Pebbles Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 I'm not sure that the alignment of the slots in the splashers are as simple as they look. I would refer you to Deryck Featherstone's building of GNR No 63 in The Third Model Railway Journal Compendium. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 (edited) Very impressive results with the pounce wheel, Mike. Apologies if you've already put this up, but is there a website link to these USA products, please? Many thanks. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Excel-1-4-Swivel-Pounce-Wheel-24-TPI-Tracing-Perforating-Transfers-Layout-30606-/301246100033?pt=US_Hand_Tools&hash=item4623aab241 for the Excel ones (24 tpi & 18 tpi) and .http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pounce-Wheel-No-9-/400654483542?pt=UK_Art_OtherArt_RL&hash=item5d48de4056 for the Grifhold ones (No 9 21 tpi and No 12 15 tpi) Edited January 11, 2015 by MikeTrice Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 (edited) I have now hit one of those points during construction that I did not have a clue how I was going to tackle: fabricating new coal rails. After some days head scratching I came up with a method in my brain which I have been able to try out tonight. The original coal rails were 1/2 round and I did not feel that using styrene would be strong enough to withstand the odd knock. Instead I would have to resort to using wire and soldering them for strength. Again for strength I have actually used round wire rather than 1/2 round. This is how I went about it. As before I created a template, to actual size using Inkscape. This was taped to a piece of MDF and a layer of double sided tape stuck along its length. My intention was to use 0.6mm N/S wire from Eileen's and I used a small piece to bend up a "staple" with hooked ends to use as a spacer as will be seen in a minute: Short lengths of wire were cut to length and positioned to create the uprights. A couple of extra ones were added at the end to provide additional support during soldering: The top bar was carefully shaped and soldered to the uprights (remembering not to solder the end spacers): The second bar was carefully trimmed to length then located using the spacer and soldered to the uprights, spacing each one in turn: The lower rail was similarly trimmed and the spacer used once again to keep the gap consistent. The end joints were also soldered (but need cleaning up a bit): Here are the final rails with the top of the support posts trimmed and filed back to the top rail. All I've got to do now is get the courage to bend it into a U shape and attach it: Edited January 13, 2015 by MikeTrice 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gr.king Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Very similar to the method I used to create new end ladders for some ventilated refrigerator vans, having copied the signal ladders idea from Cyril Freezers little book "Model Railways on a Budget". Why not firstly bend a spare piece of wire to the tender-top profile and play about with the bends until perfect before you bend your newly made proper coal rails? Then you could use the test-piece as a guide to ensure that you put the bends into the rails in right places at the first attempt. Inkscape? What's up with a pencil, rule, compasses and square? 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atso Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 What's up with a pencil, rule, compasses and square? What are these strange and exotic things of which you speak? Mike, I've been following this thread (it's a must read for me know) and really do admire the work that has gone into producing this locomotive. I'm sure the finished article will be just as spectacular as the building of it! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwealleans Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 What's up with a pencil, rule, compasses and square? I'm afraid I wasn't even that scientific. I laid down three lengths of wire - length worked out with a bit of thread - spaced them with plastikard (30 or 40 thou, can't remember) then stuck them down with blutak at each end. One wire in the middle, one at each end to preserve the spacing, then put in the intermediate ones using my lumps of plastikard to check the spacing as I went along. To bend to the tender shape I put the whole thing on upside down, having left a long tail on the middle rear support post. That tail went into the hole for that support, then I bent each corner in turn around something 1/8" diameter (a file handle, I think). 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold JCL Posted January 14, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 14, 2015 Hi mike, I had an email this morning to tell me that the parts have been printed and are being cleaned up ready to send. They are poking the wax out of crevices with set squares and compasses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 Why not firstly bend a spare piece of wire to the tender-top profile and play about with the bends until perfect before you bend your newly made proper coal rails? Then you could use the test-piece as a guide to ensure that you put the bends into the rails in right places at the first attempt. Having attempted the bend last night before reading your suggestion, I can confirm that bending a spare bit of wire would have been a good idea had I thought of it. My bend is not good and had to be tweaked What's up with a pencil, rule, compasses and square? What are they? Before my time I'm afraid ;-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 Mike, I've been following this thread (it's a must read for me know) You need to get a life! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 I'm afraid I wasn't even that scientific. I laid down three lengths of wire - length worked out with a bit of thread - spaced them with plastikard (30 or 40 thou, can't remember) then stuck them down with blutak at each end. One wire in the middle, one at each end to preserve the spacing, then put in the intermediate ones using my lumps of plastikard to check the spacing as I went along. To bend to the tender shape I put the whole thing on upside down, having left a long tail on the middle rear support post. That tail went into the hole for that support, then I bent each corner in turn around something 1/8" diameter (a file handle, I think). Good to hear how others have tackled the problem. Were I to do it again I would modify the technique a bit as the double sided tape did not really hold the uprights firmly enough but did keep sticking my fingers to the template. My little "staple" spacer worked well, but I accept that a styrene spacer would have worked albeit further from the soldered joint. Out of interest on the Stirling tenders the corners are not curved, they are a right angle which makes the bending harder (as it needs to be more accurate - at that I failed!) The curved corners I suspect would give you more leeway for adjustment after bending. I spent last night having a go at lampirons but would be interested in how others tackle these BEFORE I fix them in place. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium uax6 Posted January 14, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 14, 2015 Staples? Andy G Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Although Bachmann's Emily is quoted as HO it is more like OO in general dimensions. The whole Bachmann Thomas range is approximately OO and uses items from the Bachmann UK range for rolling stock (e.g. GWR well wagon, LMS Period 1 coaches). Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atso Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 (edited) You need to get a life! ...and learn how to spell, apparently! Edited January 14, 2015 by Atso Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 (edited) ...and learn how to spell apparently! You are right: apparently IS spelt "apparently" ;-) Edited January 14, 2015 by MikeTrice Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atso Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Oh, leave this cretin alone and go and build something!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 Sorry could not resist. I also mistyped apparently as apparantly so I am just as bad. The difference is that as I posted it originally I can edit it and correct it. The new coal rails have been bent to shape and have now been fixed to the tender top. I ended up straightening them flat again then following gr.king's advice bent up a template from an odd length of wire, then rebent it taking more care than previously. Holes drilled into the top of the tender located the shortened uprights which were then cyano'd which was applied with an offcut of wire. Needs some minor filling and dressing: For the lamp irons I have used some strips of brass bent through a right angle and folded back on themselves and soldered. I found that staples did not look wide enough. Whether these will look any good is still not known: The intention is to drill a hole in the tender body and use the double thickness part of the lamp iron as the fixing point and the single "prong" pointing upwards. A separate styrene lower bracket will be added giving the final shape. At least, that is the theory. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium BR60103 Posted January 15, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 15, 2015 The whole Bachmann Thomas range is approximately OO and uses items from the Bachmann UK range for rolling stock (e.g. GWR well wagon, LMS Period 1 coaches). Adrian Bachmann are only licensed to sell Thomas in countries that don't know what OO is. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted January 16, 2015 Author Share Posted January 16, 2015 Proof of concept to see how the lamp irons might look. A 1mm hole has been drilled in some styrene and the double thickness "tail" pushed through and secured from the rear with superglue. The front has then had a cosmetic mounting bracket added in styrene. Other than the whole unit being too tall I am more than happy with this and will now apply it to Emily's tender: And after a quick blow over with primer: 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PGC Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Sorry could not resist. I also mistyped apparently as apparantly so I am just as bad. The difference is that as I posted it originally I can edit it and correct it. The new coal rails have been bent to shape and have now been fixed to the tender top. I ended up straightening them flat again then following gr.king's advice bent up a template from an odd length of wire, then rebent it taking more care than previously. Holes drilled into the top of the tender located the shortened uprights which were then cyano'd which was applied with an offcut of wire. Needs some minor filling and dressing: IMG_0158.JPG For the lamp irons I have used some strips of brass bent through a right angle and folded back on themselves and soldered. I found that staples did not look wide enough. Whether these will look any good is still not known: IMG_0155.JPG The intention is to drill a hole in the tender body and use the double thickness part of the lamp iron as the fixing point and the single "prong" pointing upwards. A separate styrene lower bracket will be added giving the final shape. At least, that is the theory. Those coal rails look fantastic. Brilliant work Mike. Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted January 16, 2015 Author Share Posted January 16, 2015 Once again a template was produced in Inkscape to work out the proper sizing and positions of the lamp irons. Here it is stuck to the tender rear with a glue stick: 1mm holes drilled: The brass fittings have been filed down, forced through the holes and secured from the back with superglue. A piece of 20thou styrene has been used as a spacer: While I did the template I also worked out a cutting template for the lower mounting brackets. Here it has been fixed to 10thou styrene and knife cuts to separate them: Additional knife cuts to start shaping the brackets: Removing the middle bits and a bit of dressing with a needle file: Finally the little clover leaves have been separated from the sheet. You need a good eyesight for these (which I do not have!): The styrene mounting brackets have been fixed to the tender back with solvent. Really happy with the way these have turned out having never done anything like this before: 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted January 16, 2015 Author Share Posted January 16, 2015 The coal rails would have had brackets that were rivetted to the tender flairs. To reproduce these strips of 10thou styrene have been added: A handle for the brake lever was fashioned out of a Markits WD handrail knob and a small length of 0.4mm N/S. The top of the styrene column was drilled out and the handle fitted: 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted January 16, 2015 Author Share Posted January 16, 2015 Jason's 3D printed fittings arrived today from Shapeways. Here they are in the flesh: Can't see them? Here they are with a quick coat of primer: Here she is with the new smokebox door temporarily fixed with blutack: All I need to do now is clean them up! Bear in mind these are not the higher definition FUD. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted January 16, 2015 Author Share Posted January 16, 2015 Could not resist taking these beauty shots showing progress to date (complete with Jason's smokebox door as is): Nice!!!!! 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micklner Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Mike I presume the HD version of the 3D bits is by its title are smoother? The ones in the photos look a bit of a nightmare to clean up or is the primer exaggerating the lines etc? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted January 16, 2015 Author Share Posted January 16, 2015 Mike I presume the HD version of the 3D bits is by its title are smoother? The ones in the photos look a bit of a nightmare to clean up or is the primer exaggerating the lines etc? I would presume so, however I cannot speak from experience. The primer is not exaggerating things. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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