7mm On Heather's Workbench - Aintree Iron: an Austerity adventure
john lewsey
Western Thunderer
I was able to have a look at this today very very nice this tender is huge 
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Cheers both! Yes, the tender is a monster. Nine tons of coal and 5000 gallons of water takes some carrying. I'm keen to get on with the loco now, but other builds are calling again.
Meanwhile, I think this weekend will find me rebuilding my paint shop. I hope the weather isn't too hot.
Meanwhile, I think this weekend will find me rebuilding my paint shop. I hope the weather isn't too hot.
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Before the heat got to me yesterday, after which I called a halt to any constructive work in favour of chilling in a cool place with plenty of drinks, I tidied up the brake rigging.
The kit provided an etched nickel silver representation of the pull rods, with simplified cross beams. Happily, the kit as supplied included the superdetail kit with cast brass detailing. While a little more fiddly to assemble, it looks much nicer.
You can see the etched equipment in front of the upturned chassis.
As it stands the whole rig can be swung over the main cross shaft to allow access to the chassis innards if needed. All I need to do is arrange the brake hangers to be readily undone. The pull rods in the "super" version are cast square section, and need to be trimmed down in length. I did this by assembling from front to rear, trimming as I went. The final rigging just needed a bit of fine adjustment to square things up. The slack adjuster rods at the front are not meant to be bent, but it helps to place the first cross beam.
Time to rearrange the paint shop and get some primer on this thing.
What is it with vacuum brake pipes? Why is there never a plug for the loose bag to be attached to? Is it so hard to include this real detail on the masters?
The kit provided an etched nickel silver representation of the pull rods, with simplified cross beams. Happily, the kit as supplied included the superdetail kit with cast brass detailing. While a little more fiddly to assemble, it looks much nicer.
You can see the etched equipment in front of the upturned chassis.
As it stands the whole rig can be swung over the main cross shaft to allow access to the chassis innards if needed. All I need to do is arrange the brake hangers to be readily undone. The pull rods in the "super" version are cast square section, and need to be trimmed down in length. I did this by assembling from front to rear, trimming as I went. The final rigging just needed a bit of fine adjustment to square things up. The slack adjuster rods at the front are not meant to be bent, but it helps to place the first cross beam.
Time to rearrange the paint shop and get some primer on this thing.
What is it with vacuum brake pipes? Why is there never a plug for the loose bag to be attached to? Is it so hard to include this real detail on the masters?
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flexible_coupling
Western Thunderer
That brake rigging looks brilliant. It does seem like an oft-neglected feature in RTR-land. If only we were 1:43.5 ants to be able to enjoy that view in normal circumstances!
Steph Dale
Western Thunderer
Heather,
I'll need to dig out a picture I found a while ago, this shows the back deck of the tender complete with water filter and a water-treatment briquette cover. I wonder how many of the class had those, which I guess was a BR fitting. And therefore going to be absent from drawings, even if class-wide.
Steph
I'll need to dig out a picture I found a while ago, this shows the back deck of the tender complete with water filter and a water-treatment briquette cover. I wonder how many of the class had those, which I guess was a BR fitting. And therefore going to be absent from drawings, even if class-wide.
Steph
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Hi Steph.
I have a fair selection of tender shots which don't show what you describe, many quite late on in the life of the type in service. It would be interesting to know how many were fitted with treatment gear, but my impression is most weren't so fitted, or at least had it fitted and then removed later.
If something turns up, I will consider whether it should be fitted. Ta.
I have a fair selection of tender shots which don't show what you describe, many quite late on in the life of the type in service. It would be interesting to know how many were fitted with treatment gear, but my impression is most weren't so fitted, or at least had it fitted and then removed later.
If something turns up, I will consider whether it should be fitted. Ta.
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Yes, they did. Then I realised the lifeguards fit on the outer frame!
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
First thing through the New Paint Shop.
I chemically blackened brass edges that might be susceptible to handling damage, then gave the upper works a blast of red oxide acrylic primer. The chassis was given similar treatment, using cotton buds to plug the bearings, and then given a top coat of matt black from a rattle can.
Considering the final livery of this loco is plain black, I am quite tempted to - shock! - rattle can spray the base coat.
I chemically blackened brass edges that might be susceptible to handling damage, then gave the upper works a blast of red oxide acrylic primer. The chassis was given similar treatment, using cotton buds to plug the bearings, and then given a top coat of matt black from a rattle can.
Considering the final livery of this loco is plain black, I am quite tempted to - shock! - rattle can spray the base coat.
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Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
I had a comment over on Fudgebook, asking why I used red oxide primer. As a rule, I have red, grey and white primers available to me. I had to think why I prefer red.
First, it's pretty much the colour they used on the real thing. Second, I like it as a base coat for black, but I can't tell you why. Third, I find it shows up flaws better than grey, but again I can't tell you why I find that to be the case.
First, it's pretty much the colour they used on the real thing. Second, I like it as a base coat for black, but I can't tell you why. Third, I find it shows up flaws better than grey, but again I can't tell you why I find that to be the case.
OzzyO
Western Thunderer
Did you think about using a black etch primer?
