Whats on your 2mm Work bench

[Chris Higgs]

So just which tender axleboxes are still available?

 

How did the old whitemetal moulds just disappear? Someone must be sitting on their whereabouts!

 

Like a lot of stuff in my house has just disappeared? My wife still asks about the wheareabouts of her hen night outfit! It went AWOL in some house move or another.

 

Assuming the moulds are still around, and not thrown out by their owners (or their executors in case of their demise), does not mean that a machine capable of casting from them is still available.

 

I am guessing tender axleboxes are hardly the fastest of sellers. As you can see on the shop listing items 3-525 and 3-526 as still available some decades after they were last cast. WSL could well be a very long time.

 

My take on this is that the Association has not made a serious effort to provide a range of axleboxes, and IMHO neither should it - there are simply too many to cover. If you are capable of scratchbuilding the rest of the loco, you can probably have a go at these too - you do have to make all the rest of the fittings as well after all.

 

If I get around to it, I have been thinking of doing some 3D printed axleboxes, either standalone or just printed along with the rest of the tender chassis.

 

Chris

Edited September 7, 2016 by Chris Higgs

[JohnBS]

Like a lot of stuff in my house has just disappeared? My wife still asks about the wheareabouts of her hen night outfit! It went AWOL in some house move or another.

 

Assuming the moulds are still around, and not thrown out by their owners (or their executors in case of their demise), does not mean that a machine capable of casting from them is still available.

 

I am guessing tender axleboxes are hardly the fastest of sellers. As you can see on the shop listing items 3-525 and 3-526 as still available some decades after they were last cast. WSL could well be a very long time.

 

My take on this is that the Association has not made a serious effort to provide a range of axleboxes, and IMHO neither should it - there are simply too many to cover. If you are capable of scratchbuilding the rest of the loco, you can probably have a go at these too - you do have to make all the rest of the fittings as well after all.

 

If I get around to it, I have been thinking of doing some 3D printed axleboxes, either standalone or just printed along with the rest of the tender chassis.

 

Chris

Chris et al,

Axle boxes are available for GWR 3,500 and 4,000 gallon tenders (N-gauge and 2FS), as integral parts of the tenders, from Shapeways - see below. Photo of Saint and 3,500 Churchward tender.

Designer Reference nbs3000 (Interest - my son!)

Best wishes,

John

[John lewsey]

Hi people out there in 2mm land has anyone got any LMS tender fittings axle boxes water fillers and vents etc also I'm looking for the Brassmasters 2mm kit for the Beames 0-8-2 tank if any one has one that they want to sell

Kind regards

John Lewsey

[Chris Higgs]

Chris et al,

Axle boxes are available for GWR 3,500 and 4,000 gallon tenders (N-gauge and 2FS), as integral parts of the tenders, from Shapeways - see below. Photo of Saint and 3,500 Churchward tender.

image.jpeg

Designer Reference nbs3000 (Interest - my son!)

Best wishes,

John

 

And can we get them separate?

 

There are a number of different uses for these, for example under Collett 3500, Collett 3000, Churchward 3000 gallon tenders

 

Chris

Edited September 7, 2016 by Chris Higgs

[Nig H]

Hi Nigel do you know which axle boxes the Princess Royals had

John.

Hi John,

 

Yes, the cruciform style as stocked by the shop. However, these are cast by Sanspareil Castings (or used to be) and its difficult to get them to supply these (and the Black 5 castings) on a regular basis, so the shop may be out of stock.

 

Regards,

 

Nigel

[Chris Higgs]

Hi John,

 

Yes, the cruciform style as stocked by the shop. However, these are cast by Sanspareil Castings (or used to be) and its difficult to get them to supply these (and the Black 5 castings) on a regular basis, so the shop may be out of stock.

 

Regards,

 

Nigel

 

Axleboxes shown as in stock (for now). However the full set of tender castings which I suppose is appropriate for the Princess tender, is TOS.

