Genghis's 7mm Workbench

[Genghis]

give it a try. You won't damage the transformer but it will only have about half the expected power at a given setting. If you aren't using it at full power @240V, it could work. I wouldn'd care too much about the 50/60Hz difference.

Edit: Sorry, you will only get 1/4 power.

Michael

Actually the deciding factor is the weight. I had 45kg of luggage with me this time and a heavy transformer would have been too much.

 

[simond]

Yeah, I’d avoid using a 110V version on 240 though....

 

[Genghis]

Work continues on the B16. the tender is largely complete but I think that the coal rails are too two-dimensional so I will add some half round when I get home and have access to the new love of my life (the RSU - it should be a doddle with hat). The tool boxes should have been thrown back in the melting pot and the pair here are just for illustration.



This is a really big loco - much bigger than expected. Work on the basic infrastructure has gone quite well but I need to shave a smidgeon off the bottom of the firebox so that the cab will sit down properly. Cab and boiler just posed in this photo.



I am now working on the frames.

I have had a small setback: I put the supply of handrail knobs and fasteners into a small dish once I had cut them open from the packaging. I then dropped the loco onto this dish, upending it and propelling the contents across the room. At this point I think, 'Oh dear, what a pity, never mind' in my best Windsor Davies voice, only to find that my supply of spares located in some nice aluminium boxes are nowhere to be seen, and neither are they at home in the custard room. (As SWMBO has christened it). So I am thinking that I must have left them in the quarantine hotel, where anything left by guests is disposed of as being potentially unsafe. So that is a large collection of small fasteners, handrail knobs, rivets, bushes and other stuff lost. Bang goes the commission on this build..............

David

 

[Genghis]

With the basic superstructure done it was time to move onto the frames. This didn't get off to a good start when I realised that they were too long by just under a couple of mm, the hole in the rear spacer for the body locating screw was in the wrong place and the front of the frames needed adjustment to follow the drop down in the running plate. However, these were easy fixes. I was very pleasantly surprised when having assembled the frames, not only did the wheels all touch the ground at the same time but with the coupling rods on the chassis rolled freely first time. You can, I think, forgive some drawing errors when the axle holes are in the right place and match the coupling rods.



So the wheels were removed and the spring detail added and cylinders fitted. I am going to be using PFS pick ups on this model, so the holes were drilled. The motor gearbox is an ABC-Maxon combination so I have had to omit one of the middle spacers. I will add something in front of the rear axle and probably behind the motion plate, which is going to be detachable as an assembly with the cylinders. The fixing holes in the front spacer were all in the right place.


I have begun to look at the bogie, which has a relatively crude side control arrangement. I think I will see if one of the Northstar side control units is an easy fit and if so we will start to pack these. Fortunately the bogie comes on its own etch so if I mess one up it is not a problem to replace it.

David

 

[Genghis]

Work continues apace. I have stuck with the modified bogie provided in the kit.



The cylinder assembly is done. (Note to self: must check about drains.)



There was a fair amount of metal to remove from the lower firebox sides and I am not 100% happy with how the boiler assembly sits on the running plate, so probably a little more shaving required, but here is where we are now.



It is certainly big!

Tomorrow I hope to be happy with the boiler fitting, following which I will try to complete the frames.

 

[Genghis]

This next picture doesn't look much different to the last one:



In reality there was a lot of work that went into getting the boiler to fit properly on the footplate. I discovered that I had secured the saddle to the smokebox a couple of degrees off where it should have been, with the result that tightening the cab and smokebox support put a small twist in the body. Once I realised my error a quick job with the blowlamp allowed the saddle to be reset.

The other big difference is that the beast now runs.



So back together from another angle.



Onwards and upwards!

David

 

[Genghis]

It has been a productive week, resulting in these assemblies being available.

Tender frames.


