7mm Mickoo's Commercial Workbench

[Tim Humphreys ex Mudhen]

Mick,

I really like the idea of using mixed media in modelling as you have demonstrated. However I have a question, how do you clean the loco when it has components in metal and plastic. In the past I've found that the parts glued on don't like being soaked in water and cleaned with say CIF or bar keepers Friend that we need to use to clean soldered components.

thanks
Tim

 

[mickoo]

I don't clean in CIF or Barkeepers friend, simple as that

I find both of those very aggressive and use Limelite, it tends not to leech the colours though it does still turn solder black if you leave it too long or clean it too many times.

Most of the time I just use hand soap and hot water.

I also tend, where possible, to add a mechanical fixing, in the steam pipe there is a 1.4 mm hole in the base of the print, into which a small stub of 1.4 mm wire is super glued, when the part is glued I'll also add a dab of solder to that pin below the footplate. I find adhesive joints fail if they can move, pinning them tends to reduce that.

I'm not sure if the part would fail in the cleaning or the joint, if it were the joint then you'd expect more to fail where people glue white metal parts on, i use the same glue as the print and never had a glue joint fail on white metal...unless it wasn't pinned as well.

Once the print has fully cured it's pretty robust, much like any other resin I suppose.

I can perhaps see an issue if you used an ultrasonic cleaner, not the material, but the glue joint, the same would apply to white metal parts glued on I suppose.

 

[Tim Humphreys ex Mudhen]

Thanks for the advice Mick, I'll get some limelight. One last question, before painting how do you remove the greasy soap residue? I usually use cellulose thinners but always looking for better ideas.

thanks
Tim

 

[mickoo]

Celly thinners is okay if you're quick as it attacks plastic, ice cream tubs do not make good celly thinner wash tubs.....

I use isopropyl alcohol at 99% proof much safer, drop it in that for 10 minutes and give it a scrub with a small brush to get in all the nooks and crannies.

There are lots of ways to clean prints and it does depend on how they were printed and the print material but IPA covers most if you read the 3D print forums. I've not had any issues with it so far.

 

[mickoo]

Another weekly update, getting close now, soon be time for Warren to sharpen his crayons .

The chimney is not fixed, hence the odd jaunty angle....curses.....in the photos and being as it's beer 'o'clock y'all have to excuse my tardiness. Same for the odd blob of water as it hadn't dried out fully.









I ended up doing new steam pipes with the clothing overlapped y the fixings, barely visible but should show up once painted, more so if the edges are accentuated with some shadow and highlight dry brushing.



I also added two 3D printed flange plates on the top feed pipes, there's two more to go on the pipe run along under the footplate eventually. I also need to 3D print the balance weights this week and affix them.

Sweating on the mud hole covers (Malcolm Mitchell) caused the solder in the throat plate shoulders to sag, I even used 224°C inside but suspected it might fail there; some 110°C blobbed on and dressed back should resolve that.

Finally took a couple of shots with the tender butted up, bit of a big beastie really.

 

[cmax]

Another beauty in the making.

 

[Duncan Chandler]

Stunning

 

[mickoo]

The boiler was beginning to rankle with me, there is no need to polish it.....paint covers all....so long as it's smooth and clean that should suffice, but as it stood it was a shocking mess in all honesty.

So off it came, ejector & pipe plus handrail off too and a good old scrub up ensued.

The boiler assembly is only rested on the footplate for the time being, there's still some scuff marks and little nicks here and there to dress and polish off.





I'm a little more comfortable with the overall presentation now.

 

[Phil O]

It certainly has the presence of a 47, splendid workmanship.

 

[Robin A]

Thoroughly enjoyed following the build, inspired to start mine.

Rob A

 

[mickoo]

Thoroughly enjoyed following the build, inspired to start mine.

Rob A

Good cricket

 

[mickoo]

Well, we're all but complete, these are the last photos of it fully assembled.

The few remaining items require the chassis to be stripped down and once done, there's no point building it all back up for a few photos before breaking down for paint.

Remaining items are 3D printed solid balance weights, motor mount, coupling/connecting rod oil plugs and insulated draw bar; the backhead will be built up whilst the engine is away for paint, as is my normal modus operandi.

I'll show some photos of the 3D printed balance weights once done, they might be of interest for some.







The lovely polished boiler from last weekend is already heavily tarnished, but at least it's now a uniform tarnish with the rest of the model.

 

[Compton castle]

That looks fabulous

 

[Phil O]

Excellent!!

 

[dibateg]

An impressive machine isn't it Mick - I built the David Andrews one a few years ago.

 

[P A D]

The lovely polished boiler from last weekend is already heavily tarnished, but at least it's now a uniform tarnish with the rest of the model.

