Spitfire's G3 Workbench

Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
The brake van roof is coming along.
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I got the lasercut roofribs in birch plywood, however they for some reason cut them against the grain rather than with. So theyve been made into a plasticard sandwich to ensure they dont break.
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The 4 ribs above the cabin have magnets so Ill be able to remove the roof to access the brake wheel. I hope I have enough wood left for the roof.

And slow progress cutting the floor on the D1. Im not happy with the patern on most of my wood stock for the floor, so Ill have to order more wood to replace it.
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Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
Doing the roof reminds me of building the D3 van. An experience I wouldve prefered to not remember.
At least this time its done by magnets rather than bolts.
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Roof: Assembled flat, planks laid out with straight edge, secured with strips of card. Then bent around the roof ribs. The location of the magnet ribs was marked on top, drilled in place, and nailed at several points. Then glue fillet run along rib edges.
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Then the long task of drilling and nailing to fill the roof. With how off Ive drilled the holes, its done well in locking the planks to the ribs.20180413_233837.jpg
Next is to cover all those nail heads in a suitable fabric. Id like something not coarse, thick, or elastic. This might be a bit.
 

Jon Nazareth

Western Thunderer
Adrian
'Slubs' are the very small imperfections where the threads seem to snag in the weaving process resulting in a little lump of thread, not conducive to a smooth roof. This is perfectly acceptable in the finished product i.e., silk cloth.
Not sure what you were thinking of.

Jon
 

Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
Well Ive got a polyester bandana which was a freebee. Its pretty thin and non-elastic. Tried to paint it with some artists acrylic, seems to have taken well and covered the printing. Once glued to the roof the paint should well soak into it.
Might try that if I cant find anything else.
 

Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
This weekend saw me finishing most of the body detail for the D1 and priming it. Letting that all cure.
And the D21 now has footboards.
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I had to make some more footboard brackets as I had forgotten to add the end brackets and center step brackets to the etch.
I was able to repurpose some spare etched ironwork from my MR D299 and LNW D2. No drilling needed, only cutting and bending to size. Lucky the spare ironwork ended up matching the bolt spacing.
 

Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
Well, been busy but havent posted very much.
The brake van had its roof canvassed and painted.
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Appologies for the poor photos tonight.
The chimney threads on and meets up with the furnace chimney inside. A bit of a soldering challenge knocking it up from bits of brass and threaded rod. Im glad I bought 10ba threading tools. Ill need to buy a few more taps and dies eventually.

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The D1 is progressing through the paintshop and brakes are slowly being fettled. Ive got the cam rod sorted. Had to reference my D3 a few times to remember how I did it.

And the D21 is also going through paint, though this one will need several coats to get an even black coat. It took something around an hour with my airbrush. It also triggered the thermal cutout on my compressor while I still had half a paintcup slowly clogging up the nozzle.
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And while Ive been waiting for a new RX from RCS as I had bought the wrong one, Ive gone and redone the plug from battery to RC system. A lot slimmer now and it actually fits when the tank is in place. I made good use out of heatshrink to protect against wire fatigue at all joints.
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Hopefully sometime this week I get the new RX and I can finally finish up my first loco.
 

Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
Well I got the receiver Monday afternoon. And Ive finally gotten the RC gear fully installed.
The entire setup is put under the footplate where its well hidden by steps, brake rigging, and a reasonable viewing angle.
The firebox makes a good home for the power switch. All those wires will need a coat of black paint.



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And Ive also got the buffers glued on and backhead details relatively finalized.
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So far I only have a yard of track so not much space to run it.
Im really thinking of making some G3 settrack, but I dread how much overseas shipping would be from Cliff Barker for a dozen yards or so.
 

geoff_nicholls

Western Thunderer
Depending on the sort of layout you're planning, you might find you can adapt locally sold track. If it's inlaid in a road, or ballasted over the sleepers, or just overgrown, then LGB rail might do. Although it is very chunky, the LGB rail head is the same width as Cliff Barker. You might be able to pick up some LGB R5 curves (1.8m radius) secondhand, cut the sleepers down the middle and tweek the radius a bit. I think GRS G3 turnouts are still built using LGB rail.
 

