Cookie's Workbench - 7/8ths Alan Keef K40

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
No worries CK :)

It didn't take that long in the end, another 40 minutes saw the chipping aspect of the weathering completed. As its a trial piece, I varied the amount of chipping on the panels and experimented a bit with the direction of the brush to see how you can influence things. Scratches are nice and easy to do with a finger nail or cocktail stick. I settled for using a damp brush over the whole panel to start with, then concentrated on a localised area, moving around once the chipping had started.

WT22 chipped1.jpg
WT23 chipped2.jpg
I used some gouache to create the rusty tint in the paintwork that remained in place, then finished off with some weathering powders.

WT24 Gouache and powder1.jpg

WT25 Gouache and powder2.jpg

Apologies the photos aren't better - I'm fighting 'Photos' on my Mac, a recent upgrade to the software has resulted in a downgrade in functionality and usefulness :( Anyway, it'll do for dragging round the garden behind a live steamer, I'm sure the next one will be better!

Steve
 

Captain Kernow

Western Thunderer
Excellent stuff, Steve, really convincing.

I managed to get some of the AK089 at my local model shop in Newton Abbot today (a proper model shop for planes, military etc. as well as railways, rather rare these days), but he didn't have any of the 088, so I'll have to look elsewhere for that.

I also bought a new airbrush, my first dual-action one, having used a Badger 200 for many years, and following a quick trial out in the shed just now, I'm really pleased with the additional versatility that the dual-action brings.
 

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
Its definitely got potential Tim. Now I have some idea of how it works and responds, I can focus a bit more on achieving the right effect in the right place.

Good luck playing with AK089, post up how you get on as it may prove more suitable than the hairspray. I must admit that dual-action airbrushes are very useful, and thats before varying needle size and air pressure :)

Steve
 

SimonT

Western Thunderer
I'm glad to see some of you are using this stuff. A toothpick can be a useful tool and I find old oil painting brushes good scrubbers. AK have an extensive library of product guides and The Weathering Magazine is also a good source of inspiration and technique. I now use cellulose or enamels for the initial paint job and then acrylics from the Mig/AK range; I never got on with the Tamiya paints as the thinners tends to merge layers of acrylic paint into one layer. Some of the later weathering techniques switch you back to enamel for streaking and staining effects. This link should take you to the AK088 product guide.
http://www.ak-masters.com/app/pdf/AK 088 WORN EFFECTS.pdf
Simon
 

unklian

Western Thunderer
I do like the effects on the tank, but can you get the wood ( chassis and floor ) back like it was in post 636 ?

Cheers Ian
 

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
I'm not sure Ian. From what I've read, its a three day window for getting the paint off - and that window will be up by the time I get home from work.
I'll be honest, I'm not going to try! I'm happy that this one has been painted all over - the chaps at the line had an extra tin of green paint and went for it :)

The next tank (same kit, but I'll use different wheels) will be a bare wood chassis with a light blue tank, I've not yet decided on the colour combination for the third tank (nominally the same kit, slightly different chassis, axle boxes and wheels).
 

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
Started working on preparing the different wheel sets for the second tank last night. The new wheels are Slaters 1'6" 6 web spoked wheels ref: 2218FRW. They are about 4.5mm larger in diameter than the Binney wheels supplied with the kit, unfortunately the axles on the Slaters wheels are too short to span the chassis.

WT26 Replacement wheels for tank 2.jpg

The quick fix is to just slide the Slaters wheels onto the Binney axle as they share the journal diameter, I prefer the thicker axle though so I'm going to replace the ends of the Slaters axles with sections from the Binney axle. This keeps the larger diameter section of the Slaters axle for setting the back to back which strikes me as an advantage.

The axle is placed in the lathe and the ends cut off with a hacksaw(using a piece of ply to protect the lathe bed, cunningly removed before the photo)

WT27 Hacksaw end off.jpg

The stub is then removed, leaving the larger diameter untouched, and the new axle end face centre drilled

WT29 Face and centre drill.jpg

Its drilled 3mm to a reasonable depth at both ends

WT28 Drill 3mm.jpg

The axle is then place in the pillar drill vice and centre drilled

WT30 centre drill.jpg

A vent hole is drilled through into the 3mm hole to give somewhere for the epoxy to escape.

WT31 drill vent hole.jpg

The epoxy is inserted in the hole and a smear stuck around the new axle bearing end (itself cut from the old axle). The tailstock of the lathe is used to insert the new axle end

WT32 fill with epoxy.jpg

The new end is checked to see if it is running true using a bearing attached to a bar in the toolpost. Any wobble can be taken out by gently running the bearing up to the axle end until everything runs true.

