S7 scratch building

[bluestag]

1 hour ago, airnimal said:

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 !

Oh, yes.   The Bissal tank.   I think I corresponded with you about that one before.    That is a NICE casting of the tool box.   It would not let the rest of the model down.

[bluestag]

I don't know how it is I don't see a HINT of solder.

[airnimal]

bluestag, there is plenty of solder underneath.  I try to use the invisible solder on the outside but I can never find It in my workshop when I come to look for it ! 

Now the chopper tank is finished or nearly finished because I am not happy with the front wheels or correctly the front axleboxes.  Before it goes for painting I think I am going to change these for some cast brass commercial ones. 

So it's back to finishing this small Park Lane colliery wagon.  If the weather stays dry I may get a coat of paint on it tomorrow.

[airnimal]

I have given this Park Lane wagon a coat of red oxide primer from a rattle can. The red should be a brighter red and I did have a can of this colour somewhere.  I had a tidy up before all the girls came to stay and I put most of the spray cans in the shed. But  of course the shed monster has swallowed it even though it is only a tiny shed. Looks like a trip out to buy some more or i could always try and hand paint it which might be an option. Other news include the 6 wheel coaches which have now all been completed to S7 standards with the last rewheeled this morning.  

 

I took in part exchange a couple of N.S.R milk van kits which have been shelf queens for a few years. I keep looking at them but with my track record of kit building has always put me off. If I were to build them I would probably use the Slaters 6 wheel etch that they use in there GWR coach kits having become familiar with my LNWR ones which use the same underframe. 

[airnimal]

I bought a can of red spray which turn out a disaster because the paint was to thick and didn't dry very well. I tried rubbing it down with an old toothbrush and some abrasive powder.  This worked up to a point including taking some of the paint off in a couple of places. 

So with a quiet household ( shopping again ) I decided to try and put the lettering on. I thought i would start with the circle motive and if i couldn't get this right I wouldn't be wasting my time doing the rest. 

I think the outer edge of the circle isn't to bad but the centre cross is not correct. 

[airnimal]

I have tried to paint  the lettering without success.  I even tried using some old tranfers again without any better results.  So I think I will have to wait until next weekend at the Wigan show to see if I can source some better tranfers.  

[airnimal]

Without any progress on the Park Lane wagon I was starting to find my mojo going down hill.

And with the Wigan show rapidly approaching ( I an doing a demo ) I needed something to build / show at the weekend.  I am not sure how I came to the decision to model a unusual wagon for me but with a box of coach wheels left over from the recent exercise on the LNWR coaches the decision was made for me. I would make a SER round ended wagon with 3' 6" wheels. 

First problem was could I adopt my own W-irons to accept the larger wheels and get the ride height correct ?  So I made a start to usual method of a sub frame that would be glued under the floor for the W-irons to be screwed in to but the left the ride height of the buffers to high. So I had to srew the wheels directly to the floor which will be covered with a thin veneer floor instead of my usual 60 thou variety. So far so good as the buffer height matches with other wagons like my early Midland one. 

All the information about this wagon came from one of my many wagon wagon books that sit on my shelves gathering dust that rarely get looked at.

I will do a little bit more this morning but I am going out to an old boys reunion later. Beer will be drunk and stories will be told. It's always good to see old friends but slightly depressing to find out who has left us since we last met. 

[MarcD]

Mike

Are these any use? 

 

Marc

[airnimal]

Mark, thank you for the drawing but I am going to use the one in the wagon book. 

A small amount of progress with the wheel centres which were glued in after painting which makes such a difference.  The thin veneer planking on the top has been scribed and attached and the sides and ends marked out. 

 

I enjoyed my trip out to see my old work colleagues and find out all the latest news. There weren't as many there this time but some new faces made for different stories. At our time of life the inevitable deaths are always present but thankfully this time I only heard of one 

[airnimal]

I can never get it right first time or even second time !  There is always something that is not quite correct and the only thing is to try again until it at least looks better.  The idea of cutting out the basic shape before glueing the overlay on was not the best way so I have made up another set and will cut them out after glueing together.  I will have to see if this makes a difference.  

 

But first is doing the shopping run with my good lady because she is suffering badly with Arthritis and she struggles carrying heavy bags. Then it will be time to get everything ready for Wigan show. 

[Wolfe of Salen]

Mike, Great to meet you and chat at Wigan. Your models were even better in the 'flesh' than when seen in the photos on here. 

Chris

[airnimal]

Chris, thank you for endorsement. I enjoyed meeting yourself and many others modellers over the weekend as well as seeing some fine layouts.  I was surprised at at the lack of model supplies such as Eilleen's or other similar traders. 

 

I managed to put this latest wagon together on the Saturday but...........

There is always a but with my models and this time is just the same. Once I put the sides on I realised that the curved ends were not the correct profile I anticipated. Perhaps I should have accepted Mark's kind offer of his drawing and saved myself some anguish. So after a few beers on Saturday night and a good sleep I made the frame for another dumb buffer wagon on Sunday. I also may have signed up a couple of new members to the S7 society including one who lives in my home town. 

 

 

[pcalkel]

Well done Mike with the new members, I hope the Wigan show went well for you, might see you at the S7 northern open day on the 22nd.

 

Best regards

Paul

S7 Stores

[airnimal]

Paul, we will have to see if the new prospective new members do join the S7 group. I do hope so as a few more in the North West can only good for the group. 

 

After the Wigan show I have decided not to continue with the SER wagon but turn my attention to a wagon closer to my own interests that used the same size and type of wheel. I will try my hand at a special cattle wagon providing I can make the slats in the side look convincing.  I have had a couple of goes holding the Olfa cutter at a 45% angle after marking the cuts at 1mm intervals.  Once the cuts were made followed by a quick rub down it does show promise.  So the headstocks have been cut out and drilled for the white metal buffers with an extra set for a possible tranship van later. 

