micknich2003 Posted September 12, 2011 Author Share Posted September 12, 2011 Many thanks to you all for your kind comments, the model is not yet finished and still need a fair amount of tidying up etc. Ref to straight wire etc. I used 0.3mm nickel silver which by chance I found on my bench, it is far superior to brass. Does anyone please know of a source? Mick. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 0.31mm Nickel silver wire at Eileens emporium If you click on the above link Mick it should take you to what you need. I got some 0.4 NS for experimenting with my 7mm sigs. it's definately harder than the brass! JF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micklner Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 Mick How do you form the connecting bends . I have had a nightmare due to the tight spaces even with brass wire. Either the wire snaps or the arm hole breaks away. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micknich2003 Posted September 13, 2011 Author Share Posted September 13, 2011 Mick How do you form the connecting bends . I have had a nightmare due to the tight spaces even with brass wire. Either the wire snaps or the arm hole breaks away. Aneal the wire with either a lighted match or cig lighter and bend through 90o using fine nose pliers. If you are breaking either the wire crank or lever, I suggest you have a duff etch. The best answer is to always solder two together to form a double thickness. Mick. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micknich2003 Posted September 13, 2011 Author Share Posted September 13, 2011 0.31mm Nickel silver wire at Eileens emporium If you click on the above link Mick it should take you to what you need. I got some 0.4 NS for experimenting with my 7mm sigs. it's definately harder than the brass! JF Thanks John, twenty five quids worth on its way. Mick. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micklner Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 Thanks Mick never realised you could anneal nickel silver. Tried that with Brass wire and totally useless after it goes like a limp lettuce Re etches I was having problems even with two soldered together. The reason is the arms are etched too narrow once the hole is drilled through 0.3mm there is hardly any metal either side of the hole = some just fall to bits as soon as they are handled. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 Thanks Mick never realised you could anneal nickel silver. Tried that with Brass wire and totally useless after it goes like a limp lettuce Re etches I was having problems even with two soldered together. The reason is the arms are etched too narrow once the hole is drilled through 0.3mm there is hardly any metal either side of the hole = some just fall to bits as soon as they are handled. Mick, These MSE etches for NER and LNER balance levers can be drilled out but great care is required. I normally thin the etches to around 1 mm wide along the length of the balance lever and, like Mick, I normally sweat two etches together for both NER and LNER balance levers. The pivot hole, where the lever is mounted on the bracket casting is then reinforced with one of the tiny MSE washers on both sides of the lever. I then drill this pivot hole out to 0.5 mm for the balance lever spindle, which is 0.5 mm brass wire. Mick may even drill his out to 0.6 mm for the pivot. Where a new hole needs to be drilled, and I re-drill both NER and LNER balance levers to achieve a much closer spacing between the pivot and the rod down to the linkage, then I normally pop mark the position of the hole on the lever with a compass point, under a magnifying glass to ensure it is central, then carefully drill them out 0.3 mm using a pin chuck and proceeding very slowly. As ever, a photo shows this better; these are NER balance levers, though the intermediate hole, between the second and third holes from the left, still have to be drilled. Cheers Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micklner Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 Washers are a good idea thanks. I wish they were etched from Nickel silver , hopefully they would be stronger. I have even had the "eye" on the signal do the same thing. Brass isnt upto the job IMHO Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micknich2003 Posted September 14, 2011 Author Share Posted September 14, 2011 The signal is now more or less finished, though I may add a line arm and dummy battery box to represent the Distant arm repeater circuit. My next job is to make the background/set piece more presentable, after many years of storage I heve just raked it out of the roof. Best Wishes, Mick. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micknich2003 Posted September 14, 2011 Author Share Posted September 14, 2011 Attached a possibly better view of the signal, and now against a plain background. Mick. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micknich2003 Posted September 15, 2011 Author Share Posted September 15, 2011 Final shot, an outside view. Mick. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micknich2003 Posted September 15, 2011 Author Share Posted September 15, 2011 "Micklner likes this", thanks for the compliment, it owes more to "Fuji" than me. Best Wishes, Mick. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micknich2003 Posted September 20, 2011 Author Share Posted September 20, 2011 Following on from "MickLNER" and Mike Meg's discusion on "Balance Levers" I decided to have a go at making an "Home Brewed" version. In all there are nine individual parts and all soldered. Many years ago, when I was a proper signalman and pulling levers, I took the oportunity to measure up and photograph the real thing. The attached photo is by no means the best, the actual part is 14mm in length. My next move will be to make an accurate drilling jig. Mick. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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