My 7mm dabblings
- Thread starter mickoo
- Start date
alcazar
Guest
I know what you mean about funny looks.
I once went to Autun in the Burgundyregion of France to photograph the class 20's that were there. One was on shed with another on a sand train.
I asked at the shed where the other two were.
The SNCF guys there sort of glanced at each other, then one said, "But they are just the same as these two...?"
I think they get the idea of being interested in Railways, but NOT of trainspotting. I was being shown round a shed once and the guy asked why I noted all the numbers. When I explained, he wanted to know what I "got" when I'd seen them all? Was there a prize, or something? He was still mystified when I left.........
I once went to Autun in the Burgundyregion of France to photograph the class 20's that were there. One was on shed with another on a sand train.
I asked at the shed where the other two were.
The SNCF guys there sort of glanced at each other, then one said, "But they are just the same as these two...?"
I think they get the idea of being interested in Railways, but NOT of trainspotting. I was being shown round a shed once and the guy asked why I noted all the numbers. When I explained, he wanted to know what I "got" when I'd seen them all? Was there a prize, or something? He was still mystified when I left.........
alcazar
Guest
It's only illegal without permission in areas the public frequent, like stations, where you might photograph members of the public.
Lineside, it's fine, but on the correct side of any fence.
Permission used to be easy for sheds, and even works, but it's not so easy now, sadly.
And on stations, it's polite to ask permission from the station master, who will generally give his blessing, and may point out to keep to platform ends and away from crowded areas.
Lineside, it's fine, but on the correct side of any fence.
Permission used to be easy for sheds, and even works, but it's not so easy now, sadly.
And on stations, it's polite to ask permission from the station master, who will generally give his blessing, and may point out to keep to platform ends and away from crowded areas.
Steph Dale
Western Thunderer
Mick,
Watch the drawings for GP38 and GP38-2, I've only seen the Kalmbach ones and they have some peculiar errors. Especially check the radiator areas and fan spacing.
It strikes me that the older Weaver GP38-2 with des Plaines Hobbies details might be a good way to start.
In my case it would probably also include P:48 wheels and a Canadian cab, but that's another story.
Steph
Watch the drawings for GP38 and GP38-2, I've only seen the Kalmbach ones and they have some peculiar errors. Especially check the radiator areas and fan spacing.
It strikes me that the older Weaver GP38-2 with des Plaines Hobbies details might be a good way to start.
In my case it would probably also include P:48 wheels and a Canadian cab, but that's another story.
Steph
daifly
Western Thunderer
Overseer
Western Thunderer
Mick, For your 40" diesel wheels it would seem to be simpler and certainly cheaper to order some P:48 40" diesel wheels from Protocraft in California, at US$20 for eight wheels, plus postage. That is without axles but that shouldn't be a problem and would avoid the reworking needed to change wheels later. Protocraft don't make it really easy to order from overseas but an email to Norm via their website should get it sorted. You might also be tempted to buy some of the other 'golden' things on offer.
I have no connection to Protocraft apart from being an occasional customer. Their wheels and tires are very nice (and work perfectly with Scale7), I haven't tried their new knuckle couplers yet.
I have no connection to Protocraft apart from being an occasional customer. Their wheels and tires are very nice (and work perfectly with Scale7), I haven't tried their new knuckle couplers yet.
Overseer
Western Thunderer
I don't have any of the 40" to hand to confirm but the smaller ones have about 2.7mm diameter bore in the insulating muff and the hole through the wheel looks like 3/16". I have mounted them on 1/8" axles by turning the ends of the axles down to suit the wheels, you could do exactly the same with 3/16" axles. Not sure what diameters the US model diesel trucks use as standard but it is unlikely to be anything simple like 1/8".
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Well back to S7 for a little while, some new CAD projects and purchases on the way for conversion to S7.
However this was not the start I wanted after clearing away the 1:48 stuff.
I don't think I'd be stretching the point if I said the cab was a write off, I may be able to save the cab front but the rest was folded up construction. Fortunately the shunt sent a shock down the running board, you can just see the stress bend by the intermediate driver, I say fortunately as it acted as a crumple zone and stopped the model from bouncing further and possible destroying the front end.
