RMweb Gold Donw Posted January 4, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 4, 2016 Will that do. We all have times like that. Don 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 (edited) Funny how the blindingly obvious grabs you the day after... I intend to metal black the outboard end of the corridor connector as it will rub on its neighbour which will rub the paint off - but solder won't stick to metal black. So I could black it before assembly - indeed, do the same to all the components, and simply clean the links where I do want solder to adhere. I think the expression is "D'oh!" and I'm sure there is a "smack hand against forehead" emoticon somewhere. best Simon I think you may find that chemical blackening will rub off your corridor connections. A good ploy to blacken the parts before soldering however - it should prove an excellent way to limit the solder spread. The other way round is not so good - the blacking would not take on the solder but would emphasise any spreading. Would 10 thou' black HIP on the rubbing faces be an acceptable move? Chaz Edited January 4, 2016 by chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted January 4, 2016 Author Share Posted January 4, 2016 thanks guys yes, perhaps a bit of black plastic sheet of suitable thinness on the rubbing faces would be better, and indeed, what I did for the bogie wheel clearance depressions on my King - but the black before solder, that's a must! I will prepare the other parts, solder assemble the non-moving bits, and then black everything in preparation for the "moving part solderfest"... best Simon 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted January 4, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 4, 2016 (edited) Doing lead wipes painting a black band round the area to be done helps keep it compact as the lead will not stick on the blacked areas. Don Edited January 4, 2016 by Donw 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymw Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Not tried it on normal soldering, but a craft jeweller friend of mine used toothpaste to prevent silver solder from sticking to where he didn't want it. I can't remember the brand of the blacking used by our cable jointers, but tallow was used as the flux (and for fry-ups). 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted January 5, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 5, 2016 Not tried it on normal soldering, but a craft jeweller friend of mine used toothpaste to prevent silver solder from sticking to where he didn't want it. I can't remember the brand of the blacking used by our cable jointers, but tallow was used as the flux (and for fry-ups). I cannot remember the name on the tin. It was a paint probably something like a stove black. I can still remember the smell of the tallow, the last time I wiped a joint was over thirty years ago. Don 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted January 5, 2016 Author Share Posted January 5, 2016 I've ordered a pot of Birchwood Casey brass black. Let's see. Best Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted January 9, 2016 Author Share Posted January 9, 2016 The brass black hasn't arrived yet, but the pre-assembly of the corridor connectors is done. Thought I'd do a photo stream for anyone else doing the same, hope it's helpful. Firstly, the tools. I used a Stanley knife and Xuron cutters to get the bits off the fret. I have an A4 sized piece of MDF with sandpaper on one side, and wet-and-dry on the other, the wet & dry is perfect for cleaning anything with a straight edge, or flat. I used my cook's blowtorch for the outer frames and a Maplin 40W temperature adjustable iron for the inner frames. I can hear the howls of protest already, but I use Powerflow flux and electrical core solder for nearly everything (except white metal, and Powerflow is the dog's danglies for that) - I do have a selection of other fluxes & solders and almost never use them. I clean up with Shiny Sinks & an old toothbrush, and then a 5 minute blast in an el-cheapo ultrasonic bath in hot water. I do have a collection of small drills, and pin chucks for opening out the holes, but this has not been necessary on these. As I'm gormless, I used my resistance soldering kit to put the locking levers in, using rosin flux, after cleaning everything up. I made a small former for the inner frame - it's simply a bit of nice strip wood, sanded to give the profile of the upper curve, and you'll see it in the photos. Here is the "stand out" part of the inner frame - the fret tags were attached on the tabs that go through the slots in the inner frame base. Cleaned up by rubbing flat on my wet&dry board. I didn't try to remove other tags until after soldering. The wooden former, and the two parts of the inner frame Marking the stand-out for the bends. Pre-bent. Warren Shepherd taught me a good way to do this kind of bend, which crops up all the time in etched brass. Essentially, what you do us use the round-nose pliers, and grip the part somewhere near the middle of the bend, and bend it maybe one third of the final bend angle. Then compare with the former/drawing/guide/half-etched-slot and see whether the radius is about right (slide up or down the jaws to change) and that the bend is in the right place - if it is, the pliers were located perfectly to start with, but as that never happens, bend a bit more on one side or the other, and try again. This has the effect of moving the bend along the strip, which, by gentle progress and trial-and-error, can be accurately located by the time your bend is fully formed. Almost magic! Here, I am forming the larger radius bend at the top of the stand-out. I used my wooden former for this, and you can see the pencil location mark, below my thumb - this ensures I have the part in the right place. Inevitably, the strip "springs back" when formed. This is ok, once you're happy that the central bend is pretty much in the right place, and it's all symmetrical, simply squeezing across the shoulders, gently, will tighten the bend until the legs are more or less