7/8ths scale Slate Wagons

[Martin Shaw]

There is a forum dealing with 7/8" scale:
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Its not open access so you have to join (free) but you might find something of interest.

Thanks Phil, I have registered for it.
Martin

 

[michael080]

As a matter of interest since Fitzroy raised the matter I went and measured the centre section of all the axles. This is supposed to be 40.00mm however since it is a derived length by virtue of the manufacturing process it is the most likely to be variable and wrong. It is also critical since it determines the wheel back to back dimension.
Of the 12,
1 is 39.98
3 are 40.00
1 is 40.02
1 is 40.06
6 are 40.08

which gives a variation of 0.01mm or half a thou, and ignorable. Tick.
Martin

I hope you did repeat every measurement at least 12 times.

 

[Martin Shaw]

No Michael, I use the Glaswegian measurement system, it's only a baw hair out so it'll do. No need to bother now with that new fangled metric system.

 

[Martin Shaw]

Things ground to a halt for a while whilst I was somewhat unwell for 10 days, details are unimportant however following John's very useful post about couplings I bought some. I made up the first pair today from these Talisman castings.


The shackle is inserted into the gap in the hook and squeezed tight. The joint is then silver soldered and dressed. I overdid the solder on one but some careful application of heat sorted it out, and I notice from the following pic one coulde be redone. To fix it to the wagon I bought some 1/2" x 8BA screws with 9BA hex heads and then had to make some near matching 9BA nuts with an 8BA thread. Not quite micro engineering but small enough thank you, they seem to have turned out alright.

 

[Martin Shaw]

After making one usable coupling and eventually one scrap one I put the whole thing away. Late last week the kits turned up, all six of them, which rather suggested I should do something. I plan to batch build these as it is fairly simple and wholly repetetive.


Since Sunday afternoon was pleasant the garage was filled with the smoke and aroma of hot oil as I blackened the axles and tonight as an accompaniment to Cerys and Albert Lee I separated the wheels from the 32mm axles and pressed them onto my home made 45mm ones. It went well for 10 out of the 12 but one pair of axles had these burnished wheels that aren't really suitable for a hum drum slate wagon so I'll keep them for some other carriage related rolling stock and get some more that match. Unfortunately I have 25mm dia wheels coming out my ears but no more 30mm ones. I have come across this before and a bloody nuisance it is.

Onwards and upwards my friends.
Martin