Unklian's G3 workbench .

[Mike W]

The lack of an apparent joint in the end ring suggests that part is separate. The picture from the side shows a sharp line twixt barrel and end ring and if (IF!) it had been cast integral this would surely be a gentle sweep? I suspect the ring is separate with an internal stop, so it presses on to that stop, enclosing and protecting the edge of the barrel parts.

Must admit that if it had been fabricated from sheet steel I would expect rust to form beneath that ring and on the surface of the barrel, but none of the shots show much rust at all.

Mike

 

[Overseer]

These buffers look like a two part version of the Turton Patent buffer. This was a self contained buffer patented by George Turton in 1875. The first ones were made of pressed wrought iron (with the case in one piece) by Ibbotson Brothers & Co of Sheffield. The end ring is a separate part and it is heat shrunk onto the case, removing it allows the buffer to be dismantled for repairs. An improved version was developed by 1880. These buffers were widely used well into the 20th century, and were also imitated with altered details to avoid the patents. For anyone interested Graces Guide has articles explaining these buffers available online in Engineering 30 April 1875 p372, The Engineer 30 April 1875 p293 and Engineering 20 January 1880 p43.

These buffers were made in pressed wrought iron, pressed steel, cast iron and cast steel over many years and even the cast iron ones didn't explode or even fracture when the buffer springs released. Pressings for these buffers were small and well within the capacity of many manufacturers, much smaller and simpler than many products produced by specialist firms like Leeds Forge under Samson Fox's direction.

 

[Rob R]

Thank you Steve,
Any more details of the Simplex BTW as Geoff Nicholls of this parish is hankering after building one ?

Cheers Ian

If the technology works there will shortly be a few Simplex photos on a new thread, probably in the Gallery section.

Cheers

Rob

 

[unklian]

Thanks to everyone especially Overseer for all the stuff on the buffers.

Time to drag this thread back to the boxfile challenge. I finally got round to the most important mechanical bit of the wagon turntable. This is the bit I call the spider ( although it has ten legs !). I posted the drilling of the central hub in the main work bench thread. With that bit done it was fairly simple if tedious to thread some 3/32" rod and turn some bushes to go inside some cheap ballraces for rollers. The whole lot was soldered up with the faithful 75watt iron. After a thorough clean up the bearings were fitted with some washers and 8BA nuts. Then the bracing strip that goes round the ends of the legs caused a bit of head scratching. A coil of boiler band for 5" gauge finally came in handy. And now it all rolls very nicely. What tickled me was that I figured the spider would rotate in the opposite direction to the turntable, it doesn't, it goes the same way but at half the speed . Can you see it all when the lid is on ? Well only a bit, but as the ( Western Thunder ) mantra goes " I know it's there" .

 

[geoff_nicholls]

Given the work you've put in to the turntable, could you cut a hole in the side of the boxfile, and the turntable wall, and install a light, so people could see the workings?

 

[unklian]

Brilliant idea Geoff, I think just a simple LED somewhere in the pit wall would be very effective, that will need some serious consideration.
Cheers Ian

 

[geoff_nicholls]

So long as it doesn't delay your entry for the competition, I'm sure all the G3 types are rooting for you.

 

[unklian]

After weeks of absence from the workshop I went mad and made a load of bits for the Vertical Boiler shunter for the Boxfile project. I had a few bits made and russled up more from the materials cupboard. I had a go at modifying the wheels from plain discs with variable results, although the general method worked, I rushed the silver soldering ( I had to do it outside during a brief sunny spell ) and one crank boss needs redoing .



Two more pics to show the set up ( lash up !! ) for boring the holes in the wheels to put crankpin bosses in .





The wheel was located on a pin set in the perspex block fixed to the vertical slid on the lathe, and clamped to stop it moving/turning. The hole was then milled/bored with a cutter in the main chuck. See sample wheel bottom right. A turned steel boss was then made and silver soldered into the hole. As each wheel was bored on the same set up the crank throws are all the same . Next job cutting out the frames .

 

[unklian]

Been a while I am afraid but now the Boxfile Project has started its dash for the deadline/finish line. After getting a bit too distracted with trying to build a loco, I have cut my losses and got on with the layout itself. Part of the reason I haven't posted for bit is that I managed to leave my camera at a relatives house after Christmas. That has meant less progress pictures but more progress though.








