chaz Posted November 13, 2015 Author Share Posted November 13, 2015 I am sure it will Chaz. Rod I find building wagon kits is always a good cure for modeller's block. Plastic kits are especially good as they can be finished quickly before the onset of another bout of block or boredom. Chris Yes, it does seem to do the trick - although the amount of work involved in putting a Slater's kit together can be a little trying. Did they really have to attach the parts to the sprues with quite so many tabs? Chaz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted November 13, 2015 Author Share Posted November 13, 2015 Been experiencing that [modellers block] myself just of late but a little bit of brass wagon building seems to have been the right spark to re-ignite me. Glad to see I'm not the only one who gets Modellers block. Need to de-struct the point control system recently installed and con-structit with the Megapoints system recently purchased. Both work through my Lenz control and both use servos to move the points, but the Megapoints appeals more to me and it has pcbs for route control, planning and display. That's the next job. I do like brass wagon kits myself Barnaby. This batch of four I'm tackling now are plastic, although as usual there a number of brass castings in the Slater's kit - they look nice when finished but can take a while to fettle. All the points on Dock Green are worked by Tortoises and operated by changeover switches so no question of linking them to the DCC. I have a batch of servos which were originally on Dock Green - they may well be installed on the FVRR when I get round to making some switches. Not sure yet but I have some MERG control boards which can be used to work servos from the DCC. It's quite a neat way to work the switches but maybe a bit OTT for what is supposed to be a slightly down-at-heel US NG line? Chaz 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barnaby Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Chaz have a look at this post on the forum there's some very neat and classy modeling, it's titled A GROUND FRAME FOR A PLANK.http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/104582-a-ground-frame-for-a-plank/&do=findComment&comment=2089347 Best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted November 14, 2015 Author Share Posted November 14, 2015 Chaz have a look at this post on the forum there's some very neat and classy modeling, it's titled A GROUND FRAME FOR A PLANK. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/104582-a-ground-frame-for-a-plank/&do=findComment&comment=2089347 Best Yes, certainly a very different approach. I know a little about PICs (a very little) having been involved in teaching simple programming of them at the end of my teaching career. I wouldn't myself advocate the use of resin-cored electrical solder with brass. Chaz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted November 14, 2015 Author Share Posted November 14, 2015 I needed some gloss white for the insulated van. I will use gloss paint so that I can put waterslide transfers on. Once these are on a spray of Dullcote and then weathering. I found a very old tin of Humbrol #22 - gloss white. Prising the lid off I was surprised to find it was still liquid, but all the pigment had settled - it needed a good stir. Paint pot held securely in a machine vice. Thick wire formed into a stirrer Pillar drill on lowest speed Stirrer wire submerged in paint before turning on Machine turned off before stirrer withdrawn The clamp I wanted the paint pot to be held very securely - the mess if a pot came loose during stirring doesn't bare thinking about. Having stirred the paint for a few minutes it was quite usuable. Chaz 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeatherKay Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 I wish that some of Humbrol's recent offerings would be useable when brand new! As for resin cored electrical solder, it's what I've always used for the basic brass construction. I do use a flux with it, and can say I've never had a problem with anything falling apart. Yes, some cleaning up is required to get rid of excess resin that doesn't get burnt off when making the joint, but if you do it properly this is minimal. Lower melting point solders from the likes of Carrs/C&L are used for detail work. Oh, and you can't use electrical solder on whitemetal. But we all know that, don't we! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted November 14, 2015 Author Share Posted November 14, 2015 I wish that some of Humbrol's recent offerings would be useable when brand new! As for resin cored electrical solder, it's what I've always used for the basic brass construction. I do use a flux with it, and can say I've never had a problem with anything falling apart. Yes, some cleaning up is required to get rid of excess resin that doesn't get burnt off when making the joint, but if you do it properly this is minimal. Lower melting point solders from the likes of Carrs/C&L are used for detail work. Oh, and you can't use electrical solder on whitemetal. But we all know that, don't we! I wish that some of Humbrol's recent offerings would be useable when brand new! You may have noticed the marking on the tin - "made in England" As for resin cored electrical solder, it's what I've always used for the basic brass construction. Yes, I'm sure it works fine, but it does have a much higher melting point than our specialist solders, which can make it more difficult to use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeatherKay Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 but it does have a much higher melting point than our specialist solders, which can make it more difficult to use. True enough. You can't beat a good quality soldering iron - preferably temperature controlled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted November 14, 2015 Author Share Posted November 14, 2015 True enough. You can't beat a good quality soldering iron - preferably