Whats on your 2mm Work bench

[Matt.S.]

One resin GW van awaiting axleboxes, two SR 8 plank opens ready for brake gear - can anyone shine a light on monarch brake gear?

Edited January 15, 2023 by Matt.S.

[Chris Higgs]

6 hours ago, Matt.S. said:

One resin GW van awaiting axleboxes, two SR 8 plank opens ready for brake gear - can anyone shine a light on monarch brake gear?

 

 

Lots of enlightening photos in An Illustrated History of Southern Wagons Vol. 4 SR. Including one on the front cover.

 

Or you can deduce it from this drawing https://steamworkshopstores.com/collections/slate-wagons/products/southern-railway-12t-vans-to-diagram-1458-general-arrangement-with-10ft-wheelbase-and-monach-brake-gear-drawing

 

This photo is a SECR wagon but has a similar arrangement. 

 

 

I assume the trick you are missing is that the tail of the brake levers have to be folded over 180 degrees so they attach behind the V hanger. There are two small pips on the rear of the brake levers that show where  they are to be bent. 90 degree bend at each of the points marked by the arrows. CLose together so you might just fold it over a piece of etch or a steel ruler.

 

Chris 

Edited January 15, 2023 by Chris Higgs

[Matt.S.]

Thanks Chris - that's exactly what I was missing. Since I've emigrated I've missed having Titfield Thunderbolt on my doorstep. 

[t-b-g]

I have a bit of progress to report on the U Class tender. The detailing of the body is done as far as I can tell, unless I have forgotten anything obvious. The rear drawhook is not fitted yet as I want to see where the latch for the auto-coupler will go. It may well be that any sort of dummy hook will restrict the movement of the latch, so it may not get one. Apart from the wheels, buffers, axleboxes and the handbrake standard (modified cast brass from NBrass) everything else has been made from brass or nickel silver. I ended up making a new rear vacuum pipe as the cast one was a bit chunky.

 

The brakes are under construction now and once they are finished, it will be on with the loco.

 

I have been painting some 4mm figures alongside the work on the tender and I couldn't resist setting up the attached shot.

 

[Laurie2mil]

Another big thank you, Tony. It’s just brilliant work - I’ve seen it in the flesh and the photos don’t lie (apart from the new cleaner just taken on at Yeovil Town shed). 
You’re just wasted in EM and O, Tony!

Laurie

 

[Donw]

Nice job Tony. That photo puts me in mind of the RHDR although I think the locos are 1/3rd full size on there.

 

Don

[queensquare]

9 hours ago, t-b-g said:

I have a bit of progress to report on the U Class tender. The detailing of the body is done as far as I can tell, unless I have forgotten anything obvious. The rear drawhook is not fitted yet as I want to see where the latch for the auto-coupler will go. It may well be that any sort of dummy hook will restrict the movement of the latch, so it may not get one. Apart from the wheels, buffers, axleboxes and the handbrake standard (modified cast brass from NBrass) everything else has been made from brass or nickel silver. I ended up making a new rear vacuum pipe as the cast one was a bit chunky.

 

The brakes are under construction now and once they are finished, it will be on with the loco.

 

I have been painting some 4mm figures alongside the work on the tender and I couldn't resist setting up the attached shot.

 

Great job Tony, you’re a natural in 2mm!

Regarding the draw hook, I don’t bother as it tends to get in the way of the delay latch on DG couplings. 
 

Jerry

[Chris Higgs]

14 hours ago, Matt.S. said:

Thanks Chris - that's exactly what I was missing. Since I've emigrated I've missed having Titfield Thunderbolt on my doorstep. 

 

The other place that I know has a good diagram is the Masokits instruction diagrams. You only get these if you buy something from him, but prices are not much.

 

https://traders.scalefour.org/masokits/index.html

 

I don't know where my copy is at the moment, unfortunately.

 

Chris

[Kylestrome]

13 hours ago, t-b-g said:

I have been painting some 4mm figures alongside the work on the tender and I couldn't resist setting up the attached shot.