parallel. It then clips into the base, with the tabs locating the parts together. I used the wooden former to hold it down on a wooden block (I have loads of bits of wood with abstruse angles to serve as supports and soldering "mini-benches") whilst I ran a loaded soldering iron around the inside. Finished assembly, off to clean up! For the outer frame, I scored the bend lines quite hard. This is one of those difficult parts. I don't have a "hold & fold" but I could see it being useful for this sort of thing. The alternative is to hold the part as firmly as you can in a good pair of pliers, and press firmly with a bit of wood. This hopefully avoids kinking or stretching the frame. Shamelessly contrived photo showing blow lamp, & hair-grips: these are brilliant - buy a box of 100 for a few quid, and modify them to do all sorts - I have any number of weirdly shaped ones, and a few still as bought. All done, scrubbed with Shiny Sinks (Wilko stock it, not sure who else, but I couldn't get it in Tesco) and blitzed in the ultrasonic bath. Now, if the postie brings the brass black today, these could be finished tomorrow! Still not decided re the bellows. I think I will try stuffing the JLTRT rubber one with some soft foam - hopefully will keep them in shape. And fixing them to the coach. They appear to be intended to be glued on. Don't like that, so I think I will make some keeper plates, and screw them on from inside of the coach. Hope this helps someone Best Simon 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted January 9, 2016 Author Share Posted January 9, 2016 Well, tried a bit of "bellows stuffing" The foam in the JLTRT rubber bellows looks great. I haven't glued the bellows to the frame, but the foam does keep it in shape, and I'm sure with a few strategically placed drops of cyano, (and the frame appropriately coloured) it would look excellent, and for a glass-case model, it would be a no-brainier, but... When I place it on the coach end, it's too long - or more accurately, it's pretty much spot on, but it isn't springy - it's really stiff, and I doubt that the Kadees would couple. I could, of course, move the Kadees out a tad (several smidgens make up a tad) but then the buffers wouldn't touch, so... (You'll have to take my word for it, evolution provided me with insufficient hands to hold it in place and hold the iPad and press the shutter button) Back to the card. The bellows I've shown here was made for a Blacksmith coach, and the corridor connector frame is rather coarser than the JLTRT one, and has a "floor", so it is not the right height, but widthways, it's pretty much spot on. It doesn't look quite as good, particularly from above but putting the shroud over it should improve that significantly. And by including as few or as many zigs & zags, I can make it as springy as I need. And all my Blacksmith coaches are done this way, so I know it works. Thoughts & comments welcome! Best Simon 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ChrisN Posted January 9, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 9, 2016 Simon, Cannot comment on the card but if it has worked before it should work this time. I found the photos of soldering really useful. As you know I have no experience of soldering kits and little in the use of brass so these pictures give me food for thought. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
N15class Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 I think the JLTRT rubber and foam one looks best. But is it long enough to reach and keep in contact with the next coach? Nice work, itis making me want to tackle my two South Western corridors. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted January 9, 2016 Author Share Posted January 9, 2016 thanks all, I agree with Peter, the JLTRT one definitely looks the better, but it's too long, and it isn't springy, so coupling two coaches will be challenging, and I suspect it will prevent them running nicely too. With Kadees, the ideal situation is that the corridor connectors are stiff enough to keep them under tension, but not so stiff that the faceplates can't slide on one another as it goes across a crossover. I wonder if I can modify it so it still looks good, but is actually springy... best Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted January 9, 2016 Author Share Posted January 9, 2016 Simon, Cannot comment on the card but if it has worked before it should work this time. I found the photos of soldering really useful. As you know I have no experience of soldering kits and little in the use of brass so these pictures give me food for thought. Chris soldering is easy. Soldering nicely, without the appearance of electric pigeon s**t, and strong, and so on, that takes practice. My Dad taught me about half a century ago. We've probably still got the original iron... There are some basic rules; Hot, clean, quick. If you can get the heat in, the solder can melt, and can form a strong bond - a cold joint will always be weak, and probably ugly. The workpieces, and ideally the solder and the iron, must all be clean. You'll need flux to make it stay that way when it gets hot, solder can't alloy with oxidised metal, so the flux is used to prevent that. You'll learn to be quiick, as it stops other things melting (wire insulation, other nearby soldered joints), and you don't want the whole job so hot that the solder never sets. And you really need to try to keep the parts in place until it does - moving them too soon will make a weak joint for sure. I suggest getting a couple of bits of waste fret at the next show you go to, and chopping them into small parts, and practice, practice practice, as the cop said when the lady asked how to get to Carnegie hall. Do try it, don't be afraid to ask! best Simon 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ChrisN Posted January 9, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 9, 2016 Simon, Thank you. I have the scrap brass, and an iron, plus solder and flux. I also have an easy kit from Bill Bedford and a link to a thread where it was built. It just needs to come up my 'to do' list as it is a little way down at the moment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted January 9, 2016 Author Share Posted January 9, 2016 Enjoy! Best Simon 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted January 9, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 9, 2016 Coming on nicely Simon, I really should make some more progress on my two Slaters Maunsell coaches kits. Started one two years ago... