Smoke deflector beading

[cactustrain]

Most of my Hornby Patriot detailing project is finished (see my layout topic), but I haven't as yet used the rather nice brass smoke deflectors provided by Brassmasters because of a few difficulties. Could you help?

 

I have to put a beading around the deflectors and the instructions tell you to file .33mm brass rod to a half round shape before soldering it around the edge. My concerns are:

 

1. How do I file the brass rod to a half round shape? I need to do a few inches of this and can't hold it in place while this operation takes place.

 

2. How do I keep the rod in place whilst I solder it? How do I avoid putting too much solder on and spoiling what is a very noticable part of the loco?

 

Any advice or ideas would be very much appreciated, so thank you in advance.

 

 

Cheers,

 

Michael

[alcazar]

I'm not sure if this helps, but this is how I did the beading on a pair of 4mm deflectors I made from scratch for the solitary A1/1, 60113, "Great Northern" as it was in BR days.

 

Having got the deflector to shape, (as you now have), I cut some ROUND brass rod of a suitable diameter, and carefully shaped it to fit around the top/front of the deflector, bending it so that it laid EXACTLY as far as possible, along the top/front edge. I then cut some thick-ish paper to exactly fit the deflector , and tacked it onto the deflectorfaces with gum, allowing it to dry. Rememeber to do opposite faces;)

 

Turning the deflector over, I laid it down on the paper side on a flat surface, and placed the curved rod in position around the edge. The paper ensures that the rod sits proud of the FRONT surface.

I now held both down, the deflector with masking tape, and the rod in place with a sharp point, like a compass , and ran first liquid flux, then a loaded soldering iron across the join.

 

If you use enough solder, it fills any gap between the rear of the deflector and the rounded edge of the rod, and can be filed/sanded smooth once set.

 

The paper is now pealed off, leaving the beading proud at the front, flush at the rear and the front NOT covered in solder.

 

You could use the above method if you can live with the deflectors being 0.5 mm too high, or file 0.5 mm off the base.

 

HTH.

[craigwelsh]

Tack solder a length at one end into a groove in some brass, use wet n dry to sand along the length from the tack soldered end.

 

I'd start as the one end with the soldering and hold with tweezers as you move along. Only use solder tinning the pieces rather than adding extra. This is one of those areas an RSU would probably do well.

 

In 4mm im not sure why they didn't just 1/2 etch it really as 2 layers.

[cactustrain]

Thanks for the advice guys. The detailing kit does include defelectors for the Royal Scot so I may use those as guinea pigs to try out both methods before deciding which to use on the Patriot. I am a beginner when it comes to soldering brass, but I've no doubt both these techniques will come in handy at some stage.

 

The detailing kit from Brassmasters does seem include a strange mix of parts. There are items left out that you would expect to see there and parts in the 8F detailing kit that aren't in this one for common items, such as the tender. The smoke deflectors do seem to be unnecessarily fiddly, but I've experienced this sort of thing before with the Ivatt/standard truck kit. I'm not alone as George Dent baulked at the latter too!

[cactustrain]

Now the weekend has arrived, I've had some time to look at this again.

 

Thanks to Craigwelsh and Alcazar, I have managed to solder the beading to the smoke deflectors using a combination of the techniques expounded:

 

 

The first attempt is on the left and the second on the right. I think the second one is the better of the two, but I'm pleased with both of them. Many thanks for your help guys!

 

The only thing I'm worried about now is whether I can solder the clips on the reverse of the deflectors, or is the heat going to affect the beading?

 

 

Many thanks,

 

Michael

[alcazar]

Clean the reverse, and the clip well. Flood the area of the deflector to be soldered to with flux. Tin the clip.

 

Place clip in place and get in and out again with a hot iron, loaded with a scrap of solder.

[craigwelsh]

Work on a piece of metal too as a heatsink.

 

Fibreglass brush should clean up the solder on the beading.

[bertiedog]

For adding detailing around the beading with more soldering, use a lower melt solder for the secondary items.

For 1/2 round wire, take a piece of hard wood, groove it with a saw and file across the wire in the groove with a fine finish needle file, to leave half round. For larger amounts you can buy drawing plates, where round wire is pulled through a series of progressively smaller shaped holes. Proops, on the net,supply these jewellery tools.

 

Stephen

[bertiedog]

http://www.proopsbro..._with_Wire.html

 

This is the reference for the 1/2th round draw plate for converting soft round brass or copper plated wire to a 1/2 round section, very good value at under £5. Such plates from Swiss makers used to cost a fortune.

Just fed the wire through and pull, going one hole smaller each time, may need a touch of filing each pass to get it to start.

 

They do hex shapes, round, and square as well. Note they should be used with soft annealed wire, not hard types. Ordinary brass wire softens on passing through a gas flame. Proops also supply copper wire, silver plated etc., that works as well for these specialist drawn wire shapes. (No commercial connection, only user).

Typical draw plates.

 

Stephen.