7mm Mickoo's Commercial Workbench

Scale7JB

Western Thunderer
I suspect that the spring rods are replacements given that the rods seem to be barstock with threads at each end.... I expect that the originals were forged bolts with a head on top of the two part spring bolt pad.
I recall one of them snapped with a very loud bang a few years back whilst I was doing my rules exam.

It was quite amusing in some ways. We saw the engine roll off shed past the open Portacabin door, heard the almighty bang, and then saw the engine roll back past the portacabin door the opposite way, all within about 30 seconds. Maybe you had to be there.... :))

Heaven knows you wouldn't want to be on the end of that snapping whilst you were underneath oiling up!

JB.
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Another slow week on the 72xx, I'm going to be running out of bits to do before I have to poke the dead elephant in the room. To be fair the final version of the corner prints is now in the machine and once I have those there will be no excuses left :eek::))

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This is the stage that's the worst, by now the brass is heavily tarnished and frankly looks like :shit:
 

Deano747

Western Thunderer
Mick, it still looks good compared to the Vulcan 57xx Pannier I've had on my temporary workbench for the last 24 months!!

Regards, Rob.
 

LarryG

Western Thunderer
I would imagine most painters would prefer tarnished brass. Back in the days of dodgy primer fit primarily for spraying steel parts of cars, a polished brass loco arriving here for painting would have worried me greatly.
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
I would imagine most painters would prefer tarnished brass. Back in the days of dodgy primer fit primarily for spraying steel parts of cars, a polished brass loco arriving here for painting would have worried me greatly.
Agreed and Warren always tells me not to clean them, but.......clients like clean models. The solution is of course nickel silver, it doesn't tarnish and takes paint much better.
 

Allen M

Western Thunderer
Many years ago now I was privileged to know Joe Moss, long time proprietor of CCW Models Avon Street Birmingham.
He soldered everything with acid flux then before painting he washed everything in warm water and a bit of VIM, rinsed off and allowed to dry. He moaned when asked to paint something that had been polished. I have done similar ever since.

Regards
Allen Morgan
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
The light at the end of the tunnel on the WS 72xx draws closer and I've finally got the rear end done :eek:. Just need to add the steps and lamp irons (front as well) then beading all round the tank tops and cab opening.

I will need to blow a witness layer over the bunker corners and blend any small gaps, but they shouldn't be too bad.

That'll just leave the cab roof, sliding weather boards and smoke box handrail to finish the upper works externally.....well, except for the chimney.....he of maligned oval shape.....the answer to which I'm sure will lie at the bottom of a large glass of wine.

Chassis wise, just coupling and connecting rods, pick ups and last section of the brake gear/weigh shaft to finish.

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LarryG

Western Thunderer
Many years ago now I was privileged to know Joe Moss, long time proprietor of CCW Models Avon Street Birmingham.
He soldered everything with acid flux then before painting he washed everything in warm water and a bit of VIM, rinsed off and allowed to dry. He moaned when asked to paint something that had been polished. I have done similar ever since.

Regards
Allen Morgan
Vim or Ajax powder are your friend.......:cool:

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mickoo

Western Thunderer
Finally finished the WS 72xx, couple of small details to add once stripped down, coupling and connecting rod oil pots and 3D printed balance weights.

There isn't much of the original kit left in the upper works to be honest, some of it is replacement parts in a thinner gauge and some of it to convert to a first batch engine. To be fair there comes a point where it's easier/faster to do all of it yourself rather than modify the existing bits in the kit to suit your new parts.

For the record the original etched parts are cab front, valances & steps, smokebox and boiler wrappers. The chassis was pretty much out of the box with a few extra details and modifications here and there.

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I opted for a 3D chimney, I know it's the right shape and size and it needed no fettling, the joys of 3D prints when they go right.

I tend to be over cautious fixing printed parts and like a battleship approach to securing them, usually with a secondary mechanical fixing, in the case of the chimney I printed a formed plug that fits inside the wrapper, the spigot is raised just above the outer wrapper which locates into a corresponding pocket in the chimney base. To make doubly sure 0.8 mm rivets were then added through all the parts, they also acted as detail parts for the chimney fixing.

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LarryG

Western Thunderer
There isn't much of the original kit left in the upper works to be honest, some of it is replacement parts in a thinner gauge and some of it to convert to a first batch engine. To be fair there comes a point where it's easier/faster to do all of it yourself rather than modify the existing bits in the kit to suit your new parts.
I also heard this from well-known loco-builder Geoff Holt when he said he wasn't clever enough to build kits!

The GW 2-8-2T is looking superb. I have only seen a 2-8-0T version, but I think back and consider how lucky our generation were to see steam in everyday use. In fact, there were hundereds of reasons why I was glad I was born when I was.
 

Eastsidepilot

Western Thunderer
I also heard this from well-known loco-builder Geoff Holt when he said he wasn't clever enough to build kits!

The GW 2-8-2T is looking superb. I have only seen a 2-8-0T version, but I think back and consider how lucky our generation were to see steam in everyday use. In fact, there were hundereds of reasons why I was glad I was born when I was.

I think that's why some of us turn to, or prefer, scratch building in the end. Some kits can be a waste of time.

Col.
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Really, surely nuts and bolts :D

Col.
Nice one Mick, keep 'em coming.
Well, I'm not sure, logically it would be bolted but these are not bolts, of if they are they are dome headed. Therefore they must have a square section on the shaft to stop them turning when the nut is tightened, which means square holes in the chimney base, would they go to all that effort?

In reality I'm not sure what they are, except that photos appear to show GWR engines have domed fixings like rivets so that's what got stuck on :p
 
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