My/our coach, carriage & wagon scratch building thread

[gazman424]

Looking good Mr G

What materials are used in this model?

Hi Scott,

It is 99% card. The roof is just placed on at the moment. Buffers are from Wizard, W-Irons from Comet and the wheels are Romford. The middle axle is off until the chassis is painted. It still requires lamp irons, and I'll fit B&B couplings before the chassis is painted.

Gaz.

[gobbler]

Hi Scott,

It is 99% card. The roof is just placed on at the moment. Buffers are from Wizard, W-Irons from Comet and the wheels are Romford. The middle axle is off until the chassis is painted. It still requires lamp irons, and I'll fit B&B couplings before the chassis is painted.

Gaz.

Never thought about using card to scratch build with.

 

Done many card rolling stock models?

What's it like to work with?

Where did the idea for using card come from?

Any particular make/thickness you'd recommend?

 

Cheers

 

Scott

[N15class]

Card was used a lot in the 50's and 60's. If sealed with shellac it is tough and water resistant, and will paint without a problem.

[jwealleans]

Card and even paper are handy for details - thin plates, for example. I've not built completely in card, but there are some lovely models out there which have been. Don't forget, that's essentially what the buildings on Pendon are made of.

Edited April 11, 2018 by jwealleans

[gobbler]

Can you guess what it is yet? (He says in a Mr R Harris accent)

 

Yes it is a straw, but what is it going to be?

 

Go on, post a guess. I'll give the answer this afternoon.

 

Scott

Edited April 11, 2018 by gobbler

[chris p bacon]

 what is it going to be?

 

 

A 'Tube' train. 

 

 

Well someone had to....

[Bucoops]

Gas cylinder?

[gobbler]

Gas cylinder?

Close......

 

Vac cylinder

 

Just the right diameter

 

Scott

[Bucoops]

Ah, so an empty gas cylinder

 

If I'd thought about it, your era pretty sure gas lighting was long gone

[Regularity]

Can you guess what it is yet? (He says in a Mr R Harris accent)

 

To which the answer is, "A pair of handcuffs followed by a prison cell, Rolf."

[gobbler]

I'm all outa wire of any sort, so the trusses and grab rails that go on the ends are on hold for a while. Going to need a trip to John Dutfields for some supplies. Still.......the steps that are on the ends are progressing.

 

Still the double rain strips on the roof to do, talking of roofs, I've noticed some circular spots dotted over the roof. A hole punch makes em' too big. That's gonna be something to ponder over....

 

Any ideas Guy's???

 

Until then......

 

L8r's

 

Scott

[Siberian Snooper]

I'm all outa wire of any sort, so the trusses and grab rails that go on the ends are on hold for a while. Going to need a trip to John Dutfields for some supplies. Still.......the steps that are on the ends are progressing.

IMG_8587.JPG

IMG_8586.JPG

 

Still the double rain strips on the roof to do, talking of roofs, I've noticed some circular spots dotted over the roof. A hole punch makes em' too big. That's gonna be something to ponder over....

 

Any ideas Guy's???

 

Until then......

 

L8r's

 

Scott

 

How about slivers off a bit of rod the right diameter.

[gobbler]

Best I can do will be to stretch some sprue to an appropriate diameter.

 

Again, if I choose rod (let alone his emu lol) that still means a trip to my 'local'. I've looking around my home and even the bristles on my broom are too thick.

 

Scott

[jwealleans]

Those circular patches are where the gas lamp holders were plated over when these were converted to electric lighting, IIRC.

 

I used a small hole punch (the wife has them in several sizes for use making cards, etc) and 80 gsm paper to make them.

[gobbler]

Bit of a mini update

 

Found enough 0.45mm brass to complete 1 truss

Have tinkered with the double rain strips on one roof at the moment. I'm going to need some 4mm flat discs for the roof. Get your thinking caps on lads.......

Some of the slightly larger discs needed can be made from hole punch blanks. ( thanks Jonathan didn't see your post)

 

Also found a length of 0.33 brass wire and have made 8 of these

"These" being coach end grab rails

 

I'm definitely "all out" of wire now.

 

Scott

Edited April 12, 2018 by gobbler

[gobbler]

Those circular patches are where the gas lamp holders were plated over when these were converted to electric lighting, IIRC.I used a small hole punch (the wife has them in several sizes for use making cards, etc) and 80 gsm paper to make them.

Thanks for the info on those patches wondered what they were.

 

Scott

[gazman424]

Never thought about using card to scratch build with.

 

Done many card rolling stock models?

What's it like to work with?

Where did the idea for using card come from?

Any particular make/thickness you'd recommend?

 

Cheers

 

Scott

Hi Scott,

 Can I paste a previous reply to that question? I'm on my lunch break so dont have loads of time!

