Whats on your 2mm Work bench

[justin1985]

I've been working on a scratchbuilt wagon body for a GER loco sand wagon, as per the 7mm example on the excellent Basilica Fields blog, on and off for ages. I finally got around to finishing adding the Archer rivet transfers over the weekend (obviously the most tedious job was the one I was putting off finishing). Its not perfect by any stretch, but I'm still pretty pleased with it. Despite my attempts to brace the plasticard roof, it is still slightly bowed in toward the middle, but I'll go with saying that is "designed" to capture the air of what was a rather rough and ready departmental conversion of an already life expired wagon. 

 

Having put all that effort into making it from scratch, it struck me a shame to only get one model out of it, so I cracked out the resin casting kit I'd experimented with a year or two ago, and decided to make a mould from it as a master. The picture below is one of the better castings - although I didn't notice the little extra "ball" of resin just below one of the hinges until I took the photo! From four shots at casting I got one awful one I'll probably bin, one with just a few bubbles missing from the blocks by the roof hinges, which I could probably fill with Miliput, and two which were pretty much perfect - which is probably enough! 

 

 

Next step will be to build a chassis for it - which seems like it'll involve using the Association 9'6" chassis but with the length cut down quite a bit. I don't know whether to try and cut each layer down before soldering it up, or just build it sans the bufferbeams and then take a piercing saw and file to the whole thing?

 

Justin

 

[John57sharp]

Indeed they are. Although having done the chassis designs I always use the P/B ones, I find the brass ones too bulky for most 2mm scale uses.

 

Chris

 

I see, I see. Thanks Chris

[mike morley]

 

  I cracked out the resin casting kit I'd experimented with a year or two ago, and decided to make a mould from it as a master.

 

I always understood that the chemicals involved in resin casting had quite a short shelf-life, with three or four months being one suggestion.  Was I misinformed or had the stuff you used deteriorated since you first got it?  (although obviously not too much, judging by your picture!)

[justin1985]

I always understood that the chemicals involved in resin casting had quite a short shelf-life, with three or four months being one suggestion. Was I misinformed or had the stuff you used deteriorated since you first got it? (although obviously not too much, judging by your picture!)

I had feared this, but it seems to have worked pretty well.

 

There was some discussion on the "Starting out in resin casting" thread that the hardener might have absorbed water from the air, causing the little "balls" that appeared outside the model (as opposed to bubbles within it). But the alternative explanation of bubbles trapped under the overhang of the mould when pouring the initial rubber being exposed after the mould had been flexed a few times, seems more plausible.

 

It certainly seemed to act exactly the same way as when it was new. Resin liquids were the same consistency as when new, reacted exothermically just as quickly and strongly as new, and the final models seem just as hard!

 

Everything has been kept in a relatively cool garage (no dramatic changes in temperature).

 

Justin

[Ian Morgan]

When I played with resin casting back in the 1980's, I found I had to poke about in the LTV rubber with a cocktail stick after pouring, to try to dislodge the air bubbles from the fine details and undercuts. Of course, this has to be done 'blind', but it soon becomes fairly obvious where air bubbles will normally form. You will not normally be able to find the air bubbles in the completed mould, but the resin will find its way in there (apparently in preference to finding its way into the fine detail you actually want).

[2mmMark]

What's been on my bench in the past few days is British Oak, the layout featured in the Beginners Guide.   Where the guide left off, it was like this:

 

The landscape was then blocked in using extruded polystyrene insulation foam.

 

This was covered with a basic texture with pretty rough cutouts for the point switches and uncoupling magnets.

 

This is where it's been languishing for a while. The layout has been well upstaged by Richard Caunt's version which features the colliery screens as well as the disposal point, with working coal loading and unloading no less! 

 

As I planned to dig my British Oak out of hibernation to serve on the 2mm stand at the recent MMRG finescale exhibition, I felt it deserved a bit of a tidy up, so the cutouts were covered over and the sides were skinned with 1.5mm ply to neaten it all up.

 

If I were starting again, I probably would not use this type of foam, it's not easy to work cleanly and is awkward to glue. I used non-solvent construction adhesive. I then discovered "Gorilla" foaming polyeurethane glue and I used this to fix on the ply skins. Word of warning - use gloves when using this glue. It stains your fingers and is hard to wash off!

 

I think it's fair to say it's looking a lot tidier now and I have the motivation to proceed further with the scenery, plus some suitable rolling stock. The real thing was the location for the now preserved Jinty 47445 which had the indignity of orange tanks and bunker inflicted upon it.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/24041160@N02/2347603066

 

I have a part converted Jinty which will indeed have appropriate colouring. I think it looks quite jolly - jazz up a Jinty! The future's bright, the future's orange!

