What has The Johnster bought?

[CEINEWYDD]

Couple of comments folks.......I have now had a think about the "jig" issue.  The answer is so blindingly obvious I can't believe I have been mulling this over for years and have not spotted it.  And yes it involves hacking up a perfectly good unused kit side.  The obvious candidate for GWR being a Comet side with lots of doors and a brake end - preferably with hole for door handle and grab handles already etched . (E129 E147 ?)  A reason for using E129/E147 is that these have holes for the additional handles for the Guards and Van doors already etched. They also retail from Wizard models at about £10.50 a pair, which I think is a bargain.  

 

Most, hopefully all, GWR coaches used standard sized doors with handles in identical positions.  Soldering 'L' shaped brass section into the windows of the donor/sacrificial side to provide a constant fixed position against the victim side : And 'U'  shaped section at the top to slip over the victim (won't work with Westdale for obvious reasons) . Mark and drill any additional holes (door bump stops, door hinges). Then slice off a wide enough section of the donor coach as suggested by Darwinian above, and use the resulting template to drill holes in  the victim side in rapid succession.  One advantage of using a non corridor coach side is that Comet supply these in pairs, and having  - with luck- produced the aforementioned jig, a test run against the second side can be carried out. 

 OK, I may well end up with handles and hinges in marginally the wrong place on various sides , but a) I have about 30 or so kits to make, so speeding up the process will help, and b) have you ever looked at photos of rakes of GWR coaches?  No consistency at all in styles or types. 

 

I suspect that BSL and Westdale might have marginally different dimensioned windows from Comet, so different jigs for these types. 

 

Has anyone tried this approach, or any potential defects that they can see?  All suggestions, constructive preferably but not solely, will be appreciated.

 

p.s. Some time ago I used some two part Epoxy resin sold in the middle aisle of a well known discount supermarket which was sold as '5 Minute' rapid.  It set rock hard in 5 minutes, so no time to adjust anything. at all.  Otherwise perfect.   

 

 

       

[Steamport Southport]

Don't Comet still sell the jig? 

 

You get them included in the kits.

 

https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/shop/carriage/c26/

 

I would keep the Comet sides and bin the BSL/Westdale/whatever if it came down to it....

 

 

 

Jason

[CEINEWYDD]

I've got 30+ existing BSL/westdale kits so that another £300 .  Also it only seems to be a jig for end detail and possibly door hinge positions.