Steve Beattie kit NBL Class 21 build

Discussion in 'Workshop Benches' started by York Paul, Aug 17, 2018.

  1. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    Great, thanks for that. The photos help enormously.

    Cheers

    Toto
     
  2. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    No probs Toto... shout up if you need anything clearer, I'll try and get a few close ups in as this build progresses highlighting more specific details.
     
  3. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    Terrific. :thumbs:
     
  4. SBt

    SBt Full Member

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    Did I not include nuts and bolts in the kit?
     
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  5. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Ah yes "nuts and bolts X 4" indeed you have thanks Steve :thumbs: ... I'll use these instead as designed.
     
  6. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    Put a meter across the element and if it's open circuit, just order an element, far cheaper than the whole iron.
     
  7. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Thanks Timbersurf... the thing is once the three screws holding the triangular plate are released then it is near on impossible to pull the element free as the wires appear trapped inside the moulded casing. I'm not going to throw it away because there may be a way of replacing the element I haven't seen but for speed to carry on with these builds I have a new one coming on Friday.
     
  8. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Well this evening has been a bit of a non event, plans for tonight were to make up the battery boxes and the first one was made, however I'd built it wrong and no much how I thought about making alterations it was still wrong, so only one thing to do and out came the micro flame and seconds later all the bits fell onto a wooden tray. After cleaning the pieces up it was start again and this time build it right, unfortunately there is quite a wide solder stained area because I'm having to use the big 80watt iron and that isn't too fussy but it's damn fast. Any a couple of pictures for now, tomorrow I'll describe the build of the other battery box in more detail as there are a couple of important point in the construction to note. Here's the inside of the battery box complete with massive solder flows, in the background is the mainframe and body skeleton which I've now soldered the correct holding down nuts on as supplied in the kit.


    And here is the outer face of the battery box, I have yet to work out what the half etch line on the front does, not sure if it folds back onto the rear support brackets and then soldered to the mainframe or folds forward to meet the bodyshell... I'll check this with Steve before doing anything further.

     
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  9. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    These are the components forming the battery box, there are two battery boxes one each side of the loco and both have subtle differences so care has to be taken. Generally both boxes have the small compartment access flap (located on the hinged battery door) located on the right hand side the fuel filler porthole changes sides, the unbuilt etches I'm showing have the fuel port on the right hand side and it is this battery box which is is placed on the mainframe where the No1 end cab will to the right... so it is best to mark the mainframe with felt pen and work with this on your right when fitting this box. Don't worry about which end the No1 end is ... we will come to that bit later as we fit the bodyshell together, right now the mainframe is equal at each end so identification with a felt pen will do. Now the other battery box when fitted will have the fuel port hole facing the other way (e.g to the left but the compartment flap will still be on the right hand side.

    Now here are the pieces for the first battery box, basically I am constructing a rectangilar box that will sit inside a frame, the two smaller end pieces of the box have a slot near the front and this mates with a tab on the outer frame, the box will protrude only about 3mm forward of the outer frame as the bulk of this item is inside the loco. It is also worth noting that the four pieces forming the actual battery box have half etch edges on their front and corner lines, this it to take the battery box cover. The picture below shows the main items, I have tinned the three tiny cover hinges which will be sweated on the centre line of the box and for safe keeping left them on the fret. The battery box outer frame is facing outwards and has a half etch line along the upper edge, this is to help align the box to the mainframe when soldering, the two tiny bits each end of the battery box sides are two small holding brackets and these will need rivet embossing first before folding to 90 degrees.



    Here is the battery outer frame (part 42) rear side showing the two inner support brackets, these fit into the two half etch lines either side of the box opening, it is most important when soldering to ensure these items are located all the way in as shown with my pointer otherwise the whole assembly will be lop sided.


    Finally here is a completed box showing how the whole assembly will appear when finished... I'm off to the workshop now to put this together and describe how I did it. Back later chaps.

     
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  10. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    Oh wow. These hinges are small.
     
  11. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Toto just to give you an idea of how small these are, I lost two in the process a bit like now you see it now you don't :avatar: so I had to scratch replacements from scrap etch 1.5mm x 1.5mm (a tadge under) then solder on a piece of 0.3mm wire 1.5mm long. It worked but you must not stab yourself with blunt scissors if it goes wrong first time. :avatar:
     
  12. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    So back in from the workshop now and here's what I did. Firstly solder up the battery box side pieces 1 short + 1 long piece checking for square and a nice tight fit, then solder the two halves together and a perfect rectangle will be formed.


    Then force fit this unit into the outer frame ... a tip ... connect the first slot onto the longer if the are cut from the fret unequally, it will be easier to connect the second tab and slot as there is less metal to push past. The assembly should not fall out now and is ready for soldering.


    I started with a couple of tack solders to hold the assembly and then checked the alignment was correct, a tip here is to support the assembly using square wooden blocks. I then soldered the upper long seam to stop "daylight" showing, obviously check the box is the correct way round as discussed earlier, next solder the bottom long seam. DO NOT solder the sides at this stage. The pointer shows the upper long seam which needs to be soldered first.


