Ressaldar
Western Thunderer
As a means to an end to encourage me back into the workshop, albeit via the desktop in my den with Management's full permission, I ordered a laser cut signal box kit for the Helston signalbox - I have a long standing affinity with the Helston branch and would one day like to model the station area from the roadbridge to the bufferstops.
The kit duly arrived and whether it was the coincidence with the lockdown or not, a start was made having first rad the instructions and downloaded the photos onto the laptop from the CD Rom.
The lower inner walls to the front and back panels were glued on and set aside to cure. Next day the inner end wall was tried against the rebate formed by the two lower inner walls on the rear wall, but I could not agree the orientation with the relevant photo from the CD
It took a while to twig that the laser detail was cut on the inside face of the wall rather than the outside face. I then checked the other panels and it transpired that all of the laser work was on the wrong side. An email to the manufacturer with the relevant photos was sent and I was offered a replacement and told that I could use the kit that I had to practice on. The real downside was that I will have to wait until travel restrictions were eased before me new kit could be posted.
I decided to go ahead and complete the kit with the walls in their correct orientation and use some SE Finecast brick plastic to overlay where the brickwork should have been and while doing that I would consider options for the upper wall treatment.
This shows the chimney stack fitted in its correct position and where the 'reverse image' had it.
The original signalbox had vertical planking so I decided to use the cut lines as guides for planting plastic strips as if the original cladding had been replaced/overclad by an early version of 'wriggly tin' and this is the state of play as of today
strips being applied across the window apertures to get the lines vertical and then cut back after the glue had set.
I used a double skin of brickwork to enable the use of a suitable angle to form a cover strip. The lower window apertures and rodding tunnel were formed after each brickwork layer was cured and will be detailed in due course.
The wriggly tin for the end walls will have to wait as I ran out of the Evergreen strip having used a whole pack of ten strips on the front and back walls! Eileen's to the rescue this week hopefully.
So attention tomorrow will be turned to the windows, doors (painting/assembling and laid aside until after painting etc of the main box) and roof (which I will make removable).
Despite the disappointment of not being able to build what was intended, I have been encouraged by the fact that I have persevered through the problem, which in itself is a major victory (with many thanks to a certain member on here for his kind words) and slowly and surely will continue to reach a satisfactory conclusion which will encourage me back into the workshop to finish off two Inspection Saloons that have been on the bench for far too long.
Stay safe and well.
regards
Mike
The kit duly arrived and whether it was the coincidence with the lockdown or not, a start was made having first rad the instructions and downloaded the photos onto the laptop from the CD Rom.
The lower inner walls to the front and back panels were glued on and set aside to cure. Next day the inner end wall was tried against the rebate formed by the two lower inner walls on the rear wall, but I could not agree the orientation with the relevant photo from the CD
It took a while to twig that the laser detail was cut on the inside face of the wall rather than the outside face. I then checked the other panels and it transpired that all of the laser work was on the wrong side. An email to the manufacturer with the relevant photos was sent and I was offered a replacement and told that I could use the kit that I had to practice on. The real downside was that I will have to wait until travel restrictions were eased before me new kit could be posted.
I decided to go ahead and complete the kit with the walls in their correct orientation and use some SE Finecast brick plastic to overlay where the brickwork should have been and while doing that I would consider options for the upper wall treatment.
This shows the chimney stack fitted in its correct position and where the 'reverse image' had it.
The original signalbox had vertical planking so I decided to use the cut lines as guides for planting plastic strips as if the original cladding had been replaced/overclad by an early version of 'wriggly tin' and this is the state of play as of today
strips being applied across the window apertures to get the lines vertical and then cut back after the glue had set.
I used a double skin of brickwork to enable the use of a suitable angle to form a cover strip. The lower window apertures and rodding tunnel were formed after each brickwork layer was cured and will be detailed in due course.
The wriggly tin for the end walls will have to wait as I ran out of the Evergreen strip having used a whole pack of ten strips on the front and back walls! Eileen's to the rescue this week hopefully.
So attention tomorrow will be turned to the windows, doors (painting/assembling and laid aside until after painting etc of the main box) and roof (which I will make removable).
Despite the disappointment of not being able to build what was intended, I have been encouraged by the fact that I have persevered through the problem, which in itself is a major victory (with many thanks to a certain member on here for his kind words) and slowly and surely will continue to reach a satisfactory conclusion which will encourage me back into the workshop to finish off two Inspection Saloons that have been on the bench for far too long.
Stay safe and well.
regards
Mike