 

Chris

[2mm Andy]

Axleboxes shown as in stock (for now). However the full set of tender castings which I suppose is appropriate for the Princess tender, is TOS.

 

Chris

 

I believe a re-run of the Black 5 kits is planned (along with the 08/11 kits) soon-ish, so these castings should hopefully be restocked at the same time.

 

Andy

[JohnBS]

And can we get them separate?

 

There are a number of different uses for these, for example under Collett 3500, Collett 3000, Churchward 3000 gallon tenders

 

Chris

Chris,

The axle boxes are not available separately but only as part of the respective tenders. The tenders ARE available separately from the loco !

John

[John lewsey]

My first ever boiler roll

John

[autocoupler942]

The above photos remind me that Aldi's are advertising A4 cutting mats for £2.99 a pair (in a choice of colours). Available instore this week from thursday 15 sept. My local store seems to sell out of any advertised items very quickly so best to get there early.

I'm not sure what the current exhibition/model shop price is but these seem to be a bargain @ £1.50 each! Almost disposable when they get in a bit of state!. 

Aldi ref: 072723090099701

ps They also do an A3 size @ £2.99

Edited September 13, 2016 by autocoupler942

[Phil Copleston]

I believe a re-run of the Black 5 kits is planned (along with the 08/11 kits) soon-ish, so these castings should hopefully be restocked at the same time.

 

Andy

 

Oh goodie. An 08/11 kit or two will be just the job! Keep us posted of when "soon-ish" will be. Ta.  

[RichardW1]

jpgNow that the GWR 4 Wheel coaches are respectable, (still got to add the couplings mind) attention has turned to a suitable engine to pull them. Lambourn has in it's fleet a Farish Railcar, Langley Auto train (now quite ancient) 64xx-Dapol, 57xx Farish, & another 57xx Dapol. All have been converted from commercial items. Time has come to add something a little more - shall we say esoteric?

 

The branch was often operated with ex MSWJ Rly 2-4-0 tender locos. These were Westernised (nothing new about conversions) and it seems to me that one of these will make a delightful addition to the line. A start has now been made, with the main loco frames cut out and assembled, and the footplate, cab and boiler unit well under way. It's been a while since I scratchbuilt a loco, so a bit of thinking has been required. The loco is small, and I want as much weight in it as I can achieve. To that end the boiler and fire box are machined in one piece from brass, with a N/S wrapper for the smokebox. the unit as pictured is the two parts suitable soldered together.

[RichardW1]

John,

You seem to have got this truly round, something I have struggled to do well in the past. That is while I now turn the boiler

Keep up the good work.

Richard

[John lewsey]

Hi Richard thank you are you going to the AGM

John

[garygfletcher]

image.jpegimage.jpegMy first ever boiler roll

John

 

What technique did you use here John?

 

Thanks

[Nig H]

What technique did you use here John?

 

Thanks

Hi Gary,

 

I tried to describe the method in this post (no. 14).  http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/95398-rolling-your-own/&do=findComment&comment=1907127 Let me know if you need further details.

 

Nig H

Edited September 12, 2016 by Nig H

[Caley Jim]

..........designing a couple of small lever frames for the group layout, in between other commitments.  Unfortunately I can't start work on the frames as I don't have the brass strip for the levers.  Hope to pick some up at the Alnwick Show next Sunday.

Well, didn't manage to get the brass for the levers at Alnwick, so had to send to Eileen's for it.

The lever frames for Sauchenford are now built and painted, ready for installing next time I get to a group meeting (hopefully October).  They are miniature, simplified versions of the frame I built for Kirkallanmuir http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/95081-kirkallanmuir/&do=findComment&comment=1752300 .  Instead of catch handles the levers fit into notches at either end of their travel.

 

 

The frames in unpainted condition.  There is no significance in one of them being a wee bit shorter than the rest.  I must have fitted the pivot tube further from the end and didn't notice until I was assembling them into the frame.

 

 

And once painted, ready for installation.