 

Well done. That had me totally confused for a moment! 🤪

 

David

Edited January 16, 2023 by Kylestrome

[t-b-g]

16 minutes ago, Kylestrome said:

 

Well done. That had me totally confused for a momoent! 🤪

 

David

 

I am currently working on projects for myself or for others in 2mm, 4mm and 7mm scales. The opportunity to create a little mind teaser was just too much.

[Nick Mitchell]

4 hours ago, queensquare said:

Regarding the draw hook, I don’t bother as it tends to get in the way of the delay latch on DG couplings. 

 

This is exactly the reason I abandoned using DG couplings on 2mm models after my first wagon - I couldn't bear to cut off the draw hook I'd so carefully soldered on!

 

I switched to Electra couplings. I know they have their detractors, but it is worth experimenting with alternatives before building too much stock. All model making is a compromise, and the fun is choosing where to make those compromises. I decided I valued draw-hooks more than delayed uncoupling without the "electra shuffle".

 

Eternal coupling debate aside, this is a really lovely model @t-b-g

[t-b-g]

21 minutes ago, Nick Mitchell said:

 

This is exactly the reason I abandoned using DG couplings on 2mm models after my first wagon - I couldn't bear to cut off the draw hook I'd so carefully soldered on!

 

I switched to Electra couplings. I know they have their detractors, but it is worth experimenting with alternatives before building too much stock. All model making is a compromise, and the fun is choosing where to make those compromises. I decided I valued draw-hooks more than delayed uncoupling without the "electra shuffle".

 

Eternal coupling debate aside, this is a really lovely model @t-b-g

 

Many thanks Nick. Coming from somebody with your ability, that means a lot to me. It is very much a case of me upping my game after seeing what you and others can achieve in 2mm. Some people get put off when they see top quality work done by others. They want to give up. It just makes me want to try harder.

 

The coupling situation is a bit out of my hands as the model is being built for Laurie Adams and will be running on Yeovil Town. I think there might be too much stock already fitted with DG couplings to contemplate a change now. The uncoupling magnets are already in place too, so losing the latch  and just uncoupling on a magnet isn't an option either.

[queensquare]

38 minutes ago, Nick Mitchell said:

 

This is exactly the reason I abandoned using DG couplings on 2mm models after my first wagon - I couldn't bear to cut off the draw hook I'd so carefully soldered on!

 

I switched to Electra couplings. I know they have their detractors, but it is worth experimenting with alternatives before building too much stock. All model making is a compromise, and the fun is choosing where to make those compromises. I decided I valued draw-hooks more than delayed uncoupling without the "electra shuffle".

 

Eternal coupling debate aside, this is a really lovely model @t-b-g

As Nick says, it’s always a compromise. For me, l found electra a lot less reliable, particularly when propelling, really dislike the electra shuffle and find the bar sticking out of the front even more unsightly than DGs.

Again, as Nick says, coupling choice is a very personal, subjective choice.

Jerry

 

[MarshLane]

17 hours ago, t-b-g said:

 

 

When you showed me that the other night Tony, I hadn't realised that Laurie was modelling 15-inch gauge!  You've done as wonderful job at painting the ModelU figure as you have at making the tender.  Superb!

 

Rich

 

[yaxxbarl]

Evening all,

 

Here on my test track/workbench I've been replacing the coupling rods on my 57xx conversion - the original ones were as they came off the 3-205 etch, which being designed for the Farish 57xx were 0.5mm too long between the rear axles -

 

 

So, a replacement pair, which were a 'cut and shut' on the pannier coupling rod set, built on a jig made from MDF and cut down track pins -

 

 

If you squint you should be just about be able to see the difference between the jig and the original unadulterated pair of coupling rods at the longer portion of them.

 

Net result is that it runs a lot smoother and is a lot more certain to go when moving off.

 

Cheers,

 

John

 

[Bryn]

 

Recently finished mini project, a detailed and weathered 1:152 muck spreader. Scaled down from a 4mm scale 3D print.

 

Edited January 31, 2023 by Bryn

[bradfordbuffer]

40 minutes ago, Bryn said:

 

Recently finished mini project, a detailed and weathered 1:152 much spreader. Scaled down from a 4mm scale 3D print.

 

What a load of.....

[Ian Smeeton]

I can SMELL that!

