Tales from a sporadic modeller.

Scale7JB

Western Thunderer
Adrian,

All of the servo movement is programmed via the CV's on the chip, it's really quite simple.

In terms of mounting the servo, I just use some brass angle soldered to the inside surfaces of the frames, then tap a hole, and screw the servo down through the holes in the plastic casing...

JB.
 

adrian

Flying Squad
The problem with the return crank bearing is that once the brass cover plate was soldered in position then I couldn't get to the top hat bush to hold it whilst tightening up the 12BA screw.
return_9.JPG

Hopefully the drawing illustrates the problem and solution.
return_diag.png

So by inserting a small length of wire in the back I can lock the top hat bush to the rotating rod whilst I tighten up the screw. Remove the wire and the rotating rod is free to rotate.
return_10.JPG

I hope that makes it clearer.
 

adrian

Flying Squad
Unfortunately work and other things got in the way last week. I was going to say I've made progress but it feels like one step forward and two back at the moment.

So the task in hand was to sort out the coupling rods and crankpins. For the leading driver there is precious little room between the back of the crosshead and slidebars and the wheel. So as an interim solution I turned a small steel bush, drilled clearance for 10BA. I then took a 10BA Hex head bolt and thinned down the head and filed the hex a bit smaller to fit a 12BA nut spinner. This worked quite well and provides a flush fitting.
crankpins2.JPG

The two steps back - step one backwards I can't figure out the Scale7 supplied crankpins. By that I mean I realise that the 10BA thread is intended for the driver but the crankpin itself has a small steel collar on it, presumably to be able to tighten it to the driving wheel. There is then the brass bush to fit on followed by a rather large crankpin nut.

crankpins1.JPG

When the brass bush is fitted with the steel collar there is quite a gap between the driver and the coupling rod and unfortunately larger than the leading driver so that the coupling rod effectively splays out to the middle drivers. If I padded out the leading crankpin in a similar way then it would interfere with the crosshead! I think I'm going to be threading a bit of steel rod 10BA and fixing with loctite.

Step 2 backwards - there is sod all clearance between the coupling rods and the brake hanger brackets. It's too close for comfort. I suspect that they are a legacy from the Finescale kit, whose slightly wider tyres and gap to the frame would be enough clearance. So I have to look to taking them off and trying to make them slightly narrower.

crankpins3.JPG
 

iploffy

OC Blue Brigade
Skim a bit off the bracket both at the point where it attaches to the frame and where it could touch the coupling rods should be good for .5mm
 

lancer1027

Western Thunderer
Hi Adrian:thumbs:

I have been watching your thread for a while now and I know i've mentioned this before that i dont know much about kettles but i have to say that your skill level and tidiness at soldering is amazing. :bowdown:

Very neat and tidy work:thumbs: i only wish i could solder that neat. Keep up that superb work mate:thumbs:

Rob:)
 

adrian

Flying Squad
Hi Adrian:thumbs:
Very neat and tidy work:thumbs: i only wish i could solder that neat. Keep up that superb work mate:thumbs:
Thanks for that - although I think my skill is being able to hide the incriminating evidence! There's usually a bit of cleaning up to be done before taking any photo's. My soldering improved when I switched to Carrs 179 solder cream, it's supplied in a syringe so you can put on just enough and in the right place. That and flux from Simon's Building O Gauge Online, is all I generally use.
 

adrian

Flying Squad
Well I managed to find a bit to time to chill out on the workbench and progress a bit further.

Next up was sorting out the coupling rod between the middle and rear driver. In the kit is supplied a small steel rivet which you are supposed to swage over to hold the two together. It wasn't really suited for my needs as on the prototype it is quite a distinctive bolted joint and because I'd thickened up the bosses then the rivet was too short. So I soldered a 12BA nut to a washer which I could then file down to a suitable height, the 12BA bolt was also suitably bushed. This photo also shows the bushing arrangement for the leading driver.

motion_3.JPG

Once assembled it starts looking the part. For the rear driver I've used the crankpin nut supplied with the Scale7 crankpins just as a temporary solution. They're not really the right style for the loco but it gets it running for the moment.

motion_4.JPG

First fit of the cylinder and motion showed a few interference problems. Most could be sorted with a little filing and fitting. This is rather a cruel enlargement but you can see where the leading driver crankpin boss has been striking the rear of the motion bracket. ( the small scoring in the bottom righthand quadrant on the boss.)

motion_5.JPG

A few more tweaks and the motion is more or less complete, it all rolls smoothly without any binding now. Still a few little things to finish off but the next step I think is to get it on the rolling road ( which I haven't got!).

motion_6.JPG
Once this stage is reached then the instructions recommend going back to the bodywork. So the chassis is put to one side before going back to the bodywork. Although having spent the the best part of Christmas and the New Year working on this I've decided to do what any self respecting modeller would do and start another project instead!! A new build thread might appear soon!

