Connoisseur Four Wheeled Third Class Coach

Hi Pete, cheers.

I don't think you'll have a problem catching up. there really is no great issues with these and given you have a more experienced hand ..... I think you'll soon make up ground.

I started on the lower footplate .....

The jig Jim recommends for holding whilst soldering the rod on ...

rods get soldered in .....

then cut down the middle once done.

These will be cut back further to 17mm each I believe although I'll just re-read the instructions to confirm that.

After that, clean up and solder into place on the body. I believe the receiving holes on the footplate need to be bored out slightly ( or the end of the rod given a brief going over with a file.

forgot to add, the next step is to put these in a folding jig and bend the rods up through 90 degrees. ..... more as it happens

toto

 

Thank you Sir .....

Now ... the lower footboards, bent, cut, and tidied up ready for installation.

in the jig ready to fold the rods at 90 degrees....

and up they go .....

out of the jig and cut to the 17mm length as prescribed .....

cleaned up a bit and ready to trial fit and solder into place if all is ok.

more later

cheers

toto

 

Hi Mark,

jump onboard and try one. whether its etched or plastic, you got to start some where. just takes a bit longer to get your head around the soldering thats all.

If I can find something similar to the kits you recently sent away for, i'll have a go at a plastic kit as well. I have done a couple in the past and they can present just as many challanges as the etched brass kits. I'd need a little time to get my plastic head on again.

Foot boards go on .....

and then number two .....

Now. I'll be ;looking at the running gear . There are a couple of bits to be filed on the axle box casts to allow the cast to be bedded into the correct position on the sole plate. One of the foot board hangers foul it a little as explained by Jim on the instructions. I did dry fit them to get an idea of how big a deal it is but it looks easy enough to over come. thats the next task

more progress photos as it happens.

cheers

toto

 

Sounds like a plan. There is loads of info on the internet on all sorts of wagon designs that will help you. try looking up a guy called Paul bartlett as he hs a sight full of very informative photographs of just about every wagon you could think of. A great reference point to start with.

Now ... before I call off the build for an hour or two .... some shots after cleaning of where we are at the moment.

full frontal ....

and one last one....

thats all for the moment .... should be back later ..... the dog needs a walk.

cheers

toto

 

It would be good if you could give your recommendations on things like specific glue used and how its applied. I think I had MEK and poly cement or something but was a bit worried on the exact one to use. This will certainly make it easier for beginners to actually start with confidence. Just a thought.

Toto

 

G'day,

Doggy sitting at the moment. The shed beckons but not until SWMBO gets back from work. So, it will be running gear next. A small groove to be filled out of two of the white metal axle boxes to accomodate the running boards rod stanchion. Then it's out with the solder.

I'll tin the areas where the axle boxes are fitted to with 60 / 40 then with the lower temperature iron, go in with the 100 degree solder and finish the job. Brake hangers will be next. 60 / 40 used for these as they are in brass and I'm confident they are far enough away from the white metal axle boxes to cope with the heat. The brake yokes will be next.

I'm confident that I should get the above done tonight and if things go well I may move onto the remaining tasks which are as follows.

Buffer's
Small solebar detail plates ( with epoxy resin )
Emergency brake rigging and hose details
Lamp iron brackets ( possibly epoxy resin ).

Then it's a final clean up and a coat of etched primer.

Not a lot left really. After tonight it's just little faffy bits. All time consuming I suppose as you are jumping between mediums and they are fiddly. Not to be rushed as although they are small tasks, they are all highly visible and getting them right and neat helps make the end result.

Anyway ...... where has the mutt gone.

Back later.

Toto

 

OK,

running gear on the move.

first take the axle box's, clean them up a bit .....

then bore out the holes a bit deeper with a 2.6mm drill and solder in the wheel bearings .....

Then tin the sole bar etc where these are going to sit and be fixed to. 60 / 40 used to tin .....

and when you have tinned all four .....

get them in. I had already filed out the necessary grooves where the footboard stanchions had to be allowed for and had fitted all four in a dry run before soldering. just to make sure everything was running freely and square.

all four done and all seems ok ....

and a couple of last shots of the progress so far .....

Now for the brake hangers which will be soldered into preformed slots in the under frame ....... mighty close to the white metal fittings I've just fitted . these will be done with 60 / 40 solder ..... Ooooooooooo said the crowd.

I'll be back later with more updates ...... provided I dont fry the white metal in this next task.


cheers

toto

 

Yes Yorkie .... I'm on the home run with it .... I can see light ....

and the brake hangers .....

you can maybe just see them to the sides of the wheels there ....

maybe a bit clearer ....

now you can .....

then ....... the yokes ..... now I can tell you .... these are no yoking matter ....

they go on very easy ....

and again .....

and one more shot to finish off tonights progress .....

Now ..... probably tomorrow ..... all the buffer furniture and the emergency brake pipe work and fittings. After that ... these little annoying rivetted plate thingies .... these will be two part araldited.

cheers for now and I hope you have enjoyed this so far.

toto