Steve's Caledonian loco work bench

[mikemeg]

That's what the digital camera is for - to point out our failings...   It actually is a very useful tool  for checking WIP as it shows up anything the eye can filter out. Some very impressive work being done here, BTW, - I just wish more would take the plunge and do some real old fashioned modelling like you are doing. Its almost like reading the RM in the sixties again!

 

Certainly echo the sentiments around the digital camera; mine can home in on errors without fail.

 

Interesting observation around 'old fashioned modelling'! I built the A6, above, around five years ago simply because there was not a decent kit (and by decent I mean etched rather than white metal). Since building this model I have built a further four A6's - one, which was the test build for an etched kit and three more from the production run of the etched kits.

 

Which of these do I prefer? The original scratch build? No, absolutely not!! My preference is the latest one built from an etched kit; it is by far the best of the models. With the best will in the world I cannot cut sheet metal as well as chemical etching can and I certainly cannot reproduce half etching. Nor can I measure and scribe as accurately as a good CAD system can, even using a digital micrometer.

 

So I'll happily bow to current technology (and I'm a pensioner so well over sixty) and willingly concede that these technologies have significantly improved the standard of my own model making. With photo-lithograpy (3d printing) then I would hope to see another quantum improvement in the standard of model making over current etching and casting technology.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

Edited December 1, 2015 by mikemeg

[Londontram]

Not having a good week as there's to many other distractions what with Christmas coming up soon and all that. so apart from tidy up the work bench and tool box the only things done today was cut out the paper templates from a spare set of plans for the cab and smoke box front and set the points for the buffers using the height setting tool. I've found that by rubbing a pencil on the points of the tool sliding the loco up to the tool then leaves two pin point marks on the buffer beams which are the points for drilling the holes for the buffers.

 

   I must confess I've had a touch of nerves with Cardean and all of a sudden started to worry if I can do a good enough job on it so have avoided it for a few days.

 

    I do get these lack of confidence feelings from time to time in lots of things its just me so I'm hoping it will pass in a day or so

 

So there's only the one picture showing the buffer height being set and the paper templates which will be pasted onto the plasticard for cutting out.

 

    Sorry that's all for today. Steve

[Northroader]

What are you going on about? This job is coming together a treat, I particularly like how you've handled the splashers. I was only familiar with these engines from a couple of photos, seeing you get this model formed has given a real,appreciation of the proportions of the real thing, and from you done before with other locos. this will look great, we all know that. I just wish I could tidy up as well as do locos!

[Londontram]

Had quite a good session today and managed to get quite a bit done making a big visual leap forward which is what I think I needed to get me going again.

 

I cut out the cab sides, cab front and smoke box front templates from a spare set of plans and as with the other builds stuck them onto a sheet of plasticard with a pritt stick paper glue. These were then cut out and with a file and sand paper finished to the correct size. Once done the paper was just pealed off and the parts for the cab were glued in place. The boiler tube that you saw in one of the previous post has had two wraps of 5 though plasticard which brings the diameter of the boiler up to 21.5mm which is exactly right for Cardean's boiler.

 

   Every thing has been left to set for tonight and once done tomorrow I can start to build up the smoke box by wrapping more plasticard until it reaches the correct size as well. Here are a few pictures.

 

The cab. boiler and smokebox front plate. The boiler and smoke box front plate just held on with blue tack at this stage until the smoke box has been built up. The spectacle plate windows will be finished when the boiler is fitted permanently.

The same assembly from the rear

In these first two pictures the boiler has only had a single 5 thou wrap here it is with its second layer which brings it to the correct diameter, Its been glued in place and wrapped with masking tape until the glue sets

So I'm a bit happier now I've made a bit of progress. Thanks for looking Steve

Edited December 2, 2015 by Londontram

[Mike 84C]

Steve, that looks really impressive, its going to be a super locomotive. I do not want to sound patronising but your loco builds have gone from strength to strength in the short while I have followed your threads. Just keep "em comin"

  Mike

[Londontram]

When I left it yesterday I had just put a second 5 thou wrap on the boiler and was going to leave it to set over night. This morning I took off the masking tape and trimmed and cleaned it up. Now happy with how it looks and also that its dimensions match the plans I glued the boiler in place with the front plate.

