Sandy Harper Posted February 2, 2014 Author Share Posted February 2, 2014 How do Mate The axles line up correctly in the outside frame cutouts so I suspect that the front splasher sides, which bend up from the footplate, are located about 1mm too far forward. I only need to raise the footplate by about the thickness of a piece of scrap etch, about .018thou, to obtain the necessary clearance so the discrepancy will not be obvious. Sandy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy Harper Posted February 4, 2014 Author Share Posted February 4, 2014 The firebox is a very easy unit to assemble although I refrained from the advice to anneal it before bending. I followed the instructions as to the method and used my Metalsith bender to produce the top shoulder bend and then eased the gentle bend with my fingers and a large diameter bar. It is easy to get the right shape using the front and rear formers. Having soldered up the seams I then melted a lump of white metal along the top inside seam and allowed the molten metal to run down the two front sides so that I could file the rounded shape to the front of the firebox. Next, the boiler etch edges were cleaned up and, the already rolled boiler, held with twists of copper electrical cable and the seam soldered up and cleaned up. The internal rear spacer was added using a nut and bolt to assist with manoeuvring into the correct location. The completed units are held together with nuts and bolts, via the end spacers, and test fitted to the cab front and footplate. Everything appears to be square and in the right place so I will move on the smoke box now. Regards Sandy 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barnaby Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 (edited) I like it when a plan comes together, beautiful work Sandy. I've only done a little solder work mainly on a connoisseur Loriot M waggon and several motor bogie drive plates. Maybe we should all vote for a starter loco kit when chosen you get one and do a weekly how to of each part of the build and we follow. That's probably the only way I'd feel confident enough to try brass loco kit building as my 4mm MMP kit had me struggling. OR Just had a very nice 'phone conversation with Jim of Connoisseur models full of help and advice so I may brave the Brass loco kit build and jump in but I have some other bits to purchase first.. Regards Edited February 4, 2014 by Barnaby Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy Harper Posted February 4, 2014 Author Share Posted February 4, 2014 Thanks Barnaby your kind comments are appreciated. Soldering is just a skill that anyone can learn, like riding a bike. You need to fall off a few times before you remain upright. Give it a go. It is not as difficult as it sounds. Having listened to, read, and given out advice on soldering, I think the best I can do now is to suggest you buy a cooks gas torch (about £10) and if the soldering goes wrong, melt it all down back into its component parts, clean up, and try again. It is the best way to learn. The Smoke box consists of 4 layers of brass attached to the front of the boiler tube. Today I attached 3 of them leaving the final half etched wrapper to add later. I treated each layer separately by tinning the inside front and rear of the layer with solder and locating it by using a pin through the chimney hole to locate them. Copper wire was then used to tighten the layer and hold it in position before applying flux and solder around each end. I repeated the above for the other two layers. Regards Sandy 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portchullin Tatty Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 (edited) Wrong green again Sandy.................... Looks good though. Edited February 4, 2014 by Portchullin Tatty Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy Harper Posted February 4, 2014 Author Share Posted February 4, 2014 Sorry Mark!! Sandy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy Harper Posted February 9, 2014 Author Share Posted February 9, 2014 Started on the detailing. The boiler fittings are only placed at the moment but they are all of good quality and fit! Sandy 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy Harper Posted February 28, 2014 Author Share Posted February 28, 2014 I got a bot sidetracked from the Dukedog into lining an ex Midland P2 for a friend I did manage to start throwing paint at it though. The otherside of the tender had a big paint run on it and has been rubbed back down to the primer ready for another coat of green. The paint is Precision GWR green (gloss) and the black is Humbrol Satin black thinned with Humbrol enamel thinners. The new batch of this paint is rubbish compared to the older stuff and can dry very patchy but the thinners give a more acceptable finish. Once the varnish is on it should all blend in ok. Cheers Sandy 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
N15class Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 They both look very good. It is not to bad having the run on the flat side of the tender when it happens to me it is always over a load of detail that makes rubbing back difficult. Is the Dukedog going to be lined? I have not used the latest Humbrol, but I changed to Precision satin black whist they were being poorly made in the far east. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev_Lewis Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 The Dukedog is superb. Fantastic work Sandy. I'm really going to have to get around to building one for myself. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy Harper Posted March 1, 2014 Author Share Posted March 1, 2014 Hi Peter The paint run was not a big issue. As you say, no detail to worry about. I am not a GWR expert but I don't think Dukedogs were ever lined, unless BR gave them Mixed traffic lining? This one will be in plain green with the shirt button on the tender I think I will need to change over to precision too!! Hi Kev Thanks for the nice comments. Take the plunge, you will enjoy it! Kind regards Sandy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev_Lewis Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Hi Kev Thanks for the nice comments. Take the plunge, you will enjoy it! Kind regards Sandy Just giving credit where it's due. There's a bit of a queue for the workbench at present: A trio of 14xx's, a 94xx pannier tank and a Saint. And there's the track for my layout. So maybe in three or four years I'll get around to building one. The Dukedog does look wonderfully archaic. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaScala Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 I got a bot sidetracked from the Dukedog into lining an ex Midland P2 for a friend P1060946.JPG I did manage to start throwing paint at it though. The otherside of the tender had a big paint run on it and has been rubbed back down to the primer ready for another coat of green. The paint is Precision GWR green (gloss) and the black is Humbrol Satin black thinned with Humbrol enamel thinners. The new batch of this paint is rubbish compared to the older stuff and can dry very patchy but the thinners give a more acceptable finish. Once the varnish is on it should all blend in ok. P1060947.JPG Cheers Sandy Looks terrific Sandy, please show us more of the DD. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy Harper Posted March 1, 2014 Author Share Posted March 1, 2014 (edited) Just giving credit where it's due. There's a bit of a queue for the workbench at present: A trio of 14xx's, a 94xx pannier tank and a Saint. And there's the track for my layout. So maybe in three or four years I'll get around to building one. The Dukedog does look wonderfully archaic. Ouch! And I thought my list was long!! Another Adams radial, Chassis for a 4-6-0 County, 517, another P2, another Dukedog, a Standard Class 4. The list never gets any shorter but I wouldn't have it any other way. Sandy Edited March 1, 2014 by Sandy Harper Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy Harper Posted March 1, 2014 Author Share Posted March 1, 2014 Looks terrific Sandy, please show us more of the DD. I need to repaint the tender and mask it off for the black. Add the transfers, nameplates and varnish and I'll post some then. Sandy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
N15class Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 My stock list never gets any shorter, but then again I think I need to build some for that to happen. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy Harper Posted March 2, 2014 Author Share Posted March 2, 2014 My visit to Kettering yesterday didn't help the cause any!!!!! Sandy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev_Lewis Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 What did you purchase then, Sandy? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy Harper Posted March 2, 2014 Author Share Posted March 2, 2014 Strange you should ask! I did a calculation and I found that I spent £76. 1x tin of paint £3.50, Spare replacement filters for my spray booth and a pack of insulated washers £8.50, Pkt of Slaters asst. 3/16" washers £5, Pkt of heavy duty slitting discs £5, Sheet of HMRS transfers £16, a 18" wooden loco carry case £33 plus £5 to get in! I'll get the £33 back when I deliver the Dukedog but it is still £38 on a few bits!!! The addition to the kit pile is the Scorpio Standard class 4 that my friend bought, and will be coming my way! I have just finished building him a replacement JLTRT County chassis which he had had a go at himself. It would not run, and we concluded that he had used the Scale 7 spacers instead of the finescale options. As it turned out he hadn't. I used the smaller width spacers from the replacement kit etchings and, after erecting the frames and spacers AND removing 1mm from the 'top hat' of the axle bearings, as it states in the instructions, I was still just over 29mm between the outside faces of the bearings!! So, out with the torch and return the lot back to a pile of parts! I then removed .5mm from each side of each frame spacer before I could get a nominal 28mm between the outside faces of the bearings. I was not 'appy. The new chassis now runs well and will soon be reunited with its top half, which is already built. Sandy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy Harper Posted March 4, 2014 Author Share Posted March 4, 2014 This is the completed (new) chassis for the County Close up of the front driver springing I also took the opportunity to add a bracket to the cylinder assembly to make it removable and easier to remove and refit the front drivers This photo shows the difference in the chassis width. Both using the same f/s (supposedly ) spacers but 1mm removed from the left hand chassis spacers Lining of the P2 complete Sandy 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy Harper Posted March 4, 2014 Author Share Posted March 4, 2014 Whilst I as doing a bit of research on the details of the P2 lining I found this photograph of the actual engine! Sandy 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev_Lewis Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 The issue with the frame spacers is very odd. The distance between the frames is a pretty standard measurement. Your method of springing the axels (I think Jazz uses the same method) is wonderfully simple. I was going to use sprung hornblocks on my 94XX but I may have to give this a try instead. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy Harper Posted March 4, 2014 Author Share Posted March 4, 2014 The issue with the frame spacers is very odd. The distance between the frames is a pretty standard measurement. Your method of springing the axels (I think Jazz uses the same method) is wonderfully simple. I was going to use sprung hornblocks on my 94XX but I may have to give this a try instead. Hi Kev As Jazz say's "Keep it simple" and it works. You only need a small amount of downward movement to keep the wheels on the track (Unless your track is really, really bad!!) As to the spacers, I found the same problem with the Roxy, Adams Radial. I have another one to build next, so we'll see how we get on!!!! Cheers Sandy 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
N15class Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 It does make you think when the chassis comes out too wide. Normally they are so narrow you need to morgage the hous to buy the packing washers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy Harper Posted March 4, 2014 Author Share Posted March 4, 2014 I delivered the chassis this afternoon and it was reunited with its body. It trundled around the owners layout in fine fettle. Sandy 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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