7mm On Heather's Workbench - Easy-Build does it!

Steph Dale

Western Thunderer
Graham, Heather, Matt, Simon,

Have you tried pipeweld to join Easybuild parts? Just a thought, but I've used it for styrene so know it works there and of course it's suppressed to work with polypipe (PVC). It also takes a while to harden off completely so would give the solvent time to properly 'bite' into the plastic.

Just a thought.

Steph
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
I haven't tried Pipeweld. If I expect more Easy-Builds I may invest. I did find some butanone in a drawer earlier, which claims to be suitable for ABS? I've given it a whirl on refixng a side!
 

Martin Field

Western Thunderer
EMA Plastic Weld works on more than just styrene, including ABS and Perspex.

I was trying to buy a tube of Evo-Stik tother day in B&Q. Forget it, she was so embarassed she looked up on the computer and no, they don't stock it in tube form. Only in tins or indeed pipe wipe, which I'd never heard of. Last tin I bought was already partly gone off and the other make of similar stuff went off inside a couple of weeks. BUT, the tin stuff, mainly for flooring is the OLD Evo-Stik and the modern tube stuff is paler and weaker, but it's more convenient.
 

Paul Cambridge

Western Thunderer
Wilko sell their own brand of contact adhesive in a tube and it’s cheaper than EvoStick. Works ok for me on the modelling bench. Not tried it on ABS though.
 

mth

Western Thunderer
Graham, Heather, Matt, Simon,

Have you tried pipeweld to join Easybuild parts? Just a thought, but I've used it for styrene so know it works there and of course it's suppressed to work with polypipe (PVC). It also takes a while to harden off completely so would give the solvent time to properly 'bite' into the plastic.

Just a thought.

Steph
Nice thought.
The issue is with the older kits. The last couple of batches I built didn't have the nonstick problem.
Might be worth looking into if i get sent any more.
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
After a weekend away and a day of recovering, back to the Mk1s. Specifically, the remaining BSK is front and centre today. I had hoped to get it to the same level as the others last week, but 'twas not to be.

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Mostly underframe stuff this morning. I've refitted cabling to the dynamos, as they had been inadvertently installed hanging the wrong way. I believe the brackets should be further inboard and interlaced with the trusswork, but as that will be a complete b***er to correct I am leaving them as they are. Obviously, brake pull rods will need to be sorted out in due course. I've run a sanding stick around the styrene footboards to round corners and edges, which is a little detail that makes quite a difference.

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A Kadee installation at the compartment end. It probably doesn't need two bolts, but I'm not glueing the box in place. I drilled the bolt pilot holes 1.4mm which allowed the 10BA bolts to self-tap into the floor. The nuts inside are insurance!

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The outer end, with the replacement extended buffers from JLTRT/Bits Box, steam and vac pipes from a Connoisseur set, coupling hook from a spare JLTRT sprues with a cosmetic knuckle from Parts Unknown.

Next up, I think I'll turn to making some new bogies. I was handed a bag full of bits, plus some Slater's S7 coach wheels, over the weekend. The plan is to have finescale and S7 bogies that can be swapped out depending on the occasion.

Ooh! It's time for lunch! Back later!
 
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Yorkshire Dave

Western Thunderer
A Kadee installation at the compartment end. It probably doesn't need two bolts, but I'm not glueing the box in place. I drilled the bolt pilot holes 1.4mm which allowed the 10BA bolts to self-tap into the floor. The nuts inside are insurance!

I know this is coming from one who models US prototypes..... but shouldn't the inner rear face of the coupler be in line with the corridor buffing plate (just proud of the retracted buffer faces) for closer coupling?

To me the draft box looks too far forward. Once under tension being hauled in the rake the Kaydees will move in their draft boxes and open up a gap between the corridor connections.

Or will the coaches be going around tight curves? Of course there is the question of splitting the rake if needed as the corridor connection could be in the way. However, given the amount of for'ard and aft movement in the draft box you would just need to gently pull the coaches apart and lift one.
 

Steph Dale

Western Thunderer
Dave,

It's a tricky one, as you know! Prototypically the gangways act as buffers, but it's nearly impossible to make them work in a model as more articulation is required in a model than the prototypes were capable of.

Steph
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Pretty much what Steph said. I guess the coupler boxes could be shifted a bit further back. However, the model gangways have no flexibility in them, and while it's unlikely the coaches will be subject to pushing through excessively tight radii it seems sensible to leave a gap rather than attempt full on realism. I'll try to remember to take a photo tomorrow to show how they look coupled.

