RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted July 1, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 1, 2017 It's amazing what you can find out with a bit of googling. Found the instructions for the brassmaster version of the A1/A3. Don't think I'll be attempting one of those beauties just yet! It has somewhat enlightened me to the sheer amount of variations available however. I was still planning to aim for FS at the Empire exhibition but it seems the Jamieson kit isn't suitable for that - would need a different buffer beam and a few other bits. Yes I could make/obtain them but I still want to use as much as possible of the original kit (valve gear and rods now excepting). I'm assuming (need to check) that the cab and chimney are the LNER size rather than the GNR. So it looks like for convenience I need to look at 1935- which is fine as I still hope to one day have a streamlined train. And this is supposed to be a de-stress project Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted July 3, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 3, 2017 Rich You will spend ages with the slitting disc cutting the unwanted internal sections out I realised this morning I do need to cut a chunk out the cab spectacle plate - the frames go right through it! The real-deal frames stop at the cab and the Cartazzi hangs off the end - the Jamieson kit frames extend at above footplateheight to the rear of the loco. Not going to be able to hide that easily! And if I managed to find a suitable boiler backplate that would need some slots cutting too. Decisions decisions! I don't really want to think about cutting a huge chunk out the frame just yet. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted July 6, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 6, 2017 A little bit more progress Chassis can now be screwed to the footplate and the small box is now soldered in place. There's a *tiny* amount of wonkyness on it that try as I might I couldn't get out. Some I can even out with a file, some hopefully it will end up being passable. Still need to work out how to fill the valance between the front buffer beam and the start of the valance. Now I've turned my attention to the motion and cylinders etc. I have a comet set of motion and also bought the cylinders. Problem with the cylinders is they are designed to fit their etched chassis. I think I'd rather use the while lot as a set rather than use the Jamieson cylinders with Comet motion so need to decide how much cutting to do to the frames and cylinders. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 (edited) Rich Looking very good, and the Comet products are far better than those in the kit. I have no idea of how many additional detail parts are required for the body. It might be worth sending a large stamped self addressed envelope to Southeastern Finecast and ask for a parts list for their A3, as the Jamieson kit comes with the basic parts only. As for paint the products from both companies are very good, the difficult part is obtaining them through the post Keep up the good work and do enjoy what you are doing Edited July 7, 2017 by hayfield 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted July 7, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 7, 2017 Thanks I've ordered some paint as I think i need to at least do the wheels soon. From what I can tell I need to use superglue and/or epoxy to glue the weights on. Still not sure what to do with the axle covers as I really would like those to be removable. I'm still trying to not get too carried away with adding modern bits to it but I think for the valves and motion it's a needs-must situation. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted July 8, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 8, 2017 It does look like there's enough meat on the frames to slot them for the Comet cylinder kit. Will need to file down the top of the frame a bit as well so some serious surgery! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted July 12, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 12, 2017 Not much chance to do anything the last couple of days, but I've slotted the frame and the cylinder frame fits quite well. Not quite got it in exactly the right place yet though. I've also started the motion kit as this fits with the cylinders. First attempt at laminating and I'm reasonably happy: However if you look at the lower left you can see it's a fraction of a millimeter out at the centre joint (I've not opted to articulate as it's a non-compensated chassis). I don't think it's too far out to notice without looking for it though so am leaving it as don't want to risk wrecking it trying to move it. Using drill bits I managed to at least keep the holes aligned. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted July 13, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 13, 2017 (edited) Hmm, any tips on the best way to form the head on the rivets for the motion kit? It looks like they are centre drilled so perhaps you're supposed to put a blob of solder on? Thanks! You can see my rubbish trimming of the etch tab in the extreme close up Edited July 13, 2017 by Bucoops Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
timbowilts Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 I believe the idea is to "spread" the rivet with something line a centre punch? BTW it helps to put a thin papre washer between the two parts so that you don't rivet things up tight Tim T 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted July 13, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 13, 2017 Hmm thanks - not sure I've got a centre punch handy. I think I've read about using a paper gasket elsewhere that you then tear off. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted July 18, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 18, 2017 Argh, the second rivet and I put it in the wrong way round I even tried to make sure it was right. D'oh! Not sure if the kit has spares. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted July 21, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 21, 2017 This is about 2 hours work. The crossheads were (both) very bent, the slidebars weren't even remotely close to fitting the cylinder etch either. Ugh. Still need to trim the piston rod. