S7 scratch building

[sir douglas]

a method ive seen but not tried yet is a paper backed foil that you get as wrappers on Club or a Tunnocks Caramel biscuit, although the size of a club wrapper is just right in 4mm, they would have to doubled up for 7mm

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/136093-wagon-tarpaulins-the-easy-way/

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/158921-tarpaulins-a-taste-sensation/

[Simond]

What’s not to like about that?  A useable modelling material, and two biscuits.  
 

An argument for moving to modelling in 10mm, perhaps :)

Edited August 13, 2022 by Simond

[airnimal]

Well my good lady has gone out again to return the curtains because they didn't meet her high expectations.  The bedding and cushions along with the curtains have had more returns than a ball at Wimbledon .

So while she is out I have done a bit more on this tarpaulin adding the letters as best I could. Also adding the numberplates and tare weights. 

[airnimal]

I wasn't happy with the spacing of the first two letters so I removed them and tried again.  The tissue paper gets very thin with repeated rubbing out so the replacement letters are not as crisp as the first lot. Hopefully the next one will be better now with a bit of knowledge.

My good lady is back from shopping and has ordered more curtains.  I think half our yearly mileage is on account of returns to John Lewis / Next / M&S with household commodities .

Edited August 29, 2022 by airnimal
Wrong word.

[airnimal]

Now I have the bug I will attempt more wagon sheets. I wonder if I can stencil numbers on them using Slaters moulded numbers and letters. I tapped this one down under a couple of pieces of card before spraying them. Not entirely successful because there is a bit of over spray  but it does show promise.  

[airnimal]

I think I need a bit more work and practice before I get what I want.  Maybe another type of ink or paint but this will have to wait because I am going out on my bike today.  

[Caley Jim]

I'm sure the lettering would become progressively more uneven and patchy the older the sheet was.

 

Jim

[Coal Tank]

11 hours ago, airnimal said:

I think I need a bit more work and practice before I get what I want.  Maybe another type of ink or paint but this will have to wait because I am going out on my bike today.  

What ever you do Mike, get out on your bike

[airnimal]

John, I keep trying to get out on my bike but the problem is I dont get out enough.  When I was at work I commuted on my bike most of the time but since retiring I only ever go out on Sundays and that's not enough.  Still I did 40 miles yesterday and my legs feel good. But with all the family coming over the next 3 weeks I will be required to  be grandad and stay home. 

 

I have glued some of the Slaters moulded letters on some square plastic rod making it easier to press them down on the paper. They haven't come out as sharp as i would have liked but with a bit more practice it may work in the end. 

 

[woko]

On 20/06/2022 at 11:01, airnimal said:

Dave, I wasn't going to mention about the competition because that would seem like I was blowing my own trumpet.  It would have been far better if there was more entries and with 3d printers now available perhaps there will be more people entering in the future.  

Marc, I don't mind people discussing the topic on here or any other topic people want to voice. 

 

Woke,  I agree that the coaches are cracking.  They were made in the early 80's from Trevor Charlton etched zinc sides and ends. The 6 wheelers have Slaters etched underframes with the rest scratch built from various white metal castings. The painting is done in cellulose and hand lined. The finish is fabulous and I never handle them without cotton gloves on for fear of putting fingerprints on them. 

I don't really own them I'm just keeping them safe for the next generation to enjoy.  

There are the work of a master craftsman whom I have known for many years.  I first saw John  Petcher's work in the early 80's but at the time I had been made redundant for the second time with a couple of young children and a mortgage I never had the funds to acquire any. 

 

I have broken off from the decorating to have a brew so I thought I would post these photographs.  

The bedroom has been emptied  ready for the wallpaper stripper to be fired up while my good lady has gone for coffee with the girls before going to choose new decor  !

 

 

 

 

Mike apologies only just noticed you had posted these fantastic pictures of those lovely LNWR 6 wheelers, they are indeed a thing of beauty, absolutely stunning work. I can't thank you enough for sharing, and very inspirational! I will never be able to achieve this standard of finish in my life time, but is so good to have something to aspire to, and strive to work towards. I plan to make some LNWR 6 wheelers at some point in my lifetime, but I suspect they will be the very last thing I attempt as that livery amazingly intricate and involved to paint, but is one of my all time favourites.

Cracking stuff thanks for sharing

 

Cheers

 

Rob

[S.D.L.]

On 15/08/2022 at 10:50, airnimal said:

John, I keep trying to get out on my bike but the problem is I dont get out enough.  When I was at work I commuted on my bike most of the time but since retiring I only ever go out on Sundays and that's not enough.  Still I did 40 miles yesterday and my legs feel good. But with all the family coming over the next 3 weeks I will be required to  be grandad and stay home. 

 

I have glued some of the Slaters moulded letters on some square plastic rod making it easier to press them down on the paper. They haven't come out as sharp as i would have liked but with a bit more practice it may work in the end. 

 

Must say I think they loo really good, slightly worn

[airnimal]

After nearly 2 weeks without being the workshop because of an influx of children  / grandchildren, one lot has gone home and the others have gone to London for a couple of days to see friends. 

 

I keep looking at my LNWR coaches built by John Petcher with a view to converting the 2 finescale ones to S7. All the bogie coaches were easier to convert  to S7 but the 2 built on Slaters 6 wheel underframes are going to be a bit more problematic because the centre wheels are trapped in. 

