Kev's 7mm Workbench (Scorpio M2 Shunter's Truck)

[N15class]

That is looking very smart. You must be pleased with the way it is turnout.

[georgeT]

 Hello Kev, l must agree with Peter, a super job well done.

 

George

[Rob Pulham]

Lovely job Kev!

 

What was wrong with the wooden seating?

 

I ask as I am sure that one of the Sidelines coaches that I have in my stash has wooden sections for cutting up for the seats.

[Kev_Lewis]

Thanks for all of your kind words gents.

 

What was wrong with the wooden seating?

 

The wooden seating was a bit too square and chunky for my liking and it just wouldn't take paint. I couldn't get enamel or acrylic to give decent coverage on it.

[Kev_Lewis]

Not a huge amount happening on my workbench lately. I've just been fiddling with a few bits.

 

One thing that may be of interest is the work I've been doing on my Lionheart 74XX, which can be found here:

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/77918-back-dating-a-lionheart-74xx-pannier-tank/

[kada33]

Thanks for all of your kind words gents.

 

 

The wooden seating was a bit too square and chunky for my liking and it just wouldn't take paint. I couldn't get enamel or acrylic to give decent coverage on it.

Hi Kev

 

Can I ask how you created your hyper links at the bottom of the page e.g. My 7mm Blog etc.

 

Dave

[Kev_Lewis]

Hi Kev

 

Can I ask how you created your hyper links at the bottom of the page e.g. My 7mm Blog etc.

 

Dave

 

I'll do my best to explain it Dave, It took me a few goes and HMTL code is not my strong point.

 

If you go to your profile and edit your signature.

Cut and paste the required links into the text box.

Now you may notice on the top left of the format bar at the top of the text box is what looks light a light switch.

Clicking on this toggles between displaying the code or not.

You need to edit the code so that rather than showing an abbreviation of the link eg: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/51710-kevs-7mm-workbench/?p=604213 it show a different description: My Workbench

 

Hope this helps.

 

Or a post here might find someone who can explain it better.

[kada33]

 

I'll do my best to explain it Dave, It took me a few goes and HMTL code is not my strong point.

 

If you go to your profile and edit your signature.

Cut and paste the required links into the text box.

Now you may notice on the top left of the format bar at the top of the text box is what looks light a light switch.

Clicking on this toggles between displaying the code or not.

You need to edit the code so that rather than showing an abbreviation of the link eg: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/51710-kevs-7mm-workbench/?p=604213 it show a different description: My Workbench

 

Hope this helps.

 

Or a post here might find someone who can explain it better.

Hi Kev

 

When you toggle the switch it show two sets of code! which one do I replace with my text. I think I've cracked it now thanks for your help Kev.

 

Dave

[Kev_Lewis]

Hi Kev

 

When you toggle the switch it show two sets of code! which one do I replace with my text. I think I've cracked it now thanks for your help Kev.

 

Dave

Looks like you've got it sorted Dave.

 

Lots for me to explore!

[Kev_Lewis]

Evening all,

 

There's not been a huge amount happening on my workbench of late. Just a few re-paints a bit and pieces.

 

However, after picking up some wheels at Reading last Saturday I decided to build the last BR period kit I have: a JLTRT BR Banana Van.

 

[N15class]

It looks good. I keep meaning to have a go at their fruit van. 

[Kev_Lewis]

Thanks Pete.

 

Do you mean their Fruit D?

 

I sold my WEP Fruit D on eBay last month because it was going to be a bit of a faff to re-spray it GWR brown and at Reading I picked up two JLTRT Fruit D kits. So far I've only gotten around to photographing and checking the contents of one of the kits. Hopefully progress will be forthcoming over the next few days. Looking at it, the resin body and chassis should save me about eight hours work over a brass kit. I will have to see how I get on with the buffers. On the BR vans they're nigh on impossible spring because the heads are too big for the bodies and I usually force them in solid. As I'm not going keeping the Banana Van I'm not worried, but I may have to source replacements for the Fruit D. Both the BR vans and the Fruit D also have the pre cast holes/marks for the buffers too close together, so that's something else to watch out for.

[Kenton]

 

the resin body and chassis should save me about eight hours work over a brass kit.

Shame, that's eight hours lost of pure achievement and satisfaction in a crisp and detailed kit for the dubious speed of gluing lumps of resin together. No contest, give me brass every time. Why was the repaint going to be so difficult, simply strip it down and start over - it is always easier the second time.

[Kev_Lewis]

JLTRT GWR Fruit D Part 1.

 

I've not had chance tonight to make a start on this, so to begin with here's what you get in the kit.

 

Resin Castings.

 

Brass Castings. Including screw couplings.

 

Whitemetal Castings.

 

And of course you need to purchase wheels separately. These are nice turned wheels from Peartree Engineering: http://www.modelrailwayparts.com/

 

All the parts are of excellent quality and should require only the minimum of cleaning up. I'm looking forward to starting this over the weekend.

