Dog Star
Western Thunderer
Our Class 31 had the wheels re-profiled and then the B2B gauge set to S7 standards. So we have S7 profile wheels at S7 back to back mounted on HJ finescale axles. From what I have read in various forums this method appears to be the norm - unless you have some of the superb wheels from Rob Thompson where the wheels are pressed onto a new axle.
I have yet to see a S7 HJ Western so I do not know what is done with that model.
I have yet to see a S7 HJ Western so I do not know what is done with that model.
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Graham, ok maybe I wasn't clear enough.
How do you set the B2B, are the wheels held onto the axle with set screws, screwed onto the axle or pushed on, do you add spacers to get the required B2B, turning is not a problem, but before I start taking screws etc out and messing with what is a perfectly good model I'd just like to know what I need to do to finish it so it all goes back together.
I suppose I should JFDI and see how it all pans out.
How do you set the B2B, are the wheels held onto the axle with set screws, screwed onto the axle or pushed on, do you add spacers to get the required B2B, turning is not a problem, but before I start taking screws etc out and messing with what is a perfectly good model I'd just like to know what I need to do to finish it so it all goes back together.
I suppose I should JFDI and see how it all pans out.
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Graham, no problems
Cheers, that copy I don't currently have, might be a copy at West Mersea so I'll check in there if nobody else answers here first
richard carr
Western Thunderer
Its dead easy, the wheels are are nice force fit on the axle, just pull them off to reprofile and then push them very carefully back on again. The putting them back on is the tricky bit.
Or save yourself the trouble and send them to Colin Dowling.
Richard
Or save yourself the trouble and send them to Colin Dowling.
Richard
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Richard, super, will give it a whizz shortly
My larger steam engine spoked wheels will still probably go to Colin as he already has all the required gubbins etc, but tender wheels and diesel wheels I can bodge myself for the time being
eastsidepilot
Western Thunderer
Mick,
Heljans are easy to convert mate, pull the wheels from the axles, face off and re-profile then re gauge on the axle.
The wheels have an insulated bush which is a push fit on the axle. The axles are just long enough to support the re-gauge so re-centre the pair of wheels on the axle.
Or as Richard kindly said I can do them for you
.
The only thing I don't like about the Heljan wheels is that they are plated brass and once you re-profile the plating starts peeling from the face, once that happens you really need to remove the lot.
Col.
Heljans are easy to convert mate, pull the wheels from the axles, face off and re-profile then re gauge on the axle.
The wheels have an insulated bush which is a push fit on the axle. The axles are just long enough to support the re-gauge so re-centre the pair of wheels on the axle.
Or as Richard kindly said I can do them for you
.The only thing I don't like about the Heljan wheels is that they are plated brass and once you re-profile the plating starts peeling from the face, once that happens you really need to remove the lot.
Col.
tomstaf
Western Thunderer
I'll give a second thumbs up for Colin D's reprofiling service. You simply unscrew the base plate on the bogies, pull out the wheels, insert in envelope and post off to Colin. A few days later they reappear reprofiled. So all you need to do is drop them back into the bogie, screw the base plate on and off you go Oh, and don't forget to super detail the model, which is well worth it
Cheers
Tom
Oh, and don't forget to super detail the model, which is well worth it Cheers
Tom
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Tom, yes super detailing is on the cards, the purchase is not the exact model I wanted but it was cheap and I've been looking for one for a year now, Ebay prices having been too high for 2nd hand ones.
The loco is in early BR blue and yellow (not around cab side windows) with tablet catcher recess and exposed cab door windows, my prefered choices are full 80's BR blue which means some platework and respray, or GWSYP with tablet catcher in recess to mix with the kettles, of the two 80's BR blue is the favourite as thats how I remember them
The loco is in early BR blue and yellow (not around cab side windows) with tablet catcher recess and exposed cab door windows, my prefered choices are full 80's BR blue which means some platework and respray, or GWSYP with tablet catcher in recess to mix with the kettles, of the two 80's BR blue is the favourite as thats how I remember them
richard carr
Western Thunderer
Mick
Howes sell the covers for the tablet catchers, the discs need replacing as they are too small and possibly in the wrong position, the tanks aren't too bad perhaps a little too wide. Shawplan do a replacement fan. Howes used to do replacement cab doors without the windows but they are not on the sprues I have.
Richard
Howes sell the covers for the tablet catchers, the discs need replacing as they are too small and possibly in the wrong position, the tanks aren't too bad perhaps a little too wide. Shawplan do a replacement fan. Howes used to do replacement cab doors without the windows but they are not on the sprues I have.
Richard
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Richard, yes the tank area a little amiss to me, as well as some parts of the bogies which might need some fettling. I didn't know the doors came off 
that'll save a lot of work, even if I can't get replacment doors I can hopefully get these out and work on them on the bench The tablet recess plug will be handy too.