WT33 running true.jpg

With both ends done, it was left to fully harden overnight

WT34 new ends in.jpg

This morning, the ends were cut to their new length and the wheels pushed into place.

WT35 Wheel on axle cut to length.jpg

It all looks OK and runs true so I'll do the second one now.
Steve
 

adrian

Flying Squad
It all looks OK and runs true so I'll do the second one now.
Some nice work, perhaps I missing something but I'm not sure if you are over thinking the problem.

One option cut the ends off the Slaters axle as at the start but drill all the way through and just use it as a sleeve over the Binney axle, no alignment or glueing required.

Second option just turn a new axle from a length of steel same diameter as the Slaters axle.
 

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
Some nice work, perhaps I missing something but I'm not sure if you are over thinking the problem.
Quite possibly :oops: I've got to be honest, with the materials on hand, I went with what I thought of first.
One option cut the ends off the Slaters axle as at the start but drill all the way through and just use it as a sleeve over the Binney axle, no alignment or glueing required.
That would work (should have though of that!). Only possible downside is that the drill wanders as the axle is 40mm long, thus giving you a visually wobbly axle , even if the wheels run true. You also have to measure and equalise wheel spacing which is already done using my method, meaning you just push the wheel on with no further twisting or faffing about. Not sure what the impact is on the Slaters wheels if you keep having to twist and adjust them on the axle. Not much I suspect, but I've no experience if the grip deteriorates during refitting.
Second option just turn a new axle from a length of steel same diameter as the Slaters axle.
I haven't got any steel that size in stock :oops: Plenty of brass, but no steel. I'm not sure how quick I'd be on that turning job - the long winded version takes 8 minutes to get to the point the Binney donors are glued into the Slaters centre as there is very little precision required during the job. I do have a couple more sets to do though, I'll try the sleeving job and report back.
Steve
 

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
I distinctly remember saying I didn't want a green one. Therefore, it comes as no surprise to find out I own a green one...

AD1 Stripped of details.jpg

I've got nothing against the colour, its just that I seem to own a few green engines and some variety would have been nice. However, I dithered for too long and the only colour available when I got my act together was green. I can't say I'm upset, indeed I'm rather smitten with the thing, so I'll chalk it up to a 'first world problem'.

Its a 7/8ths scale Accucraft 3 Ton Type 1 Decauville, although if you read the name plate its apparently a 'Decuville' :rolleyes: Its actually pretty small, even by 16mm standards, taking up just 21cm of track excluding the buffers. It gains a good 30mm or so height over the normal 16mm engine which helps contribute to its shorty good looks. All of the easily removable detail was taken off for the above photo, its was actually getting ready for its first run and I wanted to be able to check all the steam joints for leaks etc

I'm pleased to report that I stayed with tradition and modified it before steaming it, although to be fair the previous owner had test steamed it to check it was OK for delivery so its not like it was mucked around with in its virgin state. Mind you, given the state after its after its first steaming, the mods would have been appropriate out of the box. The exhaust pipe was the main culprit, a piece of 2mm bore copper pipe leading straight up the chimney from the valve block, meaning any condensate, steam oil etc goes straight up, shortly followed by straight down over the paintwork :mad:

AD3 std exhaust pipe.jpg

The quick fix is to crimp the end of the pipe, then drill through both sides 1.2 mm or so. The actual restriction in pipe terms is at the threaded fixture where it screws into the valve block, the top end is larger than required and the two new holes have an area greater then original. It does mean all the exhaust smeg gets directed against the chimney walls and thus the engine stays a lot cleaner.

AD4 modified exhaust.jpg

The test run was successful, in that it highlighted the known big issues, but I bought the loco knowing what was coming so I can't hold that against it. The first batch which went to the US had big problems with fuel surge, this was traced to the gas tank overheating in its location in one of the side tanks. Part of the problem is that the boiler is very short and the smokebox front plate also acts as the side tank wrapper - heat build up in the smokebox is then transferred to the tanks and gas tank. The 'fix' for the UK delivery was to fit a smaller gas tank and add insulation around the side tank, unfortunately it seems the shrinking of the gas tank was a little over enthusiastic :oops:

This means you fill the gas tank, the boiler and lubricator, light the burner (which roars something rotten) and wait for pressure to build. The suggestion is you take it slowly to avoid transferring too much heat into the smokebox, so about 10 - 15mins to raise steam. You then turn the gas off, fill the tank again and relight - its then good for about 10-15 minutes of run.

