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McMullen Coal Company reborn into 7.1/4"


Owd Bob
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17 hours ago, Owd Bob said:

I'm not posting as much or as often from now on, but i will keep you updated on the progress on my garden build stuff and a couple of other topics. I fitted two buffer plates over the weekend, they are 4mm. thick steel plate off cuts,  came at just the right pre-cut size and bought off e-bay for less than a tenner inc' postage,  i've to take the sharp corners off yet as my shins will bare witness:lol: I clamped them into place, drilled through them and into the chassis frame with a 7mm drill bit, the fixing holes were then tapped out to a 8mm. No need for welding these on just yet or if ever at all as i've more fittings and the couplings to put on. Apologies to proper engineers, i'm more a back street bodger:crazy: but i do try my best with the limited tools available to me, and if i've not got the tools or expertise then i will look to find someone who has! I have a lot of parts and bits ordered now, it's just a case of waiting for them to arrive and for the weather to dry up!:)

 

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I always enjoy your work, posts and threads OB. You're output will be missed, but I do understand and empathise that writing on here takes time and effort. Life is challenging right now. Good luck with everything.

 

Kind regards,

 

CME

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22 hours ago, Owd Bob said:

I'm not posting as much or as often from now on, but i will keep you updated on the progress on my garden build stuff and a couple of other topics.

Have fun and I look forward to a feast when you do :)

I enjoyed the regular updates as more of the thoughts behind it tend to come out but I understand it also takes up more time ;) 

 

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23 hours ago, Owd Bob said:

I'm not posting as much or as often from now on, but i will keep you updated on the progress on my garden build stuff and a couple of other topics. I fitted two buffer plates over the weekend, they are 4mm. thick steel plate off cuts,  came at just the right pre-cut size and bought off e-bay for less than a tenner inc' postage,  i've to take the sharp corners off yet as my shins will bare witness:lol: I clamped them into place, drilled through them and into the chassis frame with a 7mm drill bit, the fixing holes were then tapped out to a 8mm. No need for welding these on just yet or if ever at all as i've more fittings and the couplings to put on. Apologies to proper engineers, i'm more a back street bodger:crazy: but i do try my best with the limited tools available to me, and if i've not got the tools or expertise then i will look to find someone who has! I have a lot of parts and bits ordered now, it's just a case of waiting for them to arrive and for the weather to dry up!:)

 

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I've just stumbled across this thread and I am enjoying the build immensely Bob

Chris

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A few days on and despite the rain, i've put some strengthening tube/ brackets on behind both the buffer beams, they are made from the pre bent top half of the legs off an old steel tubular legged chair we had hanging around. ;)  I squeezed the ends flat in the vice and the drilled the fixing holes. They are bolted onto either side rail using the existing corner strengthening bracket bolts, the coupling brackets will be fixed onto the buffer beam with fixing bolts which will go straight through the buffer plate and then through the old legs. Rubber bushed steel sleeved spacers were added. Both sets of bolts and the bushes are fixed on in these pics' I've sprayed a layer of etch primer all over it this morning, after i'd given it all a good clean and wash down in thinners and a scrub with 120 grade grit paper, i'm holding my breath that the rain stays away for the rest of today whilst it dries. It's nice that unlike all my plastic models i've ever made, the bolt heads on this are real and are actually used and doing something.:lol: Hopefully the coupling brackets will arrive soon, then i can get on with the next bit!:)

 

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That's interesting, and good work, Bob. But I am at a loss to understand why you would need the strengthening fixtures, especially as the tubular steel will buckle at the first impact that the steel plate cannot handle? Is it to support couplers?

