S7 scratch building

[airnimal]

Thinking about how to isolate the brake cross bars I have come up with a similar method some people use for tie bars.  First I cut a couple of bits of nickel and soldered some .7mm wire on each end. Then I made a sandwich of tufnol / nickel / tufnol and used aralidite to glue it all together leaving a gap in the middle. This is the original aralidite and not the quick setting stuff. I left it overnight to harden and filed it to shape this morning.  It's not perfect and it still needs a small amount of metal removing from the brake blocks so it lies flat and holes drilling in it for the pull rods. The tufnol was cut from a sheet of 12 thou bought about 10 years ago through my last place of employment.  There was a minimum order, so this obtained and cut up into A4 size sheets. To recoup some of the cost it was sold very quickly at exhibitions for £1 a sheet. I still have enough for my modest needs.

Edited September 13, 2022 by airnimal

[Western Star]

Now that is a smart solution to the problem.

[airnimal]

After the success with the first cross bar I have cut the parts out for the second one ready to be glued together. This time I have taken a few more photographs to show the method of construction.  Because the aralidite is the original type it does take 24 hours to go hard before it can be filed. 

Edited September 13, 2022 by airnimal

[Coal Tank]

A man of solutions not problems 

[Dave Hunt]

The late David Jenkinson used to say that the best solution to a problem was one containing fermented grape juice.  Depending on the problem it could require one, two or more solutions.

 

Dave

[Adam88]

11 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

The late David Jenkinson used to say that the best solution to a problem was one containing fermented grape juice.  Depending on the problem it could require one, two or more solutions.

 

Dave

 

I often saw him solving problems at the Manchester Christmas show.

[airnimal]

Continuing on with the brake gear I have made the bracket that connects the cross shaft from the brake handle to the beams that hold the brake shoes if that makes sense.  The bracket was made from a offcut of etch which was drilled and bent to shape and a 14 BA screw soldered in. The screw was turned down and soldered in to some small bore brass tube.  In the end that bolts to the cross beams I have soldered in the tube a turned handrail knob which have been flattened.  There is still a bit to do but every little bit gets it closer to the finishing line. 

[Caley Jim]

Mike, Are you aware that you can get pcb 0.25mm thick https://www.eileensemporium.com/materials-for-modellers/product/thin-pcb-approx-2-5-x-2-x-0-25mm/category_pathway-1108 ?   This might have been useful for you brake cross rods.  We 2FS modellers use pads of it to solder etched spacers to loco frames for split frame pick-up.

 

Jim

[airnimal]

Thanks Jim,  I will get some next time I see Eilleen's at a show. 

Not much work done today because I have had a small ride on my bike. I have made the second rod that couple the brakes together. I have put the chassis on my rollers to check I haven't breeched the isolation. I am happy to say it still runs very quietly mainly due to the Sid Stubbs gearbox.

Edited September 15, 2022 by airnimal

[bluestag]

On 03/09/2022 at 12:16, airnimal said:

Just back from Stafford at the GOG show. Started the day with breakfast at spoons in Stafford before taking the free bus to the show. I managed to purchase all the items on my list with a couple of extra things including a book and a new lamp. I was not feeling very well after one of the grandchildren gave me there cold and cough so I wasn't at my best and probably missed some of the exhibits but did meet all the S7 gang at noon. 

My friend Philip was there to exchange my bogies that had finescale wheels with some new S7 ones which he has built for me. He also picked up his new engine similar to the one shown below. I am not jealous honest !  Along side this loco was a LSWR engine that is being built to the same high standards.  Truly fabulous workmanship. 

Was that Problem class scratch built?    I'd love to have one, but the budget does not allow!

[bluestag]

On 11/08/2022 at 01:38, airnimal said:

Bob, I have tried many different methods of trying to make wagon sheets usually without success.  

This last method has the potential but I need a smooth surface underneath and not the coarse form that I used last time. I have tried foil glued to black paper but it wouldn't fold very well around the moulded block. I will have another go after the family depart for the airport and before the next lot arrives.  

In the movie business there is a product we Yanks call Black Wrap.   I have no clue what it is called in God's Country.   But it is aluminum foil that is blackened.   It is several times as thick as cooking aluminum foil.   It will do nicely for tarps.

[Simond]

Never heard of such a thing, but here it is

 

https://www.slclightingonline.com/products/black-wrap-foil-photofoil-lighting

 

other online suppliers also

[airnimal]

bluestag,  yes the problem class loco was scratch built,  in fact there were 2 of them. The builder Nick Baines has one for himself and one for my friend Philip.  He is the friend who has built the bogies for my coaches to S7 standards.  

