S7 scratch building

[airnimal]

Richard,  thank you for the kind offer which I may have taken you up on if I hadn't spent yesterday making 4 new rings. If fact I had to make about 10 in total because I made them from 10 thou black plasticard and they are very brittle once the holes are drilled in them. 

 

I was hoping to go out on the bike yesterday with my cycling chums, but my wife had a fall outside going to get some plants out of the garden shed and hurt her ankle.  So it was a day of looking after her because she is will be unable to do anything for herself for a few days at least.

Inbetween being head cook and bottle washer I made the replacement rings. 

[Tricky]

They look perfect. 
 

I hope your wife manages to rest her ankle. 

[airnimal]

Trying to photograph this wagon without any special lights or a decent camera is not easy because the underframe is lost in the darkness. Close ups like this show every fault and can be cruel. I have dusted over the wheels with some weathering powders to highlight the details in depth of the gloom underneath. 

This wagon is now finished bar the final brown paint and lettering.  I am not looking forward to hand painting as I have never had much success doing this. 

[airnimal]

I've taken the bull by the horns and gone right in with my paintbrush.  I did the ends first using the Tamiya XF-10 and about 15 % Tamiya retarder and it dried  within a few minutes.  The finish wasn't that bad but then I tried lettering it down with about the same ratio water and using a larger brush,  I did both sides. The finish on the sides was much better so I think I have found a formula to brush painting that I think will work for me. I will leave it now until later and give the whole wagon another thin coat. I must admit that I was skeptical on my ability to hand paint again after so many years avoiding it like the plague. 

[Coal Tank]

It does look good Mike 

[Caley Jim]

I do almost all my paInting with brushes, after an initial spray with a rattle can. I always use several well thinned coats, usually of enamel. 

 

Jim 

[airnimal]

I have assembled this wagon after giving 3 thin coats of brown paint and then dusting all over with weathering powders.  I still need to attach the safety chains either side of the main  couplings which look as though the smaller links need squashing in the vice to make them more oval . The tarpaulin bar still needs painting which will probably be like weathered wood. I can't imagine that there would be any paint on this having been subjected to years of rough canvas rubbing along on a daily basis.  I don't have any tranfers for the lettering that are the right size but with several exhibitions coming up in the next 2 weeks I may be able to source them at one or the other. 

[Dave Hunt]

Another little stunner Mike.

 

Dave

[ian@stenochs]

On 20/03/2024 at 15:45, Caley Jim said:

I do almost all my paInting with brushes, after an initial spray with a rattle can. I always use several well thinned coats, usually of enamel. 

 

Jim 

Is that a 2" or 3" brush you use Jim 😀

Ian.

[Caley Jim]

I'm currently using brushes bought from the 'Brushes 4 Models' stand at Model Rail 2 years ago.  A mixed pack of 10, ranging in size down to 10/0, for £5.00 seemed a bargain worth trying out, even if they didn't last long.  Truth is they are the best brushes I've used for keeping their shape, especially remaining pointed, and that includes Windsor and Newtons.   They are branded 'Artmaster Allmedia series 10' and 'Artmaster Micro detail series 25'.  The latter are particularly fine and good for lettering and small details.  They don't seem to have a website, but do turn up at some of the shows.   I had to apologise to him last year for not buying any more as the original ones were still going strong and there are some I haven't used yet.

 

Usual disclaimer.

 

Jim

[airnimal]

I also bought some brushes from the same company at one of the many exhibitions that they have attended. I am more than happy with them and will purchase some more when I next see them. The brush I used for the painting of the body was 3/8 wide which proved perfect to cover with the tinned down Tamiya paint.  I will attempt to hand letter this wagon if I don't find any tranfers at the 2 shows I am going to in the next 2 weeks. I have hand lettered before with mixed results as seen here. My first attempt if definitely not up to standard but with a bit of careful attention with a scalpel this may prove more fruitful.  

[Caley Jim]

I hope I'm not being cheeky here, Mike, but what paint do you use for your lettering and do you use it neat?

 

I vary between enamel and acrylics, both slightly thinned to make them flow off the brush easier.  I moisten the brush first with either thinner or water (depending on the paint I'm using) and blot it on a tissue so that it's just 'damp'.   I then pick up just a spot of paint on the tip of the brush, how much depends on whether I'm doing the main lettering or the smaller bits.  For the latter there may only be enough paint on the brush to do one vertical stroke.  I clean the brush in thinners (or water) after perhaps every 2 or 3 dips in the paint so that the paint doesn't clog on the brush.

 

Apologies if this is teaching you to suck eggs.

 

Jim

[airnimal]

Jim, I have used enamels and acrylic paint as well as ink all applied neat and let down with what ever is appropriate.  Sometimes I appear to be able letter and other times I can't even draw a straight line. I have tried using pens as well as brushes so I know I have to be in the mood to attempt to hand letter. I will wait now before I try again.  I tried to use some Meth-fix tranfers for the numbers and I couldn't get them straight. So I will put it away and come back to another time.  

