adrian
Flying Squad
As mentioned previously - next up are the springs.
These are a pre-rolled set of phospher-bronze etched leaves. These are squeezed into the square pocket at the top of the axlebox. This being the first trial run.
For a first fit they seemed a little flat compared to the prototype photos so they were removed and a little more bending was required. A tin of humbrol proved to be about the right size but with the etched hole in the centre it required a little care to bend the leaf to a curve rather than a V shape around the centre hole.
Note they are a very tight fit on the pocket, I ended up slotting in the top two and then the bottom two and finally trying to push the 5th leaf in to the middle of the leaves. Be careful cleaning out the pocket to make it square. Being a bit ham-fisted and forcing it too much can result in structural failure!
Still threading the leaves on to the brass rod I could solder it back together again.
This is where I start deviating from the instructions slightly. As indicated in Christian's photo build the instructions say fit the brass rod in the spring hangers and then when fitting the spring to the W iron carefully slide the top leaf first one way and then the other to slide it under the rod in the spring hanger. Well it was tricky enough to fit the top leaf in the first place never mind sliding it one way or the other. So I took a "leaf" out of Christian's build and fitted the axleboxes to the W-irons before fitting the rod into the spring hanger.
This is where I deviated even further from the instructions, which suggest once fitted to the W-iron then the end of the top leaf needs to be rolled around the rod in the spring hanger. Trying to get a lever under the top leaf to roll it round the rod was too much for my fat fingers. So my route has been to roll the top leaf loop on the spring out of the wagon. Just using a brass rod it was a lot easier to form the hoop. Once done I could fit the spring to the W-iron and then thread the rod through the hanger and spring to hold it in position.
I also haven't soldered in the brass bearing bushes either. The kit includes several spacing washers because with the centre well there is no allowable sideslip in the wheelset. Rather than pad out with washers I'm going to solder them in position once the centre well is fitted.
Also note in the instructions there is a keeper plate to be soldered across the bottom of the W-iron. I have deliberately left this off for the moment. Part of a cunning plan which I shall have to see if it works, because the observant may have noticed that the rod for the spring hangers has not been soldered in. At the moment if I remove the pins then I can drop the springs and wheelset out of the wagon - the cunning plan is that this might make it easier for painting later on - hence no keeper plate for the moment.
So this is the current status.
Next instalment starts looking at the centre well.
These are a pre-rolled set of phospher-bronze etched leaves. These are squeezed into the square pocket at the top of the axlebox. This being the first trial run.
For a first fit they seemed a little flat compared to the prototype photos so they were removed and a little more bending was required. A tin of humbrol proved to be about the right size but with the etched hole in the centre it required a little care to bend the leaf to a curve rather than a V shape around the centre hole.
Note they are a very tight fit on the pocket, I ended up slotting in the top two and then the bottom two and finally trying to push the 5th leaf in to the middle of the leaves. Be careful cleaning out the pocket to make it square. Being a bit ham-fisted and forcing it too much can result in structural failure!
Still threading the leaves on to the brass rod I could solder it back together again.
This is where I start deviating from the instructions slightly. As indicated in Christian's photo build the instructions say fit the brass rod in the spring hangers and then when fitting the spring to the W iron carefully slide the top leaf first one way and then the other to slide it under the rod in the spring hanger. Well it was tricky enough to fit the top leaf in the first place never mind sliding it one way or the other. So I took a "leaf" out of Christian's build and fitted the axleboxes to the W-irons before fitting the rod into the spring hanger.
This is where I deviated even further from the instructions, which suggest once fitted to the W-iron then the end of the top leaf needs to be rolled around the rod in the spring hanger. Trying to get a lever under the top leaf to roll it round the rod was too much for my fat fingers. So my route has been to roll the top leaf loop on the spring out of the wagon. Just using a brass rod it was a lot easier to form the hoop. Once done I could fit the spring to the W-iron and then thread the rod through the hanger and spring to hold it in position.
I also haven't soldered in the brass bearing bushes either. The kit includes several spacing washers because with the centre well there is no allowable sideslip in the wheelset. Rather than pad out with washers I'm going to solder them in position once the centre well is fitted.
Also note in the instructions there is a keeper plate to be soldered across the bottom of the W-iron. I have deliberately left this off for the moment. Part of a cunning plan which I shall have to see if it works, because the observant may have noticed that the rod for the spring hangers has not been soldered in. At the moment if I remove the pins then I can drop the springs and wheelset out of the wagon - the cunning plan is that this might make it easier for painting later on - hence no keeper plate for the moment.
