Pugsley
Western Thunderer
I think I could do with one of those as wellall you need now is your own Xenia Onatopp
Scattergun Distractions - Gadzooks, I appear to have gone normal
- Thread starter Neil
- Start date
Steph Dale
Western Thunderer
Interesting build; you know Guetzold did a rtr version of the earlier series way back when? Typically for them it's a lovely model let down by a poor paint finish and slightly rubbish mechanism. I've got a couple of them to do, which will end up with Black Beetle drives in due course.
There are also some very attractive and unbelievably affordable etched brass kits of them available from the Czech Republic, they occasionally turn up on ebay.de, as do the multitude of resin bodyshells available for CSD prototypes.
Steph
There are also some very attractive and unbelievably affordable etched brass kits of them available from the Czech Republic, they occasionally turn up on ebay.de, as do the multitude of resin bodyshells available for CSD prototypes.
Steph
Neil
Western Thunderer
Yes I did; I believe that it also appeared in the Piko range in red, blue, green and possibly orange, though that may be a repaint. I've also seen an example of a brass kit for the later version which I'm hacking but in TT. To be honest though I have a brass kit or two under my belt I'm not a fan of the genre and it would have to be stupidly cheap to beat the £7.50 I've spent so far.
Neil
Western Thunderer
I'm quite pleased how the odd half hour here and there have built up. This is what the shunter looks like now.
More filling and sanding need to happen, then there will be 20 thou overlays for the cab front and rear which will define the window and door. These will then be fully pierced through the currently blank faces. All interspersed with the fill and sand routine.
I've also started to think of liveries, current thoughts run to very faded and weathered early service livery, with the identifying markings patch painted out, so suitable for my sold on scenario. I can't make my mind up if the cab side numbers are on a plate or painted; either way an area of un-faded paint would signify plate removal or a near enough patch job. Here's the starting point, a pair of early ex-works snaps.
Photo One
Photo Two
More filling and sanding need to happen, then there will be 20 thou overlays for the cab front and rear which will define the window and door. These will then be fully pierced through the currently blank faces. All interspersed with the fill and sand routine.
I've also started to think of liveries, current thoughts run to very faded and weathered early service livery, with the identifying markings patch painted out, so suitable for my sold on scenario. I can't make my mind up if the cab side numbers are on a plate or painted; either way an area of un-faded paint would signify plate removal or a near enough patch job. Here's the starting point, a pair of early ex-works snaps.
Photo One
Photo Two
Neil
Western Thunderer
Now with added windows, and some more filling and sanding.
My early thoughts on mechanisms tended towards a Limby motor bogie (I have a pair of the blighters tucked away for such eventualities) but the bonnet is too narrow for one to fit, so it looks as though I'll have to break out the plasticard and order a Mashima of suitable size from Branchlines.
My early thoughts on mechanisms tended towards a Limby motor bogie (I have a pair of the blighters tucked away for such eventualities) but the bonnet is too narrow for one to fit, so it looks as though I'll have to break out the plasticard and order a Mashima of suitable size from Branchlines.
Neil
Western Thunderer
Time to start the chassis for the communist critter.
Step One: plasticard box with a hole at each corner.
Step Two: Reinforce the underside
Step Three: Realise one has 'dropped a bollock' and that one of the axles isn't square across the chassis. Open out in the required direction using a burr like a file, pop bearing and axle in, align and stick patch on chassis rear to take up the play in the now enlarged hole. Simples.
Step One: plasticard box with a hole at each corner.
Step Two: Reinforce the underside
Step Three: Realise one has 'dropped a bollock' and that one of the axles isn't square across the chassis. Open out in the required direction using a burr like a file, pop bearing and axle in, align and stick patch on chassis rear to take up the play in the now enlarged hole. Simples.
Neil
Western Thunderer
Excellent, I do like a bit of unseen bodgery.Single axle drive and plenty of ballast Neil?
Adam
Thank you Adam, yes it'll have a simple single axle drive and be weighted appropriately. I've done this sort of thing before, a similar mechanism powers this cut down Knightwing shunter.
It's not pretty or clever but it does work surprisingly well (or it did once I fettled and adjusted it) and has the advantage of being simple to build.
