Old Buffers Amateur Workbench

[Old Buffer]

A bit more done today, the firebox was redrilled for the washout plugs. Had to bodge one of the plugs as I broke it whilst removing. The lifting beckets are made and ready for fitting, also the covers for the washout plugs have been made. Also had to make a new tank vent as I broke one removing it. Just need to find a couple of minute hand wheels for the top of the tank, in the photo's I've seen they look to be about 4inch dia with 6 spokes, can anyone help?
1st piccy is a poor shot of the firebox, the old holes have been filled (black marker shows where they were) and the new ones drilled out, the difference in the positions is quite clear.

100_0164 by A.Webbo, on Flickr
2nd piccy is all the new gubbins waiting to be fitted

100_0157_2 by A.Webbo, on Flickr
Hope this is of interest to someone.
Alan

 

[adrian]

Hope this is of interest to someone.
Alan

It certainly is, having built one myself, and gone through the same problems as yourself. I've detailed a few mods I made here http://www.cherryclan.com/locos/jinty/detail.html . I really ought to update it with a few more photos as I modified the cab roof as well, actually just made a new one. The last photo on this page should show how I made new side cab plates which included the curve onto the roof rather than the 90 degree bend in the kit. I then made a new roof from nickel-silver sheet with little hooks to latch it in place. I'll have some photo's somewhere if you are interested.

 

[Old Buffer]

Adrian,
I've picked the one I'm going to model out of the LMS Loco profile book as there is a really good photo of it. I would be grateful if you could post the photo's of the modified cab roof, I keep looking at the fit of the white metal one and keep scratching my head, I have thought of a brass roof but haven't got round to it yet, I put the kit to one side while I did other things. I used Slaters brake shoes for the same reason as yourself. The other thing that keeps nagging at me is the joint between the firebox/boiler cladding and the tank top, on all the photo's I've seen the cladding carries through to the tank top by a gentle curve and is then bolted to the tank. I have tried some paper thin brass strip but it doesn't look right, I keep thinking about using milliput for the curve.
Alan

 

[adrian]

As mentioned I replaced the cab side sheets with an extended bit which I could roll on to the roof bit, see the first photo. This is up to the line of the first gutter strip. I then cut out a piece of nickel-silver sheet and rolled and filed it to fit the roof space. Then on the underside of the roof at one end I soldered on a strip of brass to act as restraints. Then on the other side I soldered on a couple of lengths of brass wire slightly protruding over the edge.
Fitting the roof involves putting the strips under one side and then pushing down on the other. The wire acts as simple overcentre latch. Once fitted the rain strips could be fitted to hide the joint and the roof is removable for sorting out the backhead detail later.

 

[adrian]

For some reason the final picture wouldn't attach to the previous reply so here is the roof in position.

 

[Old Buffer]

Adrian,
That is a simple but brilliant solution, thanks very much for sharing it.
Alan

 

[Old Buffer]

Reading Rob’s postings of the superb tank scratchbuilding, it has given me the kick up the backside to restart my humble approach to scratchbuilding.
First and foremost I am not trying to copy Rob’s work (I am not good enough), just use it as a valuable guide.
Where Rob has used brass for the tank I am using cardboard, the inner part is a thick walled short roll of cardboard tube that my wife brings from her place of work, on to this is glued some thinner card then the beer can ends put on when the glue has gone off and the joint filed to shape, some more thinner card is placed between the ends, but with the joint at the opposite side to the first layer, and then glued, again it will be filed to shape when glue has gone off.
For the filler I did follow Rob and make it out of brass scrap, rivetted then rolled (badly) then soldered on to its base.
These are 2 smaller ones that are destined for a demountable wagon, could be carrying resins, based on a butchered ABS single bolster.

This is the one for a class B tank, there are 2 cardboard tubes glued together, possibly used for carrying creosote to a woodyard.

This is another shot but with the filler just rested on.

This is a poor shot of the filler, yet to be cleaned up.

Hope to put some more on when I get a bit further ahead with them, just waiting for some rivets coming from scale hardware.
Alan

 

[D1054]

Ha ha.... I love that series of shots Alan.... they gradually get more out of focus..... have you been at the sherry? Have to say that the look pretty good though

 

[Old Buffer]

Ha ha.... I love that series of shots Alan.... they gradually get more out of focus..... have you been at the sherry? Have to say that the look pretty good though

No sherry, just bloody useless with this camera.

 

[Rob Pulham]

I think that you are being a bit hard on yourself Alan. It looks like a very neat solution to me.

It probably won't apply to you as I would guess that you will glue the filler on but what I did last night was drill a hole in the centre of my filler and open it out with a taper broach. This allowed me to solder it on from the inside so no solder got anywhere near my ring of rivets and of course no cleaning up on the tank itself.

 

[Old Buffer]

Now I've got the camera sorted, a couple of shots and this time no cherry and in focus.
The basic parts for the tank barrels.

These are a single tube for a de-mountable and 2 tubes glued together for a class B.
More to follow.
Alan

 

[Old Buffer]

Hello one and all,
After major problems with my computer I am finally back on line, but to compound the original problems there has been gardening, housework, the "Tour De France" and now the "Olympics", these are between them stopping a lot of modeling.
On the bright side I have finished the 7mm level crossing gates and are ready for final fitting on Lincolns "Aisthorpe" layout. All that is needed is the under baseboard servo's and control unit to be fitted and hopefully John can set them up.
.
I have also a set of gates nearly finished for Spaldings 4mm "Gosberton" layout. I hope I can remember how to set them up as John won't be there to show me.
.
The transformer wagon has been put very firmly on the back burner as I have dropped an almighty b*******, I have since found that I have made the wrong "W" irons and now it means I will have to pull all the bogies apart and make some new irons. In the meantime I am doing what the wife suggested, which is, finish most if not all the half finished wagons etc.
Alan

 

[Rob Pulham]

Welcome back Alan. The crossing gates look the business

 

[Old Buffer]

Due to illness and a house move I've not been on here very much, but this is what I've been doing between other things.
Scratch building signals for Lincoln clubs Aisthorpe, a distant already planted at the tunnel mouth, a bracket that protects the level crossing and the approach to the station area, a station platform starter with a calling on arm.
The Starter:-

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The Distant:-

The bracket:-

Alan

 

[SteveO]

Alan, I don't know why, but I've not seen your thread before. Did you get any further with the ABS brake vans? I've got a pile* of these in the loft to build so a good illustrated heads-up would be gratefully received.

(*When I say pile, I mean five, plus 3 Connoisseur kits...)

 

[Rob Pulham]

Hi Alan, good to see you posting again. I do hope that you are feeling better

 

[Old Buffer]

Alan, I don't know why, but I've not seen your thread before. Did you get any further with the ABS brake vans? I've got a pile* of these in the loft to build so a good illustrated heads-up would be gratefully received.

(*When I say pile, I mean five, plus 3 Connoisseur kits...)

Steve,
There is a box of half finished kits somewhere in the garage and the brake van is in it. Because I have difficulty lifting I cannot restart until everything is sorted. But as and when I do find it I will attempt to finish it and put it on here.
Alan

 

[Old Buffer]

Hi Alan, good to see you posting again. I do hope that you are feeling better

Rob, I still have my ups and downs, seems more downs than ups though, but I am getting there.
Alan