Mr Grumpy’s Workbench: MOK 9F occasional updates

[Mr Grumpy]

I have my late father's WEP bloater finished in GWR brown and it looks beautiful although I have no O gauge layout to run it on !

I wish my boys were interested in what I build! All my stuff will end up on eBay :-(

[Enterprisingwestern]

That wagon looks lovely! I'm going to have to get one :-) I use Viakal Ultra and a toothbrush and the brass comes up like new:-)

 

HP brown sauce is another option.

 

Mike.

[Mr Grumpy]

HP brown sauce is another option.

 

Mike.

I remember getting told off for using that on old coins:-)

[Mr Grumpy]

I'm really enjoying this kit and the 'fruit D' is on my birthday list:-)

I deepened the etched fold lines on the sole bars before bending and they folded without too much of a fight:-) The doors have the locking rod and clasp. I annealed the brass straps before forming them round the door lock rods.

The roof was a bit of a struggle as it's quite thick brass. I annealed it and rolled with a wine bottle. I'm investing in rolling bars soon.

[Mr Grumpy]

I haven't had as much time as usual, but my wagon is up on its wheels (Slaters) I usually prime my wheels and wrap the tread with tape. I thought as the wheels actually came without signs of rust, I would leave them open to the elements and see what happens . The simple answer is nothing. I wash the wagon as usual after each session and lob it on a radiator and that's it.

The chassis is a simple fold up channel, with the etched brakes, which fit only the correct way round and on the correct side. They are really nice etches:-) I found I had to add a strip of brass shim to each side of the inner chassis as it was slightly too narrow between the sole bars. I checked everything, but could find no discrepancies with the build. The axle at one end is fitted in to a very simple compensation cradle, and it all works well. I swapped the buffers for Slaters (Thanks Mark) and made my own vac pipes. (Jury's out on weather I will make a new pair) I made a former for the roof and soldered it in the middle before soldering the roof to the body. The roof needed a slight trim.

Just the brake levers and rain strips to fit before painting, followed by the buffers. I'll paint the toad at the same time.

 

[Mr Grumpy]

Without doubt making up the brake lever ratchets is the fiddliest, in fact the only fiddly bit of this kit.

Here's a couple of photos, one before and one after. The actual ratchet needs loads of care to pull square:-)

[Enterprisingwestern]

Without doubt making up the brake lever ratchets is the fiddliest, in fact the only fiddly bit of this kit.

Here's a couple of photos, one before and one after. The actual ratchet needs loads of care to pull square:-)

IMG_5374.PNG

IMG_5373.PNG

 

Fiddly, luxury, you want to try 4mm, Macgeordies on his coke hopper fit into 2 slots in the upper and lower solebar flange, I thought it went together very well, hell, I even drilledl out the pin holes, but I'll probably fill them when I paint the wagon!

 

Mike.

[Mr Grumpy]

..... hell, I even drilledl out the pin holes, but I'll probably fill them when I paint the wagon!

 

Mike.

You can't do that Mike...you won't be able to fit the locking pin :-)

[Enterprisingwestern]

You can't do that Mike...you won't be able to fit the locking pin :-)

 

Regrettably, for me, I'm working on that, 0.3 rod with a twisted 5 thou chain, excuse the mixture of units, I'm a bodger not an engineer!, but life is too short to do them all, one will be enough of a challenge and novelty.

Somebody, Geoff Kent maybe?, did it and that's what set me off.

 

Mike.

[Mr Grumpy]

Hi Mike,

I struggle with seeing and manipulating the fiddly bits in 7mm scale, so 4mm is way above my fidelity! 

However, I do love kits with lots of detailing parts, and I think in 7mm scale none are better than the MMP range. Here's a couple of pics of one of the 35T tankers I built a couple or so years back, not long after I started kit building, so I would hopefully not splash so much solder around now

 

 

 

[Enterprisingwestern]

That's one of the things I like and dislike equally about MMP/PRMP 7mm kits, and one of the reasons I'm not tempted. Whilst the ultimate fidelity of the finished model is of the highest standard, every last little prototypical piece would do my head in. I remember seeing a Mk1 coach bogie kit which had more bits in it than every 4mm brass kit I've ever assembled, the end product was superb, but the path to it was too long for me, I think it also had a fully detailed to the n'th degree guards compartment which couldn't be seen when finished.

