4mm An EM Workbench: Mini-Signwriting (rough)
- Thread starter AJC
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AJC
Western Thunderer
Nope, the buffers are ABS - so Mr Swain's - and, although I have thinned the ribs a smidge, they are as they come. I have some of Mr Frank's buffers on the Bobol D mentioned earlier in the thread (though I'm not sure whether they appear in the pictures), and on a Cambrian Borail, but all I've really done to that so far is basic assembly which isn't desperately exciting. Very nice they are too.
EDIT - oh, and for the full, 'old skool' finescale effect, the track it's standing on in the picture in the earlier post is Ratio.
Adam
EDIT - oh, and for the full, 'old skool' finescale effect, the track it's standing on in the picture in the earlier post is Ratio.
Adam
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SR Pent-roof van (Ratio conversion)
AJC
Western Thunderer
Well, the van has now emerged from the paintshop - well, been hung out of the door and had a can of Halford's finest pointed at it - and treated to a coat of Humbrol Chocolate on the underframe and appropriate colours on the roof. Since the sun is shining this morning, there are pictures to be had, and here they are:
It's quite surprising how similar it looks to a standard SR plywood van it looks from the side; you might think the flat roof planes would be more apparent. The differences in the brakegear are also obvious and I'm pleased with this; it's always a relief to find the additional effort has been worth it! Next up for the sides are two or three coats of Klear to prepare for transfers which will be followed up with a dose of Dullcote over the top.
Something less exotic next I think...
Adam
It's quite surprising how similar it looks to a standard SR plywood van it looks from the side; you might think the flat roof planes would be more apparent. The differences in the brakegear are also obvious and I'm pleased with this; it's always a relief to find the additional effort has been worth it! Next up for the sides are two or three coats of Klear to prepare for transfers which will be followed up with a dose of Dullcote over the top.
Something less exotic next I think...
Adam
7mmMick
Western Thunderer
Adam,
The effort is definitely worth it, the van looks lovely. Can I ask the exact colours you've used from the Halfords range and which primer is your preference. Finally roof brush painted or sprayed and which colour please ? Looking forward to seeing what's next,
ATB Mick
The effort is definitely worth it, the van looks lovely. Can I ask the exact colours you've used from the Halfords range and which primer is your preference. Finally roof brush painted or sprayed and which colour please ? Looking forward to seeing what's next,
ATB Mick
AJC
Western Thunderer
Hi Mick
Thanks, I'm pleased with how this has turned out though I must build some plain vanilla types to compensate for its existence. If this and the ice blue insulated type relegated to general traffic turn up in the same train, most observers would reckon I was taking liberties. The Halfords contribution is simple red oxide primer which produces a very passable 'Freight Stock Red', commonly called 'Bauxite'.
The underframe is straight-from-the-tin Humbrol #98, Matt Chocolate enamel because it produces a nice impression of the darkish grey-brown colour most wagon underframes seem to have ended up. A few washes of rusty and oily colours or a trace of the load, as appropriate, over the top and a nicely weathered underframe results. This is much better than painting the whole thing black and then painting muck over the top.*
The roof is a mix of the same brown with a bit of black and white (I had the white out to undercoat the vac' pipe) simply brushed on since I don't have an airbrush. You can get away with this in 4mm but it would be a chore in 7mm I suppose. The things were never quite the same colour in any case and goodness knows how this particular vehicle would would have weathered anyhow.
What's next? New job, with a commute, so probably not a lot modelling wise!
Adam
* A wash of matt chocolate mixed with thinners to a milky sort of consistency over black works well for black painted wagons or 'nearly new' stock.
Thanks, I'm pleased with how this has turned out though I must build some plain vanilla types to compensate for its existence. If this and the ice blue insulated type relegated to general traffic turn up in the same train, most observers would reckon I was taking liberties. The Halfords contribution is simple red oxide primer which produces a very passable 'Freight Stock Red', commonly called 'Bauxite'.
The underframe is straight-from-the-tin Humbrol #98, Matt Chocolate enamel because it produces a nice impression of the darkish grey-brown colour most wagon underframes seem to have ended up. A few washes of rusty and oily colours or a trace of the load, as appropriate, over the top and a nicely weathered underframe results. This is much better than painting the whole thing black and then painting muck over the top.*
The roof is a mix of the same brown with a bit of black and white (I had the white out to undercoat the vac' pipe) simply brushed on since I don't have an airbrush. You can get away with this in 4mm but it would be a chore in 7mm I suppose. The things were never quite the same colour in any case and goodness knows how this particular vehicle would would have weathered anyhow.
What's next? New job, with a commute, so probably not a lot modelling wise!
Adam
* A wash of matt chocolate mixed with thinners to a milky sort of consistency over black works well for black painted wagons or 'nearly new' stock.