Edited October 5, 2022 by airnimal
Wrong terminology.

[NeilHB]

The test slats look very convincing Mike, I shall have to give that idea a go myself. 

[airnimal]

Neil, I hope you have more success with the slats because although doing a small test piece wasn't bad,  trying to cut long lengths takes a lot of patience and careful making out and even more care to cut the grooves to a consistent standard.  I am not sure my state of mind has anything to do with not being able to achieve what I want. We have a few family issues at present with illness being the major one that could be quite serious. So trying to model something that requires a high degree of accuracy is probably not the best model to attempt at present.  Because of the ongoing potential illness I have decided not to go to the S7 meeting at Mark this weekend but I will still be going to the meeting at Carlisle in a couple of weeks time. 

[Adam88]

On 05/10/2022 at 08:39, airnimal said:

Paul, we will have to see if the new prospective new members do join the S7 group. I do hope so as a few more in the North West can only good for the group. 

 

After the Wigan show I have decided not to continue with the SER wagon but turn my attention to a wagon closer to my own interests that used the same size and type of wheel. I will try my hand at a special cattle wagon providing I can make the slats in the side look convincing.  I have had a couple of goes holding the Olfa cutter at a 45% angle after marking the cuts at 1mm intervals.  Once the cuts were made followed by a quick rub down it does show promise.  So the headstocks have been cut out and drilled for the white metal buffers with an extra set for a possible tranship van later. 

 

http://olfacutters.co.uk/Olfa-Arts-and-Crafts-Cutters-Olfa-CMP-1-CMP-2-CMP-3-HOK-1-TK-3M-MC-45-MC-45-DX-TK-4-Olfacutter/Olfa-MC-45-2b-Mat-Cutter-MCB-45-DX-MCB

 

I use an Olfa mat cutter to cut bevelled picture frame mounts.  The blade is double-sided so it cuts into the corners both ways.  It's also useful for chamfering cork sheet for track laying.

[Winander]

Axminster Tools have one that looks identical and much cheaper, I don't have either and cannot speak for the suitability.

https://www.axminstertools.com/axminster-mount-cutter-423003?glCountry=GB&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-fmZBhDtARIsAH6H8qg2EXaO3JYLr2N-jp9fdIVjcYykt-mEtwS28n6oyHpdaKAFbeRMt2MaAqrHEALw_wcB 

Edited October 7, 2022 by Winander

[airnimal]

Thank you for the information regarding the Olfa and Axminster cutters. The problem I had was not with angle of the grooves but with the spacing of the grooves.  I was trying to use my large square as a guide to cut 10 parallel lines. Unfortunately I couldn't get the consistency I required  so I have come up with the following solution by drilling a series of hole in a small offcut of nickel. I riveted the nickel before drilling through before transferring to the plastic sheet.  I was then able to use a rule before joing up the dots with the Olfa cutter. So hopefully i have made a method i can work with.  But there is still the small matter of making and cutting out out all the other bodywork.  

 

I am sorry I couldn't get to the S7 meeting at Mark in Somerset today but with problems in the family it didn't seem appropriate. 

[airnimal]

I have marked the sides out to the best of my abilities and assembled them to the chassis. When I said I have marked out the sides what I should have said I choose the best out of about 20 attempts. I have wasted some much plastic this weekend I will have to stock up at my next exhibition.  I am still not sure that I have got the basic shell 100% correct so this wagon could still end up in the bin. 

My good lady asked me why I can't get this wagon right ?  I told her that it is a long process starting with observation and followed by planning  / marking out  / cutting out / putting together.  

I told her it is like Eric Morcambe's piano playing, all the notes are there but not necessary in the right order. 

 

 

[Winander]

It looks really good Mike. Another way of marking it out would have been to use a set of dividers. Any with a decent point will mark plasticard. Run one leg against the edge, advancing the other whatever interval you require. Your olfa cutter should then, with care, be able to 'find' that scoring.

[airnimal]

Winander,  thank you for your suggestion regarding the dividers. I do indeed use them all the time including the small pair of Moore and Wright that I bought not long after leaving school more years ago than I care to remember.  But unfortunately the marking out of the slats needed a bit more precision hence the small drilling jigs. With all the plank lines and overlays I need to be very careful getting everything straight and true otherwise anything not spot on will stand out like a sore thumb. It is going to be interesting to chamfer all the framing.  As I said there is so much to go wrong 

[Northroader]

Doing louvres, could you use microstrip, place on edge, then broad-narrow-broad-narrow-etc, splash on some mekpak, and when hardened off, smooth the raised faces down?

[airnimal]

Bob,  thank you for your suggestion but I tried to louvres that way many years ago. I could not get the consistency and it ended up like a dogs diner. I am sure someone with a steady hand and with a better eye than myself could possibly do them that way. I have looked at a resin kit I have in my possession and that appears to have them made that way but It was beyond me.  I will persevere with this but I don't think it will be finished. 

 

Edited October 10, 2022 by airnimal

[airnimal]

I am still not convinced I can finish this special cattle wagon. I have invested a good few hours in it but it doesn't float my boat. I much prefer a simple 4 wheel wagon well worn with faded lettering.  It's funny what models are attractive to us. A simple pick up goods with an assortment of different wagons on a sleepy secondary line with a large goods shed is up there for me. Perhaps it was wondering around semi derelict run down scenes when I was a kid or watching Ross Pochin's engines shunting stuff at the Machester show at the Corn Exchange in the late 50's. No express engines pulling crack trains for me.   Nostalgia at it's best. 

 

I made a jig for the spacing again because the ones I had were to narrow for the end stanchions.