Happy Modelling!
 

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
... Although having spent the the best part of Christmas and the New Year working on this I've decided to do what any self respecting modeller would do and start another project instead!! A new build thread might appear soon!
Northerner posts warning of producing Tewsebury Mustard...

Well with two suitable engines nearly there seems an appropriate time.

regards, Graham
 

adrian

Flying Squad
Northerner posts warning of producing Tewsebury Mustard...
Well with two suitable engines nearly there seems an appropriate time.
Well wide of the mark (unfortunately) - and the 4MT is actually too modern for Tewkesbury by about 10 years. It's only a small build project but by co-incidence linked to the 4MT in that it's advertised as a Scale7 kit so I thought I'd give it try.
 

adrian

Flying Squad
Now that the glass truck is in the paint shop my attention has wandered back to the 4MT before I start another "project".:rolleyes:

Only a short post, just to get it back in the active area really. The next stage in the instructions switches back to getting the body work all assembled. The first bit that needs looking at is the firebox. The instructions recommend drilling all the holes for the washout plugs, mud hole cover clamps, safety valves and top steam manifold. All lots of nice brass castings. You don't need all the washout plugs in the photo, 9 required and there are 14 supplied so a few spares!
firebox_1.JPG

There are also a couple of n-s strips to solder on the side to increase the depth. The instructions say they are optional but may reduce the light gap between the tanks and the firebox.

After drilling all the holes the castings are fitted now whilst it was still easy to get to the inside of the firebox. I prefer to solder where possible, so all the parts were tinned and then a dab of low melt solder on the inside secured all the fittings. The washout plugs have a small shoulder on them but this was gently filed down to get them flush fitting.

firebox_2.JPG

That's all for now.
 

adrian

Flying Squad
Plodding along, trying to keep the limited momentum going.

It's getting close to assembling all the super structure components together, it's now the next page in the instructions. However before sticking the tanks, boiler,firebox and front footplate together there are a few more detailing bits to finish off.

For the tanks there are a few details to add to the top, in the kit the two different water filler caps are supplied, cover plates, strappings, fire iron brackets and lifting brackets. There is also a small etching intended to fold up as a small top hat shape, this is described as a water filler cap arrest. It goes behind the water filler cap to stop the lid banging on the tanks when opened. However as far as I can tell this was only fitted with the western style filler lids (the ones on the right). The standard ones don't appear to need them so I didn't fit them.
tanks4.png

For the inspection plates you have the choice of a couple of etchings or a cast one. I preferred the definition of the bolts on the cast cover but it was a squarer shape and too thick. A few minutes with a files saw it fettled into a better and thinner definition. Etched version at the front, fettled version in the middle and the supplied casting at the rear.

tanks3.png

There is still a filler cap to make up for the "briquette tube feeder" which is fitted to the right hand tank, although the photo's I have of 80135 show none fitted to the left hand tank.

http://www.westernthunder.co.uk/index.php?threads/tank-tops.2997/

Otherwise the tank detailing is as far as it can be progressed before fitting the boiler.

tanks1.png

I also returned to the firebox as there were a couple of extra details I wanted to fit. Around the safety valves there is a thin etched plate with a bit of rivet detail. I was unsure how to fix this to the white metal firebox, reluctant to glue it I decided to solder it. I tinned the back of the etching then a very judicious touch with the iron in the middle and it stuck!

Finally whilst looking at the overhead shots for the tank detail I decided that the boiler band clamp across the top of the firebox was too obvious to miss. This is not on the casting so I filed out the bit in the middle and filed up a couple of angled pieces in nickel silver, low melt soldered them to the firebox and filed to blend in. A little bit of 0.4mm wire completed the job, so one more component now ready for assembly.

tanks2.png

I've made a start on the washout plugs and details on the boiler but for the clack valves I must have used the 1/16" copper wire for another job so that's halted that for the minute.
 

adrian

Flying Squad
This weeks update.

Now stocked with 1/16th copper wire I added the clack valves and pipework, washout plugs etc. The supplied castings are superb with very little if any fettling required.

boiler1.png

This is now at the stage to start putting the pieces together. The boiler is located over the end of the firebox and the two are then fitted between the tanks. The boiler has a couple of slots which fit into tabs on the inside of the tanks. A little force is required to snap them into place but the fit once again is perfect. This photo below shows the boiler and firebox fitted to the tanks but nothing is soldered in. The tabs and slots locates everything quite nicely. Three or four dabs of low temperature solder inside the firebox fixes it all firmly.

boiler2.png

The front footplate needs a couple of lubricators and associated pipework fitting before I can fit it to the smokebox.
 

adrian

Flying Squad
Although the 4MT has been progressing slowly, working on the front plate and lubricators at the moment. A couple of the brackets need tweaking for Scale7 but no photo's at the moment.

