My workbench getting things finished 0395, O1, Class 23 and more

[Blandford1969]

Curious if anyone has any New Years modelling resolutions. Its no secret my mojo can at times be very dodgy and adding new blood pressure meds has pushed more to being more anxious and a bit more depressed (Oscar as my wife calls me) 

 

I have made progress in 2022 and am going to finish things in 2023. I don't know why but its easier to have lots of things on the go.  In no order and this shows how random my modelling is as its just a case of doing what I enjoy. 

 

My Branchlines O1 which has so far had a new brass footplate, new cab and now new spashers / lockers in the cab. Tomorrow its back to finish off the tender brake gear as the tender was not too bad. The onwards with the chassis. 

Yes I am mad enough to have scratchbuilt the drain cock mechanism. The steam reverser and then all the other boiler fittings are next to be fitted. 

 

At the same time as that I have been slowly rebuilding a DJH 0395, which will be long framed 30566. Again there is a new brass footplate and cab, all cut using the Eastleigh drawings. There is a new smokebox, smokebox front and splashers, the DJH ones will do for the middle. However here I have a gap to resolve as there is a difference in the DJH boiler / firebox, which is just placed on for now. The chassis has had major work and now needs front extensions adding to fill in the gap. The photo also illustrates the need to add a bottom onto the boiler.

Alongside that for fun is a scratchbuilt version of her sister 30567 with round spectacles and SECR boiler. The boiler is cut, rolled and now needs fitting once it is fettled to fit and the splasher tops are fitted. 

Those front steps also need a file back before the sandboxes are fitted

Then because I had an L&Y class 23 chassis kit in a load of parts got off Ebay a body has been slowly scratchbuilt. I was frustrated that an earlier photo showed the boiler/ smokebox combo was about 1mm too high so had to come off be filed and then refitted. Its looking better and next is the handrails round the smokebox before again going back to the chassis. 

Then the other one which is photographed is much slower progress which is a GW 97xx. The frames, tanks and cab/ bunker is made and the challenge hence being a slower burner is making the corners on the bunker. A first draft has been made (not rivetted) but I'm not happy as it has not got the curve I'm looking for. It is bent up from flat brass, which is probably a much harder way of doing it, but its what I wanted to do. Any ideas on how to get a better curve would really be appreciated as once the bunker corners are sorted then the whole cab / bunker section can be finished off and then its really onto the boiler / firebox.

My new years resolution is simple finish at least 2 of these next year. There are some more scratchbuilts progressing as well a K10,, L11 and L&Y class 25, but they are not photographed, or have in the photos showed issues I need to resolve and you would realise I must be mad! 

 

Happy new year from me and thanks to those who run this brilliant forum for us (I've not been drinking.... yet) 

Duncan

 

Edited January 7, 2023 by Blandford1969
Altering title

[Kris]

Have a look at this thread I started this morning for more resolutions. Your's are good ones.

[37Oban]

I only have one resolution, which is never to make resolutions!  It's one resolution that is easy to keep!

 

Roja

[Nick Lawson]

Prompted by your question, and catching myself in time this morning, my resolution is now "be less OCD this year". Feeling good about improving a kit under construction is one thing. However, if the kit is at the "sow's ear" end of the spectrum, it is never going to make it to the "silk purse" end. I have just been drilling out a solid chimney and safety valve bonnet (fair enough) but then looked at the monstrously oversized "pressure gauge" on the inside of the cab front and wondered about hacking it off and replacing with something smaller (borderline). I then noticed the cab windows are too big and too far apart and in no time was considering pruning off the cab front from around the backhead and making a new one. (Woah there!). This is an old whitemetal kit and it is what it is. Adapting the Irish saying: "If you want to get to a really nice, correctly detailed model, you don't want to start from here!

 

Happy New Year y'all!

[Blandford1969]

8 hours ago, Nick Lawson said:

. Feeling good about improving a kit under construction is one thing. However, if the kit is at the "sow's ear" end of the spectrum, it is never going to make it to the "silk purse" end.

Yes, so recognise this with the 0395 you improve one thing and notice another and gradually you end up (or at least in my case) moving more towards scratch building.  The OCD thing though does slow things down massively. 

[Blandford1969]

Being busy with work this week has meant not much progress. However today saw a bit of progress. The best way to cure the gap at the cab end by the spashers was to fill in the hole and then redress to fit. Taking the tender top which has been replaced, two pieces were cut and soldered with low melt solder. Although the first one melted before going on and had to be redone. This can now be filled and dressed.

I was not happy in reusing the white metal splashers so two new ones have been cut from brass and will be soldered on all being well at some point tomorrow. 

Attention has turned as well to making the chassis look a little less like two slabs of brass. There was enough to be able to cut using a piercing saw. Then built myself new ashpans from brass and soldered on along with the fitting to hold the injectors. Finally brake hangers have also been added. Next will be frame extensions out of brass to be added to the underside of the body before the boiler goes on. The springs were quickly cobbled together using brass and brass offcuts. 

 

Hopefully more next week.

 

 

 

 

[Blandford1969]

No progress this week due to failure of the central heating last Tuesday and it is just too cold to do anything apart from things that will bring warmth Ironing, cooking, running around with the hoover. Hopefully we will have it working again tomorrow and be back to it. 

[Blandford1969]

Brrr , well instead of a nice warm house the boiler was condemned and the new one will not be fitted till next Thursday. Its enough to try and stay warm!