 

Regards

 

Ian

[Caley Jim]

21 minutes ago, Ian Smeeton said:

I can SMELL that!

The farmers are muck spreading around here at the moment.  i could get you a 'proper' load for it!

 

Jim

[CF MRC]

6 hours ago, Bryn said:

 

Recently finished mini project, a detailed and weathered 1:152 muck spreader. Scaled down from a 4mm scale 3D print.

 

 

I spent a long time cleaning, wire brushing and painting two of those Howard Rotaspreaders when I was a youngster…

 

Tim

Edited January 31, 2023 by CF MRC

[bradfordbuffer]

8 hours ago, CF MRC said:

 

I spent a long time cleaning, wire brushing and painting two of those Howard Rotaspreaders when I was a youngster…

 

Tim

Did you do it on over time?......what did you get paid?........time and a turd?...🤪(hourly rate+⅓payment)

 

Old joke but a good one

[Caley Jim]

I offered to make the buffer stops for our group's new, as yet unnamed, small loco shed layout, intending to use the etched CR ones from the shop.  When I ordered them, however, they were no longer available!  I therefore had to go back to building them from rail as I had done for those on Connerburn.  At least this time I could use bullhead rather than the plain rail, the latter being all that was available back in the early 1970's.  I thought I still had the cardboard jig I had used then, but I couldn't find it.  I guess I must have ditched it when the etched ones came along.  ☹️

 

I made a new jig by drawing up the buffer from an official CR drawing I have, printing the side elevation out several times with a rectangle around it, and gluing these to the different thicknesses of card.  The areas where parts would be on each layer were then cut away.  I also made one with just the sides cut away to act as a guide for bending these.  The layers were then glued together using the rectangular outline to align them.

 

 

The bending jig is on the left, the notes being the length of rail needed for the inner and outer sides and the running rail.   The assembly jig is on the left (it has already had three sides assembled in it so is beginning to get a wee bit 'the waur o' wear').  There is a base layer of 2mm card, then a layer of 0.5mm, cut away the same as the bending guide, with a top layer of 2mm with the whole outline cut away.  the vertical lines indicate the position of the ends of the inner and outer legs.

 

I also printed out 4 copies of the plan view with the sleeper spacing marked out and taped this to a piece of hardboard.  The sleepers were some old ones I had left over from Connerburn to which I had already soldered chairplates of n/s strip .  These were glued to the print with Pritt.

 

 

On the right is one with the two sides in place, while on the left the sleepers have been glued down, one assembled side is above these and below them are the parts for the other side.

 

I also found some artwork I had prepared, before the etched buffers came along, for the gusset plates which reinforce the joints between the verticals and the running rails and also the angle brackets which attach to the top of the verticals to hold the substantial wooden beam.  These were added to a sheet for etching which went off to PPD a week ago.  Estimated delivery is 8 weeks at present, though I've heard of some coming back sooner.

 

Jim

Edited February 1, 2023 by Caley Jim
Edited for punctuation

[Caley Jim]

Well, so much for PPD's 8 weeks delivery! The etch sheet arrived on Friday, 11 days after paying them!  Fitting the gusset plates on the already built ones was trickier than I expected so they are now being added before assembling the sides onto the sleepers.  At our Forth and Clyde area group meeting yesterday I got another side assembled and and have started fitting them to the sleepers.

 

Only two more sides to make.  I think the assembly jig will just about stand that!

 

Jim

[Michael Edge]

That doesn't surprise me, PPD have always delivered my etches sooner than they promised - but I think they are probably a lot busier now after picking up work from PEC.

[Klaus ojo]

Worsley Works´ etches for steam loco chassis are coming with plenty of spares for the Walschaerts gear.

So I felt tempted to have a try with moving valve piston and moving radius rod in the expansion link. With a bit of success on the first and a drawback on the latter.  I´ve made a cruel close up for yesterday´s ZAG meeting and think it is a good idea to show it here as well.

The etch is chassis only and with the homebrew body I ended up a bit too high. I´ve learned that this could easily happen with these "scratch aid kits". Well, the cab already is dismantled to make a more proper one...

cheers

Klaus

 

 

Edited February 13, 2023 by Klaus ojo
better photo