Flymo748

Not wanting to put you off buying the Markits one if that is what you really want, however: - if the Markits one has a turned brass stem, then you won't have the indentations for the cutaways that show the screw inside; - it will be safely in an enclosed cab, so you shouldn't need the extra robustness that a brass part would give. I'm completely with you that there are certain exposed fittings which are much better in lost wax brass, but I wouldn't say that this was one of them. Cheers Flymo

It took me a couple of days to go up into the loft and raid the section of the Kit Mountain which is red boxes... So I brought down the kits for the Gibson Y14 and T26. I knew that in there was what I wanted... Apologies if this is sideways - I've had two attempts to twist it around in an editor :-( This is the tender brake standard from the kits. You'll see that it gives a pretty good impression, including of the cut-outs in the base. As a kit component, it isn't labelled with a part number. however, if you download the Alan Gibson catalogue, you'll find it listed in the LNER locomotive parts section as "4M628 GER Tender Brake Standard". As to why the right one isn't in the kit? I suspect the kit manufacturer didn't have the correct existing component in their range, didn't want to buy one in or make a master for one to cast, and thought that it's an insignificant internal component which no one will bother about. Or just didn't do their research... Cheers Flymo

I usually use a scalpel as well, but a heavy duty one. A Swann Morton Unitool. One of these: https://www.saa.co.uk/swann-morton-unitool-1337-plastic-handle-3-blades-card-123377.html With the curved blade in it, I find that I have the precision for fine components, and the knife itself has the "heft" to feel as though it is not going to bend or snap under pressure. Yes, the blades to go blunt over time, but I find that it needs only a couple of blades (at a few pence each if you buy them in bulk) to do an etched kit. I do use a small chisel like Jol, but usually only when doing something like cutting up large sheets of etches: The other key element is to cut onto a sufficiently hard surface. Even something like hardwood or hardboard can have enough give in it to bend a thin etched part. I use a six inch square of Tufnol to cut onto, but others use ceramic tiles. HTH Flymo

Rich, I hate to say it, but the handbrake wouldn't work there, because you've fixed it in the wrong position. It looks like the kit is wrong in this regard. It's shown more clearly in GERS drawings. I'll snip the relevant sections and post them. But later... I'm off to the pub! Cheers Flymo

If Tony Wright has tested this etch primer, and it does the job for him, then I would bet money that it is not one of the filler/primers which would be problematic. I may giveit a try when my existing stocks of self-etch primer run out. It would certainly be easier to obtain by popping down to the local Halfords. You're right about the multitude of advice available. The best advice is to find what works for you, and stick to it ;-) Cheers Flymo

I'm not an aviation expert either, but I have flown a Spitfire (and have the time signed off in my log book). Both the assumptions about the Spitfire are completely wrong, I'm afraid. In the air, there is absolutely no vibration from the Merlin which comes back through the fuselage. And the Spitfire is unsurprisingly a beautiful aircraft to fly. It's probably the most responsive machine I've every handled, just about shading throwing a Honda GP250 motorbike around Cadwell Park, which was just sublime. The handling of the aircraft is superbly neutral. Unlike other aircraft I've flown, it required no trimming whilst flying, and it literally took a movement of millimetres on the stick to perform maneuvers. All of this in an utterly stable and predictable way. I can quite easily see how easily these things were to throw around the sky. Regrettably, with something over seventy years old, one has to be a little more respectful today... Oh, and when you're sat in the cockpit, you don't have the gorgeous Merlin rumble that you hear from the ground at a distance. It actually sounds more like a rather elderly and arthritic tractor ;-) Cheers Flymo

Just a word of caution on using car primer. By all means use it, but use it very carefully. If you think about it, car primer is designed to fill blemishes so they can be smoothed out. Which means that it contains quite a bit of filler to bulk it out. That may allow you to rub it down and make a scratch disappear. But it will also clog up any etched detailing, and round off the sharpness of any corners. I don't know Halfords Etch Primer as I don't see the need for it, and wouldn't buy a can just to experiment (my car is fibreglass, so any work which I do on it needs different materials anyway). So I may be doing it an injustice. However I would not see it as the best tool for the sort of work which we do as modellers. I do use an etch primer myself, but one of the ones specifically designed for modelling so it goes on in a thin coat. I alternate between the Comet and the Precision ones, depending on what I have to hand. They don't have an infinite life (only a couple of years, in my experience), but they are worth the investment as they are designed to do the job. These are a couple of pictures of my E22 Buckjumper in primer. The only visible effect is a slight yellowing from the colour of the primer. The detail still remains sharp. The coupling rods are being primed as in GER livery they are painted vermilion. I completely agree with your comment about the fibreglass brush though. I'm sure that patient use of that would make almost all the scratch disappear, and then you are back to just careful finishing with enamels, acrylics or cellulose. HTH Flymo

