Cookie's G3 Workbench

[lancer1027]

That looks very impressive Steve.

I was supprised when i first got into 7mm how much detail you can see but thats nothing compared to G3.

Rob

 

[Rob Pulham]

Lot's of useful techniques to borrow there Steve, thanks for posting them

 

[Steve Cook]

That looks very impressive Steve.
I was supprised when i first got into 7mm how much detail you can see but thats nothing compared to G3.
Rob

Thanks Rob Mind you, I've just been reading through some of Nick Dunhill's Princess thread, in comparison I'm merely playing at it Its still good fun either way though I'm looking forward to getting on with some bigger bits soon.

Lot's of useful techniques to borrow there Steve, thanks for posting them

Pleased you've found something of use / interest Rob. I've lost count of the amount of crafty tips and tricks I've learnt from here

Steve

 

[Steve Cook]

Not too much to photograph today - it was mainly repeat yesterdays work another three times in order to get the foot board brackets finished on all four corners. I did add a vertical section behind the supplied lower foot boards, I guess its a kind of kick panel to stop feet slipping off close to the running gear. It is just a piece of 1mm thick pcb strip soldered to the rear edge of the foot board, in the photo I have still have some shaping work to do on one of them.



I have also completed the basic chassis assembly, soldering the W irons to the cross braces, then soldering the springs to the outside. The axleboxes have been slid into place with a dummy set of wheels to check width and smooth running, I just need to trim a small amount from the outer edge of the spring mounting plates so they fit in between the outer foot board brackets.



The current aim is to see if its possible to generate separate assemblies to make painting easier - the body, roof, two foot board assemblies, chassis and springs, brake gear. Essentially it all comes down to the brake gear - if I can make a repeatable mechanical fixing for the chassis then the brakes are a step easier, there will still need to be a fair bit of sub assembly work etc - it all depends on how the operating rods interact with the axles.

Steve

 

[Steve Cook]

A cheeky mock up for no other reason than its Sunday evening

 

[adrian]

That does look really good, thanks for posting. I always find it interesting to see what is being done in the different scales. So is the chassis laser cut steel? Although in this scale cast springs? I would have thought authentic springs would have been de rigueur!

 

[lancer1027]

Very nice Steve, very nice.

Cant wait to see some paint on it

Rob

 

[Steve Cook]

Thanks Chaps

So is the chassis laser cut steel?

Yup, sorry, I should have mentioned that. All the chassis parts are 0.85mm thick laser cut steel. They have corresponding tabs and cut outs to make assembly and lining up nice and easy.

Although in this scale cast springs? I would have thought authentic springs would have been de rigueur!

They are very nicely cast springs though Authentic springs would be very cool I have confess, I guess repeatability in use and ease of manufacture / cost means the well tried method of coil spring wins - I don't know if Mike has tried or considered any other options. I've just checked my Slaters kits and they use the coil spring method too.

Cant wait to see some paint on it

You and me both Rob Fair way to go yet though, brake gear and roof to start and even when they are done its back to the body for round two.



Steve

 

[Steve Cook]

I'd forgotten just how quickly cleaned steel wants to rust
Came back to the model this morning and there was surface rust appearing down the foot boards already - I know I've been using Carrs Green Label, but it was all cleaned with Jif and a tooth brush before being dried off. No point in hanging around then, so the boards were cleaned with emery paper and all of the foot brackets aligned up. The boards were clamped into place using pegs, then soldered into position



I worked on one side at a time, clamping the chassis into position to act as a reference for the cut outs in the back of the boards. It didn't take long to get both sides done, they were then scrubbed over with Jif and a tooth brush, the photo below was taken and then they were rushed out to the shed to get a coat of primer on.


Steve

 

[Rob Pulham]

I and then they were rushed out to the shed to get a coat of primer on.

It's not chucking it down where you are then Steve?

I have always shied away from resin bodied kits - It came up in conversation when I was speaking with Graham on Saturday and I don't really know why I give them a miss, it has no real basis other than I feel more comfortable working with metal.

Seeing your efforts with this has made me think that I may have to give one a go.

Like Rob, I look forward to seeing you get some paint on it too

 

[Dog Star]

Seeing your efforts with this has made me think that I may have to give one a go.

There is one downside to resin kits... most come from the small end of the manufacturer's scale and a "run" is often in the order of 50 kits (limited by the deterioration of the mould). So definitely a case of buying when you see one that you like... by the time that details of a new kit appears in the Gazette you can be too late.

As an example... S&T Works offers limited runs of pre-group wagons and the recent GNR open was sold out by the time that I heard of the kit. Similarly, another supplier has done recently a re-run of a GWR covered wagon and that was down to eight remaining after pre-orders had been dealt with - anyone who asks about traffic in Minks on Basilica Fields is going to get banished to that particular incarnation of the Capital.

regards, Graham

 

[Steve Cook]

It's not chucking it down where you are then Steve?

