Motive power for Camden Shed

[cb900f]

A couple of days back a friend demonstrated  how to remove numbers etc using Brake/Clutch cleaner. Please note cleaner not brake fluid. The numbers were removed in a matter of seconds using a cotton bud and the remaining cleaner quickly evaporated with no apparent detriment to the cab side.

 

Pete

[92220]

Hi Iain, hope you are well, any updates this year mate?

Not much at the moment as most things are packed up in boxes ready for the move. I have also had a fair bit of travelling to do.

Progress is good and we should move in pretty soon now.

 

All the best,

 

Iain

[Jack P]

A couple of days back a friend demonstrated  how to remove numbers etc using Brake/Clutch cleaner. Please note cleaner not brake fluid. The numbers were removed in a matter of seconds using a cotton bud and the remaining cleaner quickly evaporated with no apparent detriment to the cab side.

 

Pete

 

I was always concerned about brake cleaner taking the lining off, but using it on a cottonbud isn't something i'd thought to do, will try this out!

[Brocp]

No new updates Iain?

 

Ps hope you're well

[paulprice]

yes we need LMS modellers

[92220]

No new updates Iain?

Ps hope you're well

Thank you. All fine here. Hope you are well too.

 

Update as follows:

 

The new house is completed and we moved in 5 months ago. Inevitable long list of things to do even in a “finished” house - garden, shed, fence, wood store, broadband, furnishings, persuading the council to drop the kerb within 2 years of asking etc. You know the sort of stuff.

 

But it is pretty much all that we wanted it to be, and it has been a 10 year project that was worth every minute of perseverance and determination, not to mention every pound we have spent on it.

 

I’ve also been exceptionally busy at work this year, and I’ve just completed my first season of trying to play Seniors golf in Europe. So the sum total of progress on the layout is for me to have started to create the workshop and layout room on the top floor. Realistically, I knew that building Camden Shed Mk2 would take a while, but I am definitely going to consider enlisting (paying for) more help than I initially thought I would need, to build the layout itself.

 

Well, I’ve already considered it. And I need it!

 

Hope to have more to show in the not-too-distant future.

 

Iain

[92220]

I’ve managed to find a bit of time to do something up in the railway room.  It’s been a while.  

 

Restarting the 46245 City of London build.  Spent an hour packing the bodyshell with lead.  The goal is to get it to about 550g or just a little more, and it should pull anything it needs to.  The front bogie has had lead added too, but it’s not visible from  sides or front, so maintaining the delicacy and detail  of the etching.    

 

Detailing is almost complete, apart from one front buffer, attaching the deflectors which were built some time ago now, and final assembly after painting.  The tender axle boxes will be glued on after painting as it will be a lot easier to paint and line the tender frames like that.  

 

Iain

Edited February 3, 2019 by 92220
typo

[Barry O]

Have you tried using woods metal for adding weight. Melts in bowling water temperature and doesn't do nasties to plastic. You pour it in to the loco body.

Baz

[92220]

Hi Baz

I haven’t, no.  Might try it in the future, thanks for the suggestion.

If I did it with this Coronation body, I guess I’d weld in a plastic partition to contain it?

How dense is it?  It’s a battle to get enough weight in a Hornby Coronation.  

Iain

[Michael Edge]

It's dense enough, I've used it in a lot of the Carlisle locos. You do have to be careful to seal up the part of the body you want it to flow into, it's extremely runny. With some locos I've resorted to pouring it very carefully down the chimney. Since your layout is level (I think), 550g should be plenty, the heaviest Duchesses on Carlisle are 650g and they will pull anything up the gradients.

[RonnieS]

Where would one buy Woods Metal? I read of it's use as ballast in an ancient MRN.

It's density is about 9.7 (lead is  about 11.4)

[RedgateModels]

I might be wrong, but whitemetal solder might be Woods Metal, or close enough ...

[gordon s]

Seems it goes under the trade names of Cerrobend, Bendalloy, Pewtalloy or MCP 158. The only stuff I can find is on eBay via the US and it's pretty expensive with the postage and import duty. I agree with Redgate, it seems like a variant of low melting point solder.

 

Perhaps Barry O has a supplier?

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cerrobend-1-lb-ingot-Low-Melting-Temperature-Alloy/301231342282?hash=item4622c982ca:g:KzwAAOxycD9TT~Ml:rk:2:pf:0

 

Edited February 4, 2019 by gordon s

[Michael Edge]

I found a UK supplier of Cerrobend on Ebay and got a few years supply, don't know if they are still there though and I can't find the invoice. Tiranti seem to be able to supply it from UK - it is always expensive but cost of shipping from USA is prohibitive.

[Joseph_Pestell]

1 hour ago, RonnieS said:

Where would one buy Woods Metal? I read of it's use as ballast in an ancient MRN.