    I also put the first wrap of 5 thou plasticard on the smoke box and the second one which is a fraction shorter to give that slight step where the boiler goes into the smoke box will in due course be fitted around the extended chassis sides which will run between the smoke box front plate and the front splasher which if you go back you can see in the plans this final wrap will form the smoke box saddle sides as well

 

  A lot of people remark that the Cardean looks very big and imposing and are surprised that its only sat on a B12 chassis so here's a couple of shots which I hope give it that imposing powerful look and compared with the pictures in my last post don't you think the boiler looks better for that second 5 thou wrap. Those bloody great splashers also do wonders at hiding the motor under the boiler too.

 

  Its now starting to feel very solid and strong. Have a look at this couple of pictures along side one of Cardean here self

and let me know what you think chaps

 

Now then I want to pick your brains if I can. Boiler bands, so far none of the locos I have built have them fitted and I'm in two minds over this as I've read some people say they fit them and others who say that boiler bands tend to look over scale and the lining bands do the job just as well on there own. What do you all think, I would like your views either way please. Steve

Edited December 3, 2015 by Londontram

[Mike 84C]

I can see both arguments for boiler bands, I prefer them fitted. So I"ll just sit on this fence 

[Buhar]

Larry Goddard advocates sticky tape (one of the Scotch brands) stuck to glass, trimmed and then onto the boiler.  The paint and varnish holds it fine.  It'll be less than 5 thou, so shouldn't be too prominent.

[Londontram]

Oh I've not a problem with fitting them and would most likely go for evergreens micro strips if I did but just wondering if I'm fitting boiler band transfers if I need to, it just seems to be a throw back to the old molded lines and bands that we had in the old Triang loco days. If you look at the picture of Cardean there's no raised line just the painted bands

[Bon Accord]

I'd say go for marked out and painted bands, as in this scale most improvised bands will look well over scale.

Cracking model and coming along nicely!

Edited December 3, 2015 by Bon Accord

[Northroader]

They're white/black/white on this engine, aren't they? So you could do commercial transfers fairly easily. Normally I do them with enamel paint with a bow pen on ordinary paper, outer lines first then middle line. Then cut out, touch up edge of paper, then stick on with uhu. Without any 'proper' bands underneath. Just black/white at outer ends cab and smoke box. Over blue paint of course, I'm getting all excited!

[uax6]

Steve,

 

Just check the top of the splashers where they meet the boiler, they look to be being pushed over. Looking cracking...

 

Andy G

[Londontram]

Hmm I see what you mean. I'll check it out but I think it might just be a camera angle trick they seem OK in real life

[N15class]

I use the Scotch Magic tape route. As above stuck to glass easy to paint and line. Very easy to add once cut to the correct width. A coat of varnish holds in place. I do ot this way even if they are a plain colour.

[Londontram]

Pleased with the look and fit of the boiler fitted yesterday today I concentrated on the smokebox area and the first job using the plans as a guide I made and fitted the two chassis extensions that run between the smokebox front plate and the first splasher, if you look on the plans and pictures of Cardean there quite a substantial structure.

 

  Once these had dried I could start adding the wraps to the smokebox and like the boiler I chose to do this with two 5 thou plasticard strips gluing first one and then the second with super glue so it wouldn't affect the plasticard. They were cut a fraction of a mm shorter than the first wrap that was put on yesterday to give the slight step that is apparent on boilers where they join a smokebox.

    The smokebox is now the exact width that it should be which can be gauged from the smokebox front plate which itself is taken from the plans. I'm very pleased with this as it went on without any problems and the end result I think looks good. Of interest the wraps added to the original boiler are buy the time one reaches the smoke box add an extra 25 thou, have a look at these pictures and see what you think.

The smokebox area from the front.

and from the left side.

Also from the right side. you may note that I've also been sanding down the filler on the splashers.

Andy you were wondering if the splashers were leaning out a bit but I've had a set square on both sides and they seem OK and have a look at this view down the right side from the cab, so I think it was just camera angle on the other pictures.

   Look at that cab eh - now there's a lovely blank canvas ready to work on if ever I saw one, being such a large cab I might try and do something special detail wise on this one rather than just bang another GBL T9 backhead in it.

Again thanks for looking and as always your feed back is appreciated. Regards Steve

[Londontram]

Escaped back to the man cave for another hour and had a look at the cab roof. first job being the rear cross beam shaped again against the plans and then the cab roof made from 10 thou plasticard. I went fairly thin with this as the roof has a distinctive double curve on each side which you can just make out on the pictures. When its all set I'll add the ribs on the top but I'll let it all dry overnight for now.

