R&R Models Y7 class loco

[hayfield]

Picking up projects for next winter and this R&R Models etched brass LNER Y7 class loco came up for grabs. The good things for me is that it is quite basic and also a small tank loco as my space is very limited. On the down side the brass seems quite thin for 7 mm scale at about 0.25 mm thick, though my Antex 25w irons should be man enough to solder it together and I will just have to solder in a few strengthening pieces

 

 

The other strange thing is the side frames supplied seem to be very thin to act as chassis frames, the instructions talk about making your own mechanism, these frames just have cut outs for the axles. There are also very thin one piece coupling rods. Neither seem to convey any sense of strength a chassis and rods need

 

 

Neither of the above points are too concerning, in 7 mm scale I like milled coupling rods and looking at the Premier Components site they do a frame kit for this loco.

 

Recently I have bought a couple of larger can motors (Mashima & Cannon) plus some of the older style (unused) Slaters wheels, at reasonable prices, So in 7 mm terms I have a budget priced loco not requiring to many parts to be bought in

 

Please can anyone shed any light on this company, 

 

Constructional advice is most welcome

 

And before I go spending my money, are they any alternative suppliers for the frames and coupling rods

[Mike Bellamy]

 

 

Please can anyone shed any light on this company, 

 

 

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Roger Crumblehome trades as Alphagraphix. Details from UK ModelShops here

http://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/suppliers/40106-Alphagraphix

 

I seem to recall that Roy Pooley exhibited at the Derby show with the SNCF Society perhaps 15 years ago.

 

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[hayfield]

Mike thanks for that bit of info, certainly not seen any etched loco kits on the Alphagraphix stand, though if of Irish prototypes may have missed them, in the instructions of the kit it mentions chassis kits will be on a future agenda. Still should make an interesting little build 

[Poor Old Bruce]

At the York show at Easter, I asked four people how they separated the bits from etched frets. I got four different answers of course:

 

1 - Attack the fret with jewellers tin snips and fine wire cutters.

 

2 - Stanley knife on a cutting mat.

 

3 - Dig a scalpel with 10A blade into a piece of softwood and bring the handle down (as playing a one-arm bandit) across the tab.

 

4 - Using a large curved scalpel blade with a sawing action on a hard plastic base. I suppose you could use some sort of kitchen chopping board but you really need a smooth surface.

 

A piercing saw was also mentioned by two folks as a last resort.

 

In all cases you will need needle files and/or emery sticks to finish off the cut.

 

You pays yer money and takes yer choice!

[hayfield]

Thanks for the tips

 

The trick I believe is not to distort the piece you want, I use a curve blade on to a piece of hard (furniture grade) ply wood. Coachman in another thread suggested soldering strengthening pieces to stop distortion before cutting out

[Mike Bellamy]

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From a topic on Narrow Gauge Railway Modelling Online, I have just spotted an email address for contact with Alphagraphix. From memory there are four or five etched loco kits available in 7mm.

 

Try sirberkeley@hotmail.com

 

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[Michael Edge]

At the York show at Easter, I asked four people how they separated the bits from etched frets. I got four different answers of course:

 

1 - Attack the fret with jewellers tin snips and fine wire cutters.

 

2 - Stanley knife on a cutting mat.

 

3 - Dig a scalpel with 10A blade into a piece of softwood and bring the handle down (as playing a one-arm bandit) across the tab.

 

4 - Using a large curved scalpel blade with a sawing action on a hard plastic base. I suppose you could use some sort of kitchen chopping board but you really need a smooth surface.

 

A piercing saw was also mentioned by two folks as a last resort.

 

In all cases you will need needle files and/or emery sticks to finish off the cut.

 

You pays yer money and takes yer choice!

You didn't ask me or you would have had five, I would have shown you how to do it quickly and easily with gunships - and with no distortion. It does help if the kit designer thought about how it could be done when designing the etch though.

[PhilMortimer]

Gunships? Pray, do tell!!!

[LBRJ]

Gunships? Pray, do tell!!!

 

Tinsnips maybe?

[PhilMortimer]

That’s what I was thinking, but gunships sounded rather more interesting!

[Father Dougal]

That’s what I was thinking, but gunships sounded rather more interesting!

Like these?

 

 

Dougal

[Michael Edge]

I must pay more attention to what the idiot spellchecker is doing.

[Poor Old Bruce]

Like these?

 

image.jpeg

 

Dougal

 

Do those guys do it without distorting the piece (or disturbing the peace)?