S7 scratch building

[Compound2632]

I see the drawing you are using is by Simon Turner. Is there an HMRS Journal article on these wagons? Or where else is the info?

[airnimal]

Stephen,  the drawing and photograph were from the collection of Mark Smith who is a leading light in the NSR society.  I looked them at the AGM a couple of weeks ago and thought that would be a unusual prototype to model as well as a challenge.  That challenge has proved how difficult a model of one of these wagons is. I was a member of HMRS as well as several more society's about 40 years ago but about 10 years later I was made redundant for the second time. By that time I had got married and had 2 young children so when the subscriptions were all due at the same time I had to let them all relapse.  

 

I looked at the photograph again and realised that the top angle iron piece was twice as thick as the corner plates. This meant that I would have had to make the corner plates out of very thin metal for it to look correct. So I decided to see if I could make the angle parts out of Evergreen plastic which is thicker. I drilled a series of holes in some 80 X 80 thou angle and tried to glue this to the top edge with superglue.  This proved impossible for me so I think the amount of work needed to make a success of this doesn't warrant the time and effort involved. 

 

I do have my work cut out for me at the moment with being head cook and bottle washer. 

One would think at 72 I would be able to do most household chores without instructions but my better half is a hard task master and I have had to sit on the naughty step more than once.

 

 

[TJ52]

Mike. I'm 72 on Sunday. I'm on the naughty step quite a lot. Just make it comfortable. 

 

Terry

[Caley Jim]

I'll have a 5 year start on you both come Monday (you can work that date out for yourselves!) and have my own seat with my name on it on that step!

 

Jim

[Northroader]

Kids, eh??….

 

 

Edited March 30 by Northroader

[Dave Hunt]

15 hours ago, Caley Jim said:

I'll have a 5 year start on you both come Monday (you can work that date out for yourselves!) and have my own seat with my name on it on that step!

 

Jim

 

I'm 24 days younger than you. Move over.

 

Dave

[Caley Jim]

1 hour ago, Dave Hunt said:

I'm 24 days younger than you. Move over.

Age before beauty! 😁 

 

Jim 

[airnimal]

Having abandoned the steel body wagon because of technical issues ( I can't make to it to my satisfaction ) I found another shelf queen awaiting completion.  I had originally going to use some brass buffers with steel heads but I used them for another project. So I found some white metal buffers from ABS with Adrian's trade mark drawing pin heads. I don't mind using them but some of the pins are not central. I had already made the buffer bases in plastic which I had to cut off because Adrian's have the bases cast in. I will try and find some better pins before I finish it. 

Another problem is my usual method of construction includes screwing the W-irons in the floor but with the floor being at a low height there isn't enough room to do this. I have temporary stuck the W-irons in with double sided sellotape, but this is not a acceptable solution. I will have to get my thinking cap on to figure out how to overcome this problem. 

 

The domestic situation is proving interesting to say the least. I am down for retraining in hanging out the washing amongst other things. It's like the last of the summer wine here at present with Nora and the other ladies getting on to poor old Joe and Compo.  I didn't realise I couldn't do so many things. 

[airnimal]

The white metal buffers from ABS have a collar that goes over the drawing pins to make the buffer ram thicker.  Unfortunately the hole drilled through was slightly off line making the buffers sag a little. So I made new rams from brass rod and skimmed the drawing pins heads in the lathe. Because of the low floor height these buffers are going to be non working. 

I just have the brake lever and brake rack to make and the tie down rings to finish it off. 

[airnimal]

I am now able to finally finish this wagon thanks to the generous nature from one of our members.  I don't know how to drag someone's profile here to thank them for the help that I have received so I will just say thank you to Terry here. 

 

I will now have to weather it again after varnishing. 

[Western Star]

That floor is just sublime.

[magmouse]

Mike, even by your high standards this is superb. Though the body is all plastic, somehow the planks looks like painted wood and the washer plates look like metal. Wonderful stuff.

 

Nick.

[airnimal]

Thanks for all the endorsements, it is appreciated. 

 

I have now attempted to put the load lettering on with mixed success.  I got one side on perfectly in line but on the second side I got it wrong.  I tried to correct it but unfortunately I had to remove it. This left a badly marked bottom plank which I have had to repaint with several coats of thin paint. I will leave it now until tomorrow before trying again. Then it will need another coat of varnish to match the rest of the wagon. 

 

Another problem is I made a mistake on the chains on the end underneath the tarpaulin bar. The chain should be attached on one side of the bracket and then on to the tarpaulin bar's bracket it's self. It's obvious now I think about it but at the time I didn't notice it. 