Tender body:



Loco frames:





Loco Footplate:





Boiler/cab





Which when put together, results in this:









This is as far as I can go for now. The Gladiator stores have some LNER mud hole doors and if these fit, I'll use them. I will also add half a dozen oil boxes and drill out and fit the mechanical lubricators. Also needed are some extra handrail knobs (the packing instructions are wrong), the handrail forming and the door dart adding. Plus tender toolboxes and coal rail mods.

All in all I am pleased with how this has gone together. I had some trepidation as at a show a potential customer declined to buy when he was told that it is a Steve Barnfield design, but I really have had no issues that weren't of my own making. the only tricky part was forming the piano front and step. This looks like a good candidate for a 3D-printed replacement.

Next up an LBSRC I3.

Now I can amend the instructions to add some missing bits.

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

Looking forward to your 13 build, a Gladiator kit I presume? I've just finished building mine and it's an impressive beast when finished.
Regards,
Ian

 

[Scanlon]

David,
I agree with Ian, the I3 is a lovely kit to build, here is my offering!

Cheers
Roger

 

[Genghis]

Looking forward to your 13 build, a Gladiator kit I presume? I've just finished building mine and it's an impressive beat when finished.
Regards,
Ian

Yes it is!

 

[Genghis]

Just realised: haven’t fitted the smokebox door straps and hinge and smokebox front steps……

I wonder what else I’ll find

 

[Genghis]

I put a face on the B16 before starting on the I3. I also decided to add one more mud hole door to the left hand side of the firebox. I could only see one in the photo I have of 61443 but decided it was probably hidden by an oilbox in the angle the photo was taken.



So on with the I3. I like Peter Dobson's kits: the instructions aren't always the best (I've already learnt on this kit that it is a lot easier to solder the 6BA nut to spacer E before you add spacer D) but the etches fit well. So here we are:



I think this is going to have wipers as they will be well hidden by the tanks.

 

[Genghis]

Work continues apace with the I3. I am waiting on the motor-gearbox, and I think I need to find a shorter bogie fixing screw!





I'm beginning to wish I'd packed an extra kit in the case.......

 

[Dave Holt]

Nah! The bogie fixing screw is just right - for holding the boiler and chimney on, too.
Dave.

 

[Genghis]

Work has started on the body. Before I could really get underway I discovered that I had fixed frame spacer 'A' the wrong way round. I hadn't notice that it is handed and the instructions didn't point it out clearly. Anyway this is where I have got to:

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

Hello Genghis,
I found on my I3 build, there was nothing to attach the Westinghouse pump to. It is my belief the pump is secured to a plate that is bolted to the rear upright of the running plate. The removeable plate was a scratch build though it does make painting and lining the pump easier!
My chassis has sprung hornblocks and for some reason, althought the finished model is quite heavy, it slips more than a Bulleid pacific and won't pull the skin off a rice pudding! I wish I'd built it compensated.
Watching your build with interest.
Regards,
Ian

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

It is my belief the pump is secured to a plate that is bolted to the rear upright of the running plate.

Photographic evidence shows the Westinghouse pump was mounted on a bracket and bolted to the frames above the running plate as you've surmised.

 

[Richard Spoors]

I have been following your B16/1 build with interest as I shall start mine shortly. Which ABC/Maxon motor/gearbox did you use? Your comments on the progress of your build will be very helpful. Thank you.
Richard

 

[Genghis]

I have been following your B16/1 build with interest as I shall start mine shortly. Which ABC/Maxon motor/gearbox did you use? Your comments on the progress of your build will be very helpful. Thank you.
Richard

It's a VML2C. Rob Pulham also did a build which is useful.

7mm - Gladiator NER/LNER/BR B16/1 - Another North Eastern Workhorse

 

[Genghis]

Slow progress this week. Just time constraints: no issues.









I did err with the front and rear saddle pieces. The instructions note that the parts appear to be tabbed, but aren't. I mistakenly thought that meant that the 'tab' should be filed off and did so. Actually it was required to get the height correct. The piano front casting will come to my rescue.