7mm On Heather's Workbench - wider and longer

Steph Dale

Western Thunderer
Heather,

You may not need the sections for future versions. David Jenkinson suggested forming coach sides using stringers on a plain surface to build the profile. I've used a similar approach to strengthen up styrene roofs which may well work for you.

It means you don't have to cut out tricky section shapes, just a variety of strips. So it tends to be repeatable, accurate and quick.

Steph
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
That sounds like a reasonable idea, Steph.

However, I want to replicate the compartment divisions up into the clerestory. I always bear in mind my client's wish to potentially light all his coaches at some point.

I'm currently high from solvent fumes. :confused: This may explain why the plan isn't quite working as I thought it might. Perhaps I should open a window…
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
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Okay, I think this might work. My first attempt at the clerestory roof failed due to ineptitude. The second attempt is much better. You see score lines, but it's hoped these will be covered with tissue in due course. (Yes, I am aware of lots of pitfalls with that approach, and it's something I'm considering carefully.)

My next step will be to make the side roofs, which may be interesting as it will have to include wrap-over ends the full width of the coach. I think it's time for some more "staring at it".
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
After some further pondering, progress on the roof. I was quite happy with the way the clerestory roof worked out, but wasn't sure how the side parts would work.

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Anyway, a couple of hours bodging with various styrene strips got me here.

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I am re-using the original brass clerestory side panels. I've contrived to make it a sliding fit, which worked way better than I expected! I need to fill in the ends, and make up end panels for the clerestory, and tidy things up so it's all neat, but I'm quite pleased.

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Underneath, it's a bit rough and ready. You'll notice I've added intermediate strips in the clerestory to help maintain the roof curve between the main partitions. Long strips were glued in along the bottom edge of the brass panelling, and then long thin strips along the outer edges.

It's kind of worked out, so I shall continue along these lines for the other E3 roof - once I've ordered extra supplies! I am still thinking about how to simulate the canvas roof covering. I am feeling a little unsure about cementing tissue over the roof in case it warps as it dries, so I will think about using masking tape, or perhaps even rough up the surface with coarse emery, or simulate the surface with the paint finish.

Right, nearly lunchtime, and then off to my osteopath. (Ouch!)
 

Rob Pulham

Western Thunderer
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but it's hoped these will be covered with tissue in due course. (Yes, I am aware of lots of pitfalls with that approach, and it's something I'm considering carefully.)
.

Hi Heather, I use 'used' optical lense cleaning tissues which are much thicker and more robust than ordinary tissue paper. They stick very easily with pva and take paint well. They also have the side effect of looking like canvas too.
 

Steph Dale

Western Thunderer
Rob,
That's a great idea for Heather's roof. Certainly the tissue and solvent approach I normally use carries a risk of warping, as Heather suggests. I get round it because I use a very strong roof structure and fix it rigidly to the sides and compartments.

Steph
 

David Varley

Western Thunderer
I've wondered about using masking tape (decorators' tape rather than the modelling variety) - it's a matter of finding the right one but some of them do have a texture that looks like stretched canvas.
 

Simon

Flying Squad
I think the glue on masking tape would eventually give up, might take a few years though!

I too have used PVA in the context of roof coverings, in my G1 world I'm usually using a shirt fabric and what I do is fold it around the edges and secure with superglue before PVA-ing the main section.

I think your roof structure is very impressive Heather, I'm sure it isn't going to warp!

Simon
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
I too have used PVA in the context of roof coverings, in my G1 world I'm usually using a shirt fabric and what I do is fold it around the edges and secure with superglue before PVA-ing the main section.

Hmm. Food for thought. I hadn't considered PVA, I have to admit.

The structure does look impressive, and it has become quite solid now I've attached the actual roof sections. When I make the next one, I will attack it in a slightly different manner, but hopefully the end result will be the same.
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
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The second E3 gets a roof. I'm working along the same lines as the previous roof design, but with some adjustments to things to overcome my bodgery. It hasn't prevented bodgery, of course, but it happens in other places!

