iL Dottore Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 In addition to my other "stop-go" projects in hand at the moment, as a bit of light relief I have started another PC Kits Toplight (and my thanks to ChrisF for - ahem - "sourcing" the model for me). I have just completed the plasticard interior and floor and will post pictures tonight. I'll do a step-by-step account so that anyone contemplating a PC Kits coach (and they do scrub up nice) can learn from my mistakes F Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
br-nse-fan Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 Looking forward to this! I just 'sourced' a couple PC coach kits myself. Having never built one, a step by step will be of immense help! Thanks in advance! Derek Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kandc_au Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Looking forward to this! I just 'sourced' a couple PC coach kits myself. Having never built one, a step by step will be of immense help! Thanks in advance! Derek That'll make two of us watching and learning Khris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iL Dottore Posted August 11, 2011 Author Share Posted August 11, 2011 My first PC Kits (PCK) coach was a GWR Toplight, which I had bought for a fiver at ExpoEM in 2010 (and the end result is posted in this forum). I was quite pleased with the result, despite a number of FUBARs on my side. So when I had a chance to grab hold of an unbuilt PCK GWR Composite (courtesy of ChrisF), I jumped at the chance... I now have 4 unbuilt PCK coaches: 2 complete, 1 partial and one complete with the wrong sides packaged (a GWR Slip Coach, but with composite sides). The kits vary in design, some (presumably early) kits have white metal parts, vacuum formed seats and roof, turned metal wheels, buffers and buffer housings, metal internal tumblehomes (more of which below) and printed plasticard for flooring, ceiling, footboards and solebars (leaving handrail wire, rains strips to be separately sourced) and printed acetate slides. Some transfers are provided. Other (presumably later) kits have etched brass components and in at least one case a preformed metal roof. Whilst it is true that the printed acetate does not have any deep relief, this is a minor point as the method used to print on the acetate does provide some 3D relief, although admittedly slight. On to construction: in the accompanying photos you will see that I have [a] cut out the floor and solebars from the printed plastic, added the footboards (from strip, as the results are better than cutting them from the printed plasticard, [c] cut out and mounted the internal partitions [d] added the white metal ends and [e] added the aluminium (?) internal tumblehomes. Notes: [a] I cut to the outside of the black line on the printed plasticard and then by careful sanding ensured that the width of the plastic floor matched the width of the white metal ends. Although the footboards are marked out on the printed plasticard, I wasn’t happy with results of using them on the first PCK toplight I built. I therefore used some ready cut evergreen plastic strip of the right width for a neater finish. I used a steel ruler to ensure that the footboards were glued at the right height. [c] With my first PCK Toplight, I cut out the partitions individually, which was a BIG mistake, This time I cut out the partitions as one strip (which ensures that the width of the partitions are consistent - very important) and then cut the strip into individual components. Any resulting variability is in the vertical and easier (and less critical) to remedy as minor variations in partition height can be quickly sanded back. [d] After cleaning up the casting to take the turned brass (?) buffer shanks and then gluing in the shanks, I then added the white metal ends to the floor using an epoxy adhesive, which allowed me to make minor adjustments to the siting. Having already ensured a reasonably accurate flooring (see a above), the ends sat quite nicely in place. All I had to do was ensure the vertical alignment was maintained. You will note that, as nice as the end castings are, further details need to be added – more of which later... (d) The aluminium (internal) tumblehomes are key to ensuring that the end result looks good – they are the principal point of attachment for the acetate sides (more on which later). Again I used an epoxy adhesive, which gave me a little time to carefully manoeuvre the tumblehomes into place. Whilst awaiting everything to set, I then turned my attention to the seating; the vacuum formed seats are, quite frankly, rubbish and nowhere near the quality of the rest of the model, so I used some plastic GWR seating (and I forget from whom), cut to size and then trimmed to fit the compartments (resulting in left- and right-handed pieces). The photos show the cut and trimmed seating awaiting final cleanup This weekend I will paint and detail the interior and add authentic moquette! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium petethemole Posted August 11, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 11, 2011 I'll be following this as well; I have one to build and 4 s/h examples in need of refurbishment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iL Dottore Posted August 14, 2011 Author Share Posted August 14, 2011 A frustrating weekend for me with the PCK Toplight. The first coat of wood brown for the visible interior went on nicely, as did the first coat of matt black for the floor (adds an illusion of depth to the compartments - thanks to ChrisF for tip!) - see picture: The metal parts (ends, tumblehome wers not prepped as they will not be handled after assembly, but they will get another coat or two Unfortunately, my useful trick of printing out scaled down GWR Moquette onto thin paper and then glueing the paper to the seats did NOT work too well this time around... I used a laser printer so that I could soften the paper with a spot of water, but this was a mistake - as can be seen in this magnified picture of a first class seat in GWR Moquette. I'll probably remove the paper moquette (leave for a day or so in water), clean up and reapply with thinner paper. I think that the rolls of Moquette should also be larger. I also am wondring whether or not I should remove the "foot" of the seats, as I think that they sit too high in the carriage F Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbrummitt Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 I've managed to print onto rizlas successfully with an inkjet to make things such as wagon tarpaulins. I think this might be one possible answer for you. If you print the A4 then you can see where to stick the rizla onto the paper and it will print in the same place again. They are really flexible and can be stuck without too much fuss. You will get the odd one where the print carriage catches and creates a white line, but you can touch this in or try again. They are quite low cost. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iL Dottore Posted August 17, 2011 Author Share Posted August 17, 2011 Thanks for the tip on Rizlas, richbrummitt, unfortunately Rizla papers don't seem so easy to come by here and I haven't noticed people smoking their own roll-ups, perhaps one of the local tobacco and cigar shops might supply... However, as I have access to a colour laser printer, I was thinking of trying out making rolls of moquette on DIY transfer paper. The laser printer should obviate the need for protective sprays and the thin transfer, together with use of microsol and microset, should ensure close adherence to the seat contours. I'll keep you posted on progress. F Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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