    The battery box assembly is now firm so turn it over and solder in the two bracket pieces (part 20) from behind the outer frame piece, these fit in the vertical half etch lines on the back of part 42 the outer frame, again make sure the brackets fit snugly ALL the way up these etch lines, this is why you don't solder the sides of the battery box beforehand.


    Now I folded and tinned the two outer side battery box brackets, I used grip pliers to do this part. Once tinned the brackets are sweated in place, finally the three hinge pieces can be cut from their fret and sweated in place, remember I had already pre tinned these pieces earlier.


    And the both battery box assemblies complete minus the side compartment flap hinges... hmm I'm still looking for those :avatar::avatar::avatar:
    Note the position of the fuel filler pipe inlet, again the box with the fuel porthole inlet on the right hand side is the box which when fitted will determine the Number 1 end which is to the right.

     
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  13. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    So the next job this evening was to fit the both battery boxes onto the mainframes, I used an engineers square to align them together making sure the first box was soldered into position so that the outer edges of the battery box frame just obscured the two middle slot and tabs which hold those middle cross braces to part 18 the mainframe floor. Next I cut three pieces of the small brass channel section provided in the kit to the exact width of part 18, these are soldered to the underside of the battery box assembly and act as carriers. The pictures are self explanatory.


    And an underside view.


    Finally a general view, at this point I will say that any flimsyness of the mainframe has now gone away when this battery assembly is fitted, in fact if I were to want to bend this now I would need a hammer... it is that strong. I shall add weight by packing the inside of the battery box cases with lead.


    The next job now is to solder the skeleton inside the bodyshell and then start dressing the body with the various grills and vent, these will be the Class 21 bits as the Class 29 (rebuilt Class 21) ones are different. I'll get on the phone for Delrins, motor frame floats and gears in the morning, when these bits arrive I can start building up the bogies. I'll used two of the Cannon 1833 motors I bought recently.
     
  14. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    Wow,

    This is compulsive viewing. A fantastic job you are doing. Fantastic illustrations as well. A great reference build. :thumbs:
     
  15. paul_l

    paul_l Staff Member Administrator

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    Really smart .....
     
  16. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Thanks Toto, I'm happy to know this will be useful reference thread:thumbup:
     
  17. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Thanks Paul glad you like:thumbs:
     
  18. jakesdad13

    jakesdad13 Staff Member Moderator

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    Excellent tutorial mate :tophat: Looking forward to the next episode!

    Cheer's, Pete.
     
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  19. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Thanks Pete, apparently is seems because SWMBO is much appreciative of my recent efforts in revamping her "art" space in preparation for her Open Studio event this weekend she has decreed it might be nice for visitors to see "model trains" being made. :avatar: So today I can get on and dress the body of the 21 which I've already started tack soldering to the skeleton... pictures soon later today mate. :thumbs:
     
  20. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    I thought I would just show progress from last nights work, I do mean last night btw :avatar: because there are a couple of important points to note when offering the bodyshell up onto the skeleton. Firstly I was mindful that the cab sides are very delicate and vulnerable to accidental damage until the cab is fitted, so I took extra care in handling the bodyshell, secondly the bodyshell etch is rolled to a near equivalent profile shape and must be checked against the skeleton shape footprint and adjusted to fit snugly before any soldering is done. I increased the roof curvature profile which had the effect of closing in the sides, this is what I wanted because had this not happened I would have had to add pressure to the sides in order for them to contact the skeleton footprint of sides and roof curvature, that grip action could have cause some unwanted damage to happen to the etch and skeleton. The next thing to be aware of is to fit the bodyshell the correct way onto the skeleton in order to avoid one of the middle bulkheads fouling across the radiator apertures... most important this. Finally we talked about the Number 1 cab end, this is now the time to identify which cab it is, so looking at the bodyshell sideways on if the large square radiator aperture (these are the ones where all the louvers have to be individually put together... I haven't done this bit yet) is to the LEFT of the double doors of the engine room then the cab which is at the right hand end of the bodyshell is the Number 1 cab... mark this end with feltpen somewhere out of the way, conversely if the large square radiator opening is to the right of the double doors then the Number 1 cab will be on the left. In a minute I will refit the mainframe chassis after tack soldering the centres of the roof formers to the roof profile and the refitted mainframe will offer some rigidity to the skeleton as I then proceed to solder the top edges of the sides at gutter line to create the correct roof curvature and side angles of the bodyside.

    So I aligned the skeleton inside the bodyshell noting that correct spacing position and checking that the ends of the skeleton met equally with the inner cab handrail cut outs on the bodyshell, starting at one end I tack soldered the roof former to the roof and then did the same at the other end, this ensured that the body remained aligned with the skeleton. Finally I soldered the middle former with a quick solder tack either side of the rectangular cut out on the roof, now I had the start point to carry on soldering when I had refitted the mainframe chassis and not before... as I realised earlier I needed to maintain strength and integrity of the bodyshell design shape and refitting the mainframe back underneath the skeleton would greatly aid this happening.


    So now I can continue to solder the bodyshell down starting one end on the gutter line nearest the cab and then moving to work my way along the curve of roof formers one end at a time, more about then when I get back from the Long Shed.
     
    Last edited: Sep 14, 2018
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