Finney7 Princess Coronation Build

[Focalplane]

This evening I have been applying Acid 8 etch primer to the three tender components. They are all in various stages of drying slowly (see above!) so I do not want to disturb them for a photo or two. Before priming I added the last few items to the tender body.

Just now I completed laminating the coupling rods for the locomotive. This is recommended for truing the fitting of the hornblocks. But I remembered reading Cliff Williams' thread which talks about the compensation design and its problems if fast running is to be envisioned. So rather than burgeoning ahead with the chassis I think I should do some serious reading! I bought the Finney7 hornblock kit but have always used Slaters' sprung hornblocks (except MOK's 14XX) which seem to work satisfactorily on my carefully laid track.

On Friday I ordered the recommended motor gearbox from abc Gears. Brian suggested the Canon motor with his VMS2 26:1 gearbox, the motor sloping back into the firebox from the rear axle. It should arrive later this week.

 

[P A D]

On Friday I ordered the recommended motor gearbox from abc Gears. Brian suggested the Canon motor with his VMS2 26:1 gearbox, the motor sloping back into the firebox from the rear axle. It should arrive later this week.

You will have done better than me if it arrives that quickly. I ordered two of the same on the 15th February and still haven't received them.

 

[Focalplane]

Oh well, perhaps wishful thinking! I don't really need it just yet.

 

[Focalplane]

It's late but the painting so far is dry enough to move so two photos:





Photographed on the lifting deck at the entrance to the railway room (Penmaenpool).

 

[LarryG]

A tip worth considering : Seeing as the paint condition on top of the top plates of the Tender chassis does not matter, I would have used them to push the chassis backwards and forwards while holding a rag against the wheel treads to remove primer while it was still wet. Any remaining paint is then easily and quickly removed with a fibre glass brush. Things are coming on well.

 

[daifly]

I suspect that these tyres have been wrapped in masking tape but yours is a top tip! Thanks.
Dave

 

[Focalplane]

Thanks, Larry, there is a strip of masking tape on each tread as Dave says.

 

[Cliff Williams]

I have been known to use a smear of Vaseline on wheel treads that cannot be released for painting.
It has to be the last task before painting and you have to be confident that you won’t inadvertently pick the body up with the contaminated finger.

 

[warren haywood]

Cotton bud and celly thinners

 

[simond]

brass wire brush in the Dremel/Proxxon works a treat too

 

[Focalplane]

Thank you all for the tips. I had planned to use the wire brush in Dremel technique after removing the strip of masking tape.

Reading through the loco instructions I realise that some dimensions for materials are in inches and fractions thereof. The most obvious being the axles and rod of 3/16” diameter. I have some of this rod which is just as well because I can only source metric material locally.

I am going through glass fibre brushes too fast and just remembered the tip of soaking the refills in PVA glue. When dry they last much longer.

 

[Focalplane]

This afternoon I started on the loco chassis and made some progress. I have decided to use the recommended compensation design but may well restrict its mobility after testing on Penmaenpool's 6ft radii.

The photo simply shows work in progress:



The frame is HUGE! My previous largest is for a David Andrews Castle.

I had a few of my usual dyslexic detours but all is now looking OK. The Finney7 hornblocks are ready to install but I need to make the recommended jig and that will need some supplies ordered this afternoon. So I will probably switch to the bogie and pony assemblies next.

Painting continues in the spray shop with satin black applied to the middle part of the tender.

I now realize I forgot to buy any BR Green spray paint and who knows when I will be able to get some delivered across the Channel. I do have some pots of acrylic BR Green Railmatch paint so may dilute this and airbrush the tender sides and ends. It seems it doesn't matter how many supplies you buy the one you need is still on a shelf in a UK shop.

Paul

 

[Michael Hall]

You will have done better than me if it arrives that quickly. I ordered two of the same on the 15th February and still haven't received them.

Glad it's not just me, mine ordered from them Feb 19 and nothing so far......

 

[Focalplane]

To be fair to abc gears, Kettering has got in the way of mail orders.

 

[P A D]

I wasn't complaining as this sort of lead time is par for the course. He makes them to order I believe so you go in the queue and wait your turn. I arranged to pick one up some years back when I was on a business trip in the area to save on postage and he was very accommodating. He must have been quiet or he bumped me up the queue. Fascinating to see all the parts laid out in boxes on his "production line".

 

[P A D]

The frame is HUGE! My previous largest is for a David Andrews Castle.

Paul

Mine is bigger than yours! The Gladiator frames are all one piece.

 

[LarryG]

Goodness, don't use acrylic paint on your loco Paul. If you have a spraygun, buy half-a-litre of BS.224 Deep Bronze Green from a car paint firm and a can of cellulose thinners. If not, a firm might be able to put the bronze green in a spraycan for you. This green is not available from Halfords. I tested the green that is often touted on forums but it is too pale and lacks the depth of Deep Bronze Green.

 

[Focalplane]

Thanks, Larry. I should and can wait a few months! Plenty of other projects on the go!

 

[simond]

Deep Bronze Green is a Land Rover colour, so maybe available in spray can from an LR dealer in France, but beware, they also have Coniston Green which is not at all the same thing.

best
Simon

 

[oldravendale]

.....and from experience use the appropriate code. I ordered some as Land Rover Deep Bronze Green and was offered three shades, all the same nominal description.

Brian