AdamF
Western Thunderer
Thanks Graham - I expect I will be taking you up on that offer!!
Completely!! Luckily there is WT to provide a welcome "brain break" when things get particularly hectic!
7mm AdamF's Scale7 Western Workbench
- Thread starter AdamF
- Start date
Thanks Graham - I expect I will be taking you up on that offer!!
Completely!! Luckily there is WT to provide a welcome "brain break" when things get particularly hectic!
AdamF
Western Thunderer
As it happens I don't know - all help greatly appreciated!
The period will be late Victorian and locality likely to be central London (probably a fictitious location due to constraints).
AdamF
Western Thunderer
Having put some thought into what I might try and do for a small layout (thinking continues... 
) I was determined not to let the 517 build slip behind too much. Much of the impetus to pick it up again came from a swift visit to York and the NRM - they have a warehouse full of, among other things, fantastic models of various locos (along with a fantastic cut away of a steam loco, showing how it all works - one of the best exhibits I think I have ever seen).
Whilst I will still need some track to test the motorised chassis, I checked clearances for the motor and planned pick-up system against the superstructure etches slotted together in a dry run and, having got comfortable that I could fit the motorised chassis, when completed, to the superstructure, I decided I could carry on to building the body.
Many burnt fingers and some swearing later, I am pretty pleased with the progress I have made:
More and more it is starting to look like a 517 - very exciting
It really is one of my favourite engines! The kit goes together so easily and seems to be a fantastically detailed and strong design. I really hope that I can do it justice in the final result!
Some particular challenges that I have found have been combatting body-twist. Applying heat in even instalments on larger soldering items has worked, although I detected a slight twist at the front right corner
On further inspection and fiddling, I have managed to mitigate most of it, but it remains a little bit.
Other challenges have included soldering small detailed parts and small parts on to large areas of brass - cranking up the heat of the iron for those and making sure the parts were very clean and well fluxed seemed to help a lot.
My sense is that this will all pale in comparison to the next stage in the build - rolling the firebox and the boiler!!! I have no idea how I am going to manage that and I am starting to research techniques. It seems like I will have to roll the flat template on a soft surface. Does anyone have any tips for rolling boilers without tears??
Adam
) I was determined not to let the 517 build slip behind too much. Much of the impetus to pick it up again came from a swift visit to York and the NRM - they have a warehouse full of, among other things, fantastic models of various locos (along with a fantastic cut away of a steam loco, showing how it all works - one of the best exhibits I think I have ever seen).Whilst I will still need some track to test the motorised chassis, I checked clearances for the motor and planned pick-up system against the superstructure etches slotted together in a dry run and, having got comfortable that I could fit the motorised chassis, when completed, to the superstructure, I decided I could carry on to building the body.
Many burnt fingers and some swearing later, I am pretty pleased with the progress I have made:
More and more it is starting to look like a 517 - very exciting
It really is one of my favourite engines! The kit goes together so easily and seems to be a fantastically detailed and strong design. I really hope that I can do it justice in the final result!Some particular challenges that I have found have been combatting body-twist. Applying heat in even instalments on larger soldering items has worked, although I detected a slight twist at the front right corner
On further inspection and fiddling, I have managed to mitigate most of it, but it remains a little bit.Other challenges have included soldering small detailed parts and small parts on to large areas of brass - cranking up the heat of the iron for those and making sure the parts were very clean and well fluxed seemed to help a lot.
My sense is that this will all pale in comparison to the next stage in the build - rolling the firebox and the boiler!!! I have no idea how I am going to manage that and I am starting to research techniques. It seems like I will have to roll the flat template on a soft surface. Does anyone have any tips for rolling boilers without tears??
Adam
Railwaymaniac
Western Thunderer
Hi Adam
Those piccies make your loco look v.tasty indeed - all that cruel magnification and still nothing to complain about!!
As for body twist, if most of it is gone now, then will anyone ever notice???
About rolling the boiler - my thought here is that you should beg/borrow/steal or (if desperate) *buy* a set of rolling bars. I am lucky enough to have a friend who lent me a set for the boiler on my Finney M7, and even told me how to use them.
IMHO, buying the correct tool for the job is NEVER wasted money
Ian
Those piccies make your loco look v.tasty indeed - all that cruel magnification and still nothing to complain about!!
As for body twist, if most of it is gone now, then will anyone ever notice???