JimG

Western Thunderer
Im really thinking of making some G3 settrack, but I dread how much overseas shipping would be from Cliff Barker for a dozen yards or so.

If you can get Cliff to supply your rail in half metre/18" lengths, then this length will go diagonally in a Post Office small parcels box. This box recently increased in depth and there is plenty of volume for sleepers, etc. You might find that the price to the US is not too bad. I use this method to send S scale rail from the SSMRS Parts department when sending 36" lengths is too expensive an option. If you're going to make a form of set track then the 18" length might not be a problem.

Jim.
 

Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
Depending on the sort of layout you're planning, you might find you can adapt locally sold track. If it's inlaid in a road, or ballasted over the sleepers, or just overgrown, then LGB rail might do. Although it is very chunky, the LGB rail head is the same width as Cliff Barker. You might be able to pick up some LGB R5 curves (1.8m radius) secondhand, cut the sleepers down the middle and tweek the radius a bit. I think GRS G3 turnouts are still built using LGB rail.
Im not sure anyone around here supplies Stainless rail. And certainly not bullhead.
Ive yet to plan a layout as Im still living with my parents for the time being, but hope to, when and if I get a place of my own, have a garden line on earthen mounds. When I can afford the house, Ill consider the postage for yard lengths. Until then, Im thinking a 5 or 6' rad oval that can be put out in the garden on warm days.

If you can get Cliff to supply your rail in half metre/18" lengths, then this length will go diagonally in a Post Office small parcels box. This box recently increased in depth and there is plenty of volume for sleepers, etc. You might find that the price to the US is not too bad. I use this method to send S scale rail from the SSMRS Parts department when sending 36" lengths is too expensive an option. If you're going to make a form of set track then the 18" length might not be a problem.
Jim.
18" lengths might be worthwhile, but tedious. Not to mention Ill need to find a metal roller that I can borrow just to bend the rail.
 

Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
A small but significant build tonight.
Ive begun working on the brakegear for the D21. I have so far the cross shaft made up and have done the difficult bit of soldering up the pushrods.
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And Ive done so with M1 threaded rod and absolutely tiny nuts.
Now to just wait for the replacement brake blocks as I had bought the wrong ones.
 

Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
Trevor,
Where did you buy the brake castings? They look very good.

Jon
Sorry, which brake castings? Do you mean the brass yoke on the pushrods?

I designed those and had them professionally cast. I paid a good chunk of change for the mould which I was given afterwards. Wouldve liked more castings, but I had enough made for my own use.

I dont have the facilities to make castings myself, sadly. If anyone does, Id be more than happy to send the silicone mould off to someone who can make better use of it than I can.
 

Jon Nazareth

Western Thunderer
Trevor
That was very brave of you. Making the little yoke, I find very difficult and they don't always work out as you would want them. So, top marks to you.

Jon
 

Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
So Ive been having a think today.
Inspired by Geoff Nicholls' G3 set track, Im considering making something similar. Mine however would be either 4.5' radius or 5' radius. If I could choose, 4.5' would be easier as it would be 2 yards less of track
Ive already drawn it up in AutoCAD, printed some track sections off, and had a play with some stock to see how itd look.

Now my dilemma is while my Neilson and short wheelbase stock would be able to handle 4.5' radius easily, by my calculations I wouldnt be able to squeeze a Midland 1377 class around it unless I went with gauge widening. I could probably even squeeze up to 15.5' wheelbases through that! That would cover several locos Im planning to eventually build.
But then I worry at 64.5mm gauge, would I then have more issues with the short wheelbase stock. I admit my wagons often have a little more slop in the axleboxes than I would like.

Does anyone have any input on this? Would that extra mm of sideplay cause more issues than it solves at such a sharp curve.

Sometimes, it feels like Im going about this whole G3 thing wrong!
 
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