Apologies for the thread drift, keep up the good work, I'll still be calling in and admiring your workmanship, even on those kettle things, which I'll now let you get back to and not be so voiciferous about you picking a wagon for the next build!

 

Mike.

[Mr Grumpy]

....I have a very nice MMP suburban coach, complete with the interior and guards compartment just patiently waiting.....

Edited February 8, 2017 by Mr Grumpy

[dg40014]

I agree with the feeling about MMP kits, they are superb and need a great deal of patience. I wonder if the diesel loco kits will ever re-appear?

 

If you enjoy the building of a fine kit - MMP are the ones to go for. (I have no link to MMP).

[Mr Grumpy]

My wagon is just about finished, apart from painting. (Buffers and hoses just temporarily placed) My al fresco spray booth hasn't got much above freezing so it will have to wait:-)

I enjoyed this wagon so much, I have ordered the fruit D, which conveniently found itself on my birthday list:-) Also ordered were a set of GW 10" rolling bars.

I'm having a break from rolling stock and will be building this coal loading hopper from MMP which should make a nice change:-)

[Deano747]

Nice result with the Mink. I'll be interested to see the Fruit D build also, as I have both of these in my pile of kits!! (IIRC somebody else built a Fruit D not too long ago?)

The 35T tank looks quite fiddly but an excellent build! I certainly can't see too much solder?!

 

Regards, Deano.

Edited February 10, 2017 by Deano747

[djparkins]

That's one of the things I like and dislike equally about MMP/PRMP 7mm kits, and one of the reasons I'm not tempted. Whilst the ultimate fidelity of the finished model is of the highest standard, every last little prototypical piece would do my head in. I remember seeing a Mk1 coach bogie kit which had more bits in it than every 4mm brass kit I've ever assembled, the end product was superb, but the path to it was too long for me, I think it also had a fully detailed to the n'th degree guards compartment which couldn't be seen when finished.

Apologies for the thread drift, keep up the good work, I'll still be calling in and admiring your workmanship, even on those kettle things, which I'll now let you get back to and not be so voiciferous about you picking a wagon for the next build!

 

Mike.

 

Fortunately there are still a few modellers who disagree with you!

 

Whether you can see the bogie detail or the inside of the guard's compartment depends respectively on the height at which you view the coach and whether you add lighting or not.

 

If you want ten coaches whizzing around the garden, you would not choose our kits - but if you want 2-3 coaches only and the journey of building them is as important as the arrival, then they are probably the ones to choose.

 

I cannot see for the life of me how our coach or wagon kits [or our diesel kits - which will return, when I can get around to it] are any more difficult than the high end steam loco kits out there - but we just get singled out.

 

David Parkins

Modern Motive Power

www.djparkins.com

[djparkins]

I agree with the feeling about MMP kits, they are superb and need a great deal of patience. I wonder if the diesel loco kits will ever re-appear?

 

If you enjoy the building of a fine kit - MMP are the ones to go for. (I have no link to MMP).

 

Thank you for your words of encouragement - much appreciated!

 

DJP/MMP

[Mr Grumpy]

Nice result with the Mink. I'll be interested to see the Fruit D build also, as I have both of these in my pile of kits!! (IIRC somebody else built a Fruit D not too long ago?)

The 35T tank looks quite fiddly but an excellent build! I certainly can't see too much solder?!

 

Regards, Deano.

Hi Deano,

Thanks for the complements:-)

The 35T tankers were a really absorbing and rewarding build:-) The barrels came ready riolled and were a perfect fit. The brake gear, although looking complex is very straightforward and satisfying to build. I dropped down to my 25w iron for the cat walks and it pays to take your time, but not get too much heat in them. Also, you can build them with or without the oval sign. If you chose to leave them off, the exquisite brackets are then left on show:-) Crikey....I'm talking myself in to another one! I'm really excited about building my suburban brake 2nd. It should look really special pulled by my little 1400 in to Tetbury. 

 

Possibly not quite as perfect as Dave would hope, but you can see just how much detail has gone in to the underside. my layout is (was) at eye level so the brake gear was particularly noticeable. 