Absolutely larruping down Rob I keep everything I need in the house so the paint is already warm and the various bits of wood I use to pin parts on to are close at hand. When its all ready I go out and open the shed door, leaving the paint inside the shed. That leaves both hands free to transfer the bits to be painted on their bits of wood, using an offcut of hardboard about 18" square to protect them from the rain. Spray inside the shed, but aiming out through the open door. Leave to flash off for 10 minutes in the shed, then bring inside to dry fully. Its less than ideal, but at this time of year its the only option. I must admit that I've not any problems with the primer blooming, even in these conditions, I'm not sure I'd be going for a show winning gloss finish using this method though

I have always shied away from resin bodied kits - It came up in conversation when I was speaking with Graham on Saturday and I don't really know why I give them a miss, it has no real basis other than I feel more comfortable working with metal.

That as good a reason any Rob. On the other hand, I think its quite nice to push yourself and try different mediums, each medium has its own strengths and weaknesses and some are better at various bits than others. I don't view it as any different to working with plastic kits, just that I have to use superglue or epoxy for adding extra detailing bits. Sometimes its nice to just have a change, your brass kits won't be offended if you try something different

Seeing your efforts with this has made me think that I may have to give one a go.

I would, I think you're more than capable. I'm not going to suggest you go straight for the grill friggery and pokerery ( ) that Lancer & Phill are doing, but if you get stuck there is as much help as you can shake a stick at on here.

Like Rob, I look forward to seeing you get some paint on it too

Thanks - I'm even going to try for a lightly weathered finish...
Steve

 

[Steve Cook]

There is one downside to resin kits... most come from the small end of the manufacturer's scale and a "run" is often in the order of 50 kits (limited by the deterioration of the mould).

Could always try a different (bigger) scale then...


You know, just one, for show and all that....
Steve

 

[Dog Star]

There is one downside to resin kits... most come from the small end of the manufacturer's scale and a "run" is often in the order of 50 kits (limited by the deterioration of the mould).

Could always try a different (bigger) scale then...

Complete mess up there... what I meant to say was that many of the resin kits come from manufacturer's for whom a production run is just (say) 40 or 50 kits.

 

[Dikitriki]

I have always shied away from resin bodied kits - It came up in conversation when I was speaking with Graham on Saturday and I don't really know why I give them a miss, it has no real basis other than I feel more comfortable working with metal.

Hi Rob

I take the view that it's fun do do something that doesn't require recourse to the soldering iron. I've done a couple of JLTRT diesels and they were great fun, as well as saving a huge amount of time. Modern superglues - if you use the appropriate ones - are plenty strong enough, and the resin is nowhere near as vulnerable to heat as you might think.

Mind you, if the resin is poor quality, that's another matter again!

Richard

 

[Steve Cook]

Complete mess up there... what I meant to say was that many of the resin kits come from manufacturer's for whom a production run is just (say) 40 or 50 kits.

Its alright, you were quite clear Graham, I think my implication that if they have sold out of the ones one wanted, one could always try a pick one up in a bigger scale went a bit wide...
I think the mould issue is consistent, if not worse on the larger scales - a lot depends on detail and undercuts too.
Steve

 

[Dog Star]

Its alright, you were quite clear Graham, I think my implication that if they have sold out of the ones one wanted, one could always try a pick one up in a bigger scale went a bit wide...

No, defo not wide of the mark. Slippery slope though, Mike does some very nice pre-group prototypes and "Just one" would be just that for only a short while... then there would be a couple and then another one... and John would be saying "a train would look nice" and he would be correct.

I have stuck to 7mm for more years than I wish to remember and there is no known de-bonding agent.

regards, Graham

 

[Steve Cook]

I should have copied Jamie Its a lot easier making tie bars / retainers / keeper plate things when the W irons are in the flat, saves hanging an assembly over the front of the desk...

Easy enough job once you've figured out how not to damage the whitemetal springs though:

Align up the keeper plates



Cut a tie bar to suit using the taper of the keeper plates to hold it place



Holding the tie bar in place with a pair of wooden clothes peg halves, swipe a hot iron over each end then clean up with file / fibre glass brush



Knock another job off the 'to do' list, then look at reference photo to see if I have missed anything else obvious...

Steve

 

[taliesin]

Knock another job off the 'to do' list, then look at reference photo to see if I have missed anything else obvious...

Steve

Obvious, obvious ? it's upside down Dear Boy , cheers Rob

 

[Steph Dale]

Knock another job off the 'to do' list, then look at reference photo to see if I have missed anything else obvious...

Steve

Like the fact that you haven't fitted the axleboxes or wheels yet?
How do you get them in/out with the retaining straps fitted?

Steph