Hymek Conversions

So as mentioned in my other post, first on the work bench are 2 Hymek models, one from Triang and one from Novo (USSR) that are going to be using the very comprehensive conversion kits from PRMRP to turn them into something more respectable with twin motors. These will be used on the new extension as Banking engines on my incline, as used on the Lickey.



Novo on its side, is made from a different plastic which the instructions state will be harder to file, drill as the material is very brittle.


First job was to bend up the etched chassis parts.


Nothing like a bit of batch building to move things along, made easier using a small bending jig /clamp, but in all truth a nice flat working surface and a strong metal ruler will complete the job with ease



The bodies disassembled into their main parts, there are several cab repairs to do and a couple of cracks in the body shells which will need gluing up


These are if your not familiar with the model, battery operated, so all that lovely battery housing will have to be removed. Which on the Novo model could prove interesting.



The way to tell which model is which is the Triang model has the Blue Flier raised name on the sides, the Novo model has a raised rectangle block


Very easy to remove with a sharp scalpel and some sanding



But the Novo version is not just a raised boarder but a solid raised lump which proved to be a very time consuming job to remove



Some 60 mins later.......the battery operated switch slot on the bottom of the body will be filled with plasticard and filed flat


So as they stand now, the battery box's are out, just some of the pile of plastic removed. Engine room windows have been made bigger on one and both had their plastic surrounds filed of ready to accept some nice etched ones



Head code box's drilled and filed out and the front end modified ready to accept the white metal buffer beam detailing parts



So far so good....but if you have a go make sure you get the triang version as the novo plastic is very, very brittle, it snaps off rather than cuts clean... So that was my Sunday afternoons efforts... Kim

 

http://www.click Ron, Toto, Ian.Well today I have mainly been filing, filing, filing, filing, filling, filling, filing filing............from the start I new the body work would take longer than the brass work so I have worked on the cab window sections which needed repairs and the raised plastic horns and cab vent sanding off ready for the metal replacements. Hand rails had to be sanded and filed off as well. Couple of tricky plasticard repairs done to the roof and while I had the plasticard out I in filled the body sides where the old on off switch used to live. The Novo model also got an added thick piece of plastic to strengthen the body sides.
Left hand cab with removed plastic detailing.....



Corner of the roof lower left of picture was damaged, once painted I think it might not be noticed. Cabs repaired sanded and filled with filler


Body sides filled and then filler added. These will need 24 hours to set hard then tomorrow I can sand them up with wet and dry



Novo model with added plasticard for extra strength


cruel close up, but once sanded, primed and painted it should look a whole lot better..



cab with metal detailing loosely placed in position, I've also started to drill out the horns a little as they where flat at the ends, might not be noticeably on the layout but I think it looks better.

Kim

 

more filing, then a mist of acrylic primer to show up all the defects.Not to bad from a distance......



....but close up it still needs some fine filler and then sanding


Finished.... well not quite My chosen models will be numbered between D7021-D7025 which were all Lickey hill bankers with shed code 85A Worchester

 

Thanks Pete While the bodies dry after another session of sanding and painting i assembled one chassis unit. Just a case of soldering two "u sections " over the main channel and setting the axle centres at 74.5mm apart. Next add the wheel bearings, and a power pickup post. Tape the bearing ends up and after spraying with an etching primer, paint black.



The "L" support section with the slot in it is to accept the Delrin chain to drive the rear axle. This will be added last, just in case the chassis needs to be stripped down as once the Delrin cog goes onto the axle the instructions state that its very hard to remove.



Assembled unit. Wheels need to be painted black, or I may try my gun black on them. The protruding axles ends need to be cut flush with the wheels as well, but I'm going to leave this till the final assemble into the body.





and finally after a run in on dc power, I connected a TCS T1 decoder and ran it at top speed to see if I can get away with using a standard sound decoder and not have to shell out for an XL decoder. Looks good, even adding downward pressure to the motor it maxed out at .5amp. I know its a basic test at this stage but I think I might get away with it. I will repeat this test with every chassis build then when the model is finally assembled with some added weight. Running at lower speeds were well below 0.5 amp, more like 0.03 - 0.1.