   The trouble with these scratch builds is all the white plastic making photos a challenge so if it looks a bit shadowy its an attempt to try and pick out the detail

The cab roof from the back, Angus seems impressed with all the room the trouble will be getting him out of there now.

Thanks for looking again Steve

[uax6]

Now that is really looking the business. The shape of that roof is so pleasing to the eye, not what you would get these days...

 

Andy G

[Mad McCann]

Why did you ever doubt yourself with this one, Steve? You've done all the really hard stuff now!

 

Dave.

[Mike 84C]

Thats looking really good, the eye gets drawn to the curve on the cab roof which you have captured perfectly.

[Londontram]

Why did you ever doubt yourself with this one, Steve? You've done all the really hard stuff now!

 

Dave.

I'm sorry Dave I just do from time to time its become a failing of mine that seems to have got worse in the few years since my accident. It mostly passes quickly and I get back into things quickly - most times.

   The hard stuff isn't over I'm afraid as I've discovered that the tenders fitted to Cardean and the Dunalastair's from the Dunalastair IV on wards were of an enlarged design with a bigger tank and seeing as the tank was one of the best things on the tender I have it looks like I'm going to have to almost totally scratch build the tender for this one. The only thing worth saving will be the bogies and the tenders running plate.

[Londontram]

So what do you do if you wake up at 3.30 in the morning and cant get back to sleep easy fit roof ribs to Cardean. As the roof was now set solid I cut some lengths of evergreens micro strips and using super glue they were fixed to the locos roof. Even though its plasticard on plasticard I've used super glue rather than polly cement as I've found the polly cement melts the micro strip and can make plasticard up to 10 thou go quite soft, some times this can be an advantage but I wanted the roof to retain the double curve at the edges so didn't want to do anything to risk it. The only down side of super glue as always its a one hit solution as you don't have time to re position it so need to get the position right first time.

Not sure what else I'll get done today apparently the wife has big plans for me today which so far start with an early trip to the shops after that shes being a bit vague so wish me luck. Thanks again for looking Steve

Edited December 5, 2015 by Londontram

[Mikkel]

Not sure what else I'll get done today apparently the wife has big plans for me today which so far start with an early trip to the shops after that shes being a bit vague so wish me luck. Thanks again for looking Steve

 

I'm in exactly the same situation today and wish you luck! 

 

Anyway, I'm as impressed with progess as Angus is. I know what you mean about the glues, I also prefer superglue even for plastikard on plastikard. I wish there was a healthier option though, which gave the same good bind.

[Londontram]

Well the wife had me running here there and everywhere to day and to top it all we've got the granddaughter for a sleep over so its amazing that I managed to get anything done at all today but 2 hours in the man cave did produce some results. Tonight I made the fall plate which like the jumbo is a working one but this ones a bit more simple to make which is a section of brass tube which is soldered to the edge of a bit of checker plate. A brass rod is passed through the tube and cut to leave about 5mm at each end sticking out these bits are just bent at right angles and passed through two pre drilled holes in the running plate. I could have just held them with a spot of super glue but as I made the drag box back plate out of brass the two ends were just tacked to that with solder.

 

  While working in the cab I put a floor in made from Slaters plank effect plasticard and boxed in the wheels, the boxes are a bit wider than they should be but I think that's due to the loco being 00 if it was EM the wheels would have sat further out and the boxes would have been smaller. Still it tidy's it all up and here's a picture.

Not much I know but its all progress. Steve

Edited December 5, 2015 by Londontram

[Londontram]

Not done a lot this morning due to other commitments but I did manage to rough cut a disk of plasticard and after mounting it in the chuck of my Dremel using first files then finer and finer wet and dry I ran off the smokebox door for Cardean. It went well but tended to burn the plasticard with the files and coarser wet and dry but the finer wet and dry polished it up nicely and I'm happy with the end result.

                                  Steve

[Londontram]

This evening I fitted the smokebox door and also made up the straps and hinge from evergreens strip and a short section of plastic rod. The same plastic rod was used to plug the hole in the center of the smokebox door which to fit the Dremel chuck had been drilled over size, when the plug was set it was drilled with a pin drill ready for the smokebox wheel and handle when that's made.

 

   Two bits of thick plasticard were laminated together and when dried were filed into the double curved shape of Cardean's valve chest cover and when fitted two holes were drilled and dress makers pins cut down and fitted to represent the valve chest oilier caps.

       I think they always start to look better when they get there "face" on them Thanks Steve