[sir douglas]

3 hours ago, airnimal said:

Sometimes I appear to be able letter and other times I can't even draw a straight line. I have tried using pens as well as brushes so I know I have to be in the mood to attempt to hand letter. 

 same here, theres a certain mindset i need to be in otherwise i know i'm going make a complete mess of it

[Caley Jim]

Yes, some occasions it goes well. other times it's just not working, so you have to put it off until another time.

 

Jim

[airnimal]

I have managed to number this wagon using some old Meth-fix tranfers, unfortunately I haven't got any for the lettering.  I need 3mm size for the L&SWR to match these numbers in white. 

I will be going to York show over Easter and hopefully I may be able to buy some there but does anyone know who would have them ? I need to get this finished so I can start something new. 

 

The gentleman who was enthusiastic about buying our house has disappeared probably another time waster. We joked last year would we be gone from here by Christmas and we are thinking very much the same now. 

 

In other news my better half has been struggling with her leg after her fall 10 days ago and her leg didn't seem to be get better. After much chatting amongst our 3 daughters she agreed to got to a walk in centre who sent her to hospital for a X- ray. Sure enough she has broken her foot. So for the next 6 weeks I will be on call 24-7. 

[Caley Jim]

I would have reacted with a 'Craftmanship/clever', but 'friendly supportive' seemed more appropriate, given your wife's situation.  I'm sure she will be well looked after.

 

Take care,

 

Jim

[airnimal]

I have given up on trying to hand letter the LSWR wagon for the time being. So while i was in my workshop I noticed that the brass container that I made from an old Andy Duncan kit had lost one of it's length of side bars. So out came the bits of scrap etch of a similar size and this was replaced. While I was doing this I also fitted some copper clad bracing inside because the body is made of just one thin sheet which has a tendency to bow inwards. I realised that I had not quite finished this build because I had missed off the locking door bar. So this was fitted along with a small brass pad lock.

 

I was thinking I might go to the York Show over the Easter weekend where I may be able to find some 3mm white tranfers as one or two other things. I was wanting some small parts from a manufacturer whom will be attending. I have tried to buy through several dealers who stock their products without success. They all tell me the same story that they only stock items that are the big sellers, so they don't stock the small parts. So not wishing to pay p&p on a small order I e-mailed the company and asked if they could bring a couple of packets with them to the show telling them that they have done this for me in the past. I received back a reply saying that they were unable to do this and they are happy for me to buy from them mail order.

I wonder if other people think as I do, this is not good customer service. 

 

I mention that my better half has broken her foot, she hasn't. She has broken her leg . 

I think this is going to be an interesting 6 weeks. 

 

[MarcD]

LSWR wagon transfers are available on the HMRS Southern wagon sheet. 

Marc

[Dave Hunt]

Love the little padlock Mike - any chance of a masterclass on it?

 

Dave

[airnimal]

Dave,  the padlock came from a small set of castings for hand tools from CSP who make all sorts of bits and kits. I have used another one because looking at the first attempt I was a bit heavy handed drilling a hole for the key. I use their castings for couplings hooks which are very good. 

 

Marc, thank you for the information about tranfers. I don't have the Southern sheet only the English company's ones. I don't think buying the Southern sheet would be very economical because I probably wouldn't be building any more wagons from the Southern part of the country. 

[TJ52]

I've got that sheet. It's been in a drawer for the last 10 years or more. I'm sure there must be some lettering on it as I've mostly used the southern ones.

 

I'd be happy to post LSWR ones to you, I'm not going to need them.

 

Terry

[airnimal]

Terry, thank you for your very kind gesture,  I will take you up on your offer. I will post you a PM. 

 

Because our house doesn't seem to shifting, I am getting brass off waiting for things to happen.  

I can't get any baseboards to start a diorama or layout because until we know what sort of house we may move to, or the space I will have for a workshop or layout room. 

 

I am not really in the mood to finish the few wagons that still need some work on them so I have started something a bit different.  This is a steel body private owner wagon from North Staffordshire belonging to Robert Heath and sons. This is a bit of an experimental departure for me because I have never built a steel open wagon before. I have cut out  a pair of sides from some scrap brass etch and riveted the bottom row of rivets. I wish I had looked a bit more closely at the brass because there is a few holes and marks in the brass. So I may get some better material and try again.

[Tom Burnham]

I'd have thought the sides of the original wagons would accumulate a few dents and scratches after having ten tons of coal dumped in them time after time! Certainly if BR 16 ton mineral wagons were any guide...

[airnimal]

Tom, yes I agree that these wagons would get dents and knocks but trying to model something like that is not the easiest thing to model. 

 

Although I would like to complete this wagon I have a feeling this is just going to be an exercise in making some more scrap to add to my pile of unfinished projects.  I have riveted a thin strip and soldered it to the basic side before cutting it back to leave a thin piece that represents the top angle iron. The amout of work involved in just to make one side out of metal leaves me to think that I would be better to make a basic shell and then add the strip from plastic glued on.