RMweb Premium ArthurK Posted October 5, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 5, 2017 Gentlemen, the "Dart" is on the inside of the smokebox door and is not normally seen, the "Outside Bits" are the Handles. Sorry, I knew that but 'dart' is a commonly used term amongst modellers. I must be more careful in my terminology when I post in these pages! ArthurK Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted October 5, 2017 Author Share Posted October 5, 2017 (edited) Been there - I feel your pain! Thanks Dave, At least this one has only four of these modified stanchions per side (eight in all). The B16/1, which had exactly the same problem, had six per side; this because it doesn't have the larger diameter smokebox as the older designs did. Anyway, only another three to go, though as I glue them into the boiler I have to wait for the glue to set (superglue), which gives me a chance to relieve the monotony and assemble a brake hangar or a mainframe spring. Or even further thin down those smokebox door handles!! Cheers MIke Edited October 5, 2017 by mikemeg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
N15class Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 Good case for making the knobs from half round wire. Then they look more prototypical an can be any length. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted October 5, 2017 Author Share Posted October 5, 2017 (edited) Good case for making the knobs from half round wire. Then they look more prototypical an can be any length. Well yes but I think the work entailed in effectively shortening the handrail knobs is probably less than would be involved in making them, but if you can do it then all power to you. Anyway, they're done, though you will have to take my word on the other side. A quick proving photo to check that the port side handrail is straight and then back to the cab detailing. The photo, at this angle, also serves to show whether everythng else is straight, perpendicular, parallel - footplate, boiler, cab, etc. The cab roof is not yet fixed and won't be until the cab detailing and some of the cab painting is completed. I'm going to have to get a different coloured sheet of card, for background. The grey primer against the blue doesn't work too well. Cheers Mike Edited October 5, 2017 by mikemeg 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium ArthurK Posted October 5, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 5, 2017 Good case for making the knobs from half round wire. Then they look more prototypical an can be any length. Yes, and the holes for those can be a lot smaller than the enormous holes needed for the commercial ones! In the good old days we used split pins. I still have some of those - somewhere! ArthurK 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Daddyman Posted October 5, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 5, 2017 Good case for making the knobs from half round wire. Then they look more prototypical an can be any length. N15class has convinced me of this on his own thread. Dave Bradwell at Scaleforum spoke as if making your own from 0.3mm wire (filed half flat) was the most natural thing in the world. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted October 6, 2017 Author Share Posted October 6, 2017 N15class has convinced me of this on his own thread. Dave Bradwell at Scaleforum spoke as if making your own from 0.3mm wire (filed half flat) was the most natural thing in the world. Yes, he's got me thinking as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micklner Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Well I cant find any info on his posts , or is this some kind of hidden joke ?? 0.3mm wire for 0.45mm handrails how does that work ?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Daddyman Posted October 6, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 6, 2017 Not for handrails, Mick - for handrail knobs: file the wire so that it's half round, then wrap it over the handrail wire and double it back on itself - like a split pin but finer. I thought I'd try with 0.45 wire but DB thought 0.3. Click in the link "Pete's Workbench" on N15class' signature - he mentions it somewhere in the last couple of pages. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micknich2003 Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 It is perfectly feasable to make handrail stanchions from filed flat 0.3mm wire bent to shape, and fitted to 0.4mm dia handrails. Attached a quick test piece. Mick. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micklner Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Ah ha !! it now makes sense. Split pins (or similar) is the key !! Filing 0.33mm wire half round however sounds rather painful . Is there a technique involved, so that they remain consistent ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
N15class Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 I either solder to a bit of brass, or string between 2 drawing pins I a bit of softwood then carefully draw file. It does need repining as it will stretch as you work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Daddyman Posted October 6, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 6, 2017 I haven't done handrail knobs yet, but often file wire flat when I need flat section less than 1.0mm (the smallest commercially produced flat section that I know of) or half round less than 0.7. I normally solder the wire to a piece of 15 thou but DB reckons there's a chance of warping, so I'll try the drawing pin method next time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micknich2003 Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Bend the wire at both ends through 90 degre lay it flat and file half diameter away, in the case of 0.3mm wire a few strokes with a fine cut needle file or a "Manicure Board" will suffice. A similar technequie can be used for producing flt strip. As an aside, David, are you comming with your Dad to the forthcoming Hull NERA meeting? If so please introduce yourself, I look forward to meeting you. Mick. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted October 6, 2017 Author Share Posted October 6, 2017 (edited) Split pins, 'flat strips' and 'manicure boards' leaves me wondering whether you guys have mistaken the website you think you may be accessing? Cheers Mike Edited October 6, 2017 by mikemeg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micknich2003 Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 What website? I was making Handrail stanchions from filed wire forty odd years ago. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted October 6, 2017 Author Share Posted October 6, 2017 (edited) What website? I was making Handrail stanchions from filed wire forty odd years ago. Perhaps a digression into 'les doubles entendres'. A French/English dictionary will elucidate!! Mike Edited October 6, 2017 by mikemeg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted October 7, 2017 Author Share Posted October 7, 2017 Work has now started on the frames and other components which constitute the chassis, so this is the last photo which will need to utilise the cradle. The cab detailing is almost complete and will be photographed when complete and before the separate cab assembly is installed in the loco body. The use of a separate assembly for the cab 'insides' does make the detailing very much easier, though some of the details are quite small or even very small! Cheers Mike 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Daddyman Posted October 7, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 7, 2017 Bend the wire at both ends through 90 degre lay it flat and file half diameter away, in the case of 0.3mm wire a few strokes with a fine cut needle file or a "Manicure Board" will suffice. A similar technequie can be used for producing flt strip. As an aside, David, are you comming with your Dad to the forthcoming Hull NERA meeting? If so please introduce yourself, I look forward to meeting you. Mick. The bending will stop the wire moving during filing, I suppose, and obviate the need for soldering? Genius! No, Mick, I won't be at Hull. I gave a talk at the York meeting today and was hoping to introduce myself to you! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micknich2003 Posted October 7, 2017 Share Posted October 7, 2017 David, I forgot about the York meeting, nevertheless, I look forward to meeting you sometime in the future. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted October 12, 2017 Author Share Posted October 12, 2017 (edited) The mainframes have now been fitted with their hornguides, axleboxes, springs and the chassis spacers have been added. I still have the motion plate to add and the brake stretchers; they wil be done next, along with the compensating beams on the middle and rear axles. So a quick check to see that the chassis fits and sits parallel with the footplate. As ever, the digital camera will be far more critical than my eyes will, so I shall rely on that. One thing I always look for (and the photographs show it up very well), is the smokebox top lamp iron being truly vertical. I know that, later in their lives, many parts of the real thing were bent or crooked but such 'features' on the models just look wrong! I don't quite know why but whenever I take a photo of the loco and tender I have to ensure that the footplates of both loco and tender are at the same height, hence the strip of lead - this is the stuff I use to roll the lead coil for the boiler and use to fill the tanks on the tank locos - acting as packing under the frames !! I even edited this posting to replace the photo after rotating it one degree, because the cab side was not quite perpendicular!! Perhaps not an OCD but an OCMLD - no prizes for cracking the acronym!! If I seem to be missing adding certain details, these will be done a little later. The key activity is to prove the etches so that Arthur can update the artwork and then order amended etches from his supplier. Cheers Mike Edited October 13, 2017 by mikemeg 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Daddyman Posted October 12, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 12, 2017 Looks good, Mike. Better than the George Norton offering by miles - correct cab-side window shape, proper step down from firebox to boiler, etc. Really captures the look, which the older kit never did for me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium ArthurK Posted October 12, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 12, 2017 Just waiting for final checks on the chassis. There was just one major bloomer here. The spacer above the ashpan had its tabs in the completely the wrong places. These things do happen but, in this case, I have no idea why! It has been corrected If I can get these off within then next couple of weeks they should be back by the end of November. The trial batch will be six. Tenders will be ordered at the same time - these are already proven. ArthurK Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaymzHatstand Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 Just in time to get wheels and drivetrains on the Christmas list! It's looking very nice indeed and I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the chassis progress. Have you had any thoughts as to what motor/gearbox combination you're going to use Mike? Cheers J Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted October 13, 2017 Author Share Posted October 13, 2017 (edited) Looks good, Mike. Better than the George Norton offering by miles - correct cab-side window shape, proper step down from firebox to boiler, etc. Really captures the look, which the older kit never did for me. Thanks Dave, The credit for your comments must really go to Arthur. I just build them; he researches, designs and produces them. What I can express, in response to your comments, is what a great joy it is to do these test builds. Obviously they don't have the benefit of a full set of instructions (sometimes of any instructions) so there is often a tooing and frooing of e-mails from me to Arthur, usually beginning 'Arthur, part no. XXX, where does it go and which way round.....' and the response wings its way back to me in no time at all. Works well. Regards Mike Edited October 13, 2017 by mikemeg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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