Learning by trial and error.. StanB's work messy workbench

tonight more details were rebuilt/reattached , and/or firmly soldered down as required. I have decided that I wont go ahead and superdetail 3006 at this stage, the thought of drilling several hundred micro holes, and soldering small lengths of wire in them, before grinding them down seems a lot of work for a model that I probably wont use a whole lot when I finally get a layout started: when I ordered some transfers for the smokebox numbers, I also ordered a lining set for an Ivatt 2MT, which is a model I am really wanting to repaint: the paint was damaged at some point, so needs redoing and at some time someone gave it an identity crisis: the number on the smokebox doesn't match the cabsides....

anyway, here is 3006 as she stands tonite,

 

more progress on the ROD over the last 2 days, Yesterday was remedial work on the brake rigging, mostly on the tender, I also made a start on filling in the gap between the frames, fabricating the weigh shaft and balance weight. I probably shouldn't have soldered the brackets down at this stage but we live and learn



I also made a start of drawing up a new throatplate, and printed it today. Not only will it fill in an open area that the model has always suffered from, It also fills a slot cut into the boiler that I suspect was for an earlier motor. What is significant is that it represents the most complex shape I have drawn up for teh printer todate, so while only a small step, it is progress on a new skill. I've also created and printed a similiar piece for the lower rear smokebox, a failed attempt is also visible in this pic - failes since I assumed teh smokebox would be the same width as the firebox, apparently not so ..

It still needs a bit of fettling to fit perfectly but its getting there


Lastly I made plenty of mess on the proxxon this morning, starting to shape up some dummy eccentrics/rods and expansion link.. more to do so that'll be tomorrows job

 

The little Proxxon got a big workout over the last two days, lots of brass got turned into chips, Certainly wont pass any close inspection, but I learned a lot so next time will be more precise, maybe even functional.

Loosely fitted to make sure I cleared the axles ok ( that would have been a shame)



Pity it wont be easy to see


tomorrow, lots of linkages, some valve rods and maybe even a coat of undercoat. I'll probably have to make some spacers too to keep the valvegear aligned on the axles too

 

and..Stephenson's impressions complete.. between the frames look suitably busy even if none of it actually does anything ( or would even if I wanted it to)





time to clean her up for primer I think

 

a little more progress today, primed her this morning, painted the inner frames and motion signal red ( I seem to recall that was GWR/WR practise) and gave the lot a shot of black.. still have some rough spots to polish out, and better make a numberplate for her smokebox, but tomorrow I think reassembly begins..

Just a quick clarification, I seem to recall right crank leading is the correct quartering. I assuming that means the right (starboard in nautical terms) is at 3oclock when the left is at top dead centre?

 

thanks, would have been tragic if after all this I was making them lefties

 

its like missing a rivet or two.. someone would notice..

 

Speaking of Rivets.. there arent any!

anyway here is 3006 as she would have appeared had Swindon given her an overhaul in 1949, rather than taken to her with an oxy torch..

and I had a pleasant surprise.. while testing the chassis I discovered she can make it around a 2nd radius curve... just.. the tender seems more of an issue when they are coupled together but seems ok on its own, so I might have to review the draw bar arrangement. I also reversed the motor so that its now vertical, and discovered a rather sad black 5 I have has, rather had, a somewhat oversize 28mm flywheel bored for a 2mm shaft.. no prizes for guessing where that is now

anyways, here she is ex works...

 

Almost done. She's a little noisy going forward so may need a little tweaking, and I'm waiting on some copper clad to put some pickups on the tender (hence the loose wires) but she's back together and looking good. Discovered that the boiler extended far enough into the firebox to foul the flywheel, so a quick Dremel job was needed to get her to behave, hopefully I've got all the fillings

I'll take her and a little surprise outside when the weather clears but here she is tonite

 

as I promised, took 3006 outside......looks like she's in a spot of bother..




anyway she had a friend pass by,, a quick job on this one simply needing weathering, my j69




and for something simple I've put this together today, as ever all bar one of the issues I had were of my own making

 

bad shunt?

 

and for something completely different to do, and hanging around from a buying spree 40 years ago was a collection of Monarch kits, including a bag containing the parts for this 12t box van . This week , quite by chance I found the instruction leaflet so wanting a change from the white metal, and not quite game to start an etched van ( theres a kit for a Mogo on the shelf) it became the next project. Assembled, drying ready for clean up and priming..

 

This weeks project - Time to try some etched stuff..


Mogo 1 of 2, a G43 van, The second was actually meant to be a Y7 banana van, but someone had an oooppsss moment, and mislabelled a G31kit. all good they'll look great togther

 

And last weeks 12t box van ...

 

progress on the Mogo's

Diag G43 nearly done: The roofing material supplied is a very light plasticard, so I need to cut some bracing pieces , and will fix it after the body is primed. I also abandoned using the compensation unit supplied when I discovered it was a fraction short, but it runs through the points ok so I'm happy with it


In the meantime, the bracing is going onto the G31