Wright writes.....

[MJI]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

Simple (or at least to me)..........

 

145 degree solder (for etched brass/nickel silver) and 70 degree solder for white metal.

 

12% phosphoric acid flux and a temperature-controlled iron (at least 50Watt)

 

I only use electrical solder for pick-ups. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

Is 145 a stronger joint then?

 

Luckily I have bought a temperature controlled iron a few years ago.

[Tony Wright]

17 minutes ago, MJI said:

 

Is 145 a stronger joint then?

 

Luckily I have bought a temperature controlled iron a few years ago.

Good evening Martin,

 

145 degree solder won't give as strong a joint as Ersin multi-core electrical solder (which melts at a higher temperature) but it's perfectly adequate for any sheet/etched metal construction. I've built hundreds of etched chassis using it.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

19 hours ago, bbishop said:

I popped into Ian Allen yesterday.  Very little left.  Bill

Sorry to be a pedant, Bill, but it's Ian Allan.

 

I mention this because I've reviewed books of late which refer to the guy who invented post-War trainspotting (by producing all those wonderful abcs) where his name has been written as Allen. 

 

No trainspotter would make a mistake like that.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Edited October 26, 2020 by Tony Wright
stupidity

[robertcwp]

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

It's strange, isn't it how there are so many different experiences with regard to 'service' from manufacturers? 

 

Going back to Markits, Mark always moans at me because I've recommended someone or other order, say, a chimney or other details. It's always a light-hearted bit of banter, but it must be difficult to be a manufacturer (of a large range) and a salesman at the time; to the extent that it's not worth processing orders under a tenner on a credit card. 

 

All I can say that during (and after) lockdown (and before) I've ordered goods from SE Finecast (brilliant service), Wizard/Comet/MSE (brilliant service), DJH (brilliant service), Markits (brilliant service), a model shop in Cardiff (brilliant service, providing me with nothing more than Romford small, fibre washers), Hobby Holidays (brilliant service by courier because I ordered flux among other things), Locomotion (brilliant response to my request for a prototype DELTIC), LMS (brilliant service) and Hornby (brilliant response to a request). 

 

I might add that all these brilliant services were in response to phone calls (I exist in the past, and haven't a clue how to order anything on line, though I did email Locomotion). 

 

Just my most-recent experiences.................

Tony

 

Your experience seems a bit better than mine. I have not ordered from Markits but nearly a month ago I ordered some things from another small supplier for Retford. Their website basically says don't phone us and wait 21 working days (effectively a whole month) before following up on outstanding orders. Poor service in my view as what I ordered was not shown on their site as being out of stock.

 

Other suppliers have been much better. Several small things from DCC Concepts (but not DCC-related) have arrived very quickly and I received a helpful phone call from the proprietor of Gibson wheels to let me know what was happening with my order, which arrived only a few days later. 

[Daniel W]

3 hours ago, MJI said:

OK questions about solders.

 

Which ones should I use?

 

I built my 119 and my PWM650 using tin lead electrical solder as I had it handy.

 

Got a few chassis to build and a couple of crosskit coaches.

 

Mainly brass, but also some white metal.

 

I do have a few fluxes, plumbers, phosphoric acid and rosin

 

If you are looking for specific brands, I have had good result with DCC Concepts solder on the two loco kits i built recently. It's not cheap, but seems to flow well. Flux of choice is the Barry Stevenson type available from Eileens or Slaters. As a relative newcomer to soldering, these seem to have worked well for me after trying a few different brands.

 

Regards

Daniel

Edited October 25, 2020 by Daniel W

[t-b-g]

If you ask 10 modellers how to solder, you will get at least 11 answers!

 

After hearing how good it was, I switched to using 145° solder for a while but found that it didn't flow as well as the 60/40 I had used previously and gave a weaker joint.

 

I quickly switched back! I still use 145° to add detail parts on things like signals when there are lots of solder joints close together, to allow the iron temperature to be changed so the full temperature stuff doesn't melt.

 

This is an example done with 60/40, using my favourite Templer's Telux flux.

 

No cleaning up has been done. I find with the 60/40 I can put a thin layer of tinning on things and put a hot iron on the back, to get a nice neat job.

