NZRedBaron's thread of questions

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NZRedBaron
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Re: A first-time kit-builder looking for advice

Post by NZRedBaron »

Before I put the roof on, I thought I should ask; should I put a weight inside my Parkside vans? If so, what, and how heavy?
jwealleans
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
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Re: A first-time kit-builder looking for advice

Post by jwealleans »

Yes, you'll see a great benefit in running. How heavy is a whole different can of worms. US modellers work to 25g/axle as a standard I believe, but it depends on where you plan to run it. If your model railway is flat, I take the view that as long as a vehicle is free running it doesn't make a lot of difference if it's on the heavy side. On the other hand, if it's got to go up and down inclines, you should probably keep it lighter.

What you use is also a big question. I have plenty of lead roof flashing so that's what I go with, but washers, 2p pieces, old nuts and bolts, sand (held in with dilute PVA) and car tyre weights are all options which spring to mind.

If you Google you'll find all kinds of advice but on the whole the concensus is that weight helps.
drmditch

Re: A first-time kit-builder looking for advice

Post by drmditch »

Definitely yes to some weight!
As Mr Wealleans says above, in a van you can use anything sensible, because it's not going to be seen.

Do make sure that it is glued or otherwise fixed into place, otherwise you will get a 'rattling van', and the weight may move to an unbalanced location.

One other thing, and I think I picked this up from the very same Mr Wealleans many years ago, is to drill a ventilation hole and/or holes into the floor of the vehicle. Otherwise residual fumes from glue/solvent may distort a sealed structure.
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NZRedBaron
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Re: A first-time kit-builder looking for advice

Post by NZRedBaron »

So, about 20 grams worth of weight sounds about right, you're saying?
JASd17
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Re: A first-time kit-builder looking for advice

Post by JASd17 »

jwealleans wrote: Sat Oct 03, 2020 6:43 am
What you use is also a big question. I have plenty of lead roof flashing so that's what I go with, but washers, 2p pieces, old nuts and bolts, sand (held in with dilute PVA) and car tyre weights are all options which spring to mind.

If you Google you'll find all kinds of advice but on the whole the concensus is that weight helps.
Well a 2 pence piece is around 7 grams, or thereabouts. So 2 of those over each axle inside a van, properly stuck in, with no defacing, should be a runner. Or three evenly distributed?

Like Jonathan I have a lot of lead flashing, but I am wondering if the coins are cheaper, or at least, more available. The flashing is more flexible to use on other wagons.

John
jwealleans
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Re: A first-time kit-builder looking for advice

Post by jwealleans »

Maybe you could leave the roof off and test run it?
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NZRedBaron
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Re: A first-time kit-builder looking for advice

Post by NZRedBaron »

In related news, my Chivers Pigeon Brakes arrived in the post today; once I finish the Parksides, they're next.
drmditch

Re: A first-time kit-builder looking for advice

Post by drmditch »

As it happens, the next kit I took from my box to attempt to alleviate the boring aspects of layout wiring etc. was this Dia.116 ventilated van. This is I think the same one you are building.
I first built one of these nearly thirty years ago, and that one needs upgrading a bit to be consistent with what I have learned in the meantime.

You will see that:-
1. I reinforce the interior of vans, including fitting internal bulkheads to prevent the sides bowing inwards.
(The camera makes that look as though that has happened, but I assure you the steel ruler thinks differently!)
Post_024.jpg
I also used cut-outs on the bottom of the bulkheads to locate some scrap woodscrews which now form low-cost ballast weight.
(They also have a dab of superglue to prevent rattles.)

2. I leave the roof off while working on the underside. This allows the van to rest on the top of it's sides on a small work block, and makes it stable to fit the solebars and the representation of brake gear which I attempt.

You will also see that, as has become my practice recently, I pack the solebars outwards from their position markers on the floor, using scrap plastic of about .5mm thickness or so. I find this counters the tendency of 'standard' construction for the W irons to angle themselves inwards and restrict the wheels from spinning merrily!
Post_23.jpg
I hope this is not too confusing.

I am not as observant or meticulous a modeller as Mr Wealleans, but my vehicles run as I want them to and that's enough for me!

If it would be of encouragement or assistance I can post more pictures of this build.
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NZRedBaron
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Re: A first-time kit-builder looking for advice

Post by NZRedBaron »

I think I can see all of this, and it is good.

Now though, I've got my eye on future projects, and I've had probably a bad idea come to me; to try and bodge a Holden E4 together from primarily RtR models; like say, the reversed chassis from a Great Western 14xx autotank, a tender from a 70's era B12, maybe the running plate and cab off a J15.

I'm not sure about a boiler though, anyone got any suggestions for that?
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NZRedBaron
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Re: A first-time kit-builder looking for advice

Post by NZRedBaron »

Something a bit more random now; I've seen a second-hand model of NBL-built Gresley A1 "Gladiateur" for sale on Ebay, and I'm of a mind to get it; the only issue is that it seems to have a common form of damage for it's type- it has a GN tender with coal rails, and the rails are broken at the back of the tender.

I was however just reminded of an old trick that this Australian Youtuber called Marty uses when he's repairing badly damaged Matchbox kits; superglue and baking soda. I figured that that might work to repair the coal rails, but before I put my hand in my pocket, I wanted to check to see if there was any chance that something like that might have a bad reaction to the plastic of the models.
mick b
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Re: A first-time kit-builder looking for advice

Post by mick b »

I mended one with normal poly cement and micro rod. A very fiddly job, be warned.
Seagull
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Re: A first-time kit-builder looking for advice

Post by Seagull »

NZRedBaron wrote: Sun Nov 01, 2020 8:46 am I've seen a second-hand model of NBL-built Gresley A1 "Gladiateur" for sale on Ebay,
If it's the one I have seen the reversing rod (they often fall off) has been re-attached on the left side instead of the right.
Unless they went mad with the glue it should be easy to fix.

Alan
Playing trains, but trying to get serious
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NZRedBaron
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Re: A first-time kit-builder looking for advice

Post by NZRedBaron »

I'd guess so; the other one that caught my eye is a model of 2547 Doncaster with the LNER standard non-corridor tender.
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NZRedBaron
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Re: A first-time kit-builder looking for advice

Post by NZRedBaron »

Long, long overdue update, but I've finally managed to source some weights, and I've assembled the sides of my first Parkside van model; next to go on is the roof, and then I'll turn my attention to the frames and chassis.
drmditch

Re: A first-time kit-builder looking for advice

Post by drmditch »

I would caution (as in my post above) about fixing the roof too early.

If you do so, then it is difficult to hold and support the van upside down to work on the solebars and all the detail below them.
If you leave the roof off, and perhaps reinforce the sides, then you can prop the van body on a small wood (or whatever else is available) block which is shorter than the van body.

You can see some of this on my thread ...here...
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