Neil
Western Thunderer
More plastickery trickery.
After filing the faces of the brass bushes wafer thin and cutting off the protruding plastic boss on the rear of the wheels I was able to fit them to the chassis and get the back to back measurement within reasonable bounds.
From below you can see where I had to cut a section out of the bracing plate to clear the gear.
The splice plate behind the sideframes was ground away in parts to clear the wheels.
Look, it fits.
A final check to see that the shunter has the right ride height.
After filing the faces of the brass bushes wafer thin and cutting off the protruding plastic boss on the rear of the wheels I was able to fit them to the chassis and get the back to back measurement within reasonable bounds.
From below you can see where I had to cut a section out of the bracing plate to clear the gear.
The splice plate behind the sideframes was ground away in parts to clear the wheels.
Look, it fits.
A final check to see that the shunter has the right ride height.
Neil
Western Thunderer
Today's achievement (I didn't set my sights terribly high) was to fix the motor mounting plate into the embryonic chassis.
Next up, pick ups. I never seem to make a neat job of these, ideally I need to find some thin phosphor bronze wire rather than strip. I also need to replace the rather too stiff wires to the motor with something thinner and more flexible.
I'm rather enjoying this particular build. It's a bit of an 'old skool' approach to take something and make it into something else. Admittedly it doesn't quite match the princess to black five hacks of the sixties in scale but the satisfaction is there nonetheless.
Next up, pick ups. I never seem to make a neat job of these, ideally I need to find some thin phosphor bronze wire rather than strip. I also need to replace the rather too stiff wires to the motor with something thinner and more flexible.
I'm rather enjoying this particular build. It's a bit of an 'old skool' approach to take something and make it into something else. Admittedly it doesn't quite match the princess to black five hacks of the sixties in scale but the satisfaction is there nonetheless.
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Steve Cook
Flying Squad
Would you like me to pop some in the post for you Neil, or will it arrive too late?
Turning something from one thing into another
We're enjoying watching it too.Steve
Overseer
Western Thunderer
Neil, I recommend dead mouse tails as a good source of fine insulated wire. The computer type of mouse that is, and not the wireless ones.
How do you get on with brass wheels? I have found them very frustrating in the past as they work for a short time then the pick up becomes erratic, but I have noticed Peter Kazer seems to use brass wheels on some of his locomotives and they seem to work. Is there a secret to using brass wheels successfully for pick up?
How do you get on with brass wheels? I have found them very frustrating in the past as they work for a short time then the pick up becomes erratic, but I have noticed Peter Kazer seems to use brass wheels on some of his locomotives and they seem to work. Is there a secret to using brass wheels successfully for pick up?
Neil
Western Thunderer
That would be brilliant Steve, I'm more than happy to wait. There's more work on the body to do, particularly the bonnet nose, buffer beams to make and fit, and I'm also enjoying the slow pace and taking my time.
Thank you, I hadn't thought of mouse bits, I'll take a look through my collection of dead computer peripherals later today.
In the past I've found that I need to keep brass wheels clean, though I had a Lima shunter that seemed to be unstoppable and which thrived on neglect. Lately despite having a dusty play room I've found little need to clean wheels. It may be that a few circuits of Morfa is better for my stock than shuffling back and forth on my previous shunting planks. It might be that the different atmospheric conditions in the Welsh countryside suit better than urban York. I do tend to cram in a good amount of weight which always helps with pick up too.
Neil
Western Thunderer
Thanks to Cookie and postie, I'm now in possession of a selection of phosphor bronze wire. Given the low profile of the motor in the critters chassis there's no way to bolt the pick ups to the chassis so I had to come up with another idea. So time to deploy my high-tech, state of the art soldering station.
First up the phosphor bronze was soldered to a pad of brass strip followed by the wire to the motor.
Here's how it will be orientated on the chassis, and here's the beginnings of how it will be held there.
The next step will be to glue a front plate between the two white strips to create a pocket for the pick up assembly, which will be held in place by a block above the brass strip positioned to maintain tension on the pick up wires.
First up the phosphor bronze was soldered to a pad of brass strip followed by the wire to the motor.
