ACE Products J67/J69 kit

Discussion in 'Kits, Kit bashes & Scratch builds' started by paul blythe, Aug 10, 2020.

  1. paul blythe

    paul blythe Full Member

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    Heres a few photos of a J69 kit i received from William at Ace on Saturday.

    P8100013.JPG P8100014.JPG P8100015.JPG P8100016.JPG P8100017.JPG P8100018.JPG P8100020.JPG P8100013 (2).JPG
     
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  2. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    Looks very good. Fluted rods as well. Impressed.

    When will that be taking the solder ? :avatar:

    Mind and cover the build and let us know how well it goes together.

    Cheers

    Toto
     
  3. paul blythe

    paul blythe Full Member

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    when i start it depends how frustrated i get with the bulleid pacific lol. Im quite impressed with it. Ive built two ACE kits many moons ago and the quality of this one at first glance seems to be much better. The etches have clearly been drawn on CAD, the two previous kits i made where hand drawn and much rougher. The etches are much crisper. The metal used apears a little thinner and better quality. Its a fairly simple loco so i don't envisage too many problems with it. It has the usuall Ace instructions which are a little misleasading in places. It apears they are cut and pasted from another kit. There is mention of several parts which are not relevent to the kit and it descibes bending the footplate, which in reality is perfectly straight. its not up to the standard of Big jims kit but was only £99. Only slight disapointment is the lack of alternative parts. it comes with GE safety valve bonnett and one of those ugly stovepipe chimneys but for the price i shouldnt complain
     
  4. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    I'd agree,

    It's a co promise between price point and quality but provides a kit that by and large can be built. I've seen a few examples,es of ACE kits which have drawn a fair bit of criticism but their builders have done an excellent job of them.

    Maybe a little bit more difficult for a beginner if it takes a bit of persuasion to get them to play ball so could have an off putting effect as well but hopefully in the end .... all comes good.

    Looking forward to it.

    Toto
     
  5. paul blythe

    paul blythe Full Member

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    I think the problem with Ace kits is that they come from various sources, with varying quality. if you are unlucky and pick one of the lesser quality kits it may put you off the entire range. Having said this, some are pretty good. I believe some of the range have been updated too. I believe the J69 is based on an old ravenscale kit from the 70's. being a draughtsman I can clearly see that the etches have been redrawn onto Cad. They are so much more crisp than the ones I received several years ago in the Ace K2 and J6 kits which where hand drawn. these two still had mcgowan models on the etches. i'd be interested to find out if these kits have been updated onto cad too.
     
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  6. jakesdad13

    jakesdad13 Staff Member Moderator

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    Just had a look at my thread for the J69, it is almost identical so I reckon its one of the original offerings from Ace or even Ravenscale, it is definitely an old one.

    Pete.
     
  7. paul blythe

    paul blythe Full Member

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    Ah yes. Other than the chassis it does look to be the same kit. Did yours come with a backhead? Mine does not have one, not even one of the notorious Ace flatpack etched ones. There's no mention of one in the parts list or exploded diagram although it is mentioned in the instruction text. Yours appears to have a lipped chimney too. Mine came with a stovepipe. I plan on building one of the Lincoln based ones so will have to source a chimney for it from Laurie Griffin. which of the 3 GE tank loco chimneys he sells is suitable im not sure.
     
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  8. paul blythe

    paul blythe Full Member

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    I decided to make a start on the j69. The kit is designed to build one of the last batch with wide cab and tanks. There are half etched lines on the cab parts to show where to cut to make a narrower cab. There are also alternative tank tops to make to narrower tanks. I've decided to build mine as one of the intermediate ones which had the narrow cab but wide tanks. This required me to cut the cab sides away from the tank sides. These come as one piece and it's totally left to the builder tondo that. I had intended to do a blow by blow account of the build but got a little carried away and the superstructure is mostly complete bar the boiler and bunker rear.
    20201222_112814.jpg
    I'm assuming that the gap between the tank and cab side is intended to be filled with a piece of the cab fro t which has been cut to make the earlier narrower versions. The instructions are vague.
    20201222_112831.jpg
    20201222_112854.jpg
     
  9. Rob Pulham

    Rob Pulham Happily making models Staff Member Administrator Feature Contributor

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    Wow, is that I brass chimney casting I spy there, I thought that William charged extra if you wanted anything in brass...The latter based on my having to pay for brass slidebars and crossheads for my C1. Those in the kit being whitemetal (shudders!!!! as to why anyone would make slide bars and cross heads from white metal).
     
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  10. paul blythe

    paul blythe Full Member

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    The chimney is courtesy of laurie griffin. The kit only comes with a whitemetal stove pipe chimney. I need to source some ross pops too as only original great eastern fittings are included. I'm building the loco as it was upon withdrawal in 1959
     
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  11. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    Nice progress so far. Looking forward to the rest of the build.

    Cheers

    Toto
     
  12. paul_l

    paul_l Staff Member Administrator

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    Good progress, and after seeing the Laurie Griffen Chimney, I can see why people go on about them.

    Paul
     
  13. paul blythe

    paul blythe Full Member

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    they chimney is lovely. There's a few parts Laurie does for the J69 which i need for this kit. One thing i havent managed to source yet is a backhead.
     
  14. Rob Pulham

    Rob Pulham Happily making models Staff Member Administrator Feature Contributor

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    Another good source of GER castings is Ragstone. It might be worth asking Andy Beaton if he does a suitable backhead. Alternatively Graham Jones (NMRS) may have one in the old Majestic range.
     
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  15. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Graham definitely does do the J67 J69 backhead in white metal and his prices are very good too I believe.
     
  16. paul blythe

    paul blythe Full Member

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    ah yes i see. Theres a choice of lever or screw reverser too. The loco im building was converted to a shunter so i believe i need the lever reverser
     
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  17. paul blythe

    paul blythe Full Member

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    P6120026.JPG
    I have assembled the frames. They are reasonably robust. Only one problem found. the wheelbase between the rear wheels was shorter than the wheelbase of the premier rods i am using so had to be moved back a couple of mm.
    P6120027.JPG
     

    Attached Files:

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  18. paul blythe

    paul blythe Full Member

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    P6120030.JPG
     
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  19. paul blythe

    paul blythe Full Member

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    P6120029.JPG
    The instructions for the cab are extremely vague so with much gueswork i have made a start. P6120029.JPG
     
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  20. paul blythe

    paul blythe Full Member

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    there is no backhead in the kit. I managed to buy one from JPL via ebay who seem to have taken over the majestic range from nmrs. it was advertised as for a j67. the j69 one is pretty much identical but with a screw reverser. my j69 has a lever reverse so i bought the j67 one

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