7mm Mickoo's Commercial Workbench

[mickoo]

On the real world bench, work on the Scorpio 850/1901 bimbles along.

I've never built a Scorpio kit before but so far it follows other kits of that era/ilk, some good bits and some not so good. Overall the etch work is pleasingly acceptable, though I'm getting to some bits now that question my sanity.

The pannier tank is replacement 0.25 mm sheet with holes and cut outs transposed, trying to bend 0.45 to those tight radius was never going to happen, more so with the odd half etched rebates on the inside. I tried a couple of bends and sure as eggs are eggs, ended up with a multitude of different radii along the length due to the varying thickness.

Everything is just plonked on so ignore gaps and jaunty angles it's still all very much work in progress.

 

[mickoo]

A little bit further with the Scorpio 850/1901 build and this close to the end I'm past the cleaning phase, except to give a smooth paint finish. Some parts are still loose fitted so gaps need filling here and there as yet.

Front end still needs lamp irons, handrails and vac hose stand etc, toward the rear I still need to sort which injectors/pumps it has and fit them. They'll have to be after the rear tank support bracket has been fabricated and fitted and then finally safety valve fitting.

That leaves the rest of the cab, bunker, 3D floor with sand and tool boxes, backhead (typically detailed whilst it's away for paint once the basic fit is ensured) and finally coupling rod fitting and testing.

Target was 14 days to build but I lost a few to the lurgi, mind there's still three days left so might sneak in on time. Either way it'll be off for paint next week.

 

[spikey faz]

Target was 14 days to build but I lost a few to the lurgi, mind there's still three days left so might sneak in on time. Either way it'll be off for paint next week.

I'll be lucky if my builds take less than 14 months, never mind 14 days! Well done for achieving so much in such a short space of time.

Mike

 

[Clarence3815]

Mickoo doesn`t appear to need sleep!

 

[mickoo]

I'll be lucky if my builds take less than 14 months, never mind 14 days! Well done for achieving so much in such a short space of time.

Mike

Cheers, it would have been quicker if I hadn't lost two or three effective days with the lurgi and perhaps another two replacing bits in the kit with 3D and scratch building.

 

[mickoo]

Calling this one done.

Couple of observations, sand pipes and back head after paint, rear tank brackets need a dab of glue to hold them in the right place, they're just loose and it's easier to add the adhesive once fully stripped down.

 

[mickoo]

So sharp!

It's my yearly file replacement program and you just don't realize how blunt the old ones are until the new ones arrive.

Vallorbe 2nd and 4th cut, these are the main ones (round, square, half round) that get the biggest through put, expensive but knackered by years end.

 

[Clarence3815]

Where do you get them from please? Squires?

 

[Dog Star]

Cookson Gold has a good range and fair prices.

 

[mickoo]

Where do you get them from please? Squires?

Cooksongold.com

Squires don't sell high end as far as I know, they may be good, but Vellorbe is the Ferrari of files.

Can you use cheaper files, of course you can and in the world of filing you'd probably not tell much difference to begin with, it's ten or eleven months later of almost daily use that tells a different story.

If you're a hobbyist or casual user then a single set of Vallorbe will probably last you a lifetime, they're expensive (relative) but you'll only buy once.

 

[Genghis]

Mick, what do you use for whitemetal filing?
Dave

 

[SimonT]

Last years!

 

[Richard Gawler]

P S Stubs files were good. I am still using the set my father gave me in the 1970s, with a couple of replacements for the popular ones I wore out. By the 1970s Stubs were part of James Neill Products.

 

[Clarence3815]

Cooksongold.com

Squires don't sell high end as far as I know, they may be good, but Vellorbe is the Ferrari of files.

Can you use cheaper files, of course you can and in the world of filing you'd probably not tell much difference to begin with, it's ten or eleven months later of almost daily use that tells a different story.

If you're a hobbyist or casual user then a single set of Vallorbe will probably last you a lifetime, they're expensive (relative) but you'll only buy once.

Thank you. I didn`t think Squires were superduper from my experience with them.

 

[dibateg]

Once you start using Vallorbe's , nothing else is a good!

 

[oldravendale]

Vallorbe endorsed by me as well. I use Squires cheapos for white metal and with the amount of building I do simply buy another set when they are clogged. Cookson Gold also supply Vallorbe saw blades which are equally as reliable.

Brian

 

[Lancastrian]

Vallorbe for myself too.

 

[Pencarrow]

Lots of folk recommending Vallorbe but I assume this is for working on metals rather than the plasticard I'm normally abusing and that they would be overkill for my needs? That said, if anyone one is throwing out any files that are too blunt for metal, I'm happy to give them a go on plastic

 

[adrian]

Alternative Jewellery suppliers of files and other tools,

HS Walsh - similar pricing to Cookson HS Walsh & Sons | Jewellery Making Supplies, Clock & Watchmakers Tools

I've used Cousins ( Clock Watch parts batteries jewellery findings Tools Equipment ) in the past as they tends to be a little cheaper Needle Files

 

[Rob Pulham]

Aside from passing them on to Chris, I would suggest to anyone with blunt files who has a grinding wheel, to cut them down and make scrapers from them.

I have a number of different shapes that have been reground and are in use daily for both metal and plastic cutting/scraping/solder removal etc.