Focalplane's Workbench (mostly 7mm)

[Simond]

Paul,

 

I fear that you won't want me to say this but I think your leading & trailing wheel weights should be opposite the crankpin, not offset as you have them. Like I say, I think. Others may be able to confirm or correct me.

 

You appear to also be suffering the ravages of Slaters special superrusting steel... I would polish your treads and wheel backs to mirror-like state, metal black, and then oil them. (And hope). Otherwise you'll be finger poking...

 

Best

Simon

[Focalplane]

Simon

 

I have just revisited one of Daifly's photos, 7445, with smokebox facing right, and then set up the same view and crank angle:

 

 

I think I have it right?

 

As to Slaters' wheels, the crud will be removed when I fit the plungers.  You know as well as I do that anything will stain Slaters' wheels, even one of the guys there who leaves his fingerprints on the treads!

 

Thanks

 

Paul

[daifly]

Paul

Front and rear look OK to me but the centre weight extends over five spokes - 4 spaces. That's one more than you appear to have.

Dave

Edited October 10, 2017 by daifly

[Simond]

Looking back at Dave's photos, I think the wheels are 14 spokes and pin between the spokes.

 

As I read it, counting clockwise from the first spoke after the crankpin, on the left of the loco, the leading & trailing weights are from spoke 6-7-8, and the driven axle is 11-12-13-14-1. I believe it will be same numbers counting counterclockwise on the right side.

 

This means the leading & trailing wheels are not symmetric as I earlier suggested.

 

With the Slaters wheels, yes. Just don't let them get pitted.

 

Best

Simon

[Focalplane]

Paul,

 

You appear to also be suffering the ravages of Slaters special superrusting steel... I would polish your treads and wheel backs to mirror-like state, metal black, and then oil them. (And hope). Otherwise you'll be finger poking...

 

Best

Simon

 

Simon

 

I have no metal black and by the time I can get some the wheels will be pitted!

 

But I do happen to have some Peco-Lectrics Super Lub PL-64.  This seems to be a good product but have you or anyone else used it with success on Slaters wheels?

 

If nothing else I can at least protect the polished wheels until I can get some metal black.

 

I think the wheel weights are going to stay where they are, partly because I have so much else to do!  Rule 1 will apply.

 

Best wishes, Paul

[ROSSPOP]

 

 

But I do happen to have some Peco-Lectrics Super Lub PL-64.  This seems to be a good product but have you or anyone else used it with success on Slaters wheels?

 

 

 I often use PL-64 when `running in` Slaters plunger pickups on my chemically blackened wheels.  I have also used it for years on Alan Gibson 4mm wheels to prevent rusting and to improve electrical performance which it definitely does.  It won`t attack paint either.  Excellent stuff I think.

 

John

[Simond]

Never used it, but John's advice is good to have.

 

best

Simon

[Focalplane]

John and Simon

 

Thanks to you both for the quick replies.  In the meantime I have polished three wheels and will now add a thin film of the PL-64 to them and carry on with the remaining three.

 

Paul

[Focalplane]

As a result of the above discussion concerning blacking Slaters' wheels, I am aware that Carrs products, being acid based, are dangerous and cannot be shipped using the normal channels (for France I trust Royal Mail - La Poste only).  So I am considering the chassis built as far as I can go for the moment.  The wheels have been oiled and stored in an air tight box together with all the washers and nuts, etc.  The rest of the chassis is stored in a zip lock plastic bag and will be accessible for testing against the body.

 

Yes, the body.  I have been researching the instructions and the body looks very similar in kit design to the 14XX.  There are a few subtle differences, such as the panniers are cast white metal, but the rest of the body consists of nickel silver etches with tab and slot construction.  So my next entry should be a resumé of Page 1 of the Body assembly instructions.

 

Although I will probably spend some time on the Haywood Collett coach kits, I will save any discussion of them until later.

[N15class]

You should be able to get Casey's products in France, I can find them here in Brazil.