That's brass for you. After I finished my Stanier 4P I cleaned it up for the photos and then put it away in the box prior to stripping for painting. I was then busy with other things and it has sat there. I checked it periodically to see how it was tarnishing and being isolated from the toxic fumes from the bench and the atmosphere, it was still pretty clean after several months. Not seen it for 3 months as I can't go to my brother's, but it will be the 1st thing I check when I can get back. When people say it looks too good to paint, what that really means is, it's too good not to paint!

Those musings aside, another excellent piece of work from the Mickoo workshops. Look forward to the next one.

Cheers,
Peter

 

[Pencarrow]

Good morning Mick,

The 47 as a prototype isn't my cup of tea - not much call for one on a bucolic SR branch! But I can still appreciate the superb workmanship and skill in its build. You've said UK outline isn't floating your boat at the moment but there's still obviously a lot of care, and dare I say love, gone in to it to get the end result. Top job as ever.

I was interested to read your musings about railway modellers being stuck in a rut. I do remember in my yoof at the railway club building layout boards from laminations of thin ply when everyone else was using 2x1 and chipboard. Much scorn can our direction and predictions of failure. 30 years later the boards are still going strong, with no sign of warping and no need for repairs.

I think the mixed media approach you suggest is the right one. Why try and form complex curved shapes from flat metal when a 3d print is a much better solution? Backheads, fireboxes, cylinders, steampipes etc all spring to mind.

I sometimes playfully wonder if an element of the highly skilled old guard, who have mastered metal forming, want to keep finishing those elements out of reach of mortals. I suspect though it's more a case of the kit producers not seeing a return in learning new skills or amending kits to use new materials.

In this respect I think the approach shown by you and the Finney7 boys in the new kits is a breath of fresh air. Similarly I hold the approach taken by Intentio and Modelu in equal high esteem - interesting that they are now collaborating.

I do think there's potential for a new approach to windows and doors for buildings. I'd love to be able to go to a website, pick a suitable template, insert a few dimensions and order X number. Should be possible in this day and age...

All the best.

 

[cmax]

Next !!!

As others have said, it's too good to paint, and cover the care and craftsmanship that's gone into creating it, however looking forward to seeing it painted.

Cheers,

Gary

 

[mickoo]

That's brass for you. After I finished my Stanier 4P I cleaned it up for the photos and then put it away in the box prior to stripping for painting. I was then busy with other things and it has sat there. I checked it periodically to see how it was tarnishing and being isolated from the toxic fumes from the bench and the atmosphere, it was still pretty clean after several months. Not seen it for 3 months as I can't go to my brother's, but it will be the 1st thing I check when I can get back. When people say it looks too good to paint, what that really means is, it's too good not to paint!

Those musings aside, another excellent piece of work from the Mickoo workshops. Look forward to the next one.

Cheers,
Peter

Conversely, the B1 test build is nearly two/three years old and still acceptably clean in nickel silver. Still, that's brass for you

 

[mickoo]

Good morning Mick,

The 47 as a prototype isn't my cup of tea - not much call for one on a bucolic SR branch! But I can still appreciate the superb workmanship and skill in its build. You've said UK outline isn't floating your boat at the moment but there's still obviously a lot of care, and dare I say love, gone in to it to get the end result. Top job as ever.

I was interested to read your musings about railway modellers being stuck in a rut. I do remember in my yoof at the railway club building layout boards from laminations of thin ply when everyone else was using 2x1 and chipboard. Much scorn can our direction and predictions of failure. 30 years later the boards are still going strong, with no sign of warping and no need for repairs.

I think the mixed media approach you suggest is the right one. Why try and form complex curved shapes from flat metal when a 3d print is a much better solution? Backheads, fireboxes, cylinders, steampipes etc all spring to mind.

I sometimes playfully wonder if an element of the highly skilled old guard, who have mastered metal forming, want to keep finishing those elements out of reach of mortals. I suspect though it's more a case of the kit producers not seeing a return in learning new skills or amending kits to use new materials.

In this respect I think the approach shown by you and the Finney7 boys in the new kits is a breath of fresh air. Similarly I hold the approach taken by Intentio and Modelu in equal high esteem - interesting that they are now collaborating.

I do think there's potential for a new approach to windows and doors for buildings. I'd love to be able to go to a website, pick a suitable template, insert a few dimensions and order X number. Should be possible in this day and age...

All the best.

With commercial build work you have to maintain the same standard whether you like the model or not, that's not hard to achieve.

The subject matter is actually irrelevant, part A must fit part B, it must be neat and it must be clean, the subject matter becomes rather inconsequential.

It's all very clinical, but it does allow you to focus on what you're supposed to be doing, it also allows you to easily decouple once the work session is over.

The lack of UK interest is personal and has been sliding away for a few years now, I still have some core interests, BR(E), BR(LM) Woodhead and a smattering of peripherals but the rest is all cleared out.