Here's how it will be orientated on the chassis, and here's the beginnings of how it will be held there.
The next step will be to glue a front plate between the two white strips to create a pocket for the pick up assembly, which will be held in place by a block above the brass strip positioned to maintain tension on the pick up wires.
Neil
Western Thunderer
Today's target was to install the motor. To do this I needed to first solder the pick up leads to the motor terminals as the lower one would be imposible to reach one the motor was fixed in place. A couple of minutes with the iron and adhesive and the motor is in place, the pick ups waving about like antenae.
I thought it might be interesting to see what bits of the original Piko shunter haven't and will not be used in my model, so I rounded them up whilst I had the camera out. Unfortunately I haven't a clue where the rubber bands used in the original drive train are, but all the other bits are present and correct.
Surprisingly little is left.
I thought it might be interesting to see what bits of the original Piko shunter haven't and will not be used in my model, so I rounded them up whilst I had the camera out. Unfortunately I haven't a clue where the rubber bands used in the original drive train are, but all the other bits are present and correct.
Surprisingly little is left.
Neil
Western Thunderer
I've surprised myself today by managing two disparate model making tasks and not buggering up either of them. Normally changes of discipline lead to anguish. Apart from progressing the Abertafol landmass, I've also made some more headway on the left leaning locomotive.
A hole to accommodate those bits poking out of the top of the chassis was cut in the footplate.
Next the pick up arrangement was completed.
The hole in the footplate had to be enlarged to allow the wires to thread through. Here you can see the chassis/footplate assembly hot from the test track.
Being only single axle drive, the weight is required, but I am pleased that it runs smoothly and quietly. I'm not sure if this is down to luck or judgement but a win's a win and I'm happy to take the result however it happened.
A hole to accommodate those bits poking out of the top of the chassis was cut in the footplate.
Next the pick up arrangement was completed.
The hole in the footplate had to be enlarged to allow the wires to thread through. Here you can see the chassis/footplate assembly hot from the test track.
Being only single axle drive, the weight is required, but I am pleased that it runs smoothly and quietly. I'm not sure if this is down to luck or judgement but a win's a win and I'm happy to take the result however it happened.
Neil
Western Thunderer
Little by little I'm getting there. Yesterday evening I made the cut outs in the cab front and bonnet rear so that they would slip over the motor and sit flat on the footplate.
I've arranged for the flywheel and rear of the motor to intrude into the cab rather than the bonnet. Though seemingly perverse (what me?) it means that I can put pleanty of weight over the driven axle at the bonnet end, and I should be able to disguise the motor/flywheel with a representation of a control desk. I'm pleased that the loco has that squat look, just peeping out above the height of the wagon.
I've arranged for the flywheel and rear of the motor to intrude into the cab rather than the bonnet. Though seemingly perverse (what me?) it means that I can put pleanty of weight over the driven axle at the bonnet end, and I should be able to disguise the motor/flywheel with a representation of a control desk. I'm pleased that the loco has that squat look, just peeping out above the height of the wagon.
Neil
Western Thunderer
This afternoon I tackled a task I'd been putting off for a while; making and fixing the radiator surround.
First job was to cut the blighter out from a sheet of 10 thou plasticard. It's quite small and delicate.
Then mark a line to position it on the nose end. Not having a fancy marking gauge I laminate plasticard to the required height and lightly scribe with a pin in a vice along the top edge.
I centralise by eye then check and fuss it into place before flashing solvent round the inner and outer perimeter.
When set I'll do some final tweaking to the surround; it's too delicate when loose to do much.
First job was to cut the blighter out from a sheet of 10 thou plasticard. It's quite small and delicate.
Then mark a line to position it on the nose end. Not having a fancy marking gauge I laminate plasticard to the required height and lightly scribe with a pin in a vice along the top edge.
I centralise by eye then check and fuss it into place before flashing solvent round the inner and outer perimeter.
When set I'll do some final tweaking to the surround; it's too delicate when loose to do much.
MartinWales
Western Thunderer
Ahh....I see the filthy Capitalist Mk1 Acme wheelsets have found a good home Comrade!