 

 

 

 

 

[N15class]

As you say it looks all nice and clean and fairly flash free.

[TimC]

Nice Kev! Check the buffer centres on the Fruit D, you may find they need widening - fine to do at an early stage but a bit of a pain if you get the thing painted and then find out.......

[Kev_Lewis]

Nice Kev! Check the buffer centres on the Fruit D, you may find they need widening - fine to do at an early stage but a bit of a pain if you get the thing painted and then find out.......

 

Hi Tim,

 

Yes, I noticed the buffers were too close together when I was giving the body casting the once over. The JLTRT BR 12ton vans have the same issue, but their 8 plank open wagons don't. Very strange indeed!

[Kev_Lewis]

Fruit D Part 2.

 

Today, I made a good start on the Fruit D.

 

I decided to start with the buffers and try to get them spaced correctly. First job was to clean up the buffer body castings, which was pretty simple and the buffer heads even fit them nicely. Very nice castings indeed.

 

 

Here's the problem I faced. The pencil marks are where the holes for the buffer castings should be.

 

 

A bit of work with a round file and the holes are in the right place.

 

 

Slight alteration was also required to the rear of the solebars to all the buffers to be sprung. Here's the before photo.

 

 

And after being attacked by a file and the dremel.

 

 

And a couple of different angles with the buffer bodies glued in place. One end of the chassis casting had two slots filed into it to allow the rear of the buffer bodies to clear the chassis for removal.

 

 

 

Just the door catches, roof vents and lamp brackets to add and the body is done. Ta da!

 

 

I'd better get the instructions out to see how the chassis is assembled. I've not used them yet!

[Kenton]

 

Here's the problem I faced. The pencil marks are where the holes for the buffer castings should be.

 

Am I the only one to find that sort of large error in kit design - along with the knock on problems with the underframe, to be truly unbelievable in this kit? At a premium price this is unacceptable and the molds should have been destroyed and reworked. These kits generally have a good reputation but this kit just gives the range a bad name.

 

It is nice to see your resolution to the error in design, but the modeller should not have to be aware of the error and then have to resort to fixing it.

[Kev_Lewis]

Kenton,

 

As I mentioned above it's also an issue with their BR 12ton vans, but not their 8 plank open. Perhaps I will have to e-mail them some of the above photo's.

 

But is there such a thing as a perfect kit? (Might be a good topic for a thread?)

[Kev_Lewis]

Fruit D Part 3.

 

And then there were two! I decided to do the body for the second one while I was in modifying mode.

[Kev_Lewis]

Fruit D Part 4.

 

For some reason I can't add photo's to the relevant part of the post. I think this is an issue with the newly installed IE11. So I'll do my best.

 

The kit goes together very easily. The W irons and trusses all fit into nice slots in the cast chassis. The first photo show's these parts and the leaf springs glued in place. The axleboxes required a little fettling to get them to slide nicely in the W irons. The bearings are a nice push fit into the axleboxes and the second photo shows the wheelsets (from Peartree Engineering) dropped in.

 

The laser cut tie bar is then glued in place to keep the axleboxes in the w irons. This could be left off to allow the wheels to be removed before painting, but I don't mind cleaning the paint from the wheel rims.

 

Lastly, I also caught up the second kit to the same stage and they look quite good posed together on my test track.

 

[Kev_Lewis]

Fruit D Part 5.

 

Tonight I have completed the under chassis detail on the Fruit D. First up was adding the big bits; dynamo, battery box and brake cylinder. All were easily located in the correct places with cast lugs.

 

 

Next the V hangers two on each side. A bit of care is required to pair them up with their respective section of bracing, but they are all marked.

 

 

 

Next the brake shoes/push rods. I substituted the plastic rod supplied for a piece of 1.2mm brass rod. The plastic rod is a larger diameter and I was worried opening out the holes in the cranks on the push rods so much would probably damage them. Plus the brass is a lot less likely to be damaged. I also enlarged the locating holes for the brake shoes (and the brake loops. See later) to 1.3mm and everything went together nicely.

 

Dynamo end.

 

T'other end.

 

And finally  the brake loops added.

 

 

Tomorrow there's all the solebar details to add, which includes all the foot steps.

[Kenton]

 

But is there such a thing as a perfect kit?

Probably not in everyone's eyes. But, there should be a certain basic requirement to get all the bits and for them to fit together, to make a basically correct model. I just find such an error - presumably the holes for the buffer had to be measured and placed on the drawing - to be totally unacceptable.

 

For me, I just wonder how many folk have purchased these kits and built them with the belief that they were correct only to be disappointed.

[steve fay]

The fruit Ds look lovely Kev, I must get one, I picked one up for my dad a few years back at Telford.

I'd rather build the JLTRT with a little modifying as plastic kits don't bother me, I don't have the skills to assemble brass kits.