W1 as rebuilt

[richard carr]

Mick

You need to the one essential modelling tool that all ladies have , a hair dryer, don't wait for it to dry, get the hair dryer on it as soon as you have finished washing it and it will be bone dry in 5 minutes and ready for the next stage.

Richard

 

[mickoo]

Max, That's a possibility, even sticking it in the dishwasher might work. My only concern with the dishwasher and very hot water is the temperature shock that the adhesive for those white metal items that I've used it on will go through, only one way to find out I suppose. I'll rest the model on some thin gauze so if anything drops off it won't (hopefully) go down the drain.

I gave it another wash this evening, very dilute fairy in boiled dehumidifier water. The lack of white stains afterward were pleasing, and those that did occur are buffed out with a soft burnishing brush. However those brown bits just got even browner and some that had been lightly cleaned turn brown again, more blotchy though.

To show how bad it is, here's a clip of the front section of the chassis, I need a close up of the motion bracket and slide bar bracket to show where all the parts go, from above preferably; obviously this will not do.



What I've had to do is crop it to get rid of the worst.



It doesn't really give a balanced visual image but it'll have to do.

If I do primer the chassis in grey then I can take the top shot again and simply replace it as Fig 28 and adjust the tags to suit, for now I have a placed holder in the instructions and can write the text accordingly, thus not slowing down that aspect of the build.

I've a couple more parts to add and that'll complete page five of the chassis build, the rear steps and cylinder cover/front valance will be fitted at or near the very end, experience has shown these two items to be particularly vulnerable during the previous builds.

MD

 

[mickoo]

I've also taken to cleaning with Barkeepers friend, but importantly with a 1 inch paint brush. Reaches the parts...

JB.

I use a ½" paint brush or toothbrush if it has no fragile parts, I've not tried Barkeepers friend but suspect it might leech the colour as well if over used.

Mick

You need to the one essential modelling tool that all ladies have , a hair dryer, don't wait for it to dry, get the hair dryer on it as soon as you have finished washing it and it will be bone dry in 5 minutes and ready for the next stage.

Richard

Indeed, said item is frequently procured, primarily because I'm too lazy to drag out the hot air gun I have somewhere

 

[Overseer]

Is it possible that the chemical cleaners are removing zinc (or nickel) from the surface of the nickel silver leaving copper exposed? If so it could explain the brown colour.

 

[mickoo]

Is it possible that the chemical cleaners are removing zinc (or nickel) from the surface of the nickel silver leaving copper exposed? If so it could explain the brown colour.

That is my understanding, the cleaners are leeching out certain metals at different rates. Word is, that more than 2o seconds is enough to begin the discolouration process.

It's only a surface discolouration, if you scrub the metal with a course abrasive then you break through to fresh material where the metals are back to normal ratios.

Clearly the chemicals I'm using are not good if consistently used, so I've got to try and find another way of cleaning. What is interesting is that the older material, that which has been washed the most, is the worst. The splasher tops and motion bracket are fine, but in time will tarnish like the brake cylinder stay and middle cylinder assembly.

 

[Overseer]

I use Carrs green label flux or diluted phosphoric acid and just washing under clean tap water at the end of a session is plenty to clean the nickel silver or brass. I have quite a few half built projects which have sat for years without tarnishing too much. The water here is soft with no lime in it at all. So the problem is probably your water. There should be boiler water or cooling tower water treatments available to soften the water, just don't drink the treated water. It would be a bit of a pain to have a drum of water just for washing models but better than continually scrubbing them.

 

[mickoo]

I use Carrs green label flux or diluted phosphoric acid and just washing under clean tap water at the end of a session is plenty to clean the nickel silver or brass. I have quite a few half built projects which have sat for years without tarnishing too much. The water here is soft with no lime in it at all. So the problem is probably your water. There should be boiler water or cooling tower water treatments available to soften the water, just don't drink the treated water. It would be a bit of a pain to have a drum of water just for washing models but better than continually scrubbing them.

