davey4270
Western Thunderer
No. 1. The Frames.
A busy session this morning saw a set of frames for my next 7mm loco kit cleaned up, cut for Slater’s sprung horn blocks and tack soldered together. The following pictures and captions describe the process:
After reaming the bearing holes for the front and rear axles to a very tight clearance the frames were tack soldered together using bearings for alignment. Clean up the etch marks around the edges of the frames. Mark the two etched bearings to be removed and clamp in a vice.
Using a Jeweller’s fret saw carefully cut out on the etched lines and file out to the size of the horn blocks. The horn blocks will be soldered from the inside. Remove metal evenly from each side of the cut out to preserve the axle centres. This is not absolutely critical as the horn blocks will be set by the connecting rods later.
The prepared frames still soldered together with the removed pieces above.
The frames tack soldered together. Only the outer spacers are tacked as shown here in case some adjustment is necessary.
No. 2. The coupling rods.
Following on from my earlier post on assembling a set of frames, this morning I assembled the coupling rods. There are comments with each picture describing the process.
A pair of etches to be soldered are held in a vice on two cocktail sticks after applying flux between the rods. Sprung aluminium ladies hair clips are used to hold them together (Don’t let her catch you). Apply solder along one side, capillary action will draw it in, then reverse the clips and solder the other side.
This picture shows one set of rods.
This picture shows the second set of rods with the brass bush overlays added.
They will not be cleaned up until the crank pin holes are reamed out. This will give extra strength to prevent the etches delaminating when reaming.
That’s the next job. The rods will then be used to set up the horn blocks.
Just to mention that I have used this and must highly recommend it.
A busy session this morning saw a set of frames for my next 7mm loco kit cleaned up, cut for Slater’s sprung horn blocks and tack soldered together. The following pictures and captions describe the process:
After reaming the bearing holes for the front and rear axles to a very tight clearance the frames were tack soldered together using bearings for alignment. Clean up the etch marks around the edges of the frames. Mark the two etched bearings to be removed and clamp in a vice.
Using a Jeweller’s fret saw carefully cut out on the etched lines and file out to the size of the horn blocks. The horn blocks will be soldered from the inside. Remove metal evenly from each side of the cut out to preserve the axle centres. This is not absolutely critical as the horn blocks will be set by the connecting rods later.
The prepared frames still soldered together with the removed pieces above.
The frames tack soldered together. Only the outer spacers are tacked as shown here in case some adjustment is necessary.
No. 2. The coupling rods.
Following on from my earlier post on assembling a set of frames, this morning I assembled the coupling rods. There are comments with each picture describing the process.
A pair of etches to be soldered are held in a vice on two cocktail sticks after applying flux between the rods. Sprung aluminium ladies hair clips are used to hold them together (Don’t let her catch you). Apply solder along one side, capillary action will draw it in, then reverse the clips and solder the other side.
This picture shows one set of rods.
This picture shows the second set of rods with the brass bush overlays added.
They will not be cleaned up until the crank pin holes are reamed out. This will give extra strength to prevent the etches delaminating when reaming.
That’s the next job. The rods will then be used to set up the horn blocks.
Just to mention that I have used this and must highly recommend it.
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