 

Mark

 

 

[garethashenden]

I've been trying to finish some projects (an starting new ones). I've put some transfers on some ex-PO wagons and I've got some 16 ton minerals ready for numbers. I also put some transfers on the Pressflo and a BR van. The new project is one of Stephen Harris' LNER steel opens. It was quite nice to build, I especially like the way the securing ring pockets are pressed out, very cleaver. There are almost enough spare parts on the etch to build another one, basically everything but the floor. I'll try that at some point.

 

[nick_bastable]

nice work on the wagons although your pw needs some serious attention 

 

Nick

[Hendreladis]

Please see attached pic of a GWR metro tank plus my nascent 2mm version.

 

Does the loco have one of the widgets circled in red on the prototype pic on both sides of the boiler or just one? My books and the web are inconclusive. 

 

Thanks in anticipation.

[Ian Smith]

Please see attached pic of a GWR metro tank plus my nascent 2mm version.

 

Does the loco have one of the widgets circled in red on the prototype pic on both sides of the boiler or just one? My books and the web are inconclusive. 

 

Thanks in anticipation.

 

I've just checked some of the photos in "Locomotives Illustrated no. 104" (GWR 2-4-0, 2-4-2, 0-6-0 side tanks), and yes your "widgets" (aka Clack Valves) where fitted do appear on both sides of the boiler :-)

 

Ian

Edited July 30, 2017 by Ian Smith

[Hendreladis]

Brilliant. Thanks Ian. I'll bodge something up.

Andrew

[John57sharp]

Hi all. I'm a complete beginner at this scale, so I've set out to build an 08 and it's certainly proving to be fun. The camera on my tablet is proving to be a great tool, highlighting here that my gearbox isn't square, this may be the reason the first brass gear is catching on the etch. I have been enjoying and inspired by reading all your posts, and I hope to join in as things progress...

Cheers

Jojn

Hi all. I'm a complete beginner at this scale, so I've set out to build an 08 and it's certainly proving to be fun. The camera on my tablet is proving to be a great tool, highlighting here that my gearbox isn't square, this may be the reason the first brass gear is catching on the etch. I have been enjoying and inspired by reading all your posts, and I hope to join in as things progress...

Cheers

Jojn

[Hendreladis]

Clack valves now added. Cab detail is too daunting at the moment so back in the gloat box it goes while I ponder the outside frame loco started a few months ago.

 

Shame about that chimney . . .

[Hendreladis]

The chimney is not actually attached - nor will it ever be. At some point I'll make a decent one . . .

[Hendreladis]

Not brilliant but certainly improving. Bit of work left to do under the footplate but the body is basically finished bar the backhead, cab floor and smokebox door handles. Might even paint this one.

[nick_bastable]

very nice any chance of seen the chassis  ?

 

Nick

[Hendreladis]

A few problems with the painting. The obligatory Halford self etching primer totally eradicated the rivet detail on the metro and didn't adhere particularly well to the boiler on the other. Not worth re-doing at this stage so hopefully they'll turn green fairly soon. Things like the springs are proving more vulnerable than I'd hoped. The .010" nickel silver stalk does penetrate the footplate but the outer supports are only twists of fuse wire. On future locos I'll ensure that they nestle against the splasher to guarantee a bit of rigidity.

 

Re the chassis on the metro. It has a 7mm coreless in the boiler held in by a grub screw. Meshing centres were arrived at by wrapping the body in electrical insulating tape and progressively removing layers until everything ran acceptably. Driven axle has a 22t gear (I think). The second/first stage gearing was achieved by bodging. I lack the skill to do things properly and prefer to repeatedly burn my fingers. Ultimately it runs okay but clearance between the valance and the coupling rods is very tight. Used cut down Association etches for an 0-6-0 and initially included the bosses on the basis that I am too cack-handed to make delicate coupling rods by hand. Those bosses had to be removed subsequently. The double layer of .010" was also a mistake. Keeping a single layer would have been much simpler and provided more clearance but I wasn't sure about them possible flexing in use.

 

Still got a part built 1076 saddle tank to finish off then hopefully there'll be sufficient confidence to do something a bit more suited to the grand plan.