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 Doing things for the first time always seems to take much longer, looking very promising though 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted July 21, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 21, 2017 It is a bit frustrating that something that should be straight was banana shaped, but that's the fun of kits I guess I don't mind the etches being undersized, but the holes are so small I had to use the point of a triangular needle file to scrape it. Ugh. The slidebar in the nearest assembly is a touch tight, the far one is nice and smooth. Should be an easy fix, alongside the very slight out of true of the two (you can see daylight under one crossbar that isn't on the other. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 The holes are left slightly undersized due to the etching process, I used needle files in the past but buy a set of reamers as they will keep the holes round, also a 1/8th broach for the axle bearings. Both items are a good investment Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted July 22, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 22, 2017 These holes are rectangular I have a few reamers. What's the difference between a reamer and a broach? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 My understanding is that the broach increases the size of the hole the further up the blade you go, a reamer quickly reaches the desired size so in 4 mm scale you can ream both bushes at the same time. Someone who has engineering knowledge will give you the correct answer, as you can get tapered reamers, this may help http://www.mini-lathe.org.uk/reamers-in-the-home-workshop.shtml Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted July 25, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 25, 2017 Just to confuse things my reamers are tapered Not particularly pretty, but it's done and they slide. I did manage to solder the piston rod to the housing which was fun to fix... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted August 1, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 1, 2017 Having a bit of trouble with these rods. One is in and works OK, the other the hole in the crosshead isn't quite deep enough - after a lot of very gentle tweaking I can *just* get the wire through but it's stiff - and the first time I tried to solder the wire in I managed to get the rod soldered to the crosshead. Finally got it all cleaned up again to start again... The wheels spin nicely - had to do a tiny tweak to one end of one coupling rod and the other end of the other. Literally 0.0something MM. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted August 2, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 2, 2017 Done it. Mushroomed the rear side of the wire slightly and that filled the hole enough to solder it without it flowing into the fork itself. You can see how far back I had to elongate the hole from the outside, not sure what to do about that aesthetics wise. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted August 4, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 4, 2017 Forgot to take pictures of today's progress but the motion bracket is done and the expansion link/valve rods hanging off them. Looks like something out of war of the worlds... Next time I start a kit remind me to do one with less valve gear! Waiting for more rivets to arrive to replace the two I did wrong so far. Didn't really think about it until now but need to add another mounting point for the motion bracket, but because the motion and cylinder kits are designed to fit the comet chassis there's no mention of the spacing between the two mountings so that's going to be interesting. The wheels came with 6 rod pins and 8 nuts. I'm assuming (as no instructions) that these aren't spare but the con rods are held on with these keeping them separated from the coupling rods? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted August 7, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 7, 2017 Starting to look like valve gear and motion I assume I need to shorten the nuts to keep the rods in place (and also allow the middle driver to have space for the con rod and whirly bit AKA return crank? 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdb82 Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 Not much chance to do anything the last couple of days, but I've slotted the frame and the cylinder frame fits quite well. Not quite got it in exactly the right place yet though. I've also started the motion kit as this fits with the cylinders. First attempt at laminating and I'm reasonably happy: IMG_20170712_135703.jpg However if you look at the lower left you can see it's a fraction of a millimeter out at the centre joint (I've not opted to articulate as it's a non-compensated chassis). I don't think it's too far out to notice without looking for it though so am leaving it as don't want to risk wrecking it trying to move it. Using drill bits I managed to at least keep the holes aligned. Daft question here from a novice.... I'm just about to get to this stage with my kit - all the parts of the rods are soldered together solid, right? It doesn't make it too clear in the instructions, but I have assumed each one is soldered together to form one long rod for each side of the loco, with no articulation at the middle. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted August 8, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 8, 2017 Hi John, I'm still very much a novice - this being my first kit for about 15 years and the only previous ones I did were a J70 that used a motor bogie, and a J50 that was a simple 0-6-0 with no valve gear! However - I've chosen to make mine rigid as the axles are rigid too. If the chassis is compensated then I think the rods should be articulated. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 Daft question here from a novice.... I'm just about to get to this stage with my kit - all the parts of the rods are soldered together solid, right? It doesn't make it too clear in the instructions, but I have assumed each one is soldered together to form one long rod for each side of the loco, with no articulation at the middle. John Modern thoughts are to articulate the coupling rods, I think some Southeastern Finecast give you the choice of ether a rigid coupling rod or an articulated one. The latter makes quartering Gibson/Slater wheels easier also a bit more forgiving. I think making a set of articulated coupling rods rigid is fraught with dangers in trying to get them dead straight 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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