That is correct. I'm sure that if anyone has any questions, Phil will be happy to answer them in person. I had a good chat with him about things this afternoon. BTW, excellent show. Highly recommended. I'll be back again tomorrow on the Scalefour Society Stand. Cheers Flymo

There is no P4 inquisition. And even if there were, no one would expect us... Cheers :-) Paul Willis Scalefour Society Deputy Chairman

Very neat. That shows a real craftsman's thinking to make the finished product look more like the real thing. And of course, you had to do something to solve the appalling kit design. Was there any suggestion in the instructions as to how the two parts were supposed to unite if they were unmodified? Keep up the good work! Flymo

A while ago I mentioned that I was drawing up and having etched some replacement buffer beams for the Gibson J15 tender. I've now had the first test etch sheet come back, and tagged on the side are three buffer beams... I need one of these for the unmade J15 kit I have. If anyone else would like one of the other two to replace the buffer beam in the kit, then let me know and I'll pop one in the post to you. There will undoubtedly be a few more available in the future when I have more of the w-iron mounts etched. Cheers Flymo

Which appears to be an equally inaccurate statement. As the Scalefour Society website was updated yesterday, to the best of my knowledge. And a significant number of times between 2012 and now. Or have you confused yourself because you've looked at a gallery page in the Retrospective of Scaleforum 2012? Cheers Paul Willis Scalefour Society Deputy Chairman

Speaking as a member of some years of the Scalefour Society Committee, I can confidently say on behalf of myself and my friends there that there is absolutely *no* antagonism from us towards the EMGS, its Board, or any of its members. I can confidently say that attitude goes back at least to the days when the late Chris Kedgeley was Chairman of the EMGS. He was such friendly and gentle person that following a conversation with him (I forget at which show, but I recall that Barrowmore had a 7mm layout there?) about being delighted to be a member of both EMGS and Scalefour Society, I immediately reciprocated by joining the EMGS. Of which I still am. Cheers Paul Willis Scalefour Society Deputy Chairman, EMGS Member 10060

As a Scalefour Committee member, and thus with joint responsibility for planning this year's sho^H^H^H^event, I find this thread fascinating each year. So please don't lock it. As we're already well into planning the 2018 show (22-23 September 2018, thank you for asking) then if there is one good idea or tip then we will take it back to be discussed and possibly implemented. And yes, so far I think that every point raised, both for and against, has been discussed and we have agreed on at some point in recent years amongst those of us that organise Scaleforum. However with a new organising team after the 2019 sho^H^H^H^event, then there may be a new format, some different ideas, or maybe even a different location. I suspect it will still be just as welcoming to those to whom it does appeal, and I'll see the same friendly faces there as I did this year. Cheers Paul Willis Scalefour Society Deputy Chairman

Numbers through the door were slightly down on last year. However someone with more knowledge of statistics than I do has commented that both member and non-member volumes are within the upper and lower probability bounds. Whatever that means. We are now deliberately planning the show to have more circulating areas, space to gather around layouts and so on. One innovation a couple of years ago was the introduction of table and chairs to enable people to rest, chat, and peruse their purchases. I did have a feeling that we put out fewer of these than last year, which can lead to the feel of more "space" and less "clutter". Or Clutton. As we tucked that layout and Dewsbury up against an outside wall. So much of the feel of a show can depend on the layout of the floorplan. Anyway, there's been lots of positive feedback, I enjoyed myself meeting so many friends, and I'm looking forward to another one next year :-) Cheers Paul Willis Scalefour Society Deputy Chairman

Or adopt neither route: come along to Scaleforum for the day and purchase said items from the Society Stores. Anyone can do that at any of the Society shows. It would have the added bonus of being able to speak to some experts and pick up some tips on how to handbuild track. https://www.scalefour.org/scaleforum/2017/ Cheers Paul Willis Scalefour Society Deputy Chairman