temperature controlled. My vote is still for 145 solder and a liquid flux (phosphoric acid type) - flows beautifully and is more than strong enough for most applications. Most of my recent work with brass has been done with an Antex 25W iron. Small and handy - but probably useless if I were to use resin-cored solder? Still, as always, there is more than one way to do most jobs and we all find the methods that suit us. One of the strengths of a forum like this is that lots of different approaches are displayed. Advocates should not be adamant! Chaz 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 I wish that some of Humbrol's recent offerings would be useable when brand new! You may have noticed the marking on the tin - "made in England" As for resin cored electrical solder, it's what I've always used for the basic brass construction. Yes, I'm sure it works fine, but it does have a much higher melting point than our specialist solders, which can make it more difficult to use. One of my favourite model paints is the old Airfix M1 Brick Red, which has been out of production for decades. It is a superb colour that I use for brickork, rust and as an undercoat for signal, post office and other brighter shades of red. When I was stationed in Gibraltar with my regiment from 1981-83 I found a little shop tucked away in a narrow backstreet that sold toys and a very limited selection of models. On the shelves I found a box of 9 Airfix M1 tinlets along with several Airfix 00 wagon kits. I have three tins remaining and they are in perfect condition. They are at least 33 years old, but need only the normal amount of stirring before use, cover with only a very thin coat and always dry dead flat matt. They are made in England. I shall be sad when the last tin is exhausted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted November 14, 2015 Author Share Posted November 14, 2015 (edited) Yesterday I made some progress with the MOGO. Some time ago I bought a machined steel block and four very powerful magnets (I got them from Phil' of Hobby Holidays - a useful source of quite a lot of useful stuff). These are very useful for holding parts together at right angles - be they etched brass or plastic. Here I have fixed the van end of the MOGO to the steel block with two magnets. The piece of thin white card is packing as the back of the plastic end is not flat but has two raised strips down each side that might interfere with the setting. In the picture I am holding the floor against the end with my thumb. Both parts can be adjusted until the placing is just so and a brush load of solvent run along the joint from underneath. Once the joint is "welded" the assembly can be placed carefully on a block and left to harden. I added the weight to keep the floor flat on the block. The technique can be repeated for the other end or you could fit a side next as the instructions suggest. Here are the two sides. The bottom one is untouched and exhibits some flash. The other has been cleaned up. Whether you use a scalpel or other knife to cut, pare away or scrape the flash or use a fine file is a matter of personal preference. I must admit I use a combination of all of these. I prefer to slide a piece of brass wire right through all the brake gear parts - it makes the assembly much stronger - so I drill all the parts before assembly. This is very easy with this kit as all these parts have a centre mark which will guide the drill. I do this sort of drilling by hand with a pin chuck on a block of balsa. It's very easy to break such small drills or for them to wander in the plastic if you use a Dremel - I much prefer the greater control with a pin-chuck. Chaz Edited November 14, 2015 by chaz 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted November 14, 2015 Author Share Posted November 14, 2015 One of my favourite model paints is the old Airfix M1 Brick Red, which has been out of production for decades. It is a superb colour that I use for brickork, rust and as an undercoat for signal, post office and other brighter shades of red. Yep, I finished a tin of Airfix M1 Brick Red some time ago and now miss it. Good smooth paint and, as you say, a very useful colour. Are you planning a return to Gib' at all? Chaz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asa Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 That's a very good tip Chaz.I must get some magnets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted November 14, 2015 Author Share Posted November 14, 2015 That's a very good tip Chaz.I must get some magnets. The only problem with the magnets is that they have a very powerful attraction to each other. Take two off the stack of four and put them on the bench ready to use - if they are anywhere near each other they will leap at each other. Must be love! I had one in my palm and had another jump on to the back of the same hand. Chaz 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 Yep, I finished a tin of Airfix M1 Brick Red some time ago and now miss it. Good smooth paint and, as you say, a very useful colour. Are you planning a return to Gib' at all? Chaz We visited Gib in March for a weekend in search of some warmth and sunshine. We found both, but sadly the shop is long gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted November 15, 2015 Author Share Posted November 15, 2015 Well the therapy seems to have worked. A few hours yesterday separating parts and cutting tabs and flash off them for all four kits and this morning I will be off up into the roof later to do some work on the first batch of trees for the FVRR. I will also try to find an hour or two to do more work on the vans. Chaz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
