Cookie's Workbench - 7/8ths Alan Keef K40
- Thread starter Steve Cook
- Start date
Steve Cook
Flying Squad
I hope this will cover your request to some extent Jamie
Filming with one hand is not ideal and Leader was not fully warm as I was trying to get the footage done before my friends Charles hit the other running line and confused the sounds. There are three phases to the video - it starts with the large hole in the Fx unit aligned with the hole in the top of the chuffer for the maximum steam effect, but very little 'chuffing' noise. I then turn the Fx unit so the hole in the top of the chuffer is blocked off, giving max chuffing noise and minimum steam plume, the final adjustment aligns the small hole for a bit of chuffing and a bit of steam. My preferred setting is the small hole, a standard chuffer can be a little loud and overly enthusiastic and this tones it down nicely.
It was well worth the fiver it cost me on Saturday, the difference in the sounds are clearly distinct in real life but are a bit muffled in this video, I hope the relative noise changes come through, even if the absolute is not the best. I do wonder if I drilled a small hole in the side of the chuffer whether I would get the same balance of noise vs steam, but any condensate would be directed onto the chimney wall rather than up and over the model. I may just have to get brave, try it out on Ragleth and accept that I may need to sleeve the chuffer to restore it to standard afterwards.
Steve
Steve Cook
Flying Squad
No problem Jamie
I got less noise.
I got no condensate out of the top of the chimney.
It sounds a bit like Star Wars lasers being fired through bubbles though, very strange.
In summary, don't do it
Ah well, some you win, some you loose. Sometimes its back into the workshop.
Steve
I got brave.
I got less noise.
I got no condensate out of the top of the chimney.
It sounds a bit like Star Wars lasers being fired through bubbles though, very strange.
In summary, don't do it
Ah well, some you win, some you loose. Sometimes its back into the workshop.
Steve
JimG
Western Thunderer
Steve,
A quick few turns with a tap, a small brass screw in the hole with a bit of solder to hold it, cut the head off then file smooth. You'll never know the hole was there.
Jim.
Steve Cook
Flying Squad
Like your thinking there Jim 
Now you see it
Now you don't (just a little witness line left)
Suppose I better test that 224 solder doesn't let go at the top of the chimney now.
Ta muchly
Steve
Edit - All good, back to normal chuffing
Now you see it
Now you don't (just a little witness line left)
Suppose I better test that 224 solder doesn't let go at the top of the chimney now.
Ta muchly
Steve
Edit - All good, back to normal chuffing
Last edited:
Steve Cook
Flying Squad
Now I'm happy with the essentials on Leader (ie I can light it and it sounds OK) its time to add some enhancements and improvements. The obvious thing to do would be turn up a new regulator to improve slow speed running and pull aways, which is why I'm building a whistle instead 
Having read about how to make one in the Steam Trains in Your Garden book I can't get it out of my head, so I might as well get it into the metal and find out.
Its been good fun, a bit of lathe work to make the plug and cap with a bit of hand filing to create the slot on the whistle tube. The basic components are shown below. From left to right we have the plug, the whistle tube (KS thin wall tubing 8mm in diameter) and a cap, drilled and tapped 10BA so it can act as a mounting point.
On the rear face of the plug is a 2.5mm diameter hole, that meets the cross drilled hole you can see. When the steam is admitted it comes in via the 2.5mm hole, travels up the cross drilled hole and runs around the circular groove machined around the circumference of the plug. Exactly opposite the cross drilled hole is a flat the same width as the slot in the whistle tube, this then forces the escaping steam across the slot.
You have to take a bit of care lining up the flat with the slot, but it can all be soft soldered together as the temp requirements are not that high. The cap and plug had been left a fraction oversize so they could be dressed down to the tube diameter for neatness.
The last job was solder some 3/32" copper pipe into the plug to give a method of getting the steam in. As I'm not sure where it will fit on Leader yet, I've left the pipe over length and will anneal it to allow bending and shaping.
Of course, the big question is what does it sound like: farting duck, whistle, dog annoyer. Place your bets now
As you can tell it responds best to very short bursts of steam, particularly at about 40psi which this was tested at. It makes a nasty sound on the long bursts though - that will influence what type of release valve I make for it. You'll have to forgive the rough old job of sticking it outside Ragleth, I wasn't going to wait any longer to find out if it was a success or not!
As a comparison, this what a DJB Engineering Resonator whistle sounds like.