About rolling the boiler - my thought here is that you should beg/borrow/steal or (if desperate) *buy* a set of rolling bars. I am lucky enough to have a friend who lent me a set for the boiler on my Finney M7, and even told me how to use them.
IMHO, buying the correct tool for the job is NEVER wasted money
Ian
AdamF
Western Thunderer
Hi Adam
Those piccies make your loco look v.tasty indeed - all that cruel magnification and still nothing to complain about!!
As for body twist, if most of it is gone now, then will anyone ever notice???
About rolling the boiler - my thought here is that you should beg/borrow/steal or (if desperate) *buy* a set of rolling bars. I am lucky enough to have a friend who lent me a set for the boiler on my Finney M7, and even told me how to use them.
IMHO, buying the correct tool for the job is NEVER wasted money
Ian
Thanks Ian, very kind!
And thanks for the tip on roller bars - that sounds like just the ticket. I'll see if I can source some.
Adam
AdamF
Western Thunderer
I have been trying to amend my profile, without success!! I am based in Central London.
Does anyone have any ideas where I might pick up a set of rolling bars? I am thinking of investing in a set as I plan to keep building! I looked at the Metalsmith website and they have discontinued their set. Internet searches are proving relatively fruitless
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Hi Adam, I can recommend the GW Models rolling bars. they are great and very reasonably priced.
GW Models
11 Croshaw Close
Lancing
West Sussex
BN15 9LE
01903 767231
They were £60 plus £7 postage for the 10" set(that I have) in May 2011 (sorry that was the newest gazette that I had to hand).
I have no link with them only a satisfied customer (I have the the rivet press and bending bars - all great value sturdy tools)
GW Models
11 Croshaw Close
Lancing
West Sussex
BN15 9LE
01903 767231
They were £60 plus £7 postage for the 10" set(that I have) in May 2011 (sorry that was the newest gazette that I had to hand).
I have no link with them only a satisfied customer (I have the the rivet press and bending bars - all great value sturdy tools)
Dog Star
Western Thunderer
+1 to each statement.
Dog Star
Western Thunderer
Sorry, ought to have said that we bought the large rolling bars and very satisfactory too.
We bought the largest size of bending bars to cope with the sides of GWR 57'0" Toplights and 50'0" vans.
Although might not be at Telford GW Models often attends the Guildford 0 Gauge open days (October?) and the Reading Trade Show (December), maybe even the Langley Show.
regards, Graham
We bought the largest size of bending bars to cope with the sides of GWR 57'0" Toplights and 50'0" vans.
Although might not be at Telford GW Models often attends the Guildford 0 Gauge open days (October?) and the Reading Trade Show (December), maybe even the Langley Show.
regards, Graham
iploffy
OC Blue Brigade
Still having difficulty swallowing this (finding out he maybe able to count) I am waiting for an answer
Dog Star
Western Thunderer
Putting two and two together...
Yes, so am I so time for a reminder maybe?
Adam... your thoughts please
.reagrds, Graham
Pugsley
Western Thunderer
Very good value - I can't believe that he sells them for what he does, they're engineered to last a lifetime.
AdamF
Western Thunderer
Yes, so am I so time for a reminder maybe?
Adam... your thoughts please
reagrds, Graham
Well...
Paralysis by... analysis? Is that what I am suffering? Let's just say that I am suffering from being inspired by everything that I look at at the moment, so I am finding it difficult to get something planned! Looking at the space in a dispassionate way, I am not sure that I have much space for more than an up and down test track, perhaps a run around loop - so I am wondering whether I might try something like a bay platform diorama, or the like.
Or maybe I change scale for layout modelling...
No! Courage man!
The era is easy, though
Victorian
AdamF
Western Thunderer
A bit more work on the 517 this weekend
I ended up investing in a set of GW mini-rollers and set about the firebox, boiler and smokebox assemblies:
The rollers were a delight, and I am adding myself to the (most likely long) list of very satisfied GW Models customers - bomb proof tool, easy to use and very good results
The kit continues to be a joy to build - there is a lot of detail to incorporate. For example, the wash-out plugs are little etches that have to be radiused and then soldered to the inside of the boiler and firebox assemblies. The results are excellent and, with judicious use of blue-tack to hold parts in place whilst soldering, easy enough to achieve (although I see in the pic above that one will need adjustment - let's say that was the first I did... ).
