4mm An EM Workbench: 16 by 4
- Thread starter AJC
- Start date
AJC
Western Thunderer
Sorry, long day. Probably this one, taking price, complexity of work and design into account:
This is the Wizard/51L iron ore hopper - importantly - the fitted version. The chassis design isn't great, but not any sort of showstopper (shrunken and inexplicable whitemetal headstocks, overthick brass), the brakegear was totally unusable and most of the castings poorly and crudely mastered, rendered in soft alloy. The resin hopper was fine but not provided with any location, etc. NOTE - the unfitted version is probably more or less fine because push rod brakes are much easier: the fundamental wagon is OK (not great, but ok).
What you see above is the result of bloody-mindedness and the spares box. It took a couple of years to finish because it made me so grumpy, even though I'm pleased with the result. The Rumney tank will be mostly done in a fortnight which tells its own story.
Adam
PS: as a general point - and you might have a different view, @matto21 - there are very few truly awful kits out there and most of the worst were early etched ones, no longer available. Pretty much all the plastic kits available are dimensionally accurate and have the key detail represented pretty well. Even some of those which cause a lot of people problems (e.g., Cambrian's more complicated prototypes) are often triumphs really for all that people complain about them. You have to take into account, 1. the technology involved in creating the moulds (very basic); 2. the degree of difficulty of the real thing (you've just done a Mermaid so you know! It's not especially difficult to build that chassis square, if you prioritise that over using the bits as supplied); 3. Price.
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AJC
Western Thunderer
Anyway, back to the humble tank wagon. Nearly all soldering operations are completed (barring the ladders), and once the various tank fittings are on it will be ready for paint.
This really is an excellent, and surprisingly straightforward, kit, though the iPhone makes it look ever so slightly bananaform...
Adam
This really is an excellent, and surprisingly straightforward, kit, though the iPhone makes it look ever so slightly bananaform...
Adam
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AJC
Western Thunderer
Hi Dave - it's all a bit representative, really. I cut a strip of 10 thou', to the height of the finished plate, strips of 5 thou' the right height for the lettering and cut notches and bits to suggest the letters I wanted. A drop of solvent later, a bit of tweaking, and allow to set: the rim is fuse wire, superglued in place - I used 'L's rather than attempt the frame in one. They look ok, and are, obviously, quite cheap.
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
I haven’t built a 16 tonner of any sort for absolutely ages, so why not do four at once?
Ok, so there’s a requirement for a couple: road stone traffic from Podimore will take two, and three other wagons (more anon), which accounts for the welded 1/108 anc riveted 1/109. The ‘French’ type are simply because they were in the drawer thanks to other forum members (and thank you). They’re a bit more involved in detail terms so will be slower: there’s every chance the plain ones will be done within the week. Basic bodies done, load bases added, those with buffers in hand secured. The ESSO tank is nearly done, too, more of that later.
Adam
Ok, so there’s a requirement for a couple: road stone traffic from Podimore will take two, and three other wagons (more anon), which accounts for the welded 1/108 anc riveted 1/109. The ‘French’ type are simply because they were in the drawer thanks to other forum members (and thank you). They’re a bit more involved in detail terms so will be slower: there’s every chance the plain ones will be done within the week. Basic bodies done, load bases added, those with buffers in hand secured. The ESSO tank is nearly done, too, more of that later.
Adam
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