There are a couple of edges to tidy on the slot of my whistle I think, no idea if they will make much difference but its got to be worth a go. The book recommends stripping down a car tyre valve and using the internals - I picked a couple up from my local tyre fitters this morning so I can strip them down later. Best get on with some jobs now.
Steve
Having read about how to make one in the Steam Trains in Your Garden book I can't get it out of my head, so I might as well get it into the metal and find out.Its been good fun, a bit of lathe work to make the plug and cap with a bit of hand filing to create the slot on the whistle tube. The basic components are shown below. From left to right we have the plug, the whistle tube (KS thin wall tubing 8mm in diameter) and a cap, drilled and tapped 10BA so it can act as a mounting point.
On the rear face of the plug is a 2.5mm diameter hole, that meets the cross drilled hole you can see. When the steam is admitted it comes in via the 2.5mm hole, travels up the cross drilled hole and runs around the circular groove machined around the circumference of the plug. Exactly opposite the cross drilled hole is a flat the same width as the slot in the whistle tube, this then forces the escaping steam across the slot.
You have to take a bit of care lining up the flat with the slot, but it can all be soft soldered together as the temp requirements are not that high. The cap and plug had been left a fraction oversize so they could be dressed down to the tube diameter for neatness.
The last job was solder some 3/32" copper pipe into the plug to give a method of getting the steam in. As I'm not sure where it will fit on Leader yet, I've left the pipe over length and will anneal it to allow bending and shaping.
Of course, the big question is what does it sound like: farting duck, whistle, dog annoyer. Place your bets now
As you can tell it responds best to very short bursts of steam, particularly at about 40psi which this was tested at. It makes a nasty sound on the long bursts though - that will influence what type of release valve I make for it. You'll have to forgive the rough old job of sticking it outside Ragleth, I wasn't going to wait any longer to find out if it was a success or not!
As a comparison, this what a DJB Engineering Resonator whistle sounds like.
There are a couple of edges to tidy on the slot of my whistle I think, no idea if they will make much difference but its got to be worth a go. The book recommends stripping down a car tyre valve and using the internals - I picked a couple up from my local tyre fitters this morning so I can strip them down later. Best get on with some jobs now.
Steve
David Taylor
Western Thunderer
That hex/square spanner is excellent! Thanks for sharing how you made it.
Steve Cook
Flying Squad
I've been a long time away from the bench this year so its been nice this evening to just sit down and build a kit straight out of the box as a way of settling back in again. The subject is a Northern Finescale 10mm kit for a rectangular tar tank. Its gone together very well, no flash, crisp mouldings and everything the right size.
Not too many bits in the kit - everything is plastic apart from the tank filler neck (resin) and the tyres / 3 links (metal).
In what seems fairly short order
All ready for a coat of primer tomorrow evening and soldering the three links up.
Steve
Not too many bits in the kit - everything is plastic apart from the tank filler neck (resin) and the tyres / 3 links (metal).
In what seems fairly short order
All ready for a coat of primer tomorrow evening and soldering the three links up.
Steve
Wow no fettling needed must be a very early impression from the mould...
Steve Cook
Flying Squad
Could well be Tom, I've no idea how many they have sold in the 11 years since it became available.
My vote is for a good quality mould that hasn't had a massive amount of use.
I did add a spot of filler on the tank straps last night which I've just sanded down, time to get a coat of primer on the underside.
Steve
My vote is for a good quality mould that hasn't had a massive amount of use.
I did add a spot of filler on the tank straps last night which I've just sanded down, time to get a coat of primer on the underside.
Steve
Steve Cook
Flying Squad
Well worth the filler on the tank straps, you could almost argue they look one piece now.
Think I may need to use some 'tar overspill' to mask the holes in the rivets in the the tank filler.
Lets see what the topcoat does first.
Steve
Think I may need to use some 'tar overspill' to mask the holes in the rivets in the the tank filler.
Lets see what the topcoat does first.
Steve
Steve Cook
Flying Squad
Two nights have seen two consecutive colour changes, the first to red oxide primer
The second to crimson
According to the destructions, my chosen livery for the Smith and Forrest transfers would have been Indian Red all over with black metalwork. I have taken liberties by going for Crimson because a) I had it in stock and b) its a practise run for that G1 PBL van that is still in primer...
