S7 scratch building

[airnimal]

After 7 weeks away cycling in Bali and Australia I am slowly trying to get back to the work bench.

Before I get back into scratch building I am going to try and finish a couple of my own brake van kits in fine scale for a friend that have sat around on my workbench for far to long. They need glazing and and the weight boxes adding between the wheels. I didn't include these items in the kits so I have made these from 60 thou plasticard. I made a square of from the same material and sunk 12 BA nuts in as my usual method. This allows removal for painting etc.

[airnimal]

A little more progress on this pair of brake vans. There are different lamp brackets on the ends for different times in there lives. The early one had fixed lamps on the side later changing to ones on a brackets that swung into the verander. Still to do yet are the roofs and glazing, and the tare weights lettering. The will still be lots of little details before a coat of Matt varnish and a little bit of weathering.

[Regularity]

Gods, you're good.

[airnimal]

Regularity, thank you for your kind comments.

I have covered a couple of the van roofs with a single ply of tissue stock on with Limonene. The roofs are vacuumed formed plastic which have had strengthening ribs added. This allows the roofs to be a push fit so I can remove them for painting.

I hope to finish them soon but there is so much to do around the house as well family matters with new grandchildren to visit at the other end of the country as well local ones near home.

The last photo shows another example that I am building for myself which will be painted in the early two toned livery.

[airnimal]

Very nearly finished the 3 brake vans. Just glazing to go in and then any weathering to tone thinks down a little bit. I hope to get back to scratch building some more wagons and then start to plan for my own layout. I had hoped to have all the wagons done by this time so I could finish the 2 locos and build the baseboards.

I did promise my other half that when I came back from holiday I would empty the loft and take a lot of the rubbish in their to a car boot and then decorate the lounge. It will take us both to do the loft so I will have to wait untill she is off work in a couple of weeks time. That's my excuse anyway.

[airnimal]

I have started on another loco coal wagon. I have made one already that is awaiting axleboxes and is painted and lettered, but this one will have cast letters. These cast letters were kindly donated to me by Mike Williams who I believe got them originally from J.P.Richards.

Many people will have seen J.P.Richards models of L.N.W.R. locos and rolling stock in the N.R.M at York so I consider myself fortunate to have these items. Mike Williams is the owner of Williams Models who producers wonderful gauge 3 wagon kits.

[Poggy1165]

Must get around to building the LNW brake van kit I bought from you at Leigh, 2017. Awesome kit, my excuse is I am waiting for LNWR Wagons Volume 3 as my LNWR knowledge is inadequate.

 

Throwaway line, but if an individual - albeit a very gifted one - can produce a kit as good as this, why do so many established manufacturers produce relative dross? I suppose the answer is, because we keep buying them.

[airnimal]

This loco coal wagon is not going to plan. I was unhappy with my scribing on the sides of this wagon so I made some more. The total rejects now run to about 10 attempts both sides and ends. Some times things go this way and I find it better to take a few days away from the workbench.

 

Thanks poggy1165 for your comments about the brake van. I did wonder if I should try to make the loco coal wagon into a kit. I have the castings on order for the axleboxes and springs as well as some of the other bits needed to make up into a full kit but do I need the hassle. I would still have to have an etch made for the brake gear / handle and rack.

 

When I made the Dia 32 van I was able to source the castings from Adrain Swain and the kits sold out within 3 months.

The brake vans on the other hand have not completely sold out yet after 5 years. I still have a couple left.

I don't want to turn my hobby into part time job as I am enjoying my retirement and still plan to build a railway in my small workshop.

[Poggy1165]

I quite understand you not wanting to get into manufacturing. It's a load of hassle for relatively small returns and life is short. But I will say this. If the established firms out there produced kits to this standard I would happily pay a premium price, because it would be worth it. The only kit I have seen in recent years that is anywhere near your brake van is the newish Taff Vale Iron Mink from Dragon/Taff Vale Models. This is another kit that I am looking forward to building.

 

So often I find (and I am really not that fussy) that kits need a lot of unnecessary extra work to complete to a decent standard. Then there are those (thankfully a minority) where you end up chucking half the kit away and replacing it. There is a lot to be said for scratch building!

[Western Star]

Mike,

 

What is the problem with the scribed sides/ends?

 

regards, Graham

[ian@stenochs]

I quite understand you not wanting to get into manufacturing. It's a load of hassle for relatively small returns and life is short. But I will say this. If the established firms out there produced kits to this standard I would happily pay a premium price, because it would be worth it. The only kit I have seen in recent years that is anywhere near your brake van is the newish Taff Vale Iron Mink from Dragon/Taff Vale Models. This is another kit that I am looking forward to building.

 

So often I find (and I am really not that fussy) that kits need a lot of unnecessary extra work to complete to a decent standard. Then there are those (thankfully a minority) where you end up chucking half the kit away and replacing it. There is a lot to be said for scratch building!

