S7 scratch building

[Caley Jim]

To be 100% honest, the bottom curl of the S looks a bit too wide/full, making the loop look smaller than the top loop, which I don’t think is the case. Easy adjustment to make, and your lettering is far better than my own mediocre efforts in the past!

Regularity, just after I clicked 'agree' to this post I realised that that might be mis-construed.  i was agreeing to you comments on the 'S', not the quality of your own lettering!

 

Regarding my post #346, I sent it from my phone and that d****d predictive text has made gibberish of it!  Must check more diligently in the future before hitting the 'send' button.

 

Jim

Edited November 7, 2017 by Caley Jim

[Regularity]

Regularity, just after I clicked 'agree' to this post I realised that that might be mis-construed.  i was agreeing to you comments on the 'S', not the quality of your own lettering!

 

Ah, but now you have ruined my chance to make a humourous remark about what you were agreeing with!

 

You’d have been right in either case.

[airnimal]

I do not think that I am going to get any better than this. I will have to accept the my age and eyesight are not going to improve the older I become. At least it is all my own work.

[airnimal]

This is the second attempt on the other side. I have found the Gloucester works plates that I have had for more than 30 years in my box of obscure parts. I thing they were originally made by Gordon Heywood way back in the 50's or 60's.

[airnimal]

I am unsure about the weathering ? Is it to much ? I wish the axle boxes up hurry up so I can finish all these wagons.

[Regularity]

Looks about right to me. Things got pretty grubby in those days.

Edited November 8, 2017 by Regularity

[Caley Jim]

I am unsure about the weathering ? Is it to much ? 

The weathering looks absolutely superb to me!  I'd be delighted if I could achieve a hand-lettered finish like that.

 

Jim

[Coal Tank]

A stunning work Mike

John

[Andy Hayter]

What they said.

 

I wish I could model to that standard.

[Poggy1165]

If I could letter as well as that I would never buy another wagon transfer in my life.

 

Don't think the weathering is overdone. Even in pre-group times, some wagons got pretty shabby between works visits and I don't think anyone was paid to polish them.

[airnimal]

Thanks to everyone for you positive comments, it is much appreciated. I believe I can build reasonable wagons it's just the painting I have problems with.

Looking for the next wagon to build I thought I would go through my box of wagon parts to see what I have and came across these L.N.W.R. brake levers that I cut out of 18 thou nickel about 20years ago. They are for the Dia 3 open wagon with drop down doors. So this could be my next build.

Also shown is a beautiful L.N.W.R coach built by my good friend Phil Holme and painted by John Petcher. Now if I could paint anything like John I would be a very happy fellow indeed. This coach is a work of art and I am very greatful to both gentleman for allowing me the privilege to own this masterpiece.

[Western Star]

Also shown is a beautiful L.N.W.R coach built by my good friend Phil Holme and painted by John Petcher.   ...   I am very greatful to both gentleman for allowing me the privilege to own this masterpiece.

Absolute perfection.

 

"IAK" has a way with words when presented with such beauty...  if I could reflect that style, then wibble and breathless seem appropriate.

 

regards, Graham

[airnimal]

If only I could paint like that.

I have decided to make a Dia 14 timber wagon. It is 24 feet long and I have marked the floor out with the pockets for the storage for the the chains which were used for secure long loads.

It uses the same type of brake lever as the Dia 3 but I may have to make it a bit longer.

[airnimal]

I have cut the small well for the chains and put a bit of texture in the wooden bed.

[Regularity]

That texture is nicely done. How did you go about - different grit sandpapers?

[airnimal]

Coarse sandpaper and a file card, then very fine wet and dry.

The headstock on this wagon were thicker than normal so I had to make a pair by hand.

The head stocks were filed up from Evergreen 125 X 250 thou strip. I clamped a pair together and filed by hand. My headstock jig is made for 100 thou thickness.

Edited January 9, 2018 by airnimal

[Compound2632]

My headstock jig is made for 100 thou thickness.

 

Headstock jig - there's someone who's serious about his LNWR wagons.

[airnimal]

I made the headstock jig years ago to save time but more importantly to give me the consistency over all the wagon that I intended to make.

There is not much to show for a couple of hours work but the basic body is now done. Fitting the w-irons will be fun because the pockets for the chains gets in the way of one side.

[airnimal]

Well I have figured out how to do the fitting of the w-irons only to find out I have dropped another clanger big time.

The well for the chains is supposed to be the same at both ends. I reversed one at one end. The penny dropped when I came to do the second set of wheels.

O well back to the drawing board and start again.

[Regularity]

Better to find out now, rather than any further down the road.

 

But still a bummer.

[Andy Hayter]

Hands up anyone who has not done something similar.

 

Ah yes, so I guess you never built anything from scratch at all then.

 

My personal "favourite" (aka black spot)  is mirror image sides that aren't.  I think some rtr manufacturers have done the same thing, so no one is immune.

 

You still have my sympathies since it is as annoying as hell and you ask your self what on earth you were thinking about - or indeed if you were thinking at all.

[Regularity]

I remember wondering why two wagons I built as a pair were wider than all the others, with headstocks that weren’t full width. When I cut the floors out, I forgot to subtract the thickness of the sides...

...or there’s the six wheel brakevan where I built a sub frame for the axleguards, axleboxes springs and brakes, with the foot boards mounted on the body. This all meant that painting was much simplified. And when painted, the two were united and something didn’t look quite right - and the painted finish drew attention to it. I had built it with a 5’ + 5’ wheelbase instead of 5’6” + 5’6”...

That was the last time I used superglue to join the two parts together.

[airnimal]

Well Andy I have a excuse, I have had all my 3 daughters and grandchildren here for the weekend to celebrate our new grandson. The party on Saturday night and the general upset in the house is what I am blaming my mistake on.

We still have one here for a couple of weeks before she goes back to Australia. The good thing is we are going to visit her at Easter.

[airnimal]

Try again and if first you don't succeed.............

 

After looking at the drawing I have made the pockets for the chains slightly wider.

[airnimal]

I think I have got it right this time. There is not a lot to look at with this wagon.