 

 

[Chuffer Davies]

35 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Good evening Martin,

 

145 degree solder won't give as strong a joint as Ersin multi-core electrical solder (which melts at a higher temperature) but it's perfectly adequate for any sheet/etched metal construction. I've built hundreds of etched chassis using it.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

And I think Tony would agree that it flows far batter than electrical solder making it easier to use and leaving a better finish.  That is why most modellers swear by 145deg solder.

 

Frank

[Chuffer Davies]

6 minutes ago, t-b-g said:

If you ask 10 modellers how to solder, you will get at least 11 answers!

 

After hearing how good it was, I switched to using 145° solder for a while but found that it didn't flow as well as the 60/40 I had used previously and gave a weaker joint.

 

I quickly switched back! I still use 145° to add detail parts on things like signals when there are lots of solder joints close together, to allow the iron temperature to be changed so the full temperature stuff doesn't melt.

 

This is an example done with 60/40, using my favourite Templer's Telux flux.

 

No cleaning up has been done. I find with the 60/40 I can put a thin layer of tinning on things and put a hot iron on the back, to get a nice neat job.

 

 

How weird....  That's not my experience at all, in fact I'd say its the other way around, which is why I appended my comment to Tony's  (Sir) earlier one.  I can't argue that you are achieveing a fine outcome though.   I recommend that others try both approaches to find out what works best for them.  

Regards,

Frank

[t-b-g]

46 minutes ago, Chuffer Davies said:

How weird....  That's not my experience at all, in fact I'd say its the other way around, which is why I appended my comment to Tony's  (Sir) earlier one.  I can't argue that you are achieveing a fine outcome though.   I recommend that others try both approaches to find out what works best for them.  

Regards,

Frank

 

I would 100% endorse and agree with that.

 

My advice to anybody would be to try different solders and fluxes and even irons to find out what works best for them.

 

I find that I can get a much neater job with the full temperature version. I know others have had quite the opposite results!

 

I use a 150W ERSA iron for almost everything now, which makes sure that the metal is plenty hot enough to allow the higher temperature stuff to work. It has transformed the quality of my work.

 

Previously, I used a 45w or even a 25w iron and with those, the 145 degree solder was better as the iron couldn't give out enough heat to get the 60/40 to flow well. 

 

 

[96701]

10 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Of course, Andy,

 

Yes, in a way, we've 'never had it so good'. However, there was just something about going into an 'old-fashioned' model shop, where the proprietor was much, much more than a salesman but could advise on how to build models (having built them himself - it was invariably 'him'). 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

I fell for a trick that Geoff played on me at York. "Can you keep an eye on the stall for me while I pay a visit?", he asked. By the time he got back, he had a queue of people with questions that I didn't even understand, let alone be able to answer. On the plus side, I did sell a signal detail etch about which I knew something. Only because Geoff had no idea what was included, so he had asked me to research it previously....

[Bonafide]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

Sorry to be a pendant, Bill, but it's Ian Allan.

 

What has something hanging on a chain got to do with correct spelling?  Or, perhaps I am confusing it with pedant!

[polybear]

7 hours ago, thegreenhowards said:

 And I was doubly put off Markits by some of the stories. But I finally decided I had to order some wheels during lockdown and it was a very pleasant and easy transaction.

 

There's a problem (one of many!) with the internet in that far more people are likely to complain about apparent poor service than they are to praise good service.  So it's all too easy to create an apparently poor reputation for a trader unfairly; there is no doubt that some do deserve it, yet there are many who offer a perfectly good service with the odd "blip" here and there.  Sadly it's all too easy to ruin company reputations unfairly, or for a proprietor to think " why the hell do I bother?" and throw in the towel. 

[St Enodoc]

4 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

He was Dutch. Gerry Van "something", possibly starting with an R.

Rental?

[St Enodoc]

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Sorry to be a pendant, Bill, but it's Ian Allan.

 

I mention this because I've reviewed books of late which refer to the guy who invented post-War trainspotting (by producing all those wonderful abcs) where his name has been written as Allen. 

 

No trainspotter would make a mistake like that.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Dr Ian C Allen was a different person altogether.

[Tony Wright]

14 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

Dr Ian C Allen was a different person altogether.

As was Cecil. J...........

[westerner]

On the point of good service, last Monday at lunchtime I order some transfers from Fox arrived the next day. Brilliant. I also ordered some books and MRJs from the Titfield Thunderbolt. They arrived 3 days later with a very pleasant note from Simon. Again excellent service.

[t-b-g]

A bit more progress on and inside the signalbox. I hope I will be forgiven a little whimsy.