 

[Nig H]

Here are some pics of a Dapol Britannia, converted to finescale (second attempt) with Association driving wheels, and modified tender wheels courtesy of Alan Smith. The bogie and pony truck wheels are the Dapol originals turned down to take Association wheel rims. The motion is a mixture of bits I etched myself, either complete replacements or backing pieces attached behind the Dapol bits, and some bits off the Worsley Works Britannia chassis etch. I managed to destroy both the plastic crossheads during the second conversion so I replaced them with castings from the Bob Jones 9F kit. The keeper plate which includes the brakes had to be re-positioned closer to the rails so the brake shoes cleared the driving wheels.

 

 

 

 

 

The smoke deflectors are etched Taylor ones. Eventually the loco will be re-numbered 70014 and 'Iron Duke' nameplates fitted.

 

Its interesting comparing the construction method of the Brit with some of the latest Farish locos. The frames of the Brit are two steel rectangular plates separated by plastic spacers, and with the motor and gears in the middle, quite crude really. Anyway, it works and the loco runs very nicely in my opinion, although Jerry C tells me not all Dapol Brits do. I don't think the body work is quite up to the latest Farish standards either.

 

Nig H

[Nig H]

Here are some pics of a 9F built from a Fence Houses kit. It was started by Damien Johnson, then I finished it off. Having seen Keith Gloster's magnificent pair of 9Fs, I tried to fit the cab windows using his method where he shapes the clear material to fit in the window apperture, and secures with Klear (I think). The ones in the pics are my second attempt and took several hours to do. The first go was even more rubbish!

 

 

 

 

Nig H

[nick_bastable]

Not been up to much lately, however Valentin picked me up one of these and I have swapped the peco chassis to the etched version  although I have retro fitted slowly better loops to my DG couplings on about 40 items of stock.

 

 

 

very local to Kent so my excuse to run on the EKR

 

NIck

Edited December 23, 2019 by nick_bastable

[John57sharp]

Enjoying building a CCT in the sunshine!

[Atso]

I hope I'm forgiven as these aren't strictly 2mm scale models (I model N gauge) but they do use some 2mm Scale Association components.

 

First up is the replacement chassis kit for the Peco plate wagon to production something close to the type the LNER built in the late 1930's (shown with the awful Peco chassis it is replacing!).

 

 

Secondly is a BHE etched kit for a GNR brake van which I'm using 2mm scale 'W' irons and axle boxes along with a spare solebar etch to (very slowly) make a representation of a six wheel version of the van. I say representation as all the photographs of the prototype I've found should these with horizontal planking while the kit has vertical planks. Still I think it'll look the part once finished and it'll be a little different from the four wheel version I've already built.

 

[Chris Higgs]

I hope I'm forgiven as these aren't strictly 2mm scale models (I model N gauge) but they do use some 2mm Scale Association components.

 

First up is the replacement chassis kit for the Peco plate wagon to production something close to the type the LNER built in the late 1930's (shown with the awful Peco chassis it is replacing!).

 

2017-08-29 10.08.14.jpg

 

Secondly is a BHE etched kit for a GNR brake van which I'm using 2mm scale 'W' irons and axle boxes along with a spare solebar etch to (very slowly) make a representation of a six wheel version of the van. I say representation as all the photographs of the prototype I've found should these with horizontal planking while the kit has vertical planks. Still I think it'll look the part once finished and it'll be a little different from the four wheel version I've already built.

 

2017-08-29 10.09.42.jpg

 

You do yourself a disservice. Measure the Peco plate wagon up and you will find it is bang on scale for a 2mm plate wagon. Pure luck of course as Peco just designed it to fit their existing 15' chassis.

 

Chris

[Atso]

You do yourself a disservice. Measure the Peco plate wagon up and you will find it is bang on scale for a 2mm plate wagon. Pure luck of course as Peco just designed it to fit their existing 15' chassis.

 

Chris

 

It might be bang on for 2mm scale Chris but I'm still only an N gauge modeller as I could never afford to rewheel all my existing locos (hangs head in shame!). I'm I right in thinking that the chassis was designed by you?

[queensquare]

It might be bang on for 2mm scale Chris but I'm still only an N gauge modeller as I could never afford to rewheel all my existing locos (hangs head in shame!). I'm I right in thinking that the chassis was designed by you?

It's often forgotten that it's just the 2mm scale Association not the finescale Association. The standards advocated are 2FS but that's because they were established long before N gauge appeared. There's nothing wrong with N gauge when it's well done, (as yours is). The vast majority of members embrace all that's good in the 2mm family regardless of whether it's to N or 2mm. The small matter of one being 1:148 and the other 1:152 is quietly ignored.

 

Jerry