 

Quote;

 

 "I built this coach using the 'Jenkinson' method, very proficiently described by Mike Trice here;

 

http://www.rmweb.co....nkinson-and-me/

 

 

 I generally use 3 thicknesses of card;

The interior is constructed from 1.25mm thick mount board;

 

https://www.amazon.c...0?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

The sides from 0.3mm thick card;

 

https://www.amazon.c...0?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

And I also use 0.4mm thick card;

 

https://www.amazon.c...0?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

 I laminate the layers using a spray adhesive, and have had good results with this;

 

https://www.amazon.c...0?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

For other gluing, impact adhesive and PVA, the cheapo stuff from your local supermarket designed for kids, has also been used.

 

Obviously, all the materials above can be had from other suppliers!!"

 

Any other questions, please ask!

Gaz.

Edited April 12, 2018 by gazman424

[gobbler]

Gaz, any info that may be of help and interest to readers of this thread is always welcome.

 

There are around 10 main followers of this thread, if we can attract more followers and inspire others to have a go at scratch building, the more the merrier. Between us all, swapping ideas and techniques , can only improve our builds.

 

Cheers

 

Scott

[Bucoops]

Not gonna lie - I'm a LONG way from scratch building anything - but doesn't mean I'm not interested and impressed

[Regularity]

For other gluing, impact adhesive and PVA, the cheapo stuff from your local supermarket designed for kids, has also been used.

 

The cheap stuff is thinner, having been diluted. You can also simply dilute some of you existing glue stocks - you won’t be using much.

 

Trevor Nunn has built several coaches this way. He has further refined the process by shaping two pieces of wood, one concave, one convex, to match the tumblehome, and assembles a side at a time, placing them between the blocks whilst the glue dries, and putting a heavy book on top to weight it down whilst the glue dries. He uses the glue sparingly, diluting it so that it can be applied by capillary action (just as when using solvent with styrene), and doesn’t get the glue spurting out the sides onto the formers, but you can always cover then with cling-film to protect against glueing things into a solid mess!

 

Any wood will do: ¼” balsa, for example, can be sanded easily.

[Regularity]

Not gonna lie - I'm a LONG way from scratch building anything - but doesn't mean I'm not interested and impressed

If you photocopy the drawings onto thin card, all you need is a sharp scalpel (and an oilstone or plenty of blades as card is very good at dulling the edge!) a steel ruler, a cutting mat, some pva, water, paintbrush (for applying watered-down pva) and maybe some balsa blocks (see above) and some varnish for sealing the final result.

Just practice until you are happy with your ability to literally cut rounded corners.

It may be possible to print/copy onto thin plastic card, but I haven’t tried it. Other than styrene sheet and solvent vice card and diluted pva, it’s pretty much the same process with minimal requirements.

[chris p bacon]

IIt may be possible to print/copy onto thin plastic card, but I haven’t tried it. Other than styrene sheet and solvent vice card and diluted pva, it’s pretty much the same process with minimal requirements.

 

 

I tried printing onto thin Plasticard but the ink smudged as it ran through the printer,  it wasn't defined enough to cut accurately.

[timbowilts]

I tried printing onto thin Plasticard but the ink smudged as it ran through the printer,  it wasn't defined enough to cut accurately.

I think the idea is to print onto proper card, not plasticard?

 

Tim T

[Regularity]

One of the unsung* masters of plasticard coach construction, who developed his technique contemporaneously with David Jenkinson, was the late Norman Pattenden. His methodology was pretty much the same: cut the straight lines, leaving the curved corners alone. Make diagonal cuts across the corners, then make an X in the middle to allow snapping out of the centre. Use a round needle file to worry at the corner - find the right diameter on the file, and move it up and down by about 1/16” or 2mm. Finish off by removing any remaining “nibs” where straight meets curve. Job done.

 

He taught me a useful technique which is worth trying out, which is to take a small off-cut of 10 thou, (0.25mm) styrene sheet, and use it to practice marking out, cutting and worrying the corners, etc. There is enough in a 3” square to establish the technique, and it requires (as mentioned above) very little by way of tools - emory boards are a useful disposable file, which can be cut to fit into corners. Use a scriber or just a needle to put pop-marks around the waste edges of your panelling, use a 2H pencil to draw in the verticals and horizontals, and shade the sections for removal.

 

* As a senior manager for BR, he generally kept a low profile in the hobby, so was less of a “name” within it - although most names knew him or of him.

[Annie]

I corresponded with Norman for some years when I was a member of the 'S' Scale Society and he was a true gentleman and a highly skilled craftsman and model-maker.  I remember some photos of his LSWR coaches he sent to me and they were exquisite pieces of work.  I was deeply saddened when he died and the hobby suffered a great loss.