Sandy's Workbench 7mm Scale

[N15class]

Good luck with this. I do not know where his A3 comes from. But his V1/3 was from McGowen. With some of his mods. Not easy to to do, as some of his ideas just did not work.

[Sandy Harper]

Good luck with this. I do not know where his A3 comes from. But his V1/3 was from McGowen. With some of his mods. Not easy to to do, as some of his ideas just did not work.

Thanks Peter. I have seen one built up by a colleague and it appeared to go together well. You know I like a challenge!!!

Best regards

Sandy

[PAD]

Hi Sandy,

Now this is interesting. You don't see many Ace Kits documented on these forums (I wonder why?), and I've considered the A3 a few times but then backed away and gone for other options. It will be good to see how it goes together. Do you have pictures of the etchings that you could post?

Cheers,

Peter

[Barnaby]

You do seem to relish a challenge Sandy don't you mid you for me most Loco brass builds are a challenge. 

These days to speed build I go RTR there are some great models out there.  My skill set allows me to build some of the "plastic" loco kits like the JLTRT ones and the Tower 02 metal but all the bend, fold, solder brass is a bit too much for me.  That and because my build time is very slow I enjoy the running more rather than building.

Although, I have enjoyed very much building some of the simpler brass wagons from Connoisseur Models.  Jim is also a very helpful gent should you need to speak to him.

 

Watching your build and re-builds is most enjoyable as it does show what is achievable and in your case some magnificent models appear.

 

Following the A3 with interest.

 

Best

[Sandy Harper]

Hi Sandy,

Now this is interesting. You don't see many Ace Kits documented on these forums (I wonder why?), and I've considered the A3 a few times but then backed away and gone for other options. It will be good to see how it goes together. Do you have pictures of the etchings that you could post?

Cheers,

Peter

 

AS requested Peter.

 

The Chassis etches are missing, obviously!

 

Some close ups

 

Motion bracket bent up

 

Regards

Sandy

 

PS I have only just ordered the GN version of tender.

Edited July 26, 2017 by Sandy Harper

[Sandy Harper]

You do seem to relish a challenge Sandy don't you mid you for me most Loco brass builds are a challenge. 

These days to speed build I go RTR there are some great models out there.  My skill set allows me to build some of the "plastic" loco kits like the JLTRT ones and the Tower 02 metal but all the bend, fold, solder brass is a bit too much for me.  That and because my build time is very slow I enjoy the running more rather than building.

Although, I have enjoyed very much building some of the simpler brass wagons from Connoisseur Models.  Jim is also a very helpful gent should you need to speak to him.

 

Watching your build and re-builds is most enjoyable as it does show what is achievable and in your case some magnificent models appear.

 

Following the A3 with interest.

 

Best

Thanks Barnaby. I'm not beyond acquiring RTR myself ! Just bought an 08!!

 

Sandy

[N15class]

I always have the impression with Williams kits he gets the parts etched on different sheets then cuts out and boxes what he thinks you need. There's never complete sheets in the box.

[Horsetan]

I always have the impression with Williams kits he gets the parts etched on different sheets then cuts out and boxes what he thinks you need. There's never complete sheets in the box.

Pot luck, then?

[PAD]

Hi Sandy,

Thanks for posting the photos of the etchings. They look Ok but it will be good to see how they fit. The expansion link components look a bit flimsy but I assume you will be using the Premier valve gear parts.

Cheers,

Peter

[Sandy Harper]

Hi Sandy,

Thanks for posting the photos of the etchings. They look Ok but it will be good to see how they fit. The expansion link components look a bit flimsy but I assume you will be using the Premier valve gear parts.

Cheers,

Peter

Hi Peter, The valve gear components are very fine and I will mix and match as the build progresses. So far, the main chassis sides and spacers have fitted reasonably well although I had to narrow the front spacer quite considerably as, with the cylinder ends slotted into the main frames, it was over size. No big deal.

Sandy

[Sandy Harper]

The footplate was a lot easier to bend up than I had expected . I didn't use any rods etc to create the bends,  just my fingers. The area of the bends have a half etched area underneath the footplate which makes the brass very easy to shape by hand. The valance, which I had  left in the etch initially, was used as the former to get the shape right. Once the bends were in, the valances were carefully removed, cleaned up and soldered into the half etch locating line on the underneath of the footplate.

 

 

 

 

I put together the footplate, at this point in the build, because I suspected that the etch, which folds up to form the expansion block bracket, was too big and would extend outside the footplate valance. 

 

I was right and the photos below show that I will need to remove about 4mm from each of the etches.

 

 

 

Sandy

Edited August 1, 2017 by Sandy Harper

[N15class]

I see the front splasher is one of William's ideas that will never work in a month of Sundays. He made the front cylinder cover on the V3 in the footplate and expected the top edges to join when lifted to the correct height.

 

Footplate looks good apart from the splasher. I always put off bending up ones like this.

[M51625]

I hope you took up the option of a cast backhead and the cast slidebars and crosshead?

 

I built the V3 a couple of years ago and was really disappointed with some of the kit, especially the motion. Does this kit have the trailing axle in a tube method as per the V3? not the best idea.

 

I'm part way through a K4 from this stable, tender went together great, loco chassis in progress.

[N15class]

I hope you took up the option of a cast backhead and the cast slidebars and crosshead?

