Podartist79
Western Thunderer
Incredible work Tom.
A great pleasure to watch the build through these pages!
Neil.
A great pleasure to watch the build through these pages!
Neil.
Tom Mallard’s Workbench L&B in 7mm scale and clockwork CR 828, 4mm Saints
- Thread starter Tom Mallard
- Start date
Tom Mallard
Western Thunderer
Thankyou Neil.
What a palaver. The hornblocks are finally in, but not without some work to machine appropriate axleboxes from ColPhos phosphor bronze. This is likely overkill, but in terms of machining is much more amenable material than the usual pinkish stuff that is the opposite.
The hornguides are a casting directly from a 3D printed wax, as using an adapted casting as a pattern for subsequent casting introduced a deformed casting which I wasn't keen on working with in what is always a fraught exercise in any case. The plan in the end is have sprung suspension, using Exactoscale hollow grub screws through the hole in the top and little coil springs set into the axleboxes. I hope the springs I get are going to be stiff enough.
Taw's bogies (as they are called by Manning Wardle) follow the shape of the prototype with cast front, rear and axle keeps. The axleboxes (not shown) have been machined from Paxolin for insulation purposes and utilise a Phosphor bronze insert for the bearing.
I noted with significant interest the announcement from Lionheart!
Best regards
Tom
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Tom Mallard
Western Thunderer
Some progress again and quite a milestone from my point of view.
I learned how to make wheelsets from scratch, and they've come out well. Front and rear of each wheel is reproduced to scale. Although the stainless tyres are epoxied to the centres, on the driving wheels I have ensured electrical isolation with a Paxolin bush at the hub and on the pony truck wheels used a split axle with insulated axleboxes. The axles are shouldered for the correct flycrank appearance and location, and are a little proud just like the prototype.
Slaters SG38 gearboxes have been used, the models having been designed for these from the start and these come with the newly available Faulhaber motor option though I would have prefered not to have a double ended motor, but Slaters reasoned that modellers like to fit flywheels. Some clearance issues were found to the rear of the gearbox and I will likely remove more material to avoid impingment.
I've sourced a lot of small springs to suspend the model, assuming a completed weight around 500g. Time will tell if this is the right value to work around.
Next I should probably make the crankpins and cylinders and then with some rods on it will really look like a Manning Wardle.
Best regards
Tom
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michael mott
Western Thunderer
Beautiful machine work on these parts, The lip on the dome is inspirational! I really do enjoy seeing skilled hand filing and finishing. What material is the valve gear made from?
Michael
Tom Mallard
Western Thunderer
Thanks Michael, and thanks for the question.
The valve gear is all from nickel silver, either grade NS101 bar or NS103 sheet, supplied by Metalsmith Leeds Ltd. They've supplied a lot of the materials that haven't come from the etching company, and have been great to deal with.
Hope this helps
Tom
michael mott
Western Thunderer
Thank you Tom, I will see what I can find here in Canada.
Michael
Michael
Tom Mallard
Western Thunderer
This is where I'm at - 3 sets of cylinders with hundreds of cosmetic studs and nuts modeled and attached, currently at 48 per side with more to add. Most of them are 0.7mm across flats. There's only one casting per side which is the motion bracket though this has a couple of nickel sheet parts added for reference face flanges where it is attached to the frame and tank on the prototype. The viewer will need to be inquisitive to see much of this when the models are complete.
I made the front and rear rings common, but with a countersunk turned central part for the front and the piston rod gland built up from profile machined parts at the rear.
The details are essentially overlays of varying thicknesses added to a sheet sub frame - the wrapper is 6 thou with the boltheads from 0.3mm wire as I drew the line at making 0.3mm hex heads.
The slidebars are sawn and machined to size from plate and include the differing top and bottom profiles. A little spacer jig for the slidebars made light work of attaching these at the correct spacing and alignment.
Enjoy your modelling.
Tom
Tom Mallard
Western Thunderer
Thankyou once again for the feedback and comments, it's appreciated.
I've taken a break from the wearing process of Joy valvegear in narrow gauge applications (though that's still going well) and put some work into something more tangible.
YEO and EXE have their tank top details started, thought the sandboxes are yet to be permanently attached. The straps are detailed with more of those little machined bolt head details and the stud and nut fixings for the sand boxes are also reproduced. The filler lids are a profile machined part with the top lip machined in at this stage for a nice uniform offset.
I've recently submitted more patterns of all sorts of parts for 3D printing in wax and me being me, I've approached someone new to do this!
Tom
Tom Mallard
Western Thunderer
This is an illustration of some of my most recent work making the parts necessary to install valvegear and motion parts on the Manning Wardles. Even more steps into the darkness.
The separate fly cranks had added more sources of error to the mechanism and some relieving of the coupling rod holes was necessary. I take the probably highly frowned upon route of broaching out the holes by only the smallest amount until proper movement is attained rather than jumping up 1/10mm at a time which is often far too much in one go.
Crankpins (free machining phosphor bronze) and their nuts (nickel silver screws tapped 12BA) are handmade to suit the requirements of the model, and pins turned to fit each valvegear pivot while representiing the appropriate head appearance. Tiny die blocks are fitted into the radius link grooves for proper function of the radius rod since I have no previous experience of Joy valvegear I wasn't happy taking short cuts here. The brackets that support the radius link are little castings which locate in holes on the motion bracket. It is a relief that the part of the reversing shaft protruding from the radius link located perfectly in its slot.
Although it sounds simple, assembly is not straightforward as separation points are limited to the connecting rod and return crank leaving a lot of careful manipulation of this subassembly.
Still the valve rod, guide and spindle to add, then the sheeting over the motion bracket and slidebars to partially obscure it all!
Enjoy your modelling.
Tom
Tim Watson
Western Thunderer
Lovely to see that Joy valve gear coming together, Tom. I really ought to get back to my 4mm scale version, but the L&B project is very backstage at the moment.
Tim
Tim
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Tom Mallard
Western Thunderer
Thanks everyone.
Tom
It is nice to finally see it in place and quite a relief after so long in preparation, Tim. I think we are all waiting to see your 4mm scale version but obviously your 2mm scale work must take precedence and the fun of your 'King Arthur'.
Tom
Tom Mallard
Western Thunderer
Hello again, folks. Progress is more positive this time now that behind the scenes effort has been assembled as completed motion assemblies for each engine, the motion covers and piston guides added and the brakegear installed. The vacuum cylinders and handbrake linkage should be added next. I wish solder wasn't such a yucky grey, but at least we know the parts won't fall off...
The second image shows YEO with bodywork sat on chassis showing how the iconic appearance of the L&B Manning Wardles is starting to appear!
Best regards
Tom