Hopefully, in tomorrow's session, I'll get the other lengthwise strips fitted, and perhaps even the roof parts themselves - which reminds me I need to make the small clerestory roof support chords.
 

simond

Western Thunderer
I have a Blacksmith clerestory to build. I like the planked plasticard approach, and I suspect there may be some bodgeryplagiarism in Porth Dinllaen at some point.

Best
Simon
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
I have a Blacksmith clerestory to build. I like the planked plasticard approach, and I suspect there may be some bodgeryplagiarism in Porth Dinllaen at some point.

Bodgeryplagiarise away! The planked effect is a not unhappy accident, cause by scribing the surface to induce it to curve. It may well disappear with a "canvas" covering.

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The second E3 roof, albeit with a slightly modified design, rather fought me. Despite assembling the frame on the plate glass, it insisted on not sitting neatly on the body. Having checked the body for a subtle twist - not unheard of in my builds, I must admit - I resorted to filing slots in the brass partitions to let the main longwise beams sit better. I also added a shim of spare styrene strip to one end to make the roof a better interference fit. I'm rather hoping I don't need to work out a way of attaching things that involves further thinking.

Anyway, having inhaled enough solvent for one day, I am now considering the next stages. The clerestory brass etches need to be fixed properly to the styrene roofs, I need to add the rainstrips, and the lamps (or at least their bases), and I think I should begin to consider fitting out interiors in some fashion. Expect more styrene bodgery in the days to come!
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
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Not perfect, but way better than the brass predecessors. I'm still considering options about the covering. I think I may err on the side of caution and head off on a textured paint course.

I think working out lamp bases comes next, then I will turn attention inside the bodies.
 

Yorkshire Dave

Western Thunderer
Apologies - this it a bit of a horse and stable door moment :(. Prior to adding the rainstrips could the roofs have benefitted from light sanding to flatten out the apparent ridges left by the scoring? And it would have keyed the surface.

I'm still considering options about the covering. I think I may err on the side of caution and head off on a textured paint course.

Before doing this I would experiment with tissue paper/lens cleaning wipes and dilute PVA or superglue on a scrap piece of keyed plasticard to see the effect.

On my coaches this is the effect of toilet tissue and superglue. Here I laid a single layer of tissue on a brass roof (a keyed plasticard surface will also work), dripped the superglue onto this and let capillary action take over. Once set I trimmed up the edges, painted the roof followed by some light drybrushing.

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Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Time for some interiors.

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I had measured each coach up for interior fittings, giving me essential heights and widths. Being kit built to my usual standard, I measured each compartment to ensure the subsequent parts actually fitted. This also entails marking each component with its location within the coach, but there you are. My first attempt was fitting out the E6 guard's brake compartment. I hadn't thought through the windows properly, but spent some time scribing planking all over the shop.

Having taken stock of my sheet styrene, I decided 40 thou would do for the floors, except where I'd installed brass sheet at the ends, and 20 thou for the various sides.

I assume there would be some kind of bench in the luggage/brake compartment, so I'll conjure something up later.

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Of course, once I started on the passenger compartments I hit upon a way of making the sides. Cut a bit of 20 thou to fit and mark off the windows from outside. There are still inner frames to fit to the bodies, so the slightly larger styrene window apertures won't hurt. The whole idea is to hide the mess of brassmongery inside the coach where hinges and shoddy soldering abounds. The usual method of drilling the corners and joining them up with a sharp blade, followed up with some careful carving, made each bespoke side wall.

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One coach, more or less fitted out. Nothing is glued yet. I was going to scribe planking on the compartment walls, and the side walls, but some picture research leads me to think it would be wasted effort. It appears the interior walls were smooth, or at least appear so in the one photo I have. I shall paint them an off-white, to counter the dark blue of the seating and, probably, carpeted floors. The guard's compartment will probably be painted a buff or cream, with dark wood floor.

That's one coach done, three to go. I may be some time!
 
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