The turntable does now rotate under 'power', although "indexing" is by nifty use of the direction switch. The mechanism could do with being much slower too. But hey it's still at the development stage really. I am quite pleased at how the foamboard and sticky back paper brickwork has worked out, it doesn't bear close inspection in places, but it works well as a background. Work on the windows today ground to a halt when I ran out of 60thou square Evergreen far too quickly, I have ordered some more online but I will be on the hunt for more tomorrow locally. Next job is the rails on the turntable, now I have worked out where the gaps need to be . Also got to try and make it all look a bit more French, I have some figures to mod and the Mobylette and the one PLM wagon. Hmmm ....

 

[unklian]

What I did to create some people for the diorama. Take three old Preiser G scale figures, a hacksaw, a bit of brass wire and some Milliput. Moustaches, waistcoats, hats and a Gallic shrug being the order of the day. I think the pictures tell the rest .....


Eh voila !

 

[jamiepage]

Excellent!

 

[unklian]

And here is the rest of it and how it kinda works. I finally got to take some pictures in ( gloomy ! ) daylight. First off the three boxfiles all closed up .



When the boxes are opened up the track level boards are revealed .



Lifting out two of the track boards reveals the carefully packed elevation sections .



With everything out the three boxes are bolted together.



The track is then put back and the elevations slotted together.



With the help of some masking tape , two of the lids and the various wall sections form up into a backdrop elevation.



And there you go a corner of a factory yard some where in France or ??? at 1:22.5 scale .



I was hoping to get some sort of text/title together for the remaining lid . The original spec said they could not be removable, but I might change that. Now I really should get some more suitable stock built and some working capstans to make it operable . I am also aware there may be visit from the Weathering Inquisition at some point . All being well I should have it on display at the G3 AGM in Biggleswade on the 25th next .

Thanks too for all the likes so far,, they really are encouraging. This 'little' project has got my mojo going again !
Cheers Ian

 

[Steve Cook]

Thats brilliant Ian, I'm especially impressed by the figure conversions

Look forward to seeing it in four weeks time
Steve

 

[geoff_nicholls]

According to the web, Bousard is deer droppings (cf bouse: cow dung) Peut etre un blague?

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

With the help of some masking tape

Why not try velcro? Saves carrying around a roll of masking tape .

Literally an 'off shelf layout' and it does look good .

I also like your modified figures. If you haven't do so already I would suggest a dark brown/black wash over the clothes to accentuate the creases and and a light reddish/brown wash over the flesh tones to bring them to life.

 

[unklian]

According to the web, Bousard is deer droppings (cf bouse: cow dung) Peut etre un blague?

Thank you Geoff, I did ask a few French speakers if my Compagnie name held any howlers and while bouse was mentioned no one came up with a meaning for Bousard. I have seen it as a fairly common French and Belgian surname. Its real origin for the model is a 12th century version of my home towns name, Leighton Buzzard was once called Lesone Bousard. Bousard being a corruption of Busar the name of a former town sheriff . So what is in a name eh ?

 

[unklian]

Why not try velcro? Saves carrying around a roll of masking tape .

Thank you Dave I did, but I kept having problems getting the Velcro to come apart, without it being ripped off the model or ripping the model apart. I need a gentler form of Velcro somehow, are there different grades ?

And yes my folk need more painting, I was in a hurry to get them done though

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Never thought of gentler Velcro.

What about strip magnet or magnet tape?

 

[Simon]

This is terrific Ian, amazing how so much credible verticality arises from a mere three box files - and in Gauge Three for goodness sake!

I confirm your experience with Velcro, I enthusiastically applied it to several of the scenic flats on Pomparles Siding but subsequently removed it all as it was far too strong and was ripping the scenery apart

Still pondering G1 cameos…..

 

[Mike W]

As a truly minimum space display piece the sheer audacity of choosing Gauge 3 should count for something. It is cleverly designed, well engineered and beautifully presented, yet I understand you didn't win Ian. The winner must have been really special - any idea what it was?

Mike