemed to cut so much of it away, there wasn't enough left to build on. If I was doing it again, I would think about cutting some full-width bulkheads to the correct profile, and discarding most all of the Lima body except the ends and roof.

 

If I was able to cut the sides myself, I would look into cutting an additional "inner" side, and building a sandwich with a gap inside to hold the glazing. If the first layer went onto the model with the correct curve, the subsequent layers ought to build up to make a robust model.

 

Hope this helps,

 

- Richard

[CloggyDog]

Hi Richard, thanks for the input. 

 

I'd considered a further inner layer to create a glazing pocket like you suggest, but that would make the sides even thicker, one option might be to have 2 inners in 5 thou to keep the overlays the same thickness as current (2 x 10 thou), though there'd also be an issue as the top lights are cut into the middle layer, where the glazing would need to go. 

 

In terms of the Lima donors, I'm planning to file/sand/smooth off all the surface detail and sand back such that the door seams disappear, then cut away for the larger windows (and any new or moved ones) to retain as much of the Lima side structure as possible, then apply the overlays at the top first, allow to set, then along the bottom edge, clamped in place to hold the curve. 

 

I cut another batch of test sides today, assembling the RMB and BCK sets, with a CK, BSK and SK to do tomorrow. 

[CloggyDog]

I've added the gangway rubbing plates to disguise the generic Mk2 style Lima used, with the infil bit then  (fortuitously) forming the sliding door across the opening. 

[47137]

If you are really keen, you can drill a small hole through the middles of the buffer heads, cut off the heads and their shanks, and put the heads back in their retracted positions. A piece of styrene rod through the hole to hold the assembly together.

 

Somehow, seeing a retracted buffer where it ought to be extended looks better than the other way round.

 

- Richard.

[CloggyDog]

Yesterday, I cut down a rather warped Rivarossi LMS Third Corridor by 10ft and re-skinned it to make an H0 50ft full brake, using the same technique as the Mk1s. (Hornby OO one above in 1 pic, showing the difference between OO and H0) 

 

On the same cut file, as the components are broadly standard, I also did the sides for the Stove R and sides/ends for the 42ft CCT for future use.