 

We may have news on the house front. A couple have been around for the third viewing and seem very happy with most aspects, and they have sold there house and are ready to go. They are aware we are not going to let this house go cheaply so we don't think they will come back with a silly offer. 

[Adam88]

3 hours ago, airnimal said:

Thanks for all the endorsements, it is appreciated. 

 

I have now attempted to put the load lettering on with mixed success.  I got one side on perfectly in line but on the second side I got it wrong.  I tried to correct it but unfortunately I had to remove it. This left a badly marked bottom plank which I have had to repaint with several coats of thin paint. I will leave it now until tomorrow before trying again. Then it will need another coat of varnish to match the rest of the wagon. 

 

Another problem is I made a mistake on the chains on the end underneath the tarpaulin bar. The chain should be attached on one side of the bracket and then on to the tarpaulin bar's bracket it's self. It's obvious now I think about it but at the time I didn't notice it. 

 

We may have news on the house front. A couple have been around for the third viewing and seem very happy with most aspects, and they have sold there house and are ready to go. They are aware we are not going to let this house go cheaply so we don't think they will come back with a silly offer. 

 

I hope you made it very clear that all the wagons will be going with you and won't be included in the fixtures and fittings when you sell up.

 

[Dave Hunt]

I've told Mike that if he doesn't have room for the wagons when moving that I will happily take them off his hands. So far he hasn't committed himself.

 

Dave

[magmouse]

2 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

I've told Mike that if he doesn't have room for the wagons when moving that I will happily take them off his hands.

If Mike announces he is going to pass on some of his stock, make sure you don’t get trampled in the stampede!

 

Nick.

[airnimal]

I am sure if we move house the railway stuff will fit in somewhere, they won't take up much room.  We have had another offer on the house but again it appears that it is the silly offer season.  We need to obtain a near market value for us to move forward and buy something half decent.  

 

I have been trying to clear up some loose ends rather than starting something new. One of the wagons that I built several years ago that hadn't had the etched numberplates fitted. So I thought it wouldn't take to long to fit. How wrong was that assumption because the location of the plates was between the V-irons, and there wasn't enough room to fit the plates. I had used commercial etched V-irons that were not wide enough to accept the plates. I went through my stock of etched parts and nothing fitted the bill. 

 

So the only thing to do was get out the metal and start again. A couple of bits of 10 thou nickel were cut out and soldered together.  Once marked out, the saw came out along with the saw table and a couple of V-irons were quickly made.  The square nuts are going to be made from filed down pins.  But that is for tomorrow. 

[Coal Tank]

Superb Mike 

[airnimal]

I have managed to paint and replace the V-irons. I have touch up where I have made adjustments so as to blend it in with the paint that was already there. It never quite looks the same or as good as originally first done.   

 

I went out for an hour this morning on my bike. I need to get some miles in because we are going to Hungary in June for a fortnight cycling with the gang of geriatric pals. Basically it like the last of the Summer Wine on tour, average age 69.4. 

[airnimal]

Having managed to touch up the paint on this last LNWR wagon I went back to the LSWR wagon to replace a pin that holds the tarpaulin bar on. I lost one out of the end and had to make a new one. I glued the new one in with superglue which I don't like using. I didn't realise that the tube was leaking and I managed to stick my finger together as well as getting the glue all over the door on one side. Much bad language was used before I attempted to make amends. I went over the dried glue with superglue debonder with took the paint off the door. More bad language.  

So I have had to rub the paint down and reapply which is going to take several thin coats before I try and match up the weathering again. So there is a couple of photographs of the interiors of this and the Arniston wagon not previously seen.

[Coal Tank]

Hi Mike,you have the planking spot on for my eyes. Shame about the glue but you will get it done. 

[airnimal]

I am struggling with my work at present, I cannot get the quality I seek to achieve. I have remade the coupling chains on the LSWR wagon and tried to make the saftey chains from 4mm scale links. I bought some mail order but they were poor quality and I didn't use them. I was given some more at the Macclesfield's show on Saturday by a very kind gentleman from Wigan who was  demonstrating 4mm wagon building. 

I came home and attempted to make them up with a Ambis hook on the end with only limited success.  This is all down to me with Arthritic fingers and poor eyesight. I have made some in the past but I have made these using larger hooks and thicker links. I may leave them off altogether and use rule 1.  My mojo is sadly lacking at present possibly due to the lack of movement with the house and other stresses. 

 

 

[Coal Tank]

Excellent work as usual Mike.

 Where you see mistakes we see perfection. 

John 

[Coal Tank]

I assure you that most of us wish that we could such stunning results.

John 

[TJ52]

I've told you Mike, I can't even make a kit to anything like that standard. Just wish I had your ability. 

 

Terry