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23 hours ago, Owd Bob said:

A few days on and despite the rain, i've put some strengthening tube/ brackets on behind both the buffer beams, they are made from the pre bent top half of the legs off an old steel tubular legged chair we had hanging around. ;)  I squeezed the ends flat in the vice and the drilled the fixing holes. They are bolted onto either side rail using the existing corner strengthening bracket bolts, the coupling brackets will be fixed onto the buffer beam with fixing bolts which will go straight through the buffer plate and then through the old legs. Rubber bushed steel sleeved spacers were added. Both sets of bolts and the bushes are fixed on in these pics' I've sprayed a layer of etch primer all over it this morning, after i'd given it all a good clean and wash down in thinners and a scrub with 120 grade grit paper, i'm holding my breath that the rain stays away for the rest of today whilst it dries. It's nice that unlike all my plastic models i've ever made, the bolt heads on this are real and are actually used and doing something.:lol: Hopefully the coupling brackets will arrive soon, then i can get on with the next bit!:)

 

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Bittersweet.

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16 minutes ago, PaulRhB said:

Lovely abandoned line look, is that staying like that or just awaiting the bits for the siding? :) 

Just abandoned full stop Paul, :lol:Hopefully i can take it all and my new found knowledge elsewhere and use it to help others.

:)

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I suppose one of the advantages of it being a council house is that it’s up to the council to find new tenants. I’d hate to be in the position of trying to sell to potential buyers while at the same time feeling guilty at what I was letting them in for

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A lot of Council tenants these days are a bit dodgy to say the least, so lets hope they put a real nice family in here...Not!:rolleyes:  Six kids all with tourettes and with an off road motorbike each and all with drum kits will suit me fine. An ex' copper neighbour who i've had hardly any contact with at all over the past 30 years recently told me he'd break my legs to make me stay before he'd let me leave here, i blew him a sarcastic kiss and said "i did'nt know you cared" you best order the crutches now then! :DAt the end of the day it's only because he's spent thousands on buying and renovating his own ex' council house, and one now that he'll never get a penny in profit off if more scum bags move into the cul de bag.....Oh! Dear, how sad! Never Mind!:D The way of the World now...it's feck you Jack i'm alright...until it affects them in the pocket!:lol:

Edit. Forgot to say Mike that the extra tubing is for strengthening the couplings.:)

Edited by Owd Bob
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Some nice bright pics' today, the couplings arrived and were fitted on Friday, then the whole frame has been yellow filler primed, not that it's the filler bit i want, its really the yellow colour i want to act as undercoat for a future gloss yellow top coat on the ends and front panel. The front grille panel was made up using a 1mm think off cut sheet of aluminium, i cut it to shape with the tin snips and the top and bottom edges were bent over in the vice using a block of wood. The slatted grille seems the right type/style for these loco's and was originally a cheap metal boot scraper door mat, made to fit length wise with a few inches cut off it.;) The last pic' makes it look bigger than it is...stupid wide angle lens at work again!:rolleyes::D

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I dunno how you do it Bob, but you just keep on doin’ it - that’s brilliant!  And to use a boot scraper for the grille - that’s genius.  I wish I had your gift for turning ordinary things into modelling gold.  Loving the build and looking forward to the next update as and when.....

 

Very best wishes for the house move,

 

David

 

 

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Thanks David. I must be strange not clever!:crazy:  Because i don't see things as i should at first glance, the first question i always ask myself is what can that be made into or used for!:lol:

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The grille has been sprayed up using Halfords Vauxhall mustard yellow and the satin black for the wasp stripes was added after masking it up but only after giving the yellow a few days to fully dry out. The alloy sheet for the side skirts has been cut to size and drilled ready for spraying up,  i added a side step to one side for show only, and i'll be fitting these two pieces this week when the rain finally stops. A framework to attach the cab and body sides/bonnet will be made from 12mm square section and angle iron, i'm just weighing it all up now and working out the cab panel sizes now that i have enough 1.2.mm. steel sheet to make it. It is all getting heavy to move in one piece, so by making each body section as separate units which can easily be bolted on and removed from the chassis frame. Soon it will all have to be kept outside under cover.:D

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On 19/07/2020 at 16:45, Owd Bob said:

