Guest Jim Read Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Hello Martin, Nice to hear you're going to have a go, fair play to you, you're lucky having some castings makes the job a lot easier. Invertrain Models do sell some axlebox castings not sure about the W irons though. Love to see some pics as you progress through the build. I was a bit stumped by buffers and made the shanks from tightly rolled paper, Eileen's suggestion and it works a treat. I found a place in Cornwall that sells 8mm head (I asked them to check the size first) drawing pins and am waiting for those to arrive I'll let you know who they are if they are OK. Cheers - Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted April 11, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 11, 2013 Love the wagons Jim I wouldn't have thought the W irons and axle guards could be made from card. Just shows. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hartleymartin Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 Jim Read, on 11 Apr 2013 - 19:32, said: Hello Martin, Nice to hear you're going to have a go, fair play to you, you're lucky having some castings makes the job a lot easier. Invertrain Models do sell some axlebox castings not sure about the W irons though. Love to see some pics as you progress through the build. I was a bit stumped by buffers and made the shanks from tightly rolled paper, Eileen's suggestion and it works a treat. I found a place in Cornwall that sells 8mm head (I asked them to check the size first) drawing pins and am waiting for those to arrive I'll let you know who they are if they are OK. Cheers - Jim Years ago I bought several lots of random mixed whitemetal castings for various components. There were brake levers, brake gear, axle boxes, buffers, loco chimneys, signal pinnacles, and lots of other bits that I don't really know what they are meant to be. So I have lots of parts in the old modeller's bin - not the throw-away bin, but the "That-might-be-handy-some-day" bin. The Axleguards sold by invertrain look good. I might go to them for a future supply of such components. I do know that it is possible to make these from card, though my preference would be to use etched brass W-irons, then form the axlebox and leaf spring from plastic card strip. I weight my models with lead to GOG specifications and I don't know how paper-card W-irons would handle the weight in the long term. For buffers, I would want to guarantee the consistency of the build. I would probably use a combination of hollow plastic tube (from evergreen), brass tube, brass drawing pins and then flat styrene sheet cut to size to form the base of the buffer housing. 1.6mm square rod chopped up would provide bolt heads. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim Read Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 Hello Don, I didn't think I'd be able to make those underframe bits either and was quite surprised when I made the first one and it didn't look too bad :-) Hello Martin, Your descriptions make me want to see some pics of your wagons even more, it would be great if you could start a thread on here. Cheers both - Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hartleymartin Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 I tend to work rather sporadically on my model railways. I've been spurred on since I realised that next year I will have been a member of the Aus7 Modeller's Group for 10 years and I have not yet built my own layout, but I have helped construct two other very large exhibition layouts! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hartleymartin Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 My preference is to have sprung buffers as much as possible, so I would tend to buy these. However, I have had a go at scratch-building quite a few components. Sometimes I've decided that I'd rather spend a few $$$ than spend heaps of time trying to build certain things from scratch - hence why I often use cast axle guards, springs, etc. I know that in 1:24 scale a friend of mine used map pins for the buffer housings and then drawing pins for the buffer heads! I'm on the look out for some more 8mm or 9mm drawing pins. I also made my own rail spikes from office staples at one stage. They were finer than any commercial product, and worked just as well (not to mention cost virtually nothing! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted April 12, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 12, 2013 I seem to remember somone making sprung buffers using Drawing pin heads. I too like sprung buffers and usually opt for Haywood ones. I suppose when you have a bit of spare cash it seems easier to buy some but keep on like that and you are buying Chinese built locos at four figure prices and are becoming a collector rather than a modeller. There is a lot of pleasure in making as much as you can. I will confess to buying coaches from Western wagon works because it would take a long time to get round to putting the kits together and I wanted something for the locos to pull. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim Read Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 Hello Martin and Hello Don, You're both quite right about buying stuff, I used to get my underframe bits from CCW when I lived in Rummidge and worked. Being retired and short sighted I can have a go at making as much as I can myself. Once you get the hang of it, it doesn't take long because you can only do a bit each day as you wait for stuff to set. Thinking about it I doubt anyone would make the underframe bits for the short wheelbase wagons I am making. Just my personal opinion I enjoy experimenting with homemade techniques the end result is so much more satisfying. My drawing pins arrived today and they are 8mm Dia but domed, so I had to hit them with my little hammer and now they are nearer 9mm but don't look too bad. Cheers - Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymw Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 Hi Jim, Just my personal opinion I enjoy experimenting with homemade techniques the end result is so much more satisfying In particular, I gree with you there - the journey is the destination, etc. Best wishes, Ray Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim Read Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 Hello Ray, Thanks for the nice comment and welcome to the forum :-) The coupling hooks in the pic above were rubbish breaking off where I'd cut into the Plastikard. So I cut some 4mm x 10mm bits off and filed the taper on them and drilled two holes and then used a knife to open the larger hole out. Somewhere I've got some florists iron wire that I can make the couplings from. Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim Read Posted April 15, 2013 Share Posted April 15, 2013 Hello all, I just finished the tongue and grooves for the traverser Close up of the groove, two bits of ply glued under the board and the tongue bolted to the traverser so I can remove it. The traverser in place Just the adjustable stops to make now, I'll do that when the track is laid. Cheers - Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim Read Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Hello all, Started a bit of tracklaying and pointmaking; I just tack the points in a few places and when the track either side is in place run a few wagons through before I put the check rails in and solder up, they should work without them (well sometimes:-) Cheers - Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hartleymartin Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 Hello Martin and Hello Don, You're both quite right about buying stuff, I used to get my underframe bits from CCW when I lived in Rummidge and worked. Being retired and short sighted I can have a go at making as much as I can myself. Once you get the hang of it, it doesn't take long because you can only do a bit each day as you wait for stuff to set. Thinking about it I doubt anyone would make the underframe bits for the short wheelbase wagons I am making. Just my personal opinion I enjoy experimenting with homemade techniques the end result is so much more satisfying. My drawing pins arrived today and they are 8mm Dia but domed, so I had to hit them with my little hammer and now they are nearer 9mm but don't look too bad. Cheers - Jim I am having trouble finding 8mm drawing pins for the buffer heads at the moment. 9.5mm, 10mm and 11mm seem much more commonplace. I had a few etched coupling hooks set aside somewhere, but I may have used the lot on previous scratch-builds. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim Read Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 Hello Martin, I went into out little local shop to buy some odds and ends, had a look round and in the hanging bits for sale saw some 'Thumb Tacks' made by the Zhengfang Company could not see what was in the boxes, but they were only 99p. When I got them home they were 9mm head drawing pins with just a slight dome, I was delighted and shoved them in this wagon, I just noticed as I took this pic that the heads are not square to the shanks though but a pair of long nosed pliers'll soon sort that out. If you would like some Martin I'll pop around the shop buy some more and post them to you. Cheers - Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 Sound as an old pound owar Jim. By the way I'm well on the way with The Reely Grate Manufacturing Company, all the track is down and wired so I'll start a new thread soon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim Read Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 Hello Mike, That sounds really great :-) can't wait to see it. Cheers - Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hartleymartin Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 Hello Martin, I went into out little local shop to buy some odds and ends, had a look round and in the hanging bits for sale saw some 'Thumb Tacks' made by the Zhengfang Company could not see what was in the boxes, but they were only 99p. When I got them home they were 9mm head drawing pins with just a slight dome, I was delighted and shoved them in this wagon, I just noticed as I took this pic that the heads are not square to the shanks though but a pair of long nosed pliers'll soon sort that out. If you would like some Martin I'll pop around the shop buy some more and post them to you. Cheers - Jim Might have to take you up on the offer. 8mm drawing pins are proving difficult to find. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim Read Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 Hello Martin, If I do come across any 8mm ones, you never know and I'll keep looking, I'll let you know. Cheers - Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornamuse Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 hi Jim! Lovely work as usual - need to get my scalpel out again I have been using picture hanging pins for buffers, wrapped with paper for the stocks, and a cut out for the heads. look ok, in the dark with the light behind them! not sprung, either, but then, to my shame, spend their life on a shelf right now, so don't need to be sprung cheers Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim Read Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Hello Andy, Really nice to hear from you, your Reely Grate poster raises a laugh at the shows and Mike is making a layout for the Reely Grate Manufacturing Company Limited, owned by Mr Hezekiah Dingleberry director of The Wombourn Gas, Coal and Coke Company ..... see what you started :-) Nice wagon may I ask what the wheelbase is and how do you cut the discs for the buffer heads? Best wishes - Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim Read Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 Hello all, I've nearly finished my single slip, one of the things that suprised me was how far the end rails on the crossover have to be from the two angled rails in order for it to work smoothly. Next task is to wire it up when the rest of the plain track is finished. Cheers - Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted May 4, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 4, 2013 Looks good Jim. These slips can be tricky not a lot of room for the switch blades. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hartleymartin Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 My split-spoke wheels arrived from slaters this week. I decided to sit down and begin building the underframe for this same wagon, using those whitemetal casting that I had cleaned up nicely a week earlier. Well I'll be blown if I can find the little blighters! Murphy's law strikes again! Oh well, wagon building can happen next Sunday afternoon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim Read Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 Hello Don, You're right they are, what I've done is just soldered them onto one CC strip and taken off most of the flat bottom in a long taper, they seem to flex OK .. so far. Hello Martin, I've lost stuff in exactly the same manner even made stuff again, I came across the start of a station building that I'd mislaid a couple of weeks ago, it was supposed to go on a layout I made 3 years ago. The upside is though when you find them you'll be able to make another wagon :-) Cheers both - Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hartleymartin Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 Jim, Just found them! But I have to finish cleaning my dormitory for this afternoon's inspection. Oh well! Model railways is mostly a Sunday-afternoon and spare time activity for me anyway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.