[Simond]

I think the come from the US anyway.

 

Try a gun shop.

 

Best

Simon

[JeffP]

Paul, any decent Armourie in France will stock and sell gun blue.

[Focalplane]

I think the come from the US anyway.

 

Try a gun shop.

 

Best

Simon

 

Off to Decathlon this morning.  It is "le saison de la chasse".

 

Having owned guns when in Texas I had completely overlooked this possibility.  Personally I preferred them nickel plated!

 

Thank you, Paul

[Focalplane]

I have spent the morning out in the suburbs of Perpignan, first at Decathlon where I got help in finding an Armoury:

 

 

My French vocabulary having been increased by a few new terms, I successfully received a Casey's Perma Blue kit, including blue/rust remover, cleaner/degreaser and liquid gun blue, all for 39 euros.  The kit also includes all the supplies needed (emery paper, daubers, fine steel wool, sponge, cloth and instruction guide).

 

So I can proceed with the wheels after all.  Thank you, Peter, Simon and Jeff, for helping me with obtaining the materials.  I was going to wait until next in the UK.

 

Ironically, today is also a perfect spray painting day (low humidity, no wind) and I have two brake vans to paint.  I may be able to combine the two jobs as both will no doubt require watching liquids dry.  But first, some lunch.

 

Paul

[Simond]

dont forget the rubber gloves!!!

 

et bien, comment ils sont appelles en Francais, ces produits?

 

meilleurs salutations

Simon

Edited October 12, 2017 by Simond

[Focalplane]

dont forget the rubber gloves!!!

 

et bien, comment ils sont appelles en Francais, ces produits?

 

meilleurs salutations

Simon

 

Simon

 

No direct translation, Bronzage is a word used, but the proprietor understood Gun Blue anyway, since that is what he sells.  Other words include:

 

Dégraisser - degreaser

Rebronzer - to re-finish

La pate à bleuir - blueing liquid

La laine d'acier - steel wool

 

My frequent visits to the local Bricolage have allowed me to read and remember all sorts of useful nouns!

 

And, this afternoon the village's water supply was turned off so I went for a long walk in the sunshine.  Not much modelling done so far today as water is an important part of the blueing process.

 

Paul

[Focalplane]

MOK 64XX Body Page 1

 

(The driving wheels are blacked (or is it blued?) and are hardening overnight before being checked)

 

Other work has been completed as well, but late this evening I am reporting on the 64XX body.  Page 1 consists of preparing the two footplate etches, including some difficult folding and then adding the splashers:

 

 

As always, the key here is to make sure the footplate is not warped in any dimension.  Only 6 tabs have been soldered at this stage but the splashers have added considerable strength.

 

The splashers themselves have half etched edges with considerable overlap, such that a lot of filing and grinding has to be done after they are soldered.  This in itself is a good thing as the overlaps allows a better positioning of each small etch before it is soldered, making a better and stronger fit.  In fact, if you are tempted to build an MOK kit I strongly advise the purchase of a Dremel or similar and get one with a lot of grindstone bits included.  Mine is a Dremel 8200 with lithium battery, more portable than the mains powered units and just as powerful.

[Focalplane]

MOK 64XX Body Page 2

 

Page 2 of the instructions figures a typical Dave Sharp sub-assembly, in this case the smokebox.  At least ten etched parts make up the smokebox, with more to add later.  At the moment the smokebox is sitting on the footplate but it does fit ready to be soldered.  I am not quite sure whether of not this is the time to do it  There will be a couple more additions on Page 3 but then the emphasis will switch to the cab:

 

 

 

No painting possible today - cooler and humid.

[daifly]

Paul

 

There are a few build photos here that may be of interest and a few more here too.

 

Dave

Edited October 13, 2017 by daifly

[Focalplane]

Paul

 

There are a few build photos here that may be of interest and a few more here too.

 

Dave

 

Dave

 

Many thanks for the links, the first one is more professional than mine, to be sure!  Mr. Grumpy's looks good too.