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7mmMick
Western Thunderer
Thanks Adam, I've used the red primer from Halfords before and have been looking for a suitable red oxide substitute for some ex PO wagons. I wondered if you'd gone for the normal stuff or their plastic primer? I generally use a Tamiya tank grey in rattle can form for my roofs and adopt a similar approach to under frames. Thanks for the heads up and as for all work and no play I know how you feel, I can't remember the last time I updated my threads
ATB Mick
AJC
Western Thunderer
I don't think that it makes a lot of difference Mick - the current can is the plain variety though I have used the 'Plastic' primer before I'm blowed if I can tell the difference between them. 4mm scale vans are generally small enough not to take the trouble to mask the sides up. Coaches and CCTs, etc., are generally built differently so masking is easier and, given the relative difficulty of acheiving an even finish on the larger roofs with a brush I will spray those with whatever dark grey can comes to hand.
Adam
Adam
Coil Wagons
AJC
Western Thunderer
After a bit of a modelling hiatus, a quick project to hopefully get me going (or at least, to relocate my tools following a house move). This is not especially complicated, turning a Hornby iron ore tippler into a Coil J. the real thing wasn't complicated either; take one tippler, cutting and welding gear and some lengths of timber and assemble.
The cradles seem to have varied a bit - I just copied this Paul Bartlett picture (thanks Paul): http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brcoilj/h20b474e9#h20b474e9
There will be a few bolt heads on this, but otherwise it's done and the complete wagon is ready for the paintshop.
Adam
The cradles seem to have varied a bit - I just copied this Paul Bartlett picture (thanks Paul): http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brcoilj/h20b474e9#h20b474e9
There will be a few bolt heads on this, but otherwise it's done and the complete wagon is ready for the paintshop.
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
A mundane van, again, courtesy of the Modelzone meltdown. This time, it's a Bachmann NE 12t unventilated van. As it comes, it's quite a nice model even with an attempt at the brakegear. As you should be able to see, I've made a few changes, adding more brake detail which necessitated replacing the brakeshoes and vacuum pipes and adding safety loops and linkages. The low-slung vac' pipes seem to have occasionally been fitted as replacements for the normal upright type fitted to LNER vehicles. I think those supplied, although nicely moulded, are a smidge underscale. The buffers have been replaced because I managed to break one... Finally, rainstrips were added though not all LNE vans had such things. The biggest difference, I think, is made by adding the triangular brackets to the solebars; the body now seems to 'belong' to the chassis.
Now for a cup of tea. Tomorrow, a coat of paint.
Adam
Now for a cup of tea. Tomorrow, a coat of paint.
Adam
7mmMick
Western Thunderer
Great work Adam. I especially like the van, with some small additions of detail in the right place and a good eye for the prototype you have made a cracking little model. I have to say I'm quite jealous as you just can't do this in 7mm and at the moment I miss 4mm for this as you can see results really quickly. Everything I have on the bench has a long list of extra work to do. Oh for a quick job without the addition of loads of after market castings and scratch building !! Looking forward to seeing some paint on and hopefully this will further motivate me to get going again !
ATB Mick
ATB Mick
AJC
Western Thunderer
And here it is, now with a dose of paint on the chassis and roof which makes another big difference - another step towards a model rather than a nice piece of RTR stock.
Humbrol matt chocolate is the underframe, my usual mix of greys on the roof which has been shortened a smidge. I'll let this dry for a week or so before I get round to weathering the thing but I think the proper matt finish makes a worthwhile difference in itself.
Adam
Humbrol matt chocolate is the underframe, my usual mix of greys on the roof which has been shortened a smidge. I'll let this dry for a week or so before I get round to weathering the thing but I think the proper matt finish makes a worthwhile difference in itself.
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
Thank you. It's mostly practice - and all the kitbuilds over the years; it's about setting a standard and sticking to it. Here's the current state of the Coil J:
The cradle is just dropped in at the moment - it needs weathering and further distressing work and the outside needs top coat and lettering; only a bit of the rust coat here will be visible, but that's a job for next weekend.
All good fun.
Adam
The cradle is just dropped in at the moment - it needs weathering and further distressing work and the outside needs top coat and lettering; only a bit of the rust coat here will be visible, but that's a job for next weekend.
All good fun.
Adam
Clayliner Tank (Tri-ang and Bachmann)
AJC
Western Thunderer
Thanks Steve (and to everyone else who clicked the 'like' button; I'm glad someone is following this!). Another vehicle on the go - and you can blame Modelzone for this as well - is rather more involved and pushed at the very end of my modelling period. This suitably Western Thunder friendly image should give you all an idea.