No problems at all with that aspect of the tender kit. I flooded the joints with solder and filed them carefully to look as continuous as I could. Cheers Flymo

Right, I've now had chance to drag the J15 and E4 kits out of the Big Pile Of Unmade Gibson Kits... The cab sides in my J15 kit are the standard 12 thou / 0.3mm brass. Both styles of cut-out. Both of the cab fronts are half etched brass, to give the rivet detail and the spectacle frames. In the E4 kit, they are half-etched, but with full thickness inner sides as backing plates as you describe. I'll have to see how I get on when I build it. As an aside, I've just measured up and drawn a replacement rear buffer beam for the J15 tender. I've tacked it onto the side of an etch that I'm sending off in a couple of days, so I'll see how it comes out. I should have the buffers at the correct centres, and some indication of which way is up... Cheers Flymo

I made them up as in the kit. I'll check when I get home this evening for you and let you know. This was my first Y14 kit. I've another two to build and I'll use some of the lessons I've learned from this one. I'm building it in P4 (I say building, it's finished bar the lining, which I've been putting off for about 18 months now...) so the real glaring error for me is the width of the splashers/seats inside the cab. They are far too wide, and with a P4 back-to-back can be significantly narrowed. The other major thing applies to the tender chassis. Although it's not pointed out in the instructions, the wheelbase is assymetrical. That makes sense as the axle loading is greater from the water space than the coal space. However the inside (functional) frames and the outside frames fit equally well either way around. I'd virtually finished the tender when I noticed it by comparing it to the side elevation drawing. I suspect the E4 tender has the same "feature"... Also, I think the size of the coal space in the tender was too small (narrow?). There is a reference to it in the Allan Sibley article on the J15 in one of the early MRJs. I used a piercing saw to widen it. These are a couple of pictures so you'll see what I mean about these points. Cheers Flymo

There are also two articles in the British Railway Journal, issues 4 and 9, which describe the classes movements and developments. There are a fair number of photos accompanying the text. And if you are a member of the GER Society, there is a 16 page article in Great Eastern Journal No.58. Guess who has two Gibson kits in the works queue, when various Y14s and Buckjumpers have progressed through first... Cheers Flymo

And is due to be at Scaleforum at Aylesbury on 23/24 September... https://www.scalefour.org/scaleforum/2017/ Cheers Paul Willis Scalefour Society Deputy Chairman

Best post in the whole damn thread :-) Cheers Flymo

Speaking from experience of being part of the organisation of a couple of shows, as in Scaleforum at the same venue, and Scalefour North in Wakefield, the major problem is not the shows, but the venues. Large tin boxes i.e. sports halls are not very good at (i) allowing mobile signals in or (ii) coming equipped with local wifi networks. There's not much call for badminton players to be doing online banking at the same time. Some venues are better than others: S4N is better than S4um because it is a more traditional building construction and allows more signals through. Most vendors have some form of card machine now, but mobile network providers vary and you can often see the trader's lonely trek to the emergency exit doors in a vain bid to receive a signal. In the last Scalefour Society Committee meeting we discussed the possibility of putting card terminals on the doors at Scaleforum. We decided not to go with it because unless we are guaranteed a good wireless signal, it would be slower than using cash. Cheers Paul Willis Scalefour Society Deputy Chairman

Indeed OT, so if anyone wishes to discuss the Scalefour Society AGM, I suggest they start a new thread. However to scotch any unfounded rumours or accusations, the North London Group *is* hosting the Scalefour AGM, and they confirmed as much only three weeks ago to the Scalefour Committee and to the membership in general a week ago. You will also find details of the event at http://www.thenlg.org.uk/scalefour-agm.html The web page also gives details of the layouts on display, and the traders attending. As usual, non-members are welcome to attend and enjoy the day. We just conduct the actual AGM itself for members-only. Cheers Paul Willis Scalefour Society Deputy Chairman

We'll miss you in the 4mm loco building group... Has Ian sent out any pre-course material or requirements? From what I recall from dropping into his room on several previous weekends is he has you preparing practice panels for the first part of the course, to ensure you are confident in smoothly and evenly applying a base coat of paint to a flat surface. It's only later on you're let loose on a real live model. Cheers Flymo