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Metalsmiths "Ransomes and Rapier" 70' turntable build.

JeffP

By JeffP,
in Kitbuilding & Scratchbuilding

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JeffP

JeffP

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Like a clutch pencil? Sounds good. Maybe even a collet from a minidrill, out of the chuck, IF I have enough space between nut and vertical bit.

 

I might try this morning with some more Blu-Tak**

 

 

** I have no connection with the makers of Blu-Tak other than as a satisfied customer. Other types of sticky stuff are available.

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Pete Harvey

Pete Harvey

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Like a clutch pencil? Sounds good. Maybe even a collet from a minidrill, out of the chuck, IF I have enough space between nut and vertical bit.

 

I might try this morning with some more Blu-Tak**

 

 

** I have no connection with the makers of Blu-Tak other than as a satisfied customer. Other types of sticky stuff are available.

 

We don't need any personal details Jeff please!

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JeffP

JeffP

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LOL, it dodn't work in this instance anyway, and I don't possess a suitable pencil mech. And there is still lead in my own pencil. :sungum:

 

Now, do I buy ONE nut spinner at £3.25 plus 60p P&P, or buy a full set of six, worth £20.25, for £15.50 with the same postage?

Wll I ever need the others? I suppose a 16BA one might be useful......

Edited by JeffP
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Wizard of the Moor

Wizard of the Moor

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Put the nut on a hard surface. Take a pin chuck that will open wider that the across corners dimension of the nut and open it out.

 

Place the open chuck over the nut. Screw it closed until it grips the nut. This usually needs at least one more hand than you possess, as you need to keep the chuck upright and in contact with the hard surface while you tighten it.

 

Present loaded pin chuck to the screw/bolt/stud and screw it on. Carefully loosen the chuck and then finish tightening the nut with your preferred spanner.

 

GW Models make excellent box spanners for small BA nuts. No connection etc. etc.

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JeffP

JeffP

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Thanks, I tried similar, even using the collet on it's own, and the nut is just too close to the upright part of the fitting to give it room to get in.

I'll photograph it tomorrow and you'll see what I mean.

I'll have a look at GW, thanks.

 

OK, GW has no website.....

 

So, a quick search of that auction site turned up several box spanner sets, but going down only to 10BA

 

Tomorrow I'm going to experiment by drilling out some brass tubing until it's thin-walled, placing a nut in, and either squeezing gently, or tapping with a hammer to produce flats.

 

Then, if I squeeze gently in the upposite plane, just until it drops the nut.......

 

Or I may use copper tubing, or alloy, if available.

 

We shall see what we shall see.......

Edited by JeffP
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JeffP

JeffP

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My self-locking tweezers aren't small and are hard to manipulate with a tiny nut in the jaws. They were bought primarily to hold bits together for gluing/soldering. I'll have to invest in some smaller.

 

Meanwhile, I have measured the distance across the flats of a 14BA nut, getting 1.75mm +/- 0.01mm, depending on the nut.

 

Using this, I did a bit of simple trig, and discovered that the maximum distance across a 14BA nut is a hair over 2mm, and finding tubing with that i'd, locally, was impossible. Eileens do some, but I wasn't certain my method would work.

 

So I checked out Wizard's method, and the distance across the flats of an M2.5 nut is 2mm, thus the socket ought to fit, so I ordered a small pack for £1 to try it.

 

They might arrive monday, so I'll do something else until then.

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JeffP

JeffP

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Well, having been kicked out of the living room with my model, I have FINALLY got the wife to go through her piles of paperwork, and tell me what to keep and what to chuck. Once that was done, it was possible to tidy and rearrange the dining room for further work...until Christmas day, when it will all have to be moved again...sigh.

 

While I get on with the next bit, here's a question:

 

Real timbers are supplied to cut to suitable lengths for the walkway. They are supplied in natural, uncoloured wood.

 

I still have a small amount of real creosote. Should I soak the timbers and allow to dry?

Or is creosote a complete no-no on models? I do so love the smell.....

 

If not creosote, they need to be nearly black like sleepers, so what to use?

 

Update: the use of an M2.5 cap-head screw as a socket for a 14BA nut WILL work....but not in this case, as the screw-head is too large to fit the nut into the available space.

 

I shall try turning one down on the lathe, before maybe trying some long-ish grub screws. Anyone know the Allen key size for a 3mm grub screw?

 

Edited again to say: looks like an M4 grubscrew.

TIA.

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Siberian Snooper

Siberian Snooper

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Hi Jeff

 

I soak 4mm ply sleepers in Colron wood dye Jacobean dark oak, I pour the excess into a butter tub which is then used as the bath for the next batch. The sleepers are spread out on a couple of sheets of news paper to dry, if left in the sun they start to fade like the real thing.

 

SS

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Adrian

Adrian

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I'd be reluctant to use creosote being a potential fire risk, especially if you're putting it under layout lighting.

 

Like the other suggestions I'd use wood dye, I've used Rustins rather the Colron but the same thing really. Also I'd suggest the ebony colour for a nice dark sleeper colour, £2.50 from my local timber merchant.

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unravelled

unravelled

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Just a thought about the nuts. If you just need to hold/locate them while attaching the bolt, could you attach something to them? Mek them into a notch at the end of a strip of plasticard, stick them on to the edge of a bit of card with double sided tape, even solder to a bit of brass, (but more cleanup).

 

hth

 

Dave

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  • 2 months later...
JeffP

JeffP

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Gone onto hold.....first when the wife wanted the build site moved three times approaching Christmas, then when I lost part of it, (having put it somewhere safe), and lately due to illness which leaves me with no energy at all.

 

Found the bits, just need to restart.

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  • 4 months later...
  • 2 months later...
JeffP

JeffP

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Unfortunately, the wife had other ideas, and a back-to-wall new toilet, hidden cistern plus cabinets needed fitting on top of a new laminate floor, which was, itself, on top of brand new floorboards, the old ones being too split, warped, cut and uneven due to plumbing jobs.

 

Away again for October...maybe a November restart..........

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JeffP

JeffP

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I wouldn't lower myself.

 

OFSTED inspectors were one of the things that drove me out of teaching.......the idea that some c,lown who patently cannot do your job, can sit in judgement and tell you you are doing stuff wrong, is abhorrent.

 

And then, when you ask what should be done instead, they reply, "it's not my job to tell you that, it's yours to find out..."

 

Clueless.

 

Rant over. :sungum:

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