Much doodling at Earlswood

[jwealleans]

There's Rob's build and also a scratchbuild by Mick Nicholson which I think I linked through to on RMWeb.

The Zenith kits are presently being reworked - I believe the owner has been ill for some time - but the last time I spoke to Dave Hammersley at Roxey, he is planning to stock them when they become available again. I've been keeping an eye on the range since I became aware of it although the early ones weren't too easy to build.

I do still have an A2 kit as well as the built one I acquired more recently. The unbuilt one is for the 2400-2402 series with the inside bearings to the pony truck.

[earlswood nob]

Afternoon all

I have been busy rebuilding/improving my Bulleid Leader and its taking longer than anticipated. I needed a change as I was becoming fed up with it. There have been a few postings about the Dean Sidings L1, and I had originally built mine with a J39 chassis which had been reversed. I decided to build a rapid L1 scratch chassis to allow the J39 chassis to go to its rightful owner (a J39, for which I have obtained a 3500gal tender to make it a J39/1).
I use a simple (like me) method of chassis construction. I have written the method out to show that if I can build a scratch chassis anyone can.

CHASSIS CONSTRUCTION METHODOLOGY

1. Cut brass strip (2 off 12.5mm x 0.4mm) to length
2. Solder brass strips together
3. Decide/measure how from top of to axle centreline
4. Mark line on brass strip for axle centreline
5. Measure axles distances from front of chassis
6. Mark axle centres on centreline, making a cross
7. Drill pilot holes for axles
8. Gradually use larger drills to produce holes for bearings
9. Mark line on brass strip for top brake hanger point
10. Make cutouts in frames for bogies/pony trucks etc
11. Place bearings in axle hole
12. Construct brake shoe (usually from etches)
13. Place frames on piece of wood, thread axle with one wheel into bearing
14. Place brake shoe against wheel tread
15. Mark brake hanger line with a cross at pivot point
16. Repeat (12-14)for all axles
17. Drill holes for brake support tubing
18. Separate brass strips
19. Use Comet frame jigs to align frame sides
20. Decide on spacer positions
21. Solder spacers into position
22. Remove Frame jigs
23. Solder bearings into position using 1/8 rods to ensure chassis correctly lined up
24. Thread brake support tubing into brake support holes
25. Solder brake support tubing in position
26. Clean chassis to remove flux etc
27. Having decided where motor is to be positioned, remove central part of brake support tubing if necessary

The chassis now gets a scrub and soak in the soda bath, while I take a stroll to the pub for a pint of decent beer.

[Atlantic 3279]

I prefer to obtain or make the rods first, with the smallest possible holes in them, and then use the holes in the rods to set the positions for the axle-holes in the frames. When trying to obtain free running it potentially saves the agony of trying to move the effective centre of one of the holes in the rods when there is little spare material in the boss to play with.

[auldreekie]

Those last two posts, taken together, are about the best precised (and confidence-building) thesis on scratch chassis building in 4mm scale that I've seen. When I can shrug off present NG commitments, I MUST revisit these, take heart, and have a go. NB Atlantic (that is: North British Railway 4-4-2 locomotive, NOT an exhortation to a well-known Lincolnshire optician) to give the old GEM job companionship in its old age?


auldreekie

[earlswood nob]

Hello everyone
If I have a set of rods to the wheelbase, preferably one continuous rod (as from a kit), I solder that to the frames and use as a template to drill the pilot holes. In this case the L1 is an odd wheelbase so I have nothing to start with. I will use Jig? axles(those with points on) to assemble Gibson's universal coupling rods.
An idea has just occurred to me: if don't have the six coupled rods, then when I drill the pilot holes, I stop and make the rods, before drilling the holes larger.
This is what I like about this forum, one can kick ideas around and get solutions to problems.
Earlswood Nob

[earlswood nob]

Good moring all
I suddenly realised that I hadn’t shown how I assemble the coupling rods.
As the L1 has a non standard wheelbase, one has to make the coupling rods from Gibson universal rods.
I use a set of jig axles held in place with blue tack. I then put the rod halves on the points of the jog axles, hold them together with springloaded tweezers, and trim the rods to length.

Then it’s just a case of moving the rods slightly to overlap correctly, holding with the tweezers, and soldering them together. I use Carrs solder paste, but one could tin the rods first and solder that way.