 

Scratchbuilders are not tied to mainstream/ commercial subjects either and you and can have something unique to yourself. However kits have their uses especially for the common, need a dozen or so, everyday wagons and dare I say it locos!

 

Ian.

[Poggy1165]

Scratchbuilders are not tied to mainstream/ commercial subjects either and you and can have something unique to yourself. However kits have their uses especially for the common, need a dozen or so, everyday wagons and dare I say it locos!

 

Ian.

 

Ian you have just reminded me of another decent kit bought in the last few years. The G&SWR cattle van produced by the Glasgow and South Western Association. Again, another small producer! If only all kits were as good.

[airnimal]

Graham, I cut the plank line on a couple of sides that were not deep enough and when I tried to go back over them I did not get them right. We all have our own standards we try to work to and for the sake of a few pence of plasticard

it not worth accepting second best.

 

Poggy1165 I believe the G&SWR cattle wagon was mastered by ian@stenochs who not only builds great loco's but great wagons as well.

[airnimal]

I refuse to be beaten with such a simple wagon so I have made another start on a second pair.

The buffer beams have been left over long to be trimmed back once they are fitted to the floors.

The floor on the left has burrs removed while the other has only been scribed.

[airnimal]

A little more progress today. I now have 2 complete frames drilled for buffers and couplings. Tomorrow I hope to mark out the body sides and ends only this time taking more time and care.

[airnimal]

I have made a start on the body of these 2 wagons. I always mark the parts opposite each other on one sheet to minimise any errors, they are both right or both wrong but they will be the same.

I don't scribe where I am going to put the corner plates on. Even though I use Limonene when glueing 10 thou plasticard I try not to glue over gaps or holes just in case it causes the plasticard to sink into any gaps.

[airnimal]

I have cut out the parts and put the first body together. This looks as if I have got this one right but I have said that before so I will not hold my breath just yet.

 

The first photo shows the pre curved side before glueing to the base.

The second and the third one after the ends have been put on but before trimming back.

The last two show the result after cleaning up both side and ends.

[airnimal]

A pretty good day today. I have got 2 good basic bodies done.

The photo shows the 2 good ones at the front with a couple of rejects behind with another one I made and painted last year.

The one I made last year still requires the axleboxes which I hope will come soon.

[Argos]

As neat as ever Airnimal.

 

I'm in awe at how you manage to keep white plasticard so clean and crisp.

[airnimal]

Hi Argos, after I scribe any lines I always remove any burrs with a number 9 scalpel blade which is a flat blade. I run it down like a wood plane before I rub it down with wet and dry. I then clean out the line with a brass wire brush and then go over it with a micro fine foam backed abrasive paper. A quick clean again with an old tooth brush does the trick.

 

When I was a member of Stockport model club over 40 years ago when I was building in 4mm scale there was the founding member called Garth Arnold who was building pre-grouping 7mm in platiscard. He made some really nice coaches and wagons but never removed any burrs and just simply painted over the rough plank lines. This had a big impact on me so that is why I try to make a very smooth finish.

Edited December 17, 2018 by airnimal

[Argos]

Thanks for the explanation Airnimal. That extra care makes all the difference.

[airnimal]

One of the advantage of using jigs to make anything is the level of consistancy obtain. That is provided the the jig is made correct in the first place. I could never make 20 headstocks all the same without some form of jig.

 

This a number 9 blade that I use to remove excess burrs which is held flat before I use any abrasive paper and the micro fine pad.

 

I wrote an article for the S7 newsletter many ago about resin kits having made masters for quite a few in the past. I ended the article by saying that when you buy a resin kit what you buying is a copy of another person scratch built model.

Now over the years I have seen some surperb examples from the like of Richard De Camin and Mike Williams but I have also seen some horrors. I won't name names but I have seen example with plank lines scribed at different depths, iron work not straight, over scale parts or missing details.

[airnimal]

I have done a small amount today. I have put the corner plates on one of the wagons along with the end stanchions.

I rounded the corners off before glueing one side with Limonene and leaving to dry for a couple of hours before bending around the corner before glueing the second side.

 

I am getting slower building these wagons than I used to do. I am having trouble with my vision so I went to the opticians to have my eyes tested. I got a shock to be told that I am starting with cataracts in both eyes. I have been telling my wife for the last couple of months I was having trouble but she just dismiss my concern with a smile.

[Western Star]

This a number 9 blade that I use to remove excess burrs which is held flat ...

Just to make sure that I understand, please post a photo showing how you present the cutting edge to the scribed plastic sheet.

 

I rated the last post as "supportive" as I can appreciate the impact of what you have written - the photos demonstrate a right for a "craftsmanship" vote. 

 

regards, Graham

Edited May 24, 2018 by Western Star

[Poggy1165]

Love your work. Exemplary in the literal sense of the word.