Instead, as suggested by our New Year thread, I got sidetracked with a new project.:rolleyes:

So my effort at trying something new is this etched brass malarkey. Part of the long terms plans includes a requirement for a Midland 3F Goods tender engine so a JLTRT kit was purchased last year. When I first looked at the kit I realised it would need a bit of tweaking for Scale7. The chassis for the loco and tender are one piece etchings to fold up into a U shape, so these would be too narrow for Scale7. So these will need cutting, they also had fixed bearings. Having seen some of the postings by others with sprung horn blocks and split axles I thought I would like to try this.

So on New Year's day I dug the box out to have a look at making a start on the tender, I very quickly realised why people refer to them as NQLTRT. Just putting the axle box castings on the side frames to suss out how to set out the chassis and I very quickly realised something wasn't quite right.:rant:

3f_tender.JPG

As can be seen in the photo the oval cutout, marked A, is in the wrong place being too far to the right to the extent that the cutout disappears under the axle box No.3! On top of that the curve, marked B, is wrong as well, again disappearing under axle box No.3. The frames also stick out from under the axle box which they shouldn't and finally across the top are tabs to slot into the baseplate of the tender, unfortunately these don't line up with the slots!

I did contact Laurie about the errors, he acknowledged the problem but it's an old photo tool and prohibitively expensive to update although may get round to it in the future.

Anyway I wanted to try something different for the inner chassis with springing and split axles and the intention was to get these etched because if it works I'd consider releasing them through the Scale7 group to help others convert the kit.

So I looked to the various guidelines on drawing up artwork for etching, I downloaded Draftsight to try out but I struggled to get my head around it. It just didn't seem to work as I expected it to do. So looking around for other alternatives I tried QCAD and liked it.

So my first effort at etched artwork is this for the outer frames.

MR_tender_3250_jltrt.png

Still got the inner chassis to design but any feedback or comments on this would be appreciated, as this is the first time I've tried this I'm still trying to work out what works, fortunately just a flat frame so no folds required. I've still got to design a little Cherry logo to copyright the artwork but otherwise I think it's complete.
 

adrian

Flying Squad
Hi Adrian

I had a go at those here http://www.westernthunder.co.uk/index.php?threads/kit-manufacturers-cock-ups.777/

Naturally your solution is the more elegant. I have done 2 of these tenders now, but not yet corrected the curve B which in my opinion was the lesser of the 2 evils. I also changed the axlebox/springs for Griffin components. Do you want a pic?

Richard

Thanks for the link - I'd forgotten about that thread. I don't think my solution could be classed as more elegant, yours seems very pragmatic. It's just I've a few ideas which might be useful for etchings and I was just using this as an reason to experiment. With the Scale7 one of the frequent questions is about converting loco's so whilst doing these conversions my ploy is that if I can get them etched the Scale7 group will be able to offer conversion kits to people.

I had spotted that the horn guide keeper plates were the wrong style for my loco. In fact I struggled to find any 3F with the style supplied in the kit. My intention was just to cut them off and replace with a strip of N/S and scale hardware bolts. I never considered Griffin for replacement parts, a pic and a comment would be appreciated to see if it's worth the replacement (not looked at prices yet!). Any other potholes to look out for on the kit that you can remember? I've already noted that the tender platform is about 2 to 3mm too short but I haven't got anything else out of the box yet.
 

Len Cattley

Western Thunderer
That's a good method of doing things Adrian, I downloaded Draftsight to have a go at learning etching but it didn't work is QCAD better? It would be handy if we could get other loco's converted for S7 but knowing the scale of the problem I very much doubt it will happen.

Len
 

adrian

Flying Squad
That's a good method of doing things Adrian, I downloaded Draftsight to have a go at learning etching but it didn't work is QCAD better?

I found QCAD much much easier to get the hang of than Draftsight. I did technical drawing at college and I like to think I'm reasonably computer literate but I still struggled with Draftsight. Whereas QCAD just worked nicely, the keyboard shortcuts were very easy to pick up and there were a lot of nice touches that made it easy for me. The auto snap function would pop up a little text box to indicate what point you were snapping to, grid, end point, middle, intersection etc. The curve tool is very neat, it outlines all calculated options and then allows to select the required one. The auto trim function is very clever as well and the hatch fill worked first time. It's probably missing many of the functions of Draftsight and AutoCAD but it seems sufficient for the basic drawing I'm doing.
 
Top