Scratchbuilding trial, using aluminium

[Nearholmer]

Another good one!

 

If you think it’s garish, comfort yourself that it is almost exactly the livery used on wagons that carried coal to Colman’s mustard factory in Norwich.

[Thunderforge]

 

Having a go at a four wheel carriage. This seems the only way to cut out the windows. Suggestions welcome! I’ll cut the details out of card to get some layers on it. Not prototypical at all, three compartments and a guard’s box, straight sides. More pics will follow.

[Thunderforge]

 

After much fiddling, fettling and floundering I’ve had another idea. Strip out all the windows from the aluminium, and glue the cut out card on instead. Then stick the glazing to the inside of the card and add details using more card on top. I guess I’d better find out what shellac is and how to use it!

 

G’night all!

[Thunderforge]

 

Slow progress, lots of fiddly cutting and sticking, but getting there. I realised the odd little synchronicity that punching the card with my hand punch to make the windows was a bit like a ticket inspector clipping tickets. I didn’t have to do that for the goods stock...

[Thunderforge]

 

Feels like progress, even if the carriage now has more of my skin on it than my fingers. Superglue really is quite sticky.

[Bill_J]

Hi Thunderforge,

 

I really like what you are doing here. I have a few scraps left of a B4 sheet of litho aluminium that I am keeping "in case I need them one day", and am disappointed that I didn't get some more when i had the chance. Once painted, your wagons really look the part and I can't wait to see the finished coach.

 

I remember, long ago, that Ernest F Carter, Edward Beal, John Ahern and many others, made good use of re-purposed materials, when scratchbuilding. And were happy to pass on their experiences.

 

I've always used my various bits of aluminium, only to represent metallic finishes, I never thought of it as a general purpose modelling material. You have given me much food for thought here.

 

with regards

 

Bill

[Thunderforge]

Hi Bill, thanks for the interest. I started as a bit of a test to see what I could make and it’s exceeded my expectations so far!

 

I’ve worked for litho printers for years and they’ve always been happy to let people have a few old plates, especially if it’s for something unusual. If you need more it’s worth asking, and likely to be available in a few different thicknesses.

 

All the best,

TF

[Thunderforge]

I dug out my lightbox earlier and took some better pics. Made a coal dock from a bit of wood and self printed brick paper. Going to add a water tower to it at some point.

Also made a signal, which needs a ball/point top thingy and a ladder. The signal is made of card, at the bottom is a coin with a nail facing up through the signal post.

 

 

 

 

And finally a load of forage under a tarpaulin, which also seems far too green, I imagine a load of cut grass would go hay coloured very quickly. It’s a lump of synthetic fur rolled up and painted, the tarp is cotton painted with several coats of pva.

 

Edit: All the bits in these pics apart from the wheels of the wagon and the track have been spare/reclaimed/blagged material, not bad for O gauge eh?

Edited June 24, 2018 by Thunderforge

[Thunderforge]

Update: I purchased a few new sets of wheels, which have somewhat confirmed my fears about my aluminium project. Basically it’s too bendy.

 

I have made up about five aluminium 9’ wheelbase chassis, and when I tried fitting wheels it appears that most of them are warped by a few millimetres. They rock awkwardly on the rails with one wheel in the air. I can twist them in my hands and warp it back again but part of the problem is the height of the holes which the axlebushes sit in, all ‘by eye’ measurements. I think all the approximations, glue and flexibility of the material add up to something with too much variability. Some chassis work fine but it’s more luck than judgement!

 

I’m happy with everything above the chassis, so I’m sticking with ali for the bodywork, but I want to come up with something else for the frames. Preferably something free! I’m going to have a play with a few other materials and post my results.

 

All the best,

Thunderforge

[hayfield]

I think the best approach is to use a variety of material within a build, so where strength is required (solebars etc) use wood, metal or plastic strip. As for the coach sides you have hit the age old issue of making accurate cuts without distorting the material, BSL used a punch and die on ali sides, they never attempted to do the mouldings

[Happy Hippo]

 

I’m happy with everything above the chassis, so I’m sticking with ali for the bodywork, but I want to come up with something else for the frames. Preferably something free! I’m going to have a play with a few other materials and post my results.

 

All the best,

Thunderforge

Have you tried timber?

 

I use either Bass or Lime wood for the rolling stock chassis on my garden railway.

[Thunderforge]

Funnily enough I was thinking of trying some 4mm Ply or maybe MDF for the chassis base as my next step...

[Thunderforge]

I wonder if RMWeb supports animated gifs? Here goes...

 

 

Only if you click on it, apparently.

Edited July 5, 2018 by Thunderforge

[Thunderforge]

Having given up on aluminium, and given up on plastic, I’ve been making wagons out of card. I’d fettled some couplings from brass and snapped the blasted things trying to put a bend in them.

 

After much swearing I put everything away for a while, then this morning I dug out the aluminium angle section...

 

 

Several hours/fingers later...

 

Here’s the ‘freelance’ light brake van it’s going on;

 

It was supposed to have one of those lookout side things, but after a few attempts I decided that the guard can brave the weather and look out of the balcony instead!

There is a lack of windows.

 

Edit: will finish this post shortly!

 

[Nearholmer]

Card and wood know no limits as regards coach and wagon building, and you’ll soon master duckets.

 

Good wood in small sections can come from lolly sticks, wooden clothes pegs, and a hunt at the tip/skip for things made from beech. I’ve got a ‘beech stash’ salvaged from a stand for a Moses basket, and bits of old drawers (!) from a desk. Little boxes and sets of drawers sold by Ikea and frequently thrown away are a good source of bits of decent quality 6mm and 3mm plywood.

 

A visit to a car boot sale can usually net plenty of wooden things, ripe for stripping down, for 50p apiece.

 

somewhere on RMWeb, there is a guy who is a true master-craftsman with scrap cardboard.

Edited September 1, 2019 by Nearholmer

[Thunderforge]

Thanks Nearholmer, yes it’s surprising how it seems to be easier to work in paper/card/wood than metal or plastic. Plasticard is fun though.

Jim Read is the big inspiration for my 7mm foray.

 

Anyway, part two, now that I’ve cooked tea!

The buffer beams are greyboard, that glunky stuff is gorilla glue. I didn’t realise it bubbled up until too late, at least it’s hidden.

Sawed a groove.

 

And voila! -slightly to one side it is!

Also needs slightly smaller chains! I’ll post another pic once I’ve finished painting it.

Edited September 1, 2019 by Thunderforge