7mm Mickoo's Commercial Workbench

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Indeed, and interestingly, it shows what look like doomed washout plug covers akin to those seen on 6412 in the small crop. Maybe that's a 74xx trait and carried over to the preserved 6412?

The firebox top does look more domed and matches the angle profile on the cab front, the MOK has the raised section on the cab front angle but a flat top firebox.

I've also spotted some engines have different mid tank side handle/step, on the above its a simple hoop (lower left corner), on other engines they have full blown hand rail knobs and a straight bar between them.
 

LarryG

Western Thunderer
There is a basic similarity on the 57XX. Preservationists may have adopted a course that differed from when locos were in BR hands seeing as they were often faced with rusted through platework and covers.
WEB Firebox top 1.jpg WEB Firebox top 2.jpg
 

daifly

Western Thunderer
I've also spotted some engines have different mid tank side handle/step, on the above its a simple hoop (lower left corner), on other engines they have full blown hand rail knobs and a straight bar between them.
Hi Mick
Hand rail knobs and straight bar on the 64xx
Simple hoop on the 74xx
Dave
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Almost back to where we started a week a go, just a little cleaner.

The corners need some further remedial work, I suspect these are tricky out of the box, but second hand....lets just say, it's difficult to put back what someone has previously took away. The issue is further complicated by the proximity of raised rivet detail close to the joints, I've done the majority of the filling with solder, the rest will be with Milliput and smaller sculpting tools.

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Tanks just placed into position.

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It'll be a couple of weeks until the replacement etches arrive, so until then, I'll just pick at the tank internal support structure and other bits and pieces until they arrive.
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
With the 64xx taking the inside lane on the work bench autobahn it's time to switch it up to something larger steaming up the fast lane.

I've held off for a week or so to collect all the sundries needed (the remaining are in the post) and get the 64xx to a reasonable point where nothing major is outstanding.

I've already built one of these for the Finney7 crew and it's displayed on our stand so I'm well ahead of what to expect in the box. This one will be a little different, the client requires 34006 late in BR on the SD, a chance to add the extended deflectors from our collection and an opportunity to do something about the big hole through the chimney to the ground. The plan being to develop an etch that fits onto the existing model chassis and light blocks the track below, I'll also fashion a blast pipe as viewed from above and make a bracket to hold a speaker, perhaps the DCC board too.

As expected it just all fits where it's supposed to and for what of a better expression 'shake the box and apply solder'.

Unlike the last build these images are not needed for instruction photos so I can let my cleaning frenzy slacken a little, so long as it's smooth and invisible once painted then that's good enough for this build.

The tender chassis is simple, effective and fully functional; I loathe compensation beams on engines but on tenders they're just simply ideal.

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The main frames form another sub assembly. Still more brackets etc to fit and like last time I'll fashion a bracket to make the rear buffer beam removable, mainly for painting but also for fitting the retentive buffers once painted.

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The two just fit inside each other.

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The wheels have a fixing I've not seen before, the last build used 3/16" axles and wheels with a grub screw fixing inside our insulated axle box chassis we developed. These are 5/32" axles and the retaining screw is a threaded stub which screws onto the square ended axle, I like it. The bogie and Delta truck axles are the same and I'm wondering is Slaters have changed the design of their 5/32" wheel fixings to this format instead of the tapered shaft, I do hope so as this set up is much better.
 

2-Bil

Western Thunderer
Hi MD though you're obviously pretty loaded up with work of all sorts for the foreseeable( and ill definatly enjoy another Bulleid build),is there any updates re the 1/32LP?? I forgot to ask about it when i saw you at Bristol..............Regards etc BW
 

paulc

Western Thunderer
Hi Mickoo , any chance of a picture of this new wheel fitting arrangement . Pictures worth a thousand words etc .
Cheers Paul
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
@2-Bil
It's not forgotten and only late last week I was speaking to someone about it. The cab I'm comfortable with and I've made some changes to the body shell construction. The original got dropped and that still niggles me, it has been sort of been bent straight but that's the reason it's not on the stand, even though that side is facing us and not the public.

I need to run off a new body etch but won't do that until I've got on with the chassis, but it's a slow burner I'm afraid. The B1 must come first and then there's another 7mm SR project after that.

@paulc
Of course I can :thumbs: I'm led to believe that the stubs can be replaced with small Allen key grub screws (Slaters 7321) and key (X78003), though I've not had a chance to cross reference or validate that information personally yet.

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mickoo

Western Thunderer
The 64xx replacement etches arrived earlier this week and overall I'm pleased, a couple of own goals, one so obvious as to be 'flipping' annoying.

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There is no work around for either so I'll have to run off another project etch and add these parts on. The biggest problem is the coupling rod knuckle holes, for some unfathomable reason I made them the same size as the crank pin bearing holes :headbang: Only one set shown here as the others are on a smaller sub section off the main sheet. The second wasn't so obvious, it concerns the beading around the cab entrance, it's a long strip with a half etched groove on one side to centre it on the cab sheeting. On the rear artwork the whole lot had shifted 0.3 mm, basically I'd missed the true centre between the two sheets by 0.15 mm when flipping the art work across.
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Back to the Bulleid Light Pacific (BLP), working on the braking system, everything fits good and well until you get to the brake cylinders. The cylinders are fine, it's just the spigots and pull rod, being cast in white metal they have a tendency to get snapped off when Mr Pat and his black and white cat get involved. Needless to say it's a fairly reasonable assumption that new ones will have to be made.