Back to my loco build. I have made the strengthening bracket behind the buffer beam which is made from U channel. I didn't have any U channel so I made mine from rectangle brass tube cut down to size. The drawing shows large nuts holding the screw couplings which in my case are 3 10BA nuts soldered together. 

[NeilHB]

Lovely work Mike, the attention to detail is superb. 

[bluestag]

11 hours ago, airnimal said:

bluestag,  yes the problem class loco was scratch built,  in fact there were 2 of them. The builder Nick Baines has one for himself and one for my friend Philip.  He is the friend who has built the bogies for my coaches to S7 standards.  

Back to my loco build. I have made the strengthening bracket behind the buffer beam which is made from U channel. I didn't have any U channel so I made mine from rectangle brass tube cut down to size. The drawing shows large nuts holding the screw couplings which in my case are 3 10BA nuts soldered together. 

Mike,

 

There is a 7mm kit in development for a Problem Class.    Phil at Hobby Holidays has it on his workbench, but he is working on some 30'1" coaches first.    I'm trying to get people who might be interested to contact Phil and register interest, in the hopes of moving it forward sooner.

 

Kevin

[bluestag]

On 15/09/2022 at 15:16, Simond said:

Never heard of such a thing, but here it is

 

https://www.slclightingonline.com/products/black-wrap-foil-photofoil-lighting

 

other online suppliers also

24" x 300" is a LOT of foil.   Plenty to share.

 

Kevin

[airnimal]

NeilHB,  you have more faith in my ability than I have , but thank you. 

I have exchanged the nuts behind the buffer beam from 10BA to 12BA because they were to big. 

More details have been added including the reversing level coming from the cab. The photographs show the method to make this made from scrap etch. There are only a few things to do now but I am on the home ward straight. There are a few things i wish I had done different but without staring again I will have to live with them. 

 

bluestag, I would love a model of the Problem Class but I dont think I have enough time left to build one even from a kit. I can dream of winning the lottery and have a highly skilled model maker build me one but the odds are not in my favour. 

[kitpw]

That's altogether a handsome model.  Your ability to capture the engineering sense of a small part and translate into 7mm scale convincingly is enviable.

 

[airnimal]

Thank you to everyone for the endorsements. Nearly finished so I hope, but I am sure there will be lots of things I have missed. I have just put a couple of spare lamp brackets holders on the tank top. These are from the Laurie Griffin's range of brass castings. 

Now the fun begins because I am going to a birthday party for the grandsons who near close to us. There birthdays are close together,  4 and 5 years old so they are having a joint party. I am told they have invited 60 children from there nurseries and first school. I may need a beer afterwards !

[Caley Jim]

1 hour ago, airnimal said:

I may need a beer afterwards !

Just one!!??  🤔

 

Jim

[bluestag]

That is a lovely model, but I am not sure of the prototype.   It LOOKS like a 2-4-0 4' 6" tank, but you keep photographing the chassis and body arranged such that it looks to be a 0-4-2.    I'm not aware of any LNWR 0-4-2s, at least not relatively modern ones.   Is this for you or is it a commission?   My locomotives are strictly 3' models.  To be viewed from 3', and definitively not turned over.    I don't have time, patience, or skills to build locos that stand up to being blown up to twice size.

[Simond]

looks like a 2-4-0 to me….

(Actually, it looks b****y fabulous, but I guess we have come to expect this level of excellence!)

 

[bluestag]

21 minutes ago, Simond said:

looks like a 2-4-0 to me….

(Actually, it looks b****y fabulous, but I guess we have come to expect this level of excellence!)

 

Yeah, I missed that photo.

[Simond]

‘S alright, we all know that feeling :)

[airnimal]

If there is any doubt which loco it is I have the numberplates ready to go on when it gets painted.

I have a casting for a tool box but I don't know if i will fit this. I have photographs with tools boxes in different positions both at the front of the tanks and to the rear. I can't decide if it looks better with or without. 

I do have a chassis for a LNWR 0-4-2t that I also built years ago but was never finished because I was unhappy with both the chassis and the body. I put another motor and gearbox in it because the first one had the balance pipe under the tank which when in a place interrupted the flow of the drive shaft. The body is in a pile of bits waiting to see if I can use any of it or make new ones. I struggled with the bunker and the curved top. I have had several goes at it but it is not the easiest body part to make. 

 

I went to the party and it was as expected with all those children. There were 2 bouncy castles and more toys and games than Hamleys have at Christmas.  I only lasted one hour because the noise was louder than a pop concert at full blast. No doubt I will be in the dog house when my good lady comes home for leaving early as well as getting the grandsons ages wrong because one is 3 and the other 5 and not as I said before.  Being in the dog house is nothing new !