I make the brake rodding the same way, if the wheelbase spacing is non-standard.
I may try making the rods after drilling the pilot holes in the chassis frame on the next chassis that I build.
I have no connection with any trader mentioned.

Earlswood nob

[earlswood nob]

Good morning all
Hornby Clerestory conversion.
I collected the clerestory bodies that I had ordered from the Post Office yesterday and started to bash them.
The first action was to cut the brake bodies at the line of the fourth compartment. This gave me two four compartment sections, and two unused brake ends.

I then superglued a length of brass rod to the underside of the floor of each half.

The rods are then superglued to the other half and a carriage made.

I now have a eight compartment clerestory 3rd carriage, and now for the detailing.
This is my first attempt at carriage bashing and may well have made mistakes.
Earlswood nob

[earlswood nob]

G’day everyone
Hornby Clerestory conversion.
Pleased with my attempt at an all 3rd clerestory, I decided to attempt a NER style push-pull driving trailer.
I based my planning on the Langley models etched kit.
I chopped up another clerestory brake, this time to give a five compartment portion, then cut one compartment from an usused brake end from the all 3rd conversion, then came portions from the unused brake ends.
A pair of brass rods superglued to the underside of the floor of the brake section.

Then the superstructure portions were glued to the rods and we have a NER style carriage, a pair of lookouts were drilled and filed out of the driving end.

Now it’s time to start detailing the carriage, and wait for the bogies etc to arrive.
Earlswood nob

[manna]

G'Day Gents

Looking good, going to keep my eyes on this one, nice looking coaches

As to the coupling rods, when I made mine for the G5, I used an old vernier, set at the right distance, then gently tapped the to leave a mark, then I drilled them out, first time I've ever made them , and they fitted, ( was I surprised or what )
manna

[52D]

Nice outside the box thinking EN I watch with interest.

[earlswood nob]

Evenin’ all

Hornby Clerestory conversion.

I had a productive day as there were no interruptions.
After spending yesterday evening cutting off grabrails, I decided to use the rest of the clerestory bodies to make more freelance carriages, using the same method of brass rails under the floor to connect the carriage parts and provide an element of rigidity.

First came a 3/5 1st/3rd Composite:

Next came a 1st Brake with a longer brake end:

More to come......

[earlswood nob]

...continued

Then we had two Full 3rds:

Finally I used the spare brake ends to make two short van bodies, which I will complete as six wheeled Brakes:

It looks like another evening cutting off grabrails, as the bogies etc didn’t arrive today.

Earlswood Nob

[Manxman1831]

Very nice conversions. What do you intend using for the six-wheeler chassis? Cleminson arrangements or something simpler?

[earlswood nob]

Evenin' all
I've found Brassmasters do a Cleminson chassis for six wheelers, so I shall give them a go.
I've done the easy part, now comes the more difficult part,that is detailing the carriages. I've used all the bodies that I'd got from East Kent Models, so its time for the intricate work.
It's been great fun, and the six wheelers even look similiar to the LNWR van, and not that far from the NER and GNR vans.
Earlswood Nob
I have no connection with any suppliers that are mentioned.

[earlswood nob]

G’day all
I have had so much fun chopping Triang short clerestories into other types of carriages, that I’ve run out of bodies.
A new extra fine razor saw arrived yesterday and at last I can saw straight lines, and I’ve been itching to try it out. I found that I could get an approximation of an ECJS coach by mixing two old Hornby coaches that I picked up cheaply.
I took the Hornby Gresley Composite and sawed through the end of the sides, then scored the upper sides just under the roof to split the old sides away from the roof moulding.
I chopped the ends away of a Thompson coach to leave three large windows. Next I chopped a Hornby Gresley Composite.
The portions were then trimmed and patched with 1mm square plastic rod, to ensure that the window sills were level, (I overlooked that at the first attempt and had to disassemble the lot and start again). A brass strip was superglued to the inner of the sides to supply strength, (I first tried pastic half-round rod, but that was too flimsy).

The exterior of the new sides look a bit rough, so I hope I can tidy them up.

I loosely fitted the sides into the Hornby shell to have a look at the rough coach.

Now comes the fiddly job of fitting 0.33mm brass wire to the plain sides to represent the beading, and I must order some bogies.
Earlswood nob