Shifting the boxes back also causes problems with the roof bolts, so they'd need shifting as well. Not impossible, of course.

I may sleep on this. :thumbs:
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
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I slept on it. This photo shows the couplings at full extension on straight track. I will consult with the client again, though he has seen the coaches and seemed happy with things.

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Here's a coupling straining to cope on the tightest reverse curve on the test plank. I think this would be impossible if the gangways were even closer together.

I'll bang on with the new bogies while I consult and ponder further.
 

oldravendale

Western Thunderer
Hi Heather.

I wish I had a photo of my two coach RJH Maunsell Push Pull set coupled, but at the moment I don't. However, I used Kadees on the corridor ends and these photos are of they. They are hacked about/extended S Scale and the corridor connections are from Slaters. These vehicles negotiate 6 ft curves without any problems and with the corridor ends touching, Dunno if these are any help.

If needed I'll try to take some more photos, and of the underside.

Brian
 

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Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Thanks Brian. After some consultation I'm going to shuffle the couplers inboard a bit, along with the roof bolt holes.

Meanwhile, I'm building up some bogies with S7 wheels. I like how they're designed for the bearing adjustment to get smooth running.

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I'm not too keen on the swarf from filing and sanding, though. It gets everywhere!
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Dave,

It's a tricky one, as you know! Prototypically the gangways act as buffers, ........

Steph
Not always, the gangways are indeed sprung but on Buckeye stock they take none (of any meaningful force) of the buffing forces, the buckeye coupler does that and with very little movement; hence their requirement fairly early on for passenger stock in an attempt to stop coaches overriding or concertinaing during an accident. The whole purpose of the buckeye is to make the train as rigid as possible and form one long vehicle.

On the Mk1 the buffers are not sprung either, when used with conventional hook and drawbar they are pulled forward and a saddle placed over the shaft to lock them in place, all buffing forces being taken up by the other vehicle.

On none Buckeye coupling stock then yes the gangway will contribute to the buffing forces.

Heather, one way to help with tight couplings is to only use one screw to hold them in place, preferably the rear one and then use the cut out in the head stock to limit left and right travel, only needs to be 1 or 2 mm either side and you'll gain a bit more flexibility. The other option are longer shank buckeyes but then that means moving the draft box back....which will conflict with your roof retaining screws.
 

Steph Dale

Western Thunderer
Mick,
Yes they do. That's why southern region push/pull locos with knuckle couplers have centre buffers. It's so the underframe correctly takes the end loads through the buffing plate when propelling stock.

Steph
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Ahh EMU stock is different, as you note they get pushed, normal stock (which the rest of us use norf of da riva ;)) is normally pulled by the 'locomotive' being at the 'right' end :cool:

The only modern loco's I can think of with central buffers are 33/1, 73, 74, 89 and 90, do 91's count as a loco ? Interestingly the 71 never seem to have been fitted with the SR centre buffer/ rubbing plate. Those locos are also the only ones I know of that are fitted with drop buckeyes.

Addendum the 66 (EWS) and 67 have swung buckeyes but not the buffing plate, no idea about the new 68 and 88 though.
 
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Steph Dale

Western Thunderer
Mick,
Class 66 locos have knuckle couplers for freight, so gangway buffers wouldn't be useful. Class 67 I guess is only set up to push/pull MkIII stock?
I'm not referring to EMU stock explicitly look at the Gatwick Express sets or Bournemouth area TC sets. The ability to propel carriages/EMUs is why 73s and 33/1s have the gangway buffers. 33s and 71s don't because they're not equipped to propel.

Actually looking again at your previous post; the Mk1 et-al buffers work entirely normally when the saddles are in place (or heads rotated and locked out, depending upon the stock/loco). Have a look in a set of carriage working notices. You'll find a section on the draw-gear and you'll see that the rules for how to manage with failed couplers or buffing gear indicates how the various components work (or not) in combination. Only 'pullman' gangways (fitted to Mk1, Southern and Eastern stock) can carry buffing forces, the BR Standard gangway carries no buffing forces and is used with screw couplings and side buffers.

Steph
 

Pete Storey

Member
Would one answer be to use Sidelines flexible corridor connections? I have a rake of Sidelines LMS coaches and have fitted them with the M&M magnetic couplers which work pretty well. The flexible corridor connections stay together prototypically and completely hide the couplers.
 
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