[Clive Mortimore]

3 hours ago, t-b-g said:

If you ask 10 modellers how to solder, you will get at least 11 answers!

Much edited

 

Hi Tony

 

And number 12 Superglue 

[Willie Whizz]

One major advantage of an old-style “real” model shop was that you might go in there for one thing, and spot something else which you didn’t even know existed, from a different manufacturer, yet you now realised was something you wanted - nay, needed - badly!

 

The quality of small suppliers’ websites (where they exist at all) varies widely; some excellent, some adequate, some dire and/or untouched for aeons. But it seems to me unlikely you go on any specific site for something you don’t already know you want, need, and know (at least in theory) exists. 
 

That loss of ‘serendipity’ is a sad one. Personally I still feel the loss of Gee Dee in Nottingham, even though it was never quite the same after some years ago their bank manager allegedly pointed out how much cash was tied-up in slow-moving stock of just the kinds of things we’re speaking of now, and insisted they do something about it if the Bank’s support was to continue. 

[APOLLO]

57 minutes ago, t-b-g said:

A bit more progress on and inside the signalbox. I hope I will be forgiven a little whimsy.

 

Terence Cuneo will be most displeased with that cat !!!!

 

Brit15

[Woodcock29]

2 hours ago, t-b-g said:

A bit more progress on and inside the signalbox. I hope I will be forgiven a little whimsy.

Hi Tony (G)

Please tell us more about the signal box. Maybe I've missed something above?

 

Currently I'm building a GN signal box based on the one at Authorpe on the East LIncolnshire line for my mate Gavin's Spirsby layout (Gavin was one of the operators of Buckingham Central during our brief visit back in 2017). Its probably about 2/3 finished and is my first scratch built building. Can't remember if I've posted any photos of the box before? Anyway, here it is temporarily located on the layout during our trial running back in September. All I've done since is replace the end timber gables with more appropriate width planked card and cut larger windows in the gables. The brickwork is actually Volmer N Gauge English Bond which scales at about the correct size for 4mm scale! The roof slates are just Peco roof sheets, hopefully they won't look so thick once they're painted and weathered.

 

 

Andrew

Edited October 26, 2020 by Woodcock29

[DougN]

Well to add to the Signal Boxes.I have been waiting for a delivery of bits for the V2's and others, as they should have been sent about 5 weeks ago they should be here in Melbourne now... In the mean time I decided a distraction to building rolling stock I went off and built a signal box:-

 

Not 100% right but I think it captures the look of a southern area Signal box of the NER. 

 

For those that want to build your own, the elevations are taken from the North Eastern Record Vol 1 - page 83 But make your lives easier using 1 the NER signal box windows etch from Precision Paints, 2 the Garden bond brickwork from South Eastern Finecast. 

 

All of the above has been built from English bond brickwork Wills sheet, 5 thou and 10 thou Plasticard (for the windows and arches over the lower windows) There is also some 40 thou as the ledge around the lever room and Wills slates as the roof.  Also there needs to be some  corbels installed below the piers which will be done from Slaters embossed plasticard. There is small panels to the end elevations in Slaters stretcher bond brickwork above the window but I cant quite make out in photos if this is a skin back as I have done it or to the front face of the piers. 

 

All of the above still need to be painted. and some glazing bars to the locking room windows still need to be installed. Oh and a couple of chimney pots as well! 

 

It has been an enjoyable distraction to building locos this year. 

[St Enodoc]

25 minutes ago, DougN said:

Not 100% right but I think it captures the look of a southern area Signal box of the NER. 

Definitely does Doug. Puts me in mind of Peckfield, not far from where I used to live at Garforth.

[DougN]

Thanks John, I thought it captured the look of the buildings the stairs are a bit of a challenge but i have yet to install them. I have been using icy pole sticks a bit on this as the curved end matched the curve to the arched windows and being 2mm thick worked out the rise of the steps quite well. 

 

 

 

[MarkC]

I agree with others regarding City Models in Liverpool. The owner was indeed Dutch - Jerry van der Hoek, I think? Anyway,  his emporium near Central Station was great; the shop sort of lost its way on moving to Stanley Street though.

 

As for Newcastle - The Model Shop was another serious trap for one's cash! We also had Northumbria Models in the city centre - it was first near Westgate Road, iirc, then moved to just under the arches of the eastern approach to Central Station.

 

Mark