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted January 16, 2016 Author Share Posted January 16, 2016 Well, bit of progress on the corridor connectors. Even with the brass black, soldering then up is a pain. But at least they don't solder up solid, so I guess that's a bonus. I made up a reamer for clearing out any holes that did get blocked. This is a bit of 0.49 piano wire, and about 3 minutes with an oil stone. Doesn't need hardening. Yes it does look like a hypodermic, & yes it will stick in your finger. It cuts solder, brass etc. If you did harden & temper, it would cut steel too. Angle "as flat as possible" but ultimately unimportant. I use these for opening out holes in all sorts of things, handrail knobs being a classic example. I made some pieces of brass to bridge the inside of the fixed part, drilled & tapped 8BA and soldered in short lengths of brass studding to fix the connectors to the coach end. I made a piece of plastic the same size as the fixed part of the connector, to use as a gauge/jig for drilling holes in the coach, marked its centre line and drilled it, and a piece of MDF at the same time. The MDF is used as a jig for soldering the fixings to the connectors, thus all the connectors are the same spacing, and all the holes in the coach too. In theory any connector then fits either end of any coach... I also experimented with the bellows. As noted above, the rubber ones supplied with the kit look fantastic, but are not flexible enough in my opinion to work well (anyone actually tried them?) and the original cardboard solution works but doesn't look as good. Hopefully I have a satisfactory compromise... Assuming they can scribe as well as cut, I think this is a job for one of those Silhouette Cameo Cutters, but a set square, scalpel, rule & scriber does the job adequately. The sizes are 47mm high, 18mm wide, with 8, 5mm "bellows", another 18mm end, 8 more bellows, and an inside end of 17mm. Folds up into a concertina that then pushes up into the brass bits supplied with the kit. Beautifully springy!!! It'll need a bit of cloth over the top to keep the rain out... And yes, I know they're white, but folded black card doesn't photograph well, and it will take seconds with the Indian ink. Quite pleased, will do a little more this evening. (And made progress in the bathroom!) Best Simon 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
asa Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 You've made a fine job of that Simon. It really looks the business Regards Alistair Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John R Smith Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Hello Simon I always liked the look of these old GW scissors gangways. A rake will be really nice, close-coupled together. This is one of the major advantages of the larger scales (7mm and up) - you can get detail like this to look good and work correctly too. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted January 16, 2016 Author Share Posted January 16, 2016 Wel, they're black now. The canvas tops are not stuck on yet as there's a big of painting to do. Rather pleased with the outcome. Thanks for the positive comments! Best Simon 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Pulham Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 They look great Simon, and yes the Silhouette machines will score as well as cut - in fact they only score 20thou, you have to snap out from there* *or at least mine does and to date I haven't read anything saying otherwise. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted January 17, 2016 Author Share Posted January 17, 2016 Thanks Rob, I'm guessing from the reference to "20thou" that you're talking about plasticard? Will it score ordinary card without cutting through? Best Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Pulham Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Hi Simon, I am because that's what it looked like you were using on the last white bellows (to my eyes at least). I have to confess that I haven't had too much success with card but then again I haven't tired any decent card only cereal boxes so it probably serves me right for being a tight Yorkshireman..... I can't see why it wouldn't score card though especially if you reduced the thickness/pressure down. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted January 17, 2016 Author Share Posted January 17, 2016 Hi Rob, Never occurred to me to use plastic! It's good old fashioned thick papery sort of stuff from the local art shop! I think I'd be a bit worried about PK cracking on the corners as it flexed. The other concertina bellows I made were black cartridge paper/ card as well, so I just sort of, did more of the same. The Indian ink colours it and the shellac stiffens it. I guess we'll have to wait & see if it fails eventually. Easy to fix if it does, pull out the old one, simply squeeze new one til fully compressed, and shove in from below! Best Simon 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymw Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 fwiw, I think Tyvek would do the job https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyvek I used it to make some concertina bellows for a cross-slide cover on a milling machine. It held the folds reasonably well (heat would help). I sourced it from an old Fedex envelope. Unlike paper, you can't tear it - also used for sails in 12inch to the foot sailing boats (but probably thicker than you need, but you could try calling one night to your local sailing club - take a pair of scissors ) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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