I think the next job will be to gloss where the transfers are going, apply them, seal them in, then mask off the top and spray the the underframe components black. Brush painting should finish the colouring in then.
So, a selection of shortish jobs to fit in every evening, might as well give the Klear a go too
Steve
The second to crimson
According to the destructions, my chosen livery for the Smith and Forrest transfers would have been Indian Red all over with black metalwork. I have taken liberties by going for Crimson because a) I had it in stock and b) its a practise run for that G1 PBL van that is still in primer...
I think the next job will be to gloss where the transfers are going, apply them, seal them in, then mask off the top and spray the the underframe components black. Brush painting should finish the colouring in then.
So, a selection of shortish jobs to fit in every evening, might as well give the Klear a go too
Steve
Steve Cook
Flying Squad
Can't say I thought brushing the Klear on went particularly well - a thick coat left a bit of fogging behind whereas a thin coat seemed to leave a texture. We'll see what difference it makes when I've done both sides, but for know here is the first side with its set of transfers.
Not too bad, not too great either. Looking at the photo, the C and the H of Manchester are too close - I cut the transfer there as I can't get it to sit round both edges of the tank straps - if one side is relieved then they sit down OK. I'll push it across a bit more next time. The transfer material also isn't a big fan of my Polly Scale Set Sol, I need to use that very sparingly as it really seems to weaken the transfer. Fortunately, weathering can hide a multitude of sins...there is always the option to go very dirty indeed
Steve
Not too bad, not too great either. Looking at the photo, the C and the H of Manchester are too close - I cut the transfer there as I can't get it to sit round both edges of the tank straps - if one side is relieved then they sit down OK. I'll push it across a bit more next time. The transfer material also isn't a big fan of my Polly Scale Set Sol, I need to use that very sparingly as it really seems to weaken the transfer. Fortunately, weathering can hide a multitude of sins...there is always the option to go very dirty indeed
Steve
Steve Cook
Flying Squad
A bit better on the second side.
Leave to dry overnight and a coat of Klear tomorrow evening to seal I think.
Steve
Leave to dry overnight and a coat of Klear tomorrow evening to seal I think.
Steve
Simon
Flying Squad
That's a nice job and the finished article isn't too shabby either, for all the simplicity and robustness of the kit.
Such a pity they went for 10mm scale over 1/32 though, otherwise I'd have been happily detailing their lovely LNER vans.
Looking forward to the weathering
I have been playing around with Chaos black, iron powder, white wine vinegar and finally creosote on my Ken Martin bufferstop. It's outside being washed over by the rain at the moment - I'd be the first to admit you wouldn't want it inside your house at the moment, it is a tad overpowering in the olefactory senses department
Simon
Such a pity they went for 10mm scale over 1/32 though, otherwise I'd have been happily detailing their lovely LNER vans.
Looking forward to the weathering
I have been playing around with Chaos black, iron powder, white wine vinegar and finally creosote on my Ken Martin bufferstop. It's outside being washed over by the rain at the moment - I'd be the first to admit you wouldn't want it inside your house at the moment, it is a tad overpowering in the olefactory senses department
Simon
Steve Cook
Flying Squad
It is a shame they went 10mm, they have a good range of stuff that goes together pretty well - I can see me being tempted by a few more here and there to be honest, its been a nice project to get into.
Weathering wise, going to have a play with pastels, paint and pva tomorrow evening to try create some sticky tar to deposit in various places, should be fun
As for your poor old buffer stop, thats sounds quite the concoction to smother it in! I look forward to seeing the results of Simon and mother nature versus cast brass...
Steve
Weathering wise, going to have a play with pastels, paint and pva tomorrow evening to try create some sticky tar to deposit in various places, should be fun
As for your poor old buffer stop, thats sounds quite the concoction to smother it in! I look forward to seeing the results of Simon and mother nature versus cast brass...
Steve
Slow Train
Member
Since Chris Arundell took over the UK sales the prices have dropped on their 10mm kits making them even more attractive.
Last month Chris told me that they are working on their first 1/32 wagon kit - a BR brake van. Not sure when it will be out but it will be nice to see something appropriate behind all those G1 minerals and forthcoming accucraft 7plank opens.
Ralph Webb
Last month Chris told me that they are working on their first 1/32 wagon kit - a BR brake van. Not sure when it will be out but it will be nice to see something appropriate behind all those G1 minerals and forthcoming accucraft 7plank opens.
Ralph Webb