I'm looking at a water treatment plant for the whole house, they're not that expensive and being trained as a plumber way back when, not hard to install.

For modelling I could do a local batch treatment, say ten gallons with a bicarbonate soda mixture or other chemicals to bring the Ph level down short term, or I can use the dehumidifier water, it chucks out about 2 gallons a day, no idea of the Ph level but it won't be as hard as the main water.

I'm starting to use latex gloves more and more as I'm finding finger prints can accumulate and are often stubborn to get off unless you use a soap additive.

There's plenty of mileage in testing alternative soaps and water treatments/cleaning process in due course. Once the chassis is complete it'll be onto the footplate and cab, those I will only clean with dehumidifier water and highly diluted washing soap; it maybe I'm adding too much soap liquid and that residue may be causing issues.

I've not tried any other flues since settling on safety flux, though there will come a time when the bottles run out, I'm still on my first after three maybe four years and I've two new unopened bottles after that. I also need to try and use less flux, tending to flood the joint rather than use sparingly, even though I use a very small paint brush for application.

 

[Rob Pulham]

Mick,
If it helps, I too use safety flux but I haven't used a brush to apply it for years.

Instead I use a syringe with one of the large needles that are sold on eBay for refilling ink cartridges this allows you to put the tiniest amount right where you want it. I modified the needle by grinding off the point a little which helps it go where you want it - as supplied it had a slight tendency to squirt sideways due to the angled exit point.

 

[Len Cattley]

Hi Mick, have you tried Duncan's Flux from Duncan Models in Salisbury? I find it better than safety flux as all you do is wash it in water, you also could use a water filter, that gets rid of limescale.

Len

 

[mickoo]

Rob,

I've got a couple of those bottles that Adrian linked too a few years back, just never got around to trying them, maybe now would be a good time

Len,

Cheers, to be fair I've not had any issues with the flux as such, other than my heavy handed application sometimes, what I have found though is that if it spits and spatters when heated, those tiny hot drops do cause havoc if not washed off pretty quickly. It's good to know there's an alternative as I've no idea how long safety flux will be available, the site rarely gets updated these days.

MD

 

[adrian]

I'm starting to use latex gloves more and more as I'm finding finger prints can accumulate and are often stubborn to get off unless you use a soap additive.

I'd highly HIGHLY recommend switching to nitrile gloves. My better half has spent all of her working life in a lab, for many years using latex gloves. We believe this is a reason for her developing a Type 1 latex allergy. If she walks into a room where there are standard party balloons she starts to have breathing difficulties. I could give you chapter and verse on latex allergies, for example bananas and passion fruit contain similar proteins as latex and can cause mild allergic reactions.

So please use nitrile gloves if possible - fortunately the whole lab had to switch to latex free so I now use these as I have a handy source! Safeskin® Purple Nitrile Powder-free Gloves - Bunzl Catalogue
Nitrile and powder free - clean enough for forensic examinations so should be good enough for modelling work. The only thing I don't like is the sweaty hands after using them! You can get them online for just under £11 - although this was a quick search so you might find better deals - e.g. if you know someone who works in a lab.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kimberly-C...786641&sr=8-3&keywords=kimtech+purple+nitrile

I've got a couple of those bottles that Adrian linked too a few years back,

My eldest lad has just started part-time (weekend hours) at CPC so I now have access to the full CPC catalogue at cost plus 10% In addition to the flux bottles they also do powder free nitrile gloves at around £6 a box.

 

[JimG]

My eldest lad has just started part-time (weekend hours) at CPC so I now have access to the full CPC catalogue at cost plus 10% In addition to the flux bottles they also do powder free nitrile gloves at around £6 a box.

If you have a Screwfix branch close by, they also have a large range of nitrile gloves starting at £5.99 per 100. I got these recently for working with the resin printer.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/wallace-...e-disposable-gloves-blue-large-100-pack/6510t

They also come in small and medium sizes.