 

The photos are always useful when you get stuck with the written instructions.  I have spent ages looking for two etches on one of the sheets this afternoon and have given up until later when I have no doubt they will have been there all the time!  Meantime I have some laundry to iron!

 

Paul

[Focalplane]

MOK 64XX Body Page 3

 

The instructions move on to the cab, starting with a time consuming but satisfying job of fitting the window bars to the cab rear.  Dave Sharp supplies a bending jig and spacer to ensure that the bars go on straight, even if they eventually got bent, etc. in real life.

 

I mis-read the instructions and added the bars to the overlay and structural base of the cab back.  I actually think this is better than just adding the bars to the overlay.  I have yet to add any additional solder to fix the overlay and may not have to at all.  This procedure does mean that the wire ends are visible inside the cab but I can live with this.  Filing back the wires on the rear of the overlay could be very tricky.

 

I also used 0.45mm wire as the wire in the kit was thicker than the 0.5mm mentioned in the instructions.  This wire is certainly less durable but probably closer to scale.  Whatever, the results are pleasing:

 

First, one side completed:

 

 

Second, all complete together with Dave's useful tools:

 

[81A Oldoak]

MOK 64XX Body Page 3

 

The instructions move on to the cab, starting with a time consuming but satisfying job of fitting the window bars to the cab rear.  Dave Sharp supplies a bending jig and spacer to ensure that the bars go on straight, even if they eventually got bent, etc. in real life.

 

I mis-read the instructions and added the bars to the overlay and structural base of the cab back.  I actually think this is better than just adding the bars to the overlay.  I have yet to add any additional solder to fix the overlay and may not have to at all.  This procedure does mean that the wire ends are visible inside the cab but I can live with this.  Filing back the wires on the rear of the overlay could be very tricky.

 

I also used 0.45mm wire as the wire in the kit was thicker than the 0.5mm mentioned in the instructions.  This wire is certainly less durable but probably closer to scale.  Whatever, the results are pleasing:

 

First, one side completed:

 

DSC_5342.jpg

 

Second, all complete together with Dave's useful tools:

 

DSC_5345.jpg

That bending jig is another mark of the superior quality of this kit and the amount of thought that has gone into the design.

[Focalplane]

MOK 64XX Body Page 4

 

Good modelling weather today, so more progress on the 74XX while it is cold and damp outside.

 

Page 4 sees a start being made on the cab and bunker assembly.  This is quite complex, involving a good many tabs which require careful slotting in a particular order, then thin etched overlays on top, carefully registered with the frame underneath so that additional items can be added later.

 

The cab back continued to be enhanced, with the doors and other etches added.  The front and side cab framework came next, with continuous "dry" checking that everything fitted over the rear splasher and the footplate.  The floor also came into the picture, again, many checks that all the tabs would fit into the appropriate slots, which they did.  At the end of Page 4, the photo shows the three components ready to be assembled.

 

 

Straight on to Page 5. . . . . .

[Focalplane]

MOK 64XX Body Page 5

 

One thing the instructions did not make too clear was exactly when to start soldering up the cab and when to fit it to the footplate.  However, there came a certain point when it was obvious that the cab should already have been soldered in place.

 

Then the emphasis shifted to the coal bunker.  This contains brass castings for the corners, as well as thin etched overlays.  I used thin wire to temporarily register each overlay to its underlying frame.  The wire was not soldered but pulled out after each overlay was tack soldered.

 

The rear corners proved to be awkward and some solder infill was needed.  However, the overlays went on well, including the curved piece under the bunker overhang.  The photo shows the progress, though some cleanup remains to be done after supper:

 

 

The front of the cab is next, then the boiler and pannier tanks.

[2ManySpams]

That bending jig is another mark of the superior quality of this kit and the amount of thought that has gone into the design.

Was thinking earlier how much more well thought out this kit is than the Agenoria 1366 I've been tackling for some years. Seems to have all the right detail in all the right places and parts that fit too. Shouldn't be allowed.