Western Invader in Sonning Cutting by robmcrorie, on Flickr
Paul Bartlett, as is so often the case, has a gallery (and my heartfelt thanks - this resource makes modelling wagons much, much easier): http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/stsclaylinertta
The raw materials are a Bachmann 'TTA' chassis - in fact from one of a pair of heavily reduced Modelzone special edition spoil carriers - and an ancient Tri-ang model of the Clayliner tank. Why on earth Tri-ang chose this prototype I cannot begin to imagine since there were fewer than 20 of the things and they operated of a reasonably restricted flow between Burngullow and Sittingbourne, or from Burngullow to the Potteries. Still, they make for a nice blue tank wagon and it isn't impossible that they made their way in ones and twos on occasion. Besides, they were air-brake only and this makes an interesting change as a project. So far as the tank is concerned, all I have done so far is to remove the stickers and the tampo printed lettering before glue the tank together and filling all the various sink holes and making good the joins. I have also removed the pedestal and made a new one.
It's the chassis that needs the work, however. Monobloc tanks are subject to phenomenal amounts of variation in terms of things like spring hangers, vee-hangers, brake levers and the positioning of various components although the solebars, W iorns and axleboxes are reasonably uniform. I've only really got as far as the vee-hangers so far but I'm quite pleased with them so here we are. These are mounted on the outside of the solebars (Tri-ang got these about right) so had to be changed. I fretted them up from scrap etch - three layers, soldered together. The holes were marked out on a 20 thou' plastic template since this is easier to mark out than brass and the template superglued on top.
The lousy image above shows the sandwich and the now discarded template; The holes in the brass were done using the trusty Dremel. I'm only doing the one, if I wanted a rake, an etch would be called for. Below is one of the vees fitted with pins (I used the vee itself to mark out the solebars for drilling):
Finally, here's the finished item:
As you can see, the next step has to be the spring hangers before the links between them and the springs break and disappear from repeated bending.
Adam
Western Invader in Sonning Cutting by robmcrorie, on Flickr
Paul Bartlett, as is so often the case, has a gallery (and my heartfelt thanks - this resource makes modelling wagons much, much easier): http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/stsclaylinertta
The raw materials are a Bachmann 'TTA' chassis - in fact from one of a pair of heavily reduced Modelzone special edition spoil carriers - and an ancient Tri-ang model of the Clayliner tank. Why on earth Tri-ang chose this prototype I cannot begin to imagine since there were fewer than 20 of the things and they operated of a reasonably restricted flow between Burngullow and Sittingbourne, or from Burngullow to the Potteries. Still, they make for a nice blue tank wagon and it isn't impossible that they made their way in ones and twos on occasion. Besides, they were air-brake only and this makes an interesting change as a project. So far as the tank is concerned, all I have done so far is to remove the stickers and the tampo printed lettering before glue the tank together and filling all the various sink holes and making good the joins. I have also removed the pedestal and made a new one.
It's the chassis that needs the work, however. Monobloc tanks are subject to phenomenal amounts of variation in terms of things like spring hangers, vee-hangers, brake levers and the positioning of various components although the solebars, W iorns and axleboxes are reasonably uniform. I've only really got as far as the vee-hangers so far but I'm quite pleased with them so here we are. These are mounted on the outside of the solebars (Tri-ang got these about right) so had to be changed. I fretted them up from scrap etch - three layers, soldered together. The holes were marked out on a 20 thou' plastic template since this is easier to mark out than brass and the template superglued on top.
The lousy image above shows the sandwich and the now discarded template; The holes in the brass were done using the trusty Dremel. I'm only doing the one, if I wanted a rake, an etch would be called for. Below is one of the vees fitted with pins (I used the vee itself to mark out the solebars for drilling):
Finally, here's the finished item:
As you can see, the next step has to be the spring hangers before the links between them and the springs break and disappear from repeated bending.
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
And now, a start on the aforementioned spring hangers. There are to be eight of these, but I've marked out nine lest I muck one up which is entirely possible.
A bit of a pain to photograph, but there you go. Probably more exciting is the progress on painting and weathering the Coil J. The effect I'm aiming for is roughly per this Paul Bartlett picture: http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brcoilj/h312468c5#h312468c5
Most of the grey visible will be weathered over and the patch painting present in the prototype shot sloshed over the top. No rush.
Adam
A bit of a pain to photograph, but there you go. Probably more exciting is the progress on painting and weathering the Coil J. The effect I'm aiming for is roughly per this Paul Bartlett picture: http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brcoilj/h312468c5#h312468c5
Most of the grey visible will be weathered over and the patch painting present in the prototype shot sloshed over the top. No rush.
Adam
Clayliner Tank (Tri-ang and Bachmann)
AJC
Western Thunderer
More work on the Clayliner tank. The spring hangers started above have now been completed and installed as has the internal vee; you can see the latter more clearly than I thought might be possible but eventually it will be hidden by the discharge pipe and all the various linkages for the brakes. There's a sense now of how the completed chassis will look but there's lots still to do.
Next up, brake levers.
Adam
Next up, brake levers.
Adam