DJH Q7 Build

[Rob Pulham]

Hiding the motor in the firebox

 

Here is my solution for the Q5. I am sure that it will work equally well in the Q7. It needs the rear shaft removed but the Q7 might have a lot more space.

Thanks Arthur, I will have a look at reconfiguring my gearbox\motor - I am using a 14:26 (I think) and a roadrunner but not sure if it's a compact or not.

[Rob Pulham]

Life is never simple. On taking a look to see if I could use Arthur's method of hiding the motor I found that one of the frame spacers is in the way. Given the way I had to solder it in in the first place I am not going to try to remove it. I will do what I can to get the motor hidden in it's current configuration and chalk it down to experience.

 

Not much done this weekend on this - The tender brakes fought back so I put them aside for when I am in the mood to tackle them.

[Mallard60022]

Hi Rob. I hadn't realised this is your first white-metal kit AND only your second loco kit. What a start. Congratulations. You will find they do get easier but all are a joy (well mostly) to fiddle with, modify, fettle and complete. Always a good idea to get some tips before buying (despite the understandable differing opinions on this web) as some kits look superb but are absolute pigs to build!

Hope to see you at some other show.

Sincerely, 36E

P.S. Contacting Geoff!!

[Rob Pulham]

Thanks Phil, I am sure I will see you at Donny next year if not at another show this year.

[Rob Pulham]

I feel to have made quite a bit of progress on the build this weekend. I managed to get the body painted in black and the back head painted black/rust it does look quite bright in the photo's it is more subtle in reality but will probably need toning down some more.

 

 

 

 

 

I also add the springs that Arthur K kindly let me have. I used the microflame to solder them to the slab chassis and to my delight it was quite easy and very clean – it’s amazing how little solder you can get away with.

 

 

While the wheels were out to fit the springs I also blackened them and the coupling rods crossheads, etc.

 

Next job is working out how to make the brake hangers but I am in London for a couple of days now so no progress until later in the week.

[Worsdell forever]

The backhead really looks the part, the rusty finish lifts the detail.

 

Just needs a couple of Geordies on the footplate now, thrashing it to get back and finish thier shift and go for a couple o' pints a' broon.

[Rob Pulham]

After doing quite a bit of detail work on the chassis of my scratch build I finally plucked up the courage to make the brake hangers for the Q7. Talk about learning a new vocabulary. The two rear ones were surrounded by quite substantial framing to support the footplate and the two further forward were of a lighter build as they were nearer to the motion bracket which on the Q7 is quite substantial. Because of the need to solder the centre pieces inside the outer framing it required a bit of dexterity and several times just as the solder melted the parts sprang apart and stuck flat to flat rather than end to flat

 

I also used some higher melting point solder in the hope when I solder them to the frames they won't fall apart. This doesn't seem to flow as well as the 145 degree or perhaps I haven't been getting it quite warm enough.

 

You will see what I mean when I post some pictures (just discovered the camera battery is flat).

 

Next up is to fit these and the brakes to the chassis which I hope will be much easier as they should have something to hang from. Then I will revisit the tender brakes and try not to throw the teddy out this time.

[Rob Pulham]

I managed a little more last night, which took the form of getting some photos of the hangers as promised and fitting the rear most brake hangers to the chassis without anything else falling apart.

 

 

I did straighten the bent hanger before attaching it - one of the few benefits of taking close up photos

 

 

 

 

Hopefully the rest of the brakes will follow tonight.

[Rob Pulham]

This evening I managed to finish the brakes on the loco. I still need to tackle the tender brakes but this has given me more impetus to have another go at them.

 

 

 

[James]

The chassis looks very well indeed! Interesting to see what can be done with the slabs which DJH supply.

[jukebox]

 

 

I shudder at the thought of soldering those girder plates of chassis you have there. I can almost see the solder now, losing its shine and sticking to nothing, as the iron hits that brass and all the heat gets sucked away from where it is needed...

 

Be sure to keep the updates coming!

[Rob Pulham]

Thanks guys, I know what you mean about the soldering iron - neither of mine would touch it. I soldered them together originally using a garden weed wand and subsequently bought a micro-flame which allows quite precise heat to be applied without other bits falling off (or have I just been lucky?).

 

Updates to follow when I get back to it.

[Pinkmouse]

...subsequently bought a micro-flame which allows quite precise heat to be applied without other bits falling off...

 

Really must get one of those...

[Rob Pulham]

This is the one I got Al - Here and cheaper than I paid as well (Mine was £32).

 

I started with a cheap one of the market for £7 but found I didn't have enough hands to hold the kit, hold the torch and use either a match or lighter to light it. this you can ignite one handed and adjust the flame.