 

Jim

[RichardW1]

Well now, it's surprising how things turn out. Since the last post I have had to completely rebuild the boiler unit. A final bit of milling of the cavity for the mechanism went a tad wrong and the cutter caught the thin section of the fire box, twisted it and then ran down the outside- That'll teach me to try and take too deep a cut. So a couple of hours later, with some ripe words for encouragement and a new one was assembled. The rivets in the smoke box wrapper are to give an indication of texture- I think there should be more of them, but I'm not counting- shame on you if you are

The splashers and splasher tops have now been fitted. There is nothing special here, just simple discs of N/S cut with a piercing saw, and soldered in place. curved strips complete the tops.

The now has to be a little bit of time spent preparing the boiler for fitting to the footplate. Then the boiler fittings can be added. The touble with having radio in the workshop is that this has all been accomplished whilst listening to Helen's great triumph in the Borsetshire courts. Who'd of thought she wouldn't win

 

 

[RichardW1]

So I have made a start on the boiler fittings - and cut the rods to shape (nearly, the need thinning down a little bit more yet).

 

 

The rods are made from an old tin box, a useful source of plated steel that can be worked acceptably well. The centres were found by a simple dodge- measure the actual axle centres from the frames using a gear depthing gauge. This allows the centres to be transferred accurately. In fact I prefer this to the older method, oft quoted ie to sweat the frames and material for rods together , then drill. If the drill wanders, as it may well do through that lot, then you have centres that aren't thus leading to hours of fun making them so they are!

 

  

[John lewsey]

A Princes Royal footplate this is a Nigel hunt kit

John

[RichardW1]

image.jpegimage.jpegA Princes Royal footplate this is a Nigel hunt kit

John

I look forward to seeing this progress as there is one in my gloat box. Mind you I'm not sure how often they pulled 4 wheel coaches to Lambourn!

[Nig H]

image.jpegimage.jpegA Princes Royal footplate this is a Nigel hunt kit

John

Hello John,

 

Take care of that footplate as its fragile in its current state and easily bent. Its important to have the chassis done so you can check the drivers with the splashers, and then the boiler. You will need to remove some material from the underside of the boiler to clear the driving wheel flanges. I used a slitting disc etc  in a mini drill to do this, if I remember rightly. Also, have you checked the cab sides against the curve of the rear footplate? There should be minimal gap if you've got the curve right. And don't forget the 12 ba body securing nuts on the front and rear footplates. All this should be in the instructions, but its worth emphasising.

 

Good luck with the build,

 

Nig H

[Nig H]

I look forward to seeing this progress as there is one in my gloat box. Mind you I'm not sure how often they pulled 4 wheel coaches to Lambourn!

I have no record of selling you one- have I missed you out?

 

Regards,

 

Nig H

[RichardW1]

Everyone seems to be busy, including me. The 2-4-0 has taken a further step forward with the basic box construction for the tender. This, is I confess, a bit of a cheat as it uses the etches from an N-Brass Dean Goods, so the dimensions are probably a bit off. That does not overly worry me as it's only a GWR loco! (Heresy I hear you cry - quite right orf with his head!)

Still it gives me a fighting excuse to

a) get it wrong- not my fault - someone else did the etching, and

b) try and get it finished before Xmas.

 

So here it is posed with no wheels on a scrap of Templot output for effect. I have to add the little flared corners but need to make a little tool first, then find a motor to stuff in it. Just to add insult to injury If I can't find any GW tender axleboxes I'll have to root around in the box and see if I can find some GER ones instead! (kidding)

[RichardW1]

I have no record of selling you one- have I missed you out?

 

Regards,

 

Nig H

Wait a tic--- is this my opportunity to claim some missing post?  That way I can have spare parts for when I cock it up!. (the post date was November 2010)

having turned out the gloat box to make sure! (and finding the Jubilee bits I was looking for as well! It sits happily awaiting my retirement, when I can have time to do it justice.

 

Richard -