 

 

Edited February 10, 2017 by Mr Grumpy

[N15class]

We had one of those hoppers. But no one liked it. The conveyer would break down and you never knew how much you had in it, alright for the old timers who got four and a half shovels to the CWT. Either shovel some more or a load to clean out when changing to a different product. Our guys preferred the balance with a scuttle on top. The bit of kit they did like was the sack lift. You would drop a full sack onto it and it would raise it so you could get it on your shoulder to load the lorry. Great fun as a five year old as you needed to keep from the back of the lorry to have enough wieght to set it going then step off at the top to let it go down and start again. HSE would of had a field day, still I managed to survive another 55 years.

 

Sorry for the side track, superb modelling.

Edited February 10, 2017 by N15class

[Mr Grumpy]

.....I used to love the smell of the coal when the coal delivery man filled our coal bunker. I 'borrowed' a piece of coal and attacked it with a hammer and filled my Triangle Hornby mineral wagons. My mum, being extremely house proud wasnt impressed as my little 0-4-0 'Polly' circled the track on the carpet with that lot in tow:-)

[N15class]

I had Nellie. But with inside knowledge I just used anthracite grains. No messy dust or black fingers. Got caught once by dad with my pockets full once. Painful lesson on not taking things without asking.

[Deano747]

Hi Deano,

Thanks for the complements:-)

The 35T tankers were a really absorbing and rewarding build:-) The barrels came ready riolled and were a perfect fit. The brake gear, although looking complex is very straightforward and satisfying to build. I dropped down to my 25w iron for the cat walks and it pays to take your time, but not get too much heat in them. Also, you can build them with or without the oval sign. If you chose to leave them off, the exquisite brackets are then left on show:-) Crikey....I'm talking myself in to another one! I'm really excited about building my suburban brake 2nd. It should look really special pulled by my little 1400 in to Tetbury. 

 

Possibly not quite as perfect as Dave would hope, but you can see just how much detail has gone in to the underside. my layout is (was) at eye level so the brake gear was particularly noticeable. 

 

IMG_3786.jpeg

 

WOW!!! That detail is outstanding!! I don't care whether it is visible or not but to produce a result like that must be so satisfying!

Thanks for sharing that picture; one day I might just have a go at one?! 

 

Regards, Deano.

[Mr Grumpy]

WOW!!! That detail is outstanding!! I don't care whether it is visible or not but to produce a result like that must be so satisfying!

Thanks for sharing that picture; one day I might just have a go at one?! 

 

Regards, Deano.

Go for it Deano!!

There's a good write up on Simon Varnhams 'Building 0 gauge on line' also, I have a few photos of different stages of the build. Dave was always very helpful too:-)

 

Regards,

Richard

[3 link]

Fortunately there are still a few modellers who disagree with you!

 

Whether you can see the bogie detail or the inside of the guard's compartment depends respectively on the height at which you view the coach and whether you add lighting or not.

 

If you want ten coaches whizzing around the garden, you would not choose our kits - but if you want 2-3 coaches only and the journey of building them is as important as the arrival, then they are probably the ones to choose.

 

I cannot see for the life of me how our coach or wagon kits [or our diesel kits - which will return, when I can get around to it] are any more difficult than the high end steam loco kits out there - but we just get singled out.

 

David Parkins

Modern Motive Power

www.djparkins.com

Hi David,

 

I built one of your 08's a few years ago, and yes the added detail took some time but it was one of the most enjoyable kits I have ever built. The etches were crisp and hardly any fettling was needed, the parts went together without problem and it was a well thought out kit in my opinion. Not to be rushed but who wants to rush an enjoyable experience?

 

Did Enterprisingwestern say what kit of yours he had built and why it caused him to feel that way about your kits?

 

Regards,

 

Martyn.

 

PS. Keep up the good work.

[Enterprisingwestern]

Fortunately there are still a few modellers who disagree with you!

 

Whether you can see the bogie detail or the inside of the guard's compartment depends respectively on the height at which you view the coach and whether you add lighting or not.

 

If you want ten coaches whizzing around the garden, you would not choose our kits - but if you want 2-3 coaches only and the journey of building them is as important as the arrival, then they are probably the ones to choose.

 

I cannot see for the life of me how our coach or wagon kits [or our diesel kits - which will return, when I can get around to it] are any more difficult than the high end steam loco kits out there - but we just get singled out.

 

David Parkins

Modern Motive Power

www.djparkins.com

 

David, I wasn't meaning any criticism of your superb kits, purely a personal opinion, I would want to add all the detail whether it was seen or not, but that would be beyond my skill/ability.

As for being "singled out", IMHO that's an indication of how well known and respected your kits are.

 

Mike.