So this is the current status.
Next instalment starts looking at the centre well.
Dog Star
Western Thunderer
The question of how to avoid paint / weathering getting between spring leaves and gumming up the action is one that I have asked of Maltby Mick (see "Mick's MMP Bits")... Mick's use of chamical blackening of the individual leaves is probably the best way forward.
regards, Graham
adrian
Flying Squad
Having moved the threads for Mick I had spotted his comments about chemical blackening the leaves. I wan't sure about using Gun BLue on phospher bronze so have left it for the minute - although it's something I will try for the leaf springs. My cunning plan revolves not only around the leaf springs but the wheels and bearings as well. If I can drop out the wheel set at the painting stage then I can paint the wheels and axle boxes separately with a spot of masking tape or maskol over the bearing surfaces as required. Then I think a little subtle dry brushing may suffice for the leaf springs.
Adrian -
I think you'll find it is Simon's Build - I thought I'd better mention this before he wakes up in the morning!
DJP
adrian
Flying Squad
As ever you are quite correct, however in my defence they all (Simon, Dave and Christian) operate under the same Building O gauge banner so it's an easy mistake to make.
lancer1027
Western Thunderer
Excellent work Adrian
Rob
Rob
7mmMick
Western Thunderer
Once chemically blackened the leaves are burnished up with a cotton bud, this gives an oily tinge and even at that stage I think they look acceptable. I found it advantageous to chemically blacken the whole assembly so there was no need for maskol or on fact any kind of masking. This can only be achieved by making the whole thing removable from the solebar. I will be I interested to see how you tackle this wagon as I plan to build some MMP all brass kits soon and it looks like they don't lend themselves to making the w-irons removable,
ATB Mick
The brake shoes are so tight to the wheel [hence the need to restrict sideplay totally] - particularly as the new wagons have the 'yoke' on the inside of the brake shoe that goes back around the inside of the wheel - that you will be hard put to ever remove the wheels once the brake shoes are fitted anyway!
DJP
Dog Star
Western Thunderer
"New wagons" means... which of your current range are included in the warning?
regards, Graham
All our wagons actually - bogie or four wheel + all the older ones too. In fact I don't see why this is a 'warning'. I cannot see why you would really want to remove the wheels [you will not be able to on your Mk.1 BG either].
You cannot easily remove the W irons/wheels on any full wagon kits I can think of - certainly not on ABS, most Slaters etc.
Dikitriki
Flying Squad
I would have thought that trying to switch from 33 to 32 (or 31.5
and back is a non-starter. I mean, where do you site the brakes, how far away from the wheels to clear the different flanges? And isn't that going against everything S7 stands for?Confused of rural bumpkinland
Bob Reid
Western Thunderer
Dog Star
Western Thunderer
I would have thought that trying to switch from 33 to 32 (or 31.5
Confused of rural bumpkinland
Dear Confused.Com from West of Somewhere,
Everything is built for 33mm gauge... fitting axlesets for narrower gauges seems to work... no hot boxes or dragging brakes as yet.
We have seen the light, the other club members seem to forget the 10p for the meter on 7mm nights.
There is a GER Tram with S7 wheels, fitted with a DCC chip, which we have run on a 0-FS DC layout. You never know, that wee beastie might try for a lap of the Oldham Loop when the weather gets warmer, say May Bank Holiday weekend
.Yours confused of Basing Soke,
etc., etc..
adrian
Flying Squad
I don't really want to remove the wheels once it's finished. It's just that when building the kit it gets frequent washes to clean off the flux and debris and I'd like to avoid getting the steel wheels any where near the water for as long as possible.
Anyway back to the build - not much to report due to other things curtailing time available at the workbench. However I have managed to get the centre well fitted.
This is folded up from a single etching into a box shape, there are half-etched rivets which need punching out and once folded up there are half etched overlay to fit inside the well.
On folding it up on the corner joints I wasn't sure whether the ends should be inside the side pieces or the side pieces inside the ends. The length of the side pieces seemed to suggest that the end plates should be inside the side pieces but this would make the tank wider. So I finally cut out the spare etch in the centre of the well and tack soldered it in position. Once happy it was square and sat correctly I soldered it in along the length. Again this was "fun", quite a thin etch along the top of the tank meant that I had to take it slow and steady to prevent it buckling, but it all seemed to go ok.
The bearings were closed up and soldered in to fix the wheels - the clearance is very tight! The well tank works out at 30.5mm in width.
The wheels were then removed and the half etched inners soldered in and then cleaned up.
The next stage seems to be making and fitting the support framework.