I can make new ones for the outer wheel carriers from new etches  but the centre wheels I will have to cut / unsolder the retaining strap without damaging the paint work or at least  limit the damage so that it can be touched up. With the beautiful paintwork being so good quality I'm  not sure I am prepared to take the risk and ruin these perfectly good models with my clumsy workmanship. 

 

Thinking about it I may make up the outer wheel carriers with new wheels before deciding if I am up for the job of converting the middle wheels. If the outer wheel prove a success then I will attempt to modify the middle wheels  on the 2 last remaining coaches.

 

[ian@stenochs]

Mike,

I'm sure you are underestimating you'r ability big time!  Having seen your work on here and in the flesh you need have no fears of rewheeling your coaches.

Ian.

[airnimal]

Ian, thank you for your kind support.  I wasn't confident because I haven't built many coaches before and then only 4 wheelers. The problem was the brake cylinders were soldered in after the centre wheels were installed and I was trying to figure out how to overcome this fact. Once I had removed the steel spring wires by sliding then out i was able to unscrew the out wheel carriers just leaving the centre wheels intact. So having made one of the new carriers and tried one in place I am now a lot more confident I can make this conversion. But I have made one slight modification by removing the top folding retaining strap and soldering a piece of brass tube across the gap. I then removed the centre section allowing me to remove the wheels for painting. Sorry for the dark photographs but the black underframes are not easy to photograph. 

 

Edited August 24, 2022 by airnimal

[Simond]

5 hours ago, airnimal said:

with my clumsy workmanship

 
Mike,

 

if your workmanship is clumsy, I’m not sure where that leaves the rest of us!

[Dave Hunt]

I think that Mike is about as clumsy as a good brain surgeon.

 

Dave

[airnimal]

I can be as clumsy as the next man and things don't always work out. I tend to be impulsive and do things without working everything out first sometimes with dire consequences. 

Anyway I have made up the outer carriers and temporarily fitted the wheels and they run very freely. 

I will fit the plastic brake shoes after I have painted them and I will then tackle the centre wheels.  I have got another busy day tomorrow but I may get the odd hour so I may have a runnig S7 coach by weekend. 

After putting off the conversion for over 3 years I am finding it far easier than I thought. 

[MarcD]

Mike 

Nice write up about your hopper wagon in the latest newsletter.

 

Marc

[airnimal]

Marc, as yet the postie hasn't been down our way. 

I had a bit of luck because my good lady has gone out with her girlfriends for lunch and then shopping for more children's goodies. So with the afternoon to myself I have finished the conversion of this LNWR family saloon. I originally thought that I would just be able to swop out the Slaters 6 wheel underframe with a replacement chassis from the same source. When I bought the underframe complete with wheels from Peartree engineering I realised that I wouldn't be able to swop them over because of the way they had been constructed without a lot of cutting of metal cross members.  Another problem was I would have to dismantle the wheels to mount them in the new chassis.  I removed one wheel with a wheel puller only to find that the Peartree wheels have a large centre bush which wouldn't work with the Slaters chassis. 

So I have just used the outer carriers only and unsoldered the holding flap on the centre wheels and replaced all the wheels with new ones from Slaters. Assembly was a bit of a fiddle and i replaced the steel spring wire with new ones but as yet i haven't painted the brake shoes. 

All together this has not been the nightmare i was expecting but rather a pleasant experience which i have have been able to finish without damaging any of the fabulous paintwork.  So I have been left with a lot of unused part from the the Slaters chassis along with the Peartree wheels.  I just hope John Petcher approves.

[MarcD]

The posty has yet to get it to me as well but it is available on the website.

You could always branch out into NPCS for your next build to use up the spares?

Marc

[airnimal]

After a long day yesterday trying to entertain 4 under 5 year old grandchildren in the garden which was a great success because I stored several large cardboard boxes in the shed ready for them to be turned into allsorts of trains / spaceships / dens.  A large box of crayons / pencils / paper /  scissors meant the children's imagination was able to run riot and it keep them entertained for over 7 hours. 

So today I have being granted  a day off while the family have gone out to see some animals on a farm before going visiting friends.

 

So after the success with the LNWR coach I still had another one to convert from finescale to S7. 

The parts were assembled from Slaters parts and the wheels have being given first coat of paint in the wheels centres. When the coach is converted then there are just the exchange of the bogies on 2 of the 42' bogie coaches. That will then make all the stock to S7 standards.

My friend Philip has been building the new bogies for me and I will exchange them with him next week at Guildex.

[Coal Tank]

There is Just....... something about a full brake

[Dave Hunt]

See you at Guildex Mike.

 

Dave

[airnimal]

John, I'm embarrassed to say that I have 2 full brakes built by John Petcher. When I first encounter them at the Gauge O guild show in Manchester over 35 years ago I never imagined that I would be able to own any models built by John. At the time I was on temporary contracts and with young children and money was very tight.  But the quality was inspiring and I have tried to reach the same standard with everything I do.  It's not up to me to say if I have obtained that objective but I try my best. 

 

Dave, I am looking forward to the Gauge O guild show next Saturday at Stafford. I have a small shopping list of bits and pieces to buy but I am sure there will be new books to temp me to part with some money.

[MarcD]

You will have to pop round to the layout (W.C.Boggs) for a chat. I'm not taking the stand this year so I have the chance to talk to people rather than encourage them to part with their cash.

 

Marc