I'll probably de-disc mine if it fits my time period (80-81), but I might not go for the headlight mod and Im may just miss out on the dual brake mods as they were done around that time as well I believe, I've a nice pile of reference books to refresh on over the weekend
that'll save a lot of work, even if I can't get replacment doors I can hopefully get these out and work on them on the bench The tablet recess plug will be handy too.I'll probably de-disc mine if it fits my time period (80-81), but I might not go for the headlight mod and Im may just miss out on the dual brake mods as they were done around that time as well I believe, I've a nice pile of reference books to refresh on over the weekend
richard carr
Western Thunderer
Mick
It might be bit early for de discing mine is 1981 too and I don't recall any minus discs when I was checking photos. There are plenty without head lights then, I didn't really pay any attention to the bogies as they are usually hard to change. There is some errors in what is in the tank area but width wise there is not much in it.
Its relatively easy to strip the body down to sort it out and re spray it. When I did mine I didn't want to respray the whole body I just did the front ends yellow , but the second one will get a full respray and all the bits I can find. The grey roof bit is supposed to be a translucent GRP engine cover.
Richard
It might be bit early for de discing mine is 1981 too and I don't recall any minus discs when I was checking photos. There are plenty without head lights then, I didn't really pay any attention to the bogies as they are usually hard to change. There is some errors in what is in the tank area but width wise there is not much in it.
Its relatively easy to strip the body down to sort it out and re spray it. When I did mine I didn't want to respray the whole body I just did the front ends yellow , but the second one will get a full respray and all the bits I can find. The grey roof bit is supposed to be a translucent GRP engine cover.
Richard
BrushType4
Western Thunderer
Mick, as Richard says, it's dead easy and even a numpty like me can do it so I'm sure you'll be ok
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Col, do you know off the top of your head the shaft dia, forgot to check before I rushed out to workMick,
Heljans are easy to convert mate, pull the wheels from the axles, face off and re-profile then re gauge on the axle.
The wheels have an insulated bush which is a push fit on the axle. The axles are just long enough to support the re-gauge so re-centre the pair of wheels on the axle.
Or as Richard kindly said I can do them for you
The only thing I don't like about the Heljan wheels is that they are plated brass and once you re-profile the plating starts peeling from the face, once that happens you really need to remove the lot.
Col.
richard carr
Western Thunderer
Mick
The axles are 3mm diameter.
Richard
The axles are 3mm diameter.
Richard
eastsidepilot
Western Thunderer
Mick,
Richard beat me to it.
Where I mention the plating coming off, this does not all ways happen but is probably worth taking off and blackening the wheels.
Col.
Richard beat me to it.
Where I mention the plating coming off, this does not all ways happen but is probably worth taking off and blackening the wheels.
Col.
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Cheers chaps, whizzed up a tool to hold the wheels, basically a 24mm bolt cut down to hold the Heljan wheels, used high tensile steel which is a pig to cut and keep cool with HSS tools!, still it's a free and plentiful supply of steel bar, though I was tipped today by the machine shop to ask them next time as they have a scrap bin full of bar I could have
Anyway I added a small dish to take the wheel hub and then drilled and tapped to take a 4mm bolt which was then turned to 3.02mm to take the Heljan wheel. The end of the shaft was cut to a 3mm thread and a nut simply holds the wheel in place. I did think I might have to make a screw clamp on the rear but the brass is so soft and the cuts only 2 thou that the nut held the work just fine.
For the record I took 15 thou of the back and rim and then blackend (still in that process atm)
The holder
With wheel fitted and turned, the two scars on the tyre were later removed
The reason I left the large cap to the holder is so that I can ding it with a hammer, despite being turned perfectly true, once taken out and put back (exact same place as holder and chuck jaws centre punched) it can go back with a small run out, so the large end is a perfect surface for the DTI and then with a moderately tight chuck the holder is dinged with a hammer until run out is less than 0.05mm.
Having done all that its pretty much rubbish as the Heljan wheels are not round at all, well the wheel might be but the plastic insert most certainly isn't, but there's naff all y'all can do about that.
In extreme cases I loosen the chuck a fraction and DTI the rim and ding the holder until it's moderately acceptable, retighten and turn and move onto the next one.
Anyway I added a small dish to take the wheel hub and then drilled and tapped to take a 4mm bolt which was then turned to 3.02mm to take the Heljan wheel. The end of the shaft was cut to a 3mm thread and a nut simply holds the wheel in place. I did think I might have to make a screw clamp on the rear but the brass is so soft and the cuts only 2 thou that the nut held the work just fine.
For the record I took 15 thou of the back and rim and then blackend (still in that process atm)
The holder
With wheel fitted and turned, the two scars on the tyre were later removed
The reason I left the large cap to the holder is so that I can ding it with a hammer, despite being turned perfectly true, once taken out and put back (exact same place as holder and chuck jaws centre punched) it can go back with a small run out, so the large end is a perfect surface for the DTI and then with a moderately tight chuck the holder is dinged with a hammer until run out is less than 0.05mm.
Having done all that its pretty much rubbish as the Heljan wheels are not round at all, well the wheel might be but the plastic insert most certainly isn't, but there's naff all y'all can do about that.
In extreme cases I loosen the chuck a fraction and DTI the rim and ding the holder until it's moderately acceptable, retighten and turn and move onto the next one.
richard carr
Western Thunderer
Mick
So what tool are you using to reprofile the wheels.
Does the nut hold the wheel so you can do that.
Are you using soft jaws at all ?
Richard
So what tool are you using to reprofile the wheels.
Does the nut hold the wheel so you can do that.
Are you using soft jaws at all ?
Richard