By design I had reinforced the running board with a thick 25thou under piece....knowing that most models are picked up by gripping the running boards so this area is most susceptible to being crushed by the hands of god.
That strengthener has saved the running board and I'm hoping that little bend will beat out, other wise the whole running plate and front dropper are waste as well.
I've now reverted to thumbing through literature for reference material, clearly, further work at the bench is not a good idea!
However this was not the start I wanted after clearing away the 1:48 stuff.
I don't think I'd be stretching the point if I said the cab was a write off, I may be able to save the cab front but the rest was folded up construction. Fortunately the shunt sent a shock down the running board, you can just see the stress bend by the intermediate driver, I say fortunately as it acted as a crumple zone and stopped the model from bouncing further and possible destroying the front end.
By design I had reinforced the running board with a thick 25thou under piece....knowing that most models are picked up by gripping the running boards so this area is most susceptible to being crushed by the hands of god.
That strengthener has saved the running board and I'm hoping that little bend will beat out, other wise the whole running plate and front dropper are waste as well.
I've now reverted to thumbing through literature for reference material, clearly, further work at the bench is not a good idea!
Steve Cook
Flying Squad
Bad news 
Sorry to see that Mick, it was a lovely model.
Steve
Sorry to see that Mick, it was a lovely model.
Steve
7mmMick
Western Thunderer
Scale7JB
Western Thunderer
I've dropped two in the past, and one was quite severe..,
The J68 landed on the chimney and completely buckled the smokebox... Made a little tool to push it all out again from the inside, and all was fine. Long and short, once you sit down with it post-anger, it probably won't be so bad...
JB.
The J68 landed on the chimney and completely buckled the smokebox... Made a little tool to push it all out again from the inside, and all was fine. Long and short, once you sit down with it post-anger, it probably won't be so bad...
JB.
Len Cattley
Western Thunderer
Sorry to see that Mick it was a lovely looking model hope you get it sorted
Len
Len
richard carr
Western Thunderer
Mick
That's terrible, but I'm sure that you will have it fixed in no time.
Richard
That's terrible, but I'm sure that you will have it fixed in no time.
Richard
lancer1027
Western Thunderer
Sorry to hear that Mick.
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Thanks for the comments, much appreciated
I didn't swear or rant and was quite calm about it all really....after all, shouting isn't going to suddenly make it all better is it
With the CAD development time and several previous attempts to get the correct size and angles there's about 150 hrs work there down the pan LOL, but at least my CAD masters are now correct so it wont take long to whizz up some new pieces with the fret saw and rivet punch.
Sadly it's not recoverable, the side sheets are beyond repair so it's a whole new cab, which isn't a bad thing as there were a couple of errors that were niggling me, the cab side sheets didn't cant in quite enough, only about 0.5mm at the gutter too wide each side but it played on my mind; plus the rear weather sheet went in at a fraction of an angle so the cab rear was a tiny amount warped.
Finally the way the cab folded up and had butt joints in certain places ment it was a touch fragile in places and had to be reinforced internally with angled strip etc, it can all be designed a bit better next time. So it's all not lost, "it's just another opportunity to improve things" as they say at work!
I didn't swear or rant and was quite calm about it all really....after all, shouting isn't going to suddenly make it all better is it
With the CAD development time and several previous attempts to get the correct size and angles there's about 150 hrs work there down the pan LOL, but at least my CAD masters are now correct so it wont take long to whizz up some new pieces with the fret saw and rivet punch.
Sadly it's not recoverable, the side sheets are beyond repair so it's a whole new cab, which isn't a bad thing as there were a couple of errors that were niggling me, the cab side sheets didn't cant in quite enough, only about 0.5mm at the gutter too wide each side but it played on my mind; plus the rear weather sheet went in at a fraction of an angle so the cab rear was a tiny amount warped.
Finally the way the cab folded up and had butt joints in certain places ment it was a touch fragile in places and had to be reinforced internally with angled strip etc, it can all be designed a bit better next time. So it's all not lost, "it's just another opportunity to improve things" as they say at work!