railwayrod Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 Hi Chaz. Your system looks very interesting and it has given me some encouragement to use the same methods instead of relying on my eyesight. I think I might just purchase some of the blocks and have a go with my next wagon kit. Many thanks for the idea. Rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted November 17, 2015 Author Share Posted November 17, 2015 (edited) Hi Chaz. Your system looks very interesting and it has given me some encouragement to use the same methods instead of relying on my eyesight. I think I might just purchase some of the blocks and have a go with my next wagon kit. Many thanks for the idea. Rod I don't know where I got the idea from Rod (possibly Phil' at Hobby Holidays - he certainly sold me the block and magnets) but it is useful. Unless you want lots of kits on the go at once you only need one block - four magnets are useful though. It can be a bit fiddly to set up a joint on the block, particularly as the magnets want to leap into contact with anything steel - or indeed with another magnet, but it does give you the chance to do some fine adjustment of the relative positions of the parts before applying the solvent. The only downside I can see to using the arrangement with a brass kit is that the steel block becomes a substantial heatsink. Putting card packing between brass and steel should provide the necessary insulating barrier. Chaz Edited November 17, 2015 by chaz 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted November 21, 2015 Author Share Posted November 21, 2015 A day off from any modelling yesterday for some volunteer work up at Magdalen Common reserve near Winchester (Butterfly Conservancy). I was helping with scrub clearance, chopping up hawthorn and bramble and burning it. At the end of the day I realised how unfit I have become - so my new regime will include an hour long brisk walk to start the day. No chore this morning as the sun is out, although there is a challenging wind. Can I keep it up? Remains to be seen... --------------------------------------------------------------------- My intention for today is to do some work on the new wagons for Dock Green - report and snaps later. Chaz 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted November 21, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 21, 2015 A day off from any modelling yesterday for some volunteer work up at Magdalen Common reserve near Winchester (Butterfly Conservancy). I was helping with scrub clearance, chopping up hawthorn and bramble and burning it. At the end of the day I realised how unfit I have become - so my new regime will include an hour long brisk walk to start the day. No chore this morning as the sun is out, although there is a challenging wind. Can I keep it up? Remains to be seen... --------------------------------------------------------------------- My intention for today is to do some work on the new wagons for Dock Green - report and snaps later. Chaz Chaz my health regime is having two dogs. I am obliged to do two walks a day whatever the weather. Don 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted November 22, 2015 Author Share Posted November 22, 2015 Chaz my health regime is having two dogs. I am obliged to do two walks a day whatever the weather. Don We used to have a dog Don. We were both so upset when he died that we couldn't face going through that again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted November 22, 2015 Author Share Posted November 22, 2015 Some progress yesterday with the vans. The steel block and magnets in action again, on a Slater's Vanwide... This time I used four magnets to hold an end to the floor. again the block keeps the joint at a right angle and makes it easy to make fine adjustments to the position and keep them while the solvent is brushed into the joint. One problem I did have was the magnets grabbing the ferrule on the brush I was using as I tried to work it along the joint. It needed a very firm grip to keep it on line. The parts can be left to harden off and work done on another one of the kits... The body shell of the Parkside Mogo was much easier to complete with the two ends already firmly fixed. I prefer Parkside's approach to kit design. Having the axleguards and tie-rods already in place on the solebars makes assembly much quicker without compromising detail. Chaz 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted November 22, 2015 Author Share Posted November 22, 2015 Three more wagons that should be ready for our next show - in St Albans. I have applied the transfers to the insulated van and it now waits for a spray of Dullcote, some grime and couplings. The lowmac in the foreground just needs a load - I thought a large (tall) wooden crate that would need this wagon to stay inside the loading gauge. The tube wagon also needs a load and some couplings. The tube and the lowmac provide a bit more variety without being too unlikely - they will both run to and from the industrial estate (useful device to have this offstage - all manner of traffics can run up and down the incline). Chaz 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 Chaz The wagons look lovely, as we have come to expect... The lowmac, have you dry-brushed the rivets on the deck - they seem to stand out a bit (which is good) and I wondered how you did it? Thx Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great Western Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 Three more wagons that should be ready for our next show - in St Albans. I have applied the transfers to the insulated van and it now waits for a spray of Dullcote, some grime and couplings. The lowmac in the foreground just needs a load - I thought a large (tall) wooden crate that would need this wagon to stay inside the loading gauge. The tube wagon also needs a load and some couplings. The tube and the lowmac provide a bit more variety without being too unlikely - they will both run to and from the industrial estate (useful device to have this offstage - all manner of traffics can run up and down the incline). Chaz Hi Chaz, the well wagon..where did you get it from please ? Regards 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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