The results for the smokebox joining rings are also well worth the additional effort (radiusing the edge of one of the overlays).
A dry run assembly and she is starting to look very much like the engine I am setting out to capture No pics of that yet I am afraid and it is unlikely that there will be much progress on this build for the next month as I am off for the bank holiday weekend and on holiday after that. That's not to say that there will be no modelling at all, however - I am planning on taking an experimental project with me. More to follow on that.
Adam
I ended up investing in a set of GW mini-rollers and set about the firebox, boiler and smokebox assemblies:
The rollers were a delight, and I am adding myself to the (most likely long) list of very satisfied GW Models customers - bomb proof tool, easy to use and very good results
The kit continues to be a joy to build - there is a lot of detail to incorporate. For example, the wash-out plugs are little etches that have to be radiused and then soldered to the inside of the boiler and firebox assemblies. The results are excellent and, with judicious use of blue-tack to hold parts in place whilst soldering, easy enough to achieve (although I see in the pic above that one will need adjustment - let's say that was the first I did...
).The results for the smokebox joining rings are also well worth the additional effort (radiusing the edge of one of the overlays).
A dry run assembly and she is starting to look very much like the engine I am setting out to capture
No pics of that yet I am afraid and it is unlikely that there will be much progress on this build for the next month as I am off for the bank holiday weekend and on holiday after that. That's not to say that there will be no modelling at all, however - I am planning on taking an experimental project with me. More to follow on that.Adam
AdamF
Western Thunderer
August?! I last posted in August? Wow 
It was a busy end to the year and that has meant little progress on the 517 (although I suspect it is more a question of my using too much TV to relax from work rather than modelling ). I did manage to solder in place the firebox and boiler:
And with a dry run with the smokebox after some shimmying on the underneath to get the correct height:
Next will be to add the spring detail, finish the cab (roof etc), fit sandboxes and other detail.
Not looking too bad, although this work was done some time in September and the brass has developed a pretty ugly tarnish
- probably not much I can do about that until it comes time to clean for painting
Going forward I think I am going to pause work on the superstructure, build some track and get the chassis rolling. New Year's resolution - less TV more bench-time!
A
It was a busy end to the year and that has meant little progress on the 517 (although I suspect it is more a question of my using too much TV to relax from work rather than modelling ). I did manage to solder in place the firebox and boiler:And with a dry run with the smokebox after some shimmying on the underneath to get the correct height:
Next will be to add the spring detail, finish the cab (roof etc), fit sandboxes and other detail.
Not looking too bad, although this work was done some time in September and the brass has developed a pretty ugly tarnish
- probably not much I can do about that until it comes time to clean for painting Going forward I think I am going to pause work on the superstructure, build some track and get the chassis rolling. New Year's resolution - less TV more bench-time!
A
AdamF
Western Thunderer
Whilst waiting for track and wagon parts to come through, managed to fix the smokebox in place, add the sandboxes and start construction of the toolboxes as well:
The sandboxes needed a fair amount of work at the back to get them to fit over the splasher details, but I'm pretty pleased with how they look.
The remaining stages to the build now are to fit the remaining sandbox operating detail, handrails, steps, boiler fittings and other superstructure details and constructing the backhead detail - not sure how I am going to keep concentration through these last bits!!
Hopefully next weekend will be about trackwork and for that I have a question - is it possible to use, say, C&L or Exactoscale chairs with rail recycled from Peco O gauge flexi-track (Code 124 Nickel Silver, Bullhead)? If not, does anyone have any recommendations for decent rail for a first time track builder?!
A
The sandboxes needed a fair amount of work at the back to get them to fit over the splasher details, but I'm pretty pleased with how they look.
The remaining stages to the build now are to fit the remaining sandbox operating detail, handrails, steps, boiler fittings and other superstructure details and constructing the backhead detail - not sure how I am going to keep concentration through these last bits!!
Hopefully next weekend will be about trackwork and for that I have a question - is it possible to use, say, C&L or Exactoscale chairs with rail recycled from Peco O gauge flexi-track (Code 124 Nickel Silver, Bullhead)? If not, does anyone have any recommendations for decent rail for a first time track builder?!
A
adrian
Flying Squad
That's coming along nicely, although I tend to find that the last 10% of the detailing takes 90% of the time! Not wanting to put you off or anything!
As for the track, I'll leave that to one of the PW specialists, my little demo board I've used steel rail and chairs from exactoscale.