RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted September 10, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted September 10, 2014 Thanks guys, I think! Must admit that last night's modelling activities sorely tested both my patience and the limited skills I have in metal bashing. The number of times I managed to get a nice curved fold that didn't match the end profiles was infuriating. And then there's bends the were ok position-wise but not good on the eye. It all nearly got flung away several times. I must also admit to seriously contemplating fabricating a replacement tank from plasticard. Surely the bunker can't be as difficult? At least now I see why some kits have the tank cast in a single lump of resin. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted September 10, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 10, 2014 Have you not finished this yet ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted September 10, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted September 10, 2014 Have you not finished this yet ? Yes, keep up Stu, this is the third one I'm building. ;-p Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I have the same problem with the HUDL tablet. Chaz of Dock Green fame kept coming out as Chad! Chad? And, by the way, I'm not "coming out" at all! Sue might be more than a little surprised.... Chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I taught myself how to do curved bends in brass sheet when I built my first J50 - both the tank front and the cab top needed that skill. If it's not too late I could explain my method..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted September 10, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted September 10, 2014 I taught myself how to do curved bends in brass sheet when I built my first J50 - both the tank front and the cab top needed that skill. If it's not too late I could explain my method..... Explain away Chaz, I may yet ask for a second etch to have another go. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted September 10, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 10, 2014 Explain away Chaz, I may yet ask for a second etch to have another go. Just repeat what you did for the first two locos.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted September 10, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted September 10, 2014 Just repeat what you did for the first two locos.... I asked for that didn't I! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted September 10, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted September 10, 2014 A couple of very flattering photos taken this morning before leaving home, it doesn't look this good close up. 20 Aug 2016 - note to my younger self: you really should have checked the width of the tank formers. They are a good 2-3mm too narrow meaning the tanks are too. This is why the etches were in the wrong place, the handrail holes too low and the wrapper to long underneath. 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
asa Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Looks good from here Chris. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted September 10, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted September 10, 2014 A good clean up with a glass fibre brush will make all the difference Chris. Looking good though. The photos don't show all the marks and dents. I'm sure they will tap and polish out. Why do I have visions of Father Ted, the episode where Ted sorts out a dent in a car? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
84B Oxley Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Chris I had to have two goes at the tanks on my1367. Fortunately, mine had not been pre-formed in any way. The bunker is a lot easier, honest. And don't worry too much about the odd irregularity in the tanks, have a look at a real one, they're far from perfect! (Just like mine.) It all depends on whether you want a showcase model or one that looks like the real thing, I know which I prefer. My next pannier tank is a Warren Shephard 16xx. Cunningly, I got Warren to prefold the tanks for me as they are in quite thick brass. A lot of riveting to do and no half etched marks, though Warren does provide a riveting template to help. Keep the faith. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
N15class Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 If you look at real tanks and tender side they are anything but flat. It is only us modellers who want them to look like mirrors. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 OK here is my method. (there are others) Assuming that the sheet to be bent is flat.... Mark the sheet with a clear pencil line at each of of the bend - you can fix the start and end by offering up the sheet to pieces which fit on the ends - for instance for a GNR cab roof this will be the cab front and back - the spectacle plates. It may help to do this marking out if you also mark the centre line of the piece (transverse not axial) and add centre marks on the end pieces Mark a third line, central between the other two lines Find a round bar, dowel etc which is just a tad under the size (radius) of the curve you want fix the bar firmly in a vice so that it projects horizontally by more than the width of the sheet place the sheet on the bar so that the centre line is touching, sighting from directly above so that the sheet is at a right angle push down evenly on each side and form about half the bend offer up the bend to the end parts and assess - the position of the bend can be adjusted if necessary by moving the job on the bar away from the centre line continue bending, checking and adjusting until the shape is right Hope that helps - it works for me 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 If you look at real tanks and tender side they are anything but flat. It is only us modellers who want them to look like mirrors. You're quite right but this is a tricky area. Often the "dodgy" bends and forming mistakes, the poor fits etc may not convincingly portray the ripples and dents of the prototype. They will only look like what they are. A useful analogy is weathering. Chipped paint and a layer of dust do not look like the wear of the prototype, this has to be consciously modelled to be convincing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted September 10, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted September 10, 2014 You're quite right but this is a tricky area. Often the "dodgy" bends and forming mistakes, the poor fits etc may not convincingly portray the ripples and dents of the prototype. They will only look like what they are. A useful analogy is weathering. Chipped paint and a layer of dust do not look like the wear of the prototype, this has to be consciously modelled to be convincing. Sadly for me, I agree Chaz. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted September 11, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted September 11, 2014 A bit of cleaning up and getting the light wrong shows up the battle scars on the tanks nicely(?). They don't feel as bad as they look in these shots and I'm hoping that a little bit of filler or solder, rubbed down, should sort it out. On the plus side I did persist until the parts fitted rather than giving up and it should show other beginners that mistakes and problems do occur. I do wonder how many issues the professional builders gloss over in magazines - you do get the impression that their kits just effortlessly fall together. This can be quite off-putting to a newbie hitting snags as you get the "i'm not worthy" feeling. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeHemmings Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Some of those marks don't look to bad,you can fill them with a few layers of paint and rub them down with wet and dry paper. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold mudmagnet Posted September 11, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 11, 2014 Glad to read that you are not giving up on this one Chris. Probably one of the most awkward shapes to form. Hopefully all the other 'folding / forming' will be a little more straightforward. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted September 11, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted September 11, 2014 Moving on: Interesting that the hole for the chimney doesn't line up in the overlays... Starting to look like a loco though. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Interesting that the hole for the chimney doesn't line up in the overlays... That sort of minor problem is not unusual in brass kits. Suggest you check with a drawing (if you have one) or failing that with a broadside photo to figure out which of the two holes is correctly placed. You may also find the holes are undersized - a better state of affairs than them being too big! A cutting broach or a round needle file will be better than a drill on thin sheet. Chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
N15class Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 I agree with Paul about the filler if needed. Also as the tank is not riveted filler primer is always good. If carefully applied to the tank it can sanded back to brass with wet and dry,when they are covered the whole thing can be spayed with etch primer, leaves no horrible build up. You should of seen the roof bends on my West country. They where terrible. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted September 11, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted September 11, 2014 That sort of minor problem is not unusual in brass kits. Suggest you check with a drawing (if you have one) or failing that with a broadside photo to figure out which of the two holes is correctly placed. You may also find the holes are undersized - a better state of affairs than them being too big! A cutting broach or a round needle file will be better than a drill on thin sheet. Chaz Have checked the drawing and it's the hole in the tank rather than the overlay that is correct. Thankfully the base of the chimney covers the, now oval,hole! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted September 11, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted September 11, 2014 Glad to read that you are not giving up on this one Chris. Probably one of the most awkward shapes to form. Hopefully all the other 'folding / forming' will be a little more straightforward. No, I'm not giving up, it's not going to win! (although we may have to keep a tally of the points me and the kit gain) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted September 11, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted September 11, 2014 I agree with Paul about the filler if needed. Also as the tank is not riveted filler primer is always good. If carefully applied to the tank it can sanded back to brass with wet and dry,when they are covered the whole thing can be spayed with etch primer, leaves no horrible build up. You should of seen the roof bends on my West country. They where terrible. Thank you both Peter and Paul for the continued encouragement. Couldn't resist having a play after sorting out the correct location for the chimney. All the component parts placed together to see what it looks like. You'll note that the boiler underside is now in place too. I'm glad that I did this before going any further as there's a new snag to resolve... 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now