Some nice bright pics' today, the couplings arrived and were fitted on Friday, then the whole frame has been yellow filler primed, not that it's the filler bit i want, its really the yellow colour i want to act as undercoat for a future gloss yellow top coat on the ends and front panel. The front grille panel was made up using a 1mm think off cut sheet of aluminium, i cut it to shape with the tin snips and the top and bottom edges were bent over in the vice using a block of wood. The slatted grille seems the right type/style for these loco's and was originally a cheap metal boot scraper door mat, made to fit length wise with a few inches cut off it.;) The last pic' makes it look bigger than it is...stupid wide angle lens at work again!:rolleyes::D

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3 hours ago, Owd Bob said:

The grille has been sprayed up using Halfords Vauxhall mustard yellow and the satin black for the wasp stripes was added after masking it up but only after giving the yellow a few days to fully dry out. The alloy sheet for the side skirts has been cut to size and drilled ready for spraying up,  i added a side step to one side for show only, and i'll be fitting these two pieces this week when the rain finally stops. A framework to attach the cab and body sides/bonnet will be made from 12mm square section and angle iron, i'm just weighing it all up now and working out the cab panel sizes now that i have enough 1.2.mm. steel sheet to make it. It is all getting heavy to move in one piece, so by making each body section as separate units which can easily be bolted on and removed from the chassis frame. Soon it will all have to be kept outside under cover.:D

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Lovely work OB, all working towards an end goal, wherever and whenever that might be. Chin up, don't let the bar stewards grind you down!

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Thanks Stan i can't promise i'll be on every day or every week with updates but i'll do my best to keep things updated, most times i'm posting stuff i've done a few days or even longer before hand, it all depends on the weather most times. I've sprayed the whole chassis and buffer beams satin black now, there was just too much yellow :D The two 2mm thick alloy side skirts and the 20mm angle iron fixing strips were bolted on. The base frame for the bonnet and side panels was welded up yesterday, i'm hoping to have the whole unit boxed up and ready for the panels in the coming week.:)

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Another week of dry weather and a bit more progress. The frame for the body work is nearly done, this weekend should see it mainly finished and ready for the panels.  I've a few mounting brackets to put on today for the grille panel and bonnet top panel.

 

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Ah! Fabrication that's a word that sounds very professional, so i don't use it around here bodging is a better word for all my stuff...:D        Somehow between us the Wife and i have got the steel sheet cab panels cut out with my Dads old 30 year old hand held jig-saw, although four new blades got worn out in the process, the wet weather had held us back for a few days so it's finally a blessing to get something done this week. We might get a chance to tack them on tomorrow and post the pics' if it stays dry, but after that i'll thankfully and at last be out of action for a few weeks. ;)

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On 05/08/2020 at 14:44, Owd Bob said:

Ah! Fabrication that's a word that sounds very professional, so i don't use it around here bodging is a better word for all my stuff...:D        Somehow between us the Wife and i have got the steel sheet cab panels cut out with my Dads old 30 year old hand held jig-saw, although four new blades got worn out in the process, the wet weather had held us back for a few days so it's finally a blessing to get something done this week. We might get a chance to tack them on tomorrow and post the pics' if it stays dry, but after that i'll thankfully and at last be out of action for a few weeks. ;)

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Awesome bodging OB, awesome!

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  • 5 weeks later...

Only recently found these old pics of a 'Tin Turtle' i built several years ago, it all started when i found two sets of 5" gauge wheels and a pair of tender side frames at an autojumble for just pennies! The alloy sheet was also found at the classic car shows and cost just a few quid for four sheets, one of which i still have! All in all it kept me busy for that summer and eventually was sold off to pay the bills as usual when i'd finished it.;) A rough measurement of the real loco' was taken from books which were made into cardboard templates, the bonnet ends were bent using the old mowers roller.:rolleyes: It was powered by a wheelchair electric motor, by all accounts it was totally useless.:lol: Hope somebody used the main body though and eventually made it work right?:)

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