I'm using one from Clostermann Coatings, about £5.50 off Ebay for a 440Ml can. It seems to work well on brass, N/S, steel and resin. The only down side is that it dries to a matt finish, it goes on very thin and seems to stick like #### to the bedding. I'll use it for the body on the next black loco.
OzzyO.
PS, it looks like the price has gone up a bit about £10.50 per can plus P&P
I'm using one from Clostermann Coatings, about £5.50 off Ebay for a 440Ml can. It seems to work well on brass, N/S, steel and resin. The only down side is that it dries to a matt finish, it goes on very thin and seems to stick like #### to the bedding. I'll use it for the body on the next black loco.
OzzyO.
PS, it looks like the price has gone up a bit about £10.50 per can plus P&P
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
I did consider etch primer, but there's so little actual metal surface area on this tender it didn't seem worth it. Those words will come back to bite me, I'm sure.
I'm still an etch primer newbie, but I'm not 100 per cent convinced by the aerosol types. The single pack nature bothers me a little, as I understand it might mean the can may well have a shelf life. I need to experiment with the Phoenix two-part stuff I bought to get confident with using it. I do have a couple of all metal coach kits that would benefit from an etch primer, after all.
All that said, good reports from those who have used rattle can etch primers is valuable.
I'm still an etch primer newbie, but I'm not 100 per cent convinced by the aerosol types. The single pack nature bothers me a little, as I understand it might mean the can may well have a shelf life. I need to experiment with the Phoenix two-part stuff I bought to get confident with using it. I do have a couple of all metal coach kits that would benefit from an etch primer, after all.
All that said, good reports from those who have used rattle can etch primers is valuable.
OzzyO
Western Thunderer
Hello Heather,
I've use etch primer for good number of years now and found it to do the job very well. I think that it may have a use by date on the can, BUT have you eaten a joint of meat that is a bit past the sell by date and it did the job, I have and I'm still here. If it was 1year passed I don't think that I'd have looked at it.
Two part primers do work and work well but then you have all of the cleaning down of the air brush Etc. You could use the one part through the air brush but you would have to decant it and still clean up the air brush.
The aerosol cans do work and you can get them in a number of colours that are of use to us. With out looking to hard the colours that I've found are, black, white, beige, grey and clear.
I would say give them a go and I think that you will like them.
OzzyO.
Osgood
Western Thunderer
I always use a primer colour a little removed from the top coat - it is then easier to see if you've got good coverage of top coat. Black tends to cover red oxide much better than grey, requiring fewer / thinner coats to achieve a good finish.
Do folk generally consider that an etch primer will key to all manner of model metal better?
Isn't it true that the thinner the coat the better as it will not cover up fine detail so much?
In which case (ignoring the advice on different base colour) and especially for something like a lacklustre WD, why is it not normal practice to just prime with a black and then give it another coat as the top coat? Especially if most of it will be covered with grime and weathering powders.
Do folk generally consider that an etch primer will key to all manner of model metal better?
Isn't it true that the thinner the coat the better as it will not cover up fine detail so much?
In which case (ignoring the advice on different base colour) and especially for something like a lacklustre WD, why is it not normal practice to just prime with a black and then give it another coat as the top coat? Especially if most of it will be covered with grime and weathering powders.
OzzyO
Western Thunderer
To answer your questions.
Yes I do think that etch primer will key to most modelling materials better, normal primer is only a paint with a larger size pigment in it? Saying that the better the surface is prepared the better any paint will stick.
Lets start with a sheet of brass, it's come to you with grease finger prints Etc. on it you could paint it and the paint will stick to it, but for how long and how well???
Remove the grease Etc. and the paint will stick better.
Polish the sheet and remove all the grease and your not far off back to stage one (locos look nice in shiny brass, but)
Remove the grease then grit blast the sheet, the paint will stick better but you could still have dust from the grit-blasting on it, so it should be cleaned again to remove the dust.
So for the best clean I would say, remove the "muck" grit-blast and then ultrasonic clean the part and dry off and apply the primer when the part is still warm.
Normal primer will work in all of the above but I think that etch primer will work better.
I may have to do a test on a bit of brass to find out?
OzzyO.
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
The rear buffer beam step irons in this kit are folded etch, butt-soldered to the bottom of the beam. They were obviously going to be vulnerable to damage, but I pressed ahead and fitted them as they were.
Inevitably, one got knocked off. I decided to reinforce with some fine brass wire on the back.
A bit fiddly, and I should really have done it originally, but things are much stronger now.
Inevitably, one got knocked off. I decided to reinforce with some fine brass wire on the back.
A bit fiddly, and I should really have done it originally, but things are much stronger now.
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Tappa
Western Thunderer
Hi Heather- any update on this? Our current modelling project, Millicent Street, has one of these kits sat on the bench and the chap building it doesn't do the internet! As a result, I am copying the notes and piccies for him to aid him in his build. Construction started yesterday and has already caused some discussion.
Thanks
Jeff
Thanks
Jeff
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Hi! A bit worrying if you're following my advice on building this kit!
It's currently on the back burner while some other builds get some much-needed attention. I think it might slide to the front of the bench later this week, if only so I can get a rolling loco chassis ready to show at Telford.
It's currently on the back burner while some other builds get some much-needed attention. I think it might slide to the front of the bench later this week, if only so I can get a rolling loco chassis ready to show at Telford.