 

[size=Thanks Ian, Ralph, Gary, & Paul ][/size]http://www.click[size= ][/size][size=
][/size][size=Paul ..."the punishment I'm dealing out" ?? I'm giving them some loving care and attention and have not resorted to my brummy screw drive once.............][/size][size=yet !! ][/size]

A couple of stuff ups.....I must have got carried away when removing the large panel on this side, so the door detailing is gone.......


another of the many chips that I have filled in, missed this one but the primer shows it up.....



hopfully once the glue has dried and the last piece of brass wire added this might sort out the door problem



Small piece of plastic to replace the top of the vent, again once painted should look ok....



Front buffer beam sections glued up, plus Ive drilled out the light positions as I plan to add full lighting to these models



Roofs marked up for cutting out extra vents /exhausts.



Lots of small drill holes and a file sorted these out quite quickly, note on the pale cream roof the light grey marks, these were fine scratches, probably inflicted on the model when put away for storing or just general miss handling, have been filled and sanded smooth as a babies bottom !!!



So that's it for this session. Glue needs to dry for 24 hours, then another clean up around the buffer detailing, some more filling no doubt a clean and another spraying session.....

 

The roofs have proved to be fun to get to this stage. After the primer went on theres was alot of "play" marks showing which were not evident before the paint went on. So out with the filler and lots of wet and dry, then three coats of grey primer, wet and dry between each spray, has them looking like this now. Just flatted them down again ready for a matt varnish to take the shine off them.



First quick go with some green paint on the cab roof. Windows taped up as they will stay white. This will need a flatting down and then a final spray.



Door body repair using very thin brass wire has come out well. Again several coats of primer with wet and dry in between. Still needs more, but its getting there.


Had to re glue the buffer detailing, as the first lot of two pack glue did not take to the old plastics, so on Chris (kentishlads) recommendation I purchased some J&D PLASTIC WELD from Jaycar, which seems to have worked. It does take a bit of filing to sort out after it has set. Still a bit of filling required, but again its moving in the right direction now.



http://www.click Kim

 

Well yet again nearly 3 months have come and gone since I last had a go at these models. So as I've had a major clear out this week and sorted all the to do items out, cleaned my bench and sorted all the tool box's and spares out
So today I set about soldering up the remaining chassis's and getting them etched and primed...but horror, when the axles were fitted, one axle was really loose...on a closer inspection this is what I found.

The left hand bearing is a different size No spares . so I emailed Peter this morning and within an hour I got a reply to say that he can send replacements but due to a change in the design I will now have to replace all four on this chassis....
So at least I can carry on with one of the two Hymek's later this week.

 

Cheers Paul, yes I had read that the bearings needed filing flat, and like you it looks like i left it after soldering them in, so will have the same challenges as you have had.

To day I have soldered up the side frame castings using 100 degree solder. (no glue used) Instructions are limited to say the least, but I think it is all correct, and I've no bits left over which is a good sign.
Lots of cleaning up to do before the soldering could be done, and very repetitive, but I got there in the end with the help of liquid refreshments Top left two show one sprayed with the etching primer and the then painted matt black.



A little bit of added detailing was added to the air cylinders, just a simple piece of brass wire bent and then soldered in.



With a fine tipped soldering iron, heat set low, a dab of flux, a nice clean joint can be made, both on the spring detail and the two small dots of solder that secure the air cylinders, the cab steps were tacked at the sand box's and along the first step where it touches the side frame.


While the paint was drying I assembled the other two motors, so three out of four done now just need the new bearings to arrive from the UK to complete no.4All have had a quick test run, but need some adjusting to make them run a little more freely and with less noise.


Instruction state, "now attach the side frames to the bogies"..... attach to what ???? Looks like I need to work out how to make a spacer at each end.
Kim

 

I'm sure you could Ian, just start with something simple and learn a few new skills along the way....
So the problem of attaching the chassis to the bogies I want to be able to remove them should I need to remove wheels or adjust pickups etc.... so I've come up with this idea.
Sheet of brass, screwed to the chassis. Solder a 2mm spacer to the plate followed by the white metal cross braces. When the axles are cut down the side frames will meet up exactly with the cross braces which I can then solder. Repeat at the other end and I should have a side casting assemble that can be removed by undoing just 2 screws


Now again these lovely instructions do not tell me which way up or down the cross brace should go ??? An one know ??? It looks like they will not be seen when the body is on any way and as there are no drawings or pictures that I can find on the internet, so I may as well do them all the same way round.



Kim