It's density is about 9.7 (lead is  about 11.4)

 

Found this on Google: http://www.lowdenlimited.co.uk/lowmeltinalloysmainpage.html

[gordon s]

I'd need a lot more loco's to use a kilo.....

[Barry O]

I am going to order some in a few weeks time. My last supply was an ingot borrowed from the Swingfire manufacturing line at Stevenage. It has lasted a long time but mainly due to it being misplaced for a few years. Used the last bit this week.

[92220]

Interesting, thanks.  

 

I have a couple of thoughts and questions, without having any prior experience of using Woods metal.

 

1.  It’s really tight to get enough weight into a Hornby Coronation so I feel as if I have to use something of maximum density.  Whether the difference is significant between this and lead, I’m not sure without doing a calculation or a test.

2.  One advantage of adding pieces of lead sheet one by one is that I can test after each one whether everything fits.  If I pour a nice pan full of molten Woods metal into a bodyshell and when it solidifies, I find I’ve added too much, how do I remove some?

3.  If I’ve spent several hours stripping, preparing and detailing a plastic bodyshell, I’m nervous: will 300g of molten metal really not affect the plastic?

 

Iain

[Michael Edge]

It hasn't affected the plastic in any of the locos I've poured it in but they do get a bit warm - and take a surprisingly long time to cool. It can be a bit difficult to get out if you accidentally put too much in, I've managed to dig it out with a temperature controlled soldering iron.

[mark axlecounter]

I roll the lead up into a sausage shape then use my BIG hammer and think its my ex ( she cheated on me) bash it to the shape so it fits inside the boiler. Its amazing how much weight you can get if you condense it down.

 

Mark (not always angry)   

Edited February 5, 2019 by mark axlecounter
putting the pic on

[Jol Wilkinson]

13 hours ago, 92220 said:

Interesting, thanks.  

 

I have a couple of thoughts and questions, without having any prior experience of using Woods metal.

 

1.  It’s really tight to get enough weight into a Hornby Coronation so I feel as if I have to use something of maximum density.  Whether the difference is significant between this and lead, I’m not sure without doing a calculation or a test.

2.  One advantage of adding pieces of lead sheet one by one is that I can test after each one whether everything fits.  If I pour a nice pan full of molten Woods metal into a bodyshell and when it solidifies, I find I’ve added too much, how do I remove some?

3.  If I’ve spent several hours stripping, preparing and detailing a plastic bodyshell, I’m nervous: will 300g of molten metal really not affect the plastic?

 

Iain

Iain;

 

http://www.specialplasters.co.uk/low-melt-metal-lm70.html

 

Less expensive than Alex Tiranti, but I don't know about other suppliers. 

 

You could line the loco with aluminium foil to protect the model. This is probably the same as 70deg LMP solder so might "stick" where you don't want or run into small crevices and make it more difficult to remove if needed.  I've used LMP solder and have melted/puddled it with a 50 watt iron, but tend to stick with lead sheet.

 

One tip that some may have missed, don't use PVA with liquid lead. It will expand over time. A thin epoxy resin, rather than epoxy adhesive works well.

 

Jol

[Brocp]

It's good to see you posting again Iain. Hope all is well mate. How's the new railway room coming along?

[92220]

On 11/02/2019 at 01:40, Brocp said:

It's good to see you posting again Iain. Hope all is well mate. How's the new railway room coming along?

 

Thanks - it’s taken me 3 weeks to notice this!  Sorry.   How are things with you?

 

All fine here though busy.  Played the Spanish Seniors Championship two weeks ago on almost no practice and managed to come 19th - which I was happy with in the circumstances and makes me excited for the other big events this year.  Then straight to Thailand and work for a week.  

 

Railway room looks great.  Just hasn’t got  any railway in it yet.  

 

Will get there.  I have plans.....  

 

Iain

[92220]

Now, the appearance of a new post on this thread might make people think that I’ve done a whole load of new modelling.   Errr, maybe not but I have done a little.

 

46244 - a lot of lead in the body and frames, and it is now almost ready for painting.   

 

 

 

 

As for painting, I collected from Geoff Haynes yesterday at Expo EM, the much-modified 46256.  It needs the lubricators adding, plus the spring buffers inserted.  Plus couplings, glazing, weathering, coal, crew and lamps.  So not much.

But temporarily in a display cabinet, I think he’s more than done it justice.  

 

 

I’m hoping that it will stroll up Shap looking serene and effortless with 20 on.  So is Graham!

 

Iain

[92220]

46245 now almost ready for the paint shop.  I need to add the balance weights first.  Then it will be painted before adding the tender axleboxes and the various footplate fittings like the AWS tanks and lubricators.  It’s much easier for a muppet like me to apply late BR red with its lining to the tender frames and splashers, without these components.

 

 

 

Iain

 

edit: oops and the buffer steps

Edited October 28, 2019 by 92220