Jim.

 

[mickoo]

Adrian, Jim,

My bad, I just checked and I am using nitrile gloves, we get them at work for free in boxes of 100. However we all simply call them latex or disposable gloves, much like all vacuum cleaners are hoovers!

MD

 

[mickoo]

Brake gear now all done, documented and annotated in the instructions.

Upper layer.


Lower layer fitted.



Side view, important to get the brake cylinder cranks tilted down at 20° for correct visuals.


Wheel check...checked.


Bogies, Bissel and Cartazzi already written up, same for the motion (bar a few tweaks on the production run) so just need to transpose those items from the Alpha model to the production one. Couple of extra frame details to write up and then onto the footplate and cab, followed at the end with the injectors and general pipework.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

It doesn't really give a balanced visual image but it'll have to do.

It doesn't have to be balanced visually - it's a technical document - unless you're talking about the exposure or maintaining the overall context of the parts being described.

If you wanted to keep both sides of the frames, one solution (if you have the time and inclination) is to apply a translucent layer to the photo and edit the layers to highlight the relevant areas whilst keeping them in overall context with the rest of the chassis.

In true Blue Peter fashion here's one I prepared earlier using a 50% opacity. The part identifier boxes and arrows can then be arranged along the centre line at the same time hiding any blemishes.



Just looking at the top two photos of the last four (post #475) it appears the eye is distracted by the reflection of the cutting mat in super-duper clean side frames. Have you considered using a circular polarising filter to reduce the glare and reflected light?

Bogies, Bissel and Cartazzi

A new comedy act....?

 

[mickoo]

Dave,

Yeah shiny models have their down sides, I did have a polarizing filter but it got scratched in Arizona (dropped it) so I binned it. The other option is to spray it undercoat grey, that really shows the details, but not practical during the build.

Onward as they say.

2:1 and 1:1 levers today. All laid out in the sub components.



Working from the LH side of the engine you push the 2:1 lever through and all the way across, then insert the middle cylinder connecting rod with the 1:1 lever attached in from the LH side and through the stay, poke the rod into the middle cylinder block, now slide the 2:1 lever back and over the 1:1 lever, drop in the large pin. Secure the 2:1 lever with the 12BA screw from below.

Push the outside cylinder valve stems into their castings and then pin to the 1:1 and 2:1 levers, simples.





There should actually be a valve stem guide block on the middle cylinder, much like the outsides, adding it would be a nice touch but adding the rods and levers later would be impossible. You'd either have to build it in place as you go along or break down the mechanism like the real thing; it was considered a step too far but not impossible to upgrade for those that wish....or feel inclined too.



Note the rod all the way across the engine, this is the smoke box door mechanism and links the left and right handle brackets with the opening mechanism.

 

[P A D]

Very nice Mick.
I take it the prototype shot is from a preserved A4, or did your dad sneak under the W1 before it was scrapped? Good quality photo for a box brownie!

Looks like I got the rod crossing the frames between the left and right handle brackets correct on the A4, albeit by chance, as it was easier to do it that way. Wish I'd used thinner tube though.

 

[mickoo]

It's from Mallard, there's not a lot of differences under here to the W1 truth be told, certainly regarding motion and fittings.

The smokebox door mechanism tube is quite hefty, maybe near 2" dia I'd hazard, so 1.0 - 1.2 mm wouldn't look out of place, maybe a bit more if compared to the valve stem.

 

[mickoo]

Finally got some running shoes on the ole gal.



Time to check the motor gearbox clearance.





Checked, it's tight but that's the way it was designed, it only has to just miss by enough. The engine is designed around a Finney7 gearbox, think it's the 40L, can't remember.

Primary check of resin casing.





Checked.

Next step is the footplate, cab shell and bond the casing to both.

 

[Steph Dale]

Mick,

Are you sure that's a 40L? Looks like a standard 40/15 in those pictures. Fits well though!

Steph