[the penguin of doom]

Hi Rob.

 

I'm ashamed to say I only just picked up on this thread! She's looking good though, a cracking model. I'll be watching from now on.

 

Cheers.

 

Sean.

[Rob Pulham]

No problem Sean, not that you will see much movement for a short while we are having a new kitchen fitted next month and it's amazing what you need to do to prepare.

[Pinkmouse]

Thanks Rob, when I get a few spare pennies I suspect one will be high on the list.

[Portchullin Tatty]

Coming to this thread when it is quite mature (sorry Rob, missed it until now).

 

Do like the look of this, I might well also be using some mdf and some drawer sliders myself this weekend.........................

 

 

Following the suggestion by Pinkmouse I spent a couple of hours this morning making this out of a few bits of scrap ply/mdf and a couple of drawer runners.

 

 

I have to say it took a little bit of tweaking to get it cutting square but now it's superb.

 

Thanks Al

[alcazar]

My mind is still boggling at the thought of soldering a kit with a garden weed-wand :blink:

 

Still, it's better than me: years ago, I did some over the gas ring, and when I moved it, one of the parts, still not set, slid off and fell onto her kitchen floor.............luckily it was tiles, so just solder everywhere And a red face.

[Rob Pulham]

Coming to this thread when it is quite mature (sorry Rob, missed it until now).

 

Do like the look of this, I might well also be using some mdf and some drawer sliders myself this weekend.........................

 

It is a very useful bit of kit, as is an Olfa cutter which works like the 'scrawkers' that you sometimes see described. between the two I have managed to make all the cuts for this and my scratch built tank engine (see my 7mm Workbench) you can get them cheaply from squires or the web.

 

My mind is still boggling at the thought of soldering a kit with a garden weed-wand :blink:

 

Still, it's better than me: years ago, I did some over the gas ring, and when I moved it, one of the parts, still not set, slid off and fell onto her kitchen floor.............luckily it was tiles, so just solder everywhere And a red face.

 

You are braver than me Alacazar - I did it in the garage initially when I used the weed wand, I think the wife would have parted me from favourite pieces of anatomy.

 

To be fair the weed wand is that big that I couldn't have wielded it in the house, but I have to say it did do the job and it hasn't come apart. You can make something of the old DJH frames, but they take a bit of work. I should be getting back to this quite soon once I have finished Severn.

[Guest Max Stafford]

You've done a lovely job of the frames on the old wardog, Rob. I think I'll use the flamethrower on mine too when it comes to adding the details. I liked your homespun motion brackets too. What did you use for a template?

 

Dave.

[Rob Pulham]

Hi Dave,

 

Arthur Kimber (ArthurK of this parish) was kind enough to send me a scale drawing along with the brake etches which I used.

 

Having used both methods I would certainly recommend investing in a micro flame - I referenced the one I bought higher up the thread well worth the investment. it's really good for soldering coach end to the sides too.

 

I know you have raised the issue of this type of frame in another thread following your bad experiences, I hope you can take heart from this, as like you I am not as experienced at loco building as some on here.

 

But isn't that the beauty of RMWeb and other forums where you can share in peoples experiences both good and bad as well as getting the little push you sometimes need (or I do at any rate) to raise the bar on your own modelling when seeing what others are achieving.

[alcazar]

 

 

But isn't that the beauty of RMWeb and other forums where you can share in peoples experiences both good and bad as well as getting the little push you sometimes need (or I do at any rate) to raise the bar on your own modelling when seeing what others are achieving.

 

 

Oh yes, other's experiences are invaluable, especially with kits and tools, as to which one is better and why.

I've had lots of help on here so far, and passed on SOME help to others.

[davidw]

!!!

 

Perhaps I'm spoilt?

 

 

 

Hmm. Got a blowtorch?

 

 

 

Great - a good photo is a real inspiration, as well as a curse. Once you've seen what's actually there, it's very hard, (for me, at any rate), to cop out of doing it on the model.

 

Wow! Quite a layout and quite a build!

[Rob Pulham]

Tonight I dug the Q7 out of it's box with a view to getting it completed and made progress fitting the front cab glazing.

 

One of the things that I learned with the last build was mark out and cut the glazing before assemble the cab. Did I remember - you guessed it. So I got a piece of clear plastic sheet and using a CD marker I traced over the Issinglass drawing of the cab front cut it out using various items on my desk to cut around to get the boiler and cab roof profiles and some rubbing down later it fits.

 

Quite typically I have remembered while typing this that I bought a helix circle template after reading a tip to use it for painting wheels without getting paint on the tyre - it would have wokred perfectly for the glazing. Hey Ho maybe next time.

 

There should hopefully be more progress through the week.