The casting also has a large spigot on the base (top) that fits into the tender frames, my experience so far (two kits) is that it doesn't cast well, so off it comes, which is no problem with our new bearing spigots.

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The outside bearings already have holes in but the inner U shaped bracket does not, I simply lined it up with the outer holes, marked and drilled. The brake cylinders are off set on the spigots due to the narrower gauge of O fine, they should be centred but if you do so then they impact the inside of the trailing wheels.

Simply slide the cylinders in, twizzle round the brake lever and solder to the spigot, job done.
 

2-Bil

Western Thunderer
Hi MD Thanks for the BLP update. On another Bulleid matter could your projected Blastpipe (good idea that) be retro fitted to an already built LP?? Respects etc BW
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Hi MD Thanks for the BLP update. On another Bulleid matter could your projected Blastpipe (good idea that) be retro fitted to an already built LP?? Respects etc BW
Absolutely, that's the plan. I'll attempt to design it so that it slots into the top of the existing frames or maybe a couple of discreet screws behind the pseudo tube plate onto a new frame bracket. The idea being to be able to retro fit it to already built models.

If that fails it can easily be attached to the inside of the resin casing, but I'd rather it was attached to the frames for ease of access later.
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
BLP tender chassis all but complete, the wheel overlays are in the post so I'll add those later. The coupling hook clip, being half etched, soon became damaged so it's been removed, I'll add another more robust one from NS strip at the end.

The buffers are retentive but require some soldering to secure, this cannot be done once the buffer beam is fitted. Like my previous build I've made a bracket that allows the whole buffer beam to be removed, primarily for painting but then buffer securing afterward.

The axle securing stubs were cut down to leave a small head and a slot cut into them, there's enough space twixt screw head and frame sides to allow you to do this and not inhibit side movement.

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I've also just spotted that the handle for the steam heat pipe hasn't been fitted yet :D
 

simond

Western Thunderer
Mick,

Your photo in post 370 - the stub axles.

I had a set of something very similar in a kit, my Springside Hall iirc, and they were truly dreadful, as the stubs were not concentric with the wheels, and the tender ran like a stuck pig. I replaced them with Slaters’ MF versions, and bought some screws to use the original wheels and axles elsewhere.

Trust yours are a bit better...

Atb
Simon
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Mick,

Your photo in post 370 - the stub axles.

I had a set of something very similar in a kit, my Springside Hall iirc, and they were truly dreadful, as the stubs were not concentric with the wheels, and the tender ran like a stuck pig. I replaced them with Slaters’ MF versions, and bought some screws to use the original wheels and axles elsewhere.

Trust yours are a bit better...

Atb
Simon
Absolutely perfect, in all fairness the square stub on the end of the axle holds the wheel true, the stub screws are merely for retention.

They're basically mini versions of the standard Slaters square ended axle arrangement.
 

PMP

Western Thunderer
I quick couple of notes on the 64/74
Cab roof join on front and rear face plates. 64xx’s had a small lip/overhang, whereas the 74’s had a flush right angle join.

Bunker to cab the right angle joint started 6430 and was carried on through the 64’s and all the 74’s.

Top feed pipes had a double dog leg in them around the tank retaining strap across the smoke box. Larry’s picture of 6430 shows a unique, post preservation alignment, only applicable to 6430 as preserved.

Tank front supports. All 64’s and the first 40 74’s had the front support plated. The last few 74’s had an open ‘A’ frame support as shown in the pics of the etches.

Early 64’s had lubricators mounted mid way along the tank on a support off the running plate. I think all were moved in BR era, cross check the number vs era you’re planning.

Those are the main detail cross checks I can think of.
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Quick mid week update. Progressing the tender body etc.

I find it easier to fit the lamps and conduit boxes with the top off, rather than from below in a darkened space when it's all boxed in.

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The tank innards and top can be built as a stand alone unit for the most part, so long as you don't fold the tank top sides over just yet.

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Handy for fitting and cleaning up the internal ribs, by far the most tedious chore on the whole tender kit.

Combined assemblies and front bulkhead popped in temporarily.

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Quick test fit on the chassis.

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Next up is to fold the tank sides over and ensure a good fit, then on to the tender front. I'll do as much as possible on the flat, then add the locker extensions inside and fit the whole front to the rest of the tender, that'll leave the ladders and reservoirs with their cover to complete.
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Very nearly finished, at the rear, coupling light, reservoirs & pipework, fire iron tunnel rear wall & ladders. At the front, slacking pipe, doors, roof over lockers, interior light, hand brake shaft & spectacle plates. The fall plate needs a slight curl put in it to complete.

The innards are not yet secured but form a nice sub module to work on now.

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