4mm An EM Workbench: Tank tribulations - miniature plumbing

[AJC]

More detail, of a minute nature. All the various solebar ironwork is on, and the end beams are drilled for the diagonal stays.



I suppose I should do the heating inlet detail next.

Adam

 

[AJC]

So, I’m intending the lettering to be fairly minimal, but I have made ‘cast’ plates before (for other tar tanks), from 10 thou’ with ‘letters’ fretted from 5 thou’ strip. The aim is the illusion of legibility. I’ll add a rim from fuse wire later. This is the sort of madness talking to Geoff Kent leads to.



To save your eyes, I’ve invented a subsidiary of the Bishops Lydyeard quarry owners, W.J. King - they of half the preserved steam waggons in the realm it seems - who, in my parallel reality, operated an asphalt division from Exeter.

Still haven’t added the steam inlet fittings…

Adam

 

[Pete_S]

So, I’m intending the lettering to be fairly minimal, but I have made ‘cast’ plates before (for other tar tanks), from 10 thou’ with ‘letters’ fretted from 5 thou’ strip. The aim is the illusion of legibility. I’ll add a rim from fuse wire later. This is the sort of madness talking to Geoff Kent leads to.

View attachment 217974

To save your eyes, I’ve invented a subsidiary of the Bishops Lydyeard quarry owners, W.J. King - they of half the preserved steam waggons in the realm it seems - who, in my parallel reality, operated an asphalt division from Exeter.

Still haven’t added the steam inlet fittings…

Adam

How big are they?

These new-fangled lasers can produce quite good results with small text, these are 7mm scale:



Still experimenting with materials, settings & painting techniques. Not entirely happy yet.

Pete.

 

[AJC]

How big are they?

These new-fangled lasers can produce quite good results with small text, these are 7mm scale:

View attachment 217979

Still experimenting with materials, settings & painting techniques. Not entirely happy yet.

Pete.

Just shy of a mm, about 0.75, probably, so not really tiny. They’re a bit rough and ready, but then, so is the kit…

That said, those laser etched plates look rather nice, much easier than trying to paint etches - and the smaller lettering on the gate notice would be well within scope for things like 4mm wagon plates. I’ve been very impressed with Railtec’s printed 3D number plates, too. Well worth the money for the frustration savings.

Adam

 

[AJC]

And here’s the finished plate in situ.



The little bits of tube are part of the diagonal stay fixings. Label clips are missing, aren’t they?

Adam

 

[AJC]

It looks a little more complete with the stays on, doesn’t it?



The heating coil inlets are in place and I have found just enough T section that will connect the headstocks to the stretchers that support the stays. There’s half a chance it will make a reasonable model, I think.



Adam

 

[AJC]

More complicated details: the steam heating coils, mercifully fitted at one end only. Lots of 0.45mm wire and very fine tube. What you can see is about half of what will be, and it’s a little overscale, but it has to be there. It’s taken three sittings to get this far, and probably another couple to finish. The ‘ping’ rate is not quite as bad as I’d expected!



After this, however, it’s only the top hatch clamp to replace, before paint.

Adam