AD 2 First run.jpg

Its a bit crap really. I know mine isn't run in (it is very smooth which is a bonus) but 15 minutes light engine, with the burner turned down and a low regulator is poor. The 'fix' is a bit drastic, making a new gas tank to go under the cab floor. That alleviates the issues and there is plenty of water capacity in the boiler to cope with the extra gas volume so its the route I'm heading down. When I could feel my resolve weakening a couple of weeks ago, I picked up some material for the new tank at the local engineering show, now I'm just a filler valve short of components. There are a few other suggested mods which I will do at the same time, then then are some cosmetic changes, chief of which is getting some wood strips up in the cab roof. Thats enough moaning for now though, it really is a pretty little thing in my eyes, so here are a couple of photos with the cosmetic bits back on after a wipe down.

AD5 Fully dressed 1.jpg

AD6 Fully dressed 2.jpg

AD7 Fully dressed 3.jpg

Whilst I work out the design for the gas tank I've been keeping up the wagon works, need something to pull around now :)

AD8 Wagon works.jpg

They are all from the Model Earth range of wagons, the aim is to produce a 7/8ths 'tanker train' consisting of as many different type of wagons and tanks as I can come across. Aside from the three tanks at the back, one of the wagons in front will be getting the two barrels to the right, I have a carrier to hold those whilst the wagon on the left will get a scratchbuilt tank, probably half the height of the others and welded construction. The middle chassis is for an open wagon with sloping sides, my current thoughts are to fill that with hoses to support using the tanks.

AD9 Le Driver.jpg

Standing at the back is the driver for the Decauville, sans appendages for the moment as I need to mount him in the cab to get his arm position right - he is designed to be nonchalantly leaning against the rear cab sheet with his hands hooked over the rail. I bought two of them giving me an option to change the pose to suit cab first running.

That lot should keep me quiet for a little while, in between stealing the odd run at home :)

Steve
 

Overseer

Western Thunderer
Steve,
I think you need to make a 400 gallon 'ship tank' for one of your flat wagons, dimensions are easy, 4' x 4' x 4' iron riveted together.

The closest (to me) cousin to your little loco is 'Carbon' built in 1889 by Couillet in Belgium for Decauville to supply to the West Melbourne Gas Works. Now on the Puffing Billy Railway, not sure if its boiler replacement is finished yet. These photos were taken on a special trip in 2007 from Emerald to Gembrook and return. It took more than 15 minutes.
FB_carbon_0800.jpg
FB_carbon_0808.jpg
FB_carbon_0821.jpg
 

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
That is another lovely looking engine Overseer, the yellow is a bit bright to my eyes but the way the tanks curve underneath is very striking. I'll stick that in the 'maybe, one day' file if thats OK.

That's a gorgeous little engine Steve. Are the tank wagons for vin rouge or absinthe?
'Le Plonk' would be suitable graffiti on one I think Neil :)
 

unklian

Western Thunderer
Might I suggest that if you are (semi) serious about transporting drinkable fluids you put them in a barrel , a bit like this
I have seen a prototype but with the barrel mounted crossways, easier to get to the tap when coupled to other vehicles :) Wine in an iron tank would become undrinkable in a very short while :eek:

As to loco tanks with round bottoms ( pardon me madam ... ) , how about rounded top and bottom, like this ....

RIMG2942.JPG
 

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
Rocking cranked valve year, that's a whole lot of funky!

The tanker train will be for the transportation of water around the owners land, I'm just working on the back story and location of said empire at the moment. I need to tie in the 7\8 ths projects I've been collecting parts for whilst I figure out the best way to combine big garden scales with model making and a diorama style presentation. A vineyard wasn't in the plan but it could turn out to have some merit. I'll let you know :)
 

Simon

Flying Squad
Shortcomings apart, I think that must rank as one of the most appealing live steam models to have ever been offered for sale.

I very much look forward to seeing how you tweak and run yours, it will be well worth whatever effort it takes I am sure.

It really is just lovely, you really need to make some "balladeuse"(?) coaches to go with it.

I have a plan and information in an old Continental Modeller if you are interested:)

Simon

PS Green is definitely the right colour for this loco, it looks so splendidly Jouef, but only in a good way you understand...
 

geoff_nicholls

Western Thunderer
Wine in an iron tank would become undrinkable in a very short while
If you're short of wine, I regularly produce stuff that's undrinkable even before you put it in a container.
I've just got back from a family trip to France, where I picked up the latest issue of "Voie Libre", which has a review of the Decauville loco. They were also a bit désappointé. They seem to think if you fit radio control you could regulate its running and alleviate the problem.
It is a lovely looking model.
 
Top