I have switched to "Steph's method 3" - for split axles. When applying the epoxy I have placed them in a warm oven - when machining up wheels in the past for my Dad we always used to rim insulate. A fine slot was cut in the front of the tyre - filled with epoxy once cured the process was repeated from the rear. We always left them to cure in a warm oven - not to speed up curing time but we found that warmer temperatures reduced the viscosity so that the epoxy would flow into the slot better and this also enabled any air bubbles in the epoxy to rise to the surface. There were certainly far fewer air pockets in the epoxy if left in a warm oven.I would switch to using Stephs method 3 for the axles which uses some GRP rod and a lot less cutting, especially as we can easily slot the axle on a lathe. I generally bake those in the oven at 100 degrees.
If using Steph’s approach with GlassFibre Rod, the easiest source I found was the fishing float marketplace on eBay.
If I hold one wheel then I can twist the other one by a reasonable margin, perhaps 5 or 10 degrees. I presume this is due to the nature of the GRP rod, fairly stiff in bending but not so good in torsion.
Superb coachAfter many many many many hours faffing with the roof it's finally done!
I used the non-patented Rob Pulham and Pete Insole method of painting tissue onto the plasticard and wooden roofs. I thought the tissue I had used would be fine enough but it wasn't, so a little sanding down needed to be done. It's not perfect, but it's perfectly acceptable I think.
A splash more paint, glazing, spacing out the buffer housings and CPL corridor connectors and I can finally put it to bed. At least it will be presentable for the Albury show parcels train.
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JB.
Absolutely.JB, you would be surprised what rolling stock ended up on the GE from the 1940's?!
Rule 1 need not be particularly exercised !
Pete.