 

I built the V3 a couple of years ago and was really disappointed with some of the kit, especially the motion. Does this kit have the trailing axle in a tube method as per the V3? not the best idea.

 

I'm part way through a K4 from this stable, tender went together great, loco chassis in progress.

 

I agree the V3 was poor but I think that's because some of it was from McGowen and the rest from William. I soldered the valve gear to a similar sheet of nickel so I could make forked joints. I also made a radial axle box for the trailing wheels.

[Sandy Harper]

I hope you took up the option of a cast backhead and the cast slidebars and crosshead?

 

I built the V3 a couple of years ago and was really disappointed with some of the kit, especially the motion. Does this kit have the trailing axle in a tube method as per the V3? not the best idea.

 

I'm part way through a K4 from this stable, tender went together great, loco chassis in progress.

The kit had a Laurie Griffin cast slidebar and crosshead assembly included so, obviously, they will be used instead of the w/m offering. Yes, the axle in tube is suggested for the trailing axle!

Sandy

[Sandy Harper]

Well, it appears that Slaters have resolved the rusty wheel problem! They now coat them in a clear gel type coating which I suspect will need cleaning off before use.

 

Motion brackets now located.

 

 

but, I think I am going to have a few clearance problems with the rear drivers?

 

 

Regards

 

Sandy

[Miss Prism]

A naive question, if I may (from a 4mm dweller). For etched loco frames in 7mm, say for a small-ish tank engine, and assuming adequate provision of vertical and transverse frame spacers, what is the minimum thickness one could 'get away with'? 15 thou?

[Sandy Harper]

A naive question, if I may (from a 4mm dweller). For etched loco frames in 7mm, say for a small-ish tank engine, and assuming adequate provision of vertical and transverse frame spacers, what is the minimum thickness one could 'get away with'? 15 thou?

 

Yes, you could 'get away' with 15thou. It would be suitable but, with the limited space between the frames, in say a 0-6-0T, you  would need a lot more spacers than if you went to 18thou.

 

Is your issue, with wanting to use thinner material, to do with the cutting out of the frames?

Sandy

[Horsetan]

....You don't see many Ace Kits documented on these forums (I wonder why?)...

 

They seem to be the 7mm equivalent of Jidenco / Falcon Brass.

 

They used to operate a website, too, but that seems to have been deleted.

[Miss Prism]

Is your issue, with wanting to use thinner material, to do with the cutting out of the frames?

 

It was a bit of a cheapskate question I suppose, wondering whether the same material thickness could do both frame stuff and body stuff, but the more I think about it, the prospect of doubling up 12 thou (say) for frame sides would mean more etch real estate, as would the extra spacers required if done in 15 thou, which in the end would be false economy and probably more work.

 

So I agree, 18 thou is sensible for chassis stuff, although it tends to be more cuspy.

Edited August 2, 2017 by Miss Prism

[Sandy Harper]

They seem to be the 7mm equivalent of Jidenco / Falcon Brass.

 

They used to operate a website, too, but that seems to have been deleted.

According to my sources the website is being rebuilt.

I'm not sure what you mean by your first statement? As I understand it, the history of the Falcon Brass/Jidenco and Mega Kits ranges, they were designed and drawn up to facilitate the designer in scratch building and were never intended to be issued as complete kits. Subsequent owners of the ranges increased or reduced the scale without making the necessary adjustments to the etching tools (additional expense) and without correcting any dimensional errors which were acceptable to the original owner.

 

Ace kits seem to be of a different breed although this is only the second one I have built. I think William has bought in other kits, or parts of kits, and also designed some of his own.

 

So far, on the A3, the chassis and footplate, apart from the front attachment holes which didn't line up, have gone together reasonably well. The Motion bracket, I think, may have been lifted from another kit as it doesn't fit and needs modifying and the cylinder front and rear plates were too long by the width of the footplate valances and had to be filed back to fit between them.

 

I'm attempting to fit the Laurie Griffin slidebar and cross head assembly but there appears to be no obvious way of attaching them to the rear of the cylinders. More head scratching me thinks.

Regards

Sandy

[Sandy Harper]

It was a bit of a cheapskate question I suppose, wondering whether the same material thickness could do both frame stuff and body stuff, but the more I think about it, the prospect of doubling up 12 thou (say) for frame sides would mean more etch real estate, as would the extra spacers required if done in 15 thou, which in the end would be false economy and probably more work.

 

So I agree, 18 thou is sensible for chassis stuff, although it tends to be more cuspy.

That's what your files are for!

[N15class]

They seem to be the 7mm equivalent of Jidenco / Falcon Brass.

 

They used to operate a website, too, but that seems to have been deleted.

 

 

Now Shedmaster/Laurie Griffin are true 7mm jidenco.

[Deano747]

They seem to be the 7mm equivalent of Jidenco / Falcon Brass.

 

They used to operate a website, too, but that seems to have been deleted.

 

Check out the recent posts on 'Kitbuilding and scratch building' Page 1, Falcon Brassworks/ Jidenco still about? thread.

 

Regards, Deano.

Edited August 2, 2017 by Deano747

[daifly]

Check out the recent posts on 'Kitbuilding and scratch building' Page 1, Falcon Brassworks/ Jidenco still about? thread.

 

Regards, Deano.

 

Or, more usefully, http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/59670-falcon-brassworks-jidenco-still-about/