SimonD’s workbench

[simond]

Here we have the first go at r/c with the Deltang kit. It seems to work very well, but the battery I purchased is too big to fit in the loco!

More details in the r/c thread

Radio Control

Atb
Simon

 

[simond]

I was putting this off. The GW versions of the Cowans Sheldon 15t crane (and, afaik, all others the6 had) were fitted with cabs. The kit doesn’t provide, so scratch...



if I were doing it again (and I’m not doing it again!) I think I could make it a wee bit better, but I’m reasonably happy with it.

atb
Simon

 

[AJC]

That’s very splendid indeed, Simon. I have a 4mm one in the drawer (picked up for an absolute song) that is waiting on Brassmasters to put out their detailing kit. It’s been nearly 10 years now...

Adam

 

[simond]

Thanks Adam, that’s kind. I’m not sure “splendid” is deserved. I’m going with “adequate”

There was talk of Brassmasters doing a 7mm match truck too, but holding ones breath is not advised. Hence the hybrid plastic brass affair, that might yet be redone in brass. Or I might do an etch. Again, breath holding inadvisable.

There really isn’t as much info about these as you might hope. I believe they were vac fitted (or maybe just piped) but I don’t know when, and there seems to be few photos from early days. I’ll probably just use my imagination!

atb
Simon

 

[AJC]

I do make a point of mentioning the crane (and I know I'm not alone) whenever I see the Brassmaster's team - been a while, of course - but the match truck (built and painted an age ago) might be a bit easier in the larger scale... They're an interesting beast, and long-lived: at least one sported wasp stripes, but don't ask me whether it was piped, it's too far away!

1966MAR05RWBR001cs.jpg

Mine will - eventually - be modelled like that.

Adam

 

[simond]

Thanks Adam, I’d found that one, and as you say, not hugely revealing of details.

if I find anything useful, I’ll post some links.

Atb
Simon

 

[simond]

Job#1. The louvres on the loco shed need doing. I been putting it off because early attempts were unsatisfactory, and thought that I might try etching, but MissD suggested a couple of approaches, and I had another go with the laser.

three experiments later, I think we have something that will do.



Fiddly business!



but I think it looks quite good.



not convinced about the glazing.

 

[Heather Kay]

not convinced about the glazing.

Indeed. Far too clean.

 

[Dog Star]

Indeed. Far too clean.

Agreed... and no cracks in the glazing. When GWS moved into DID there were some areas which were out of bounds because of the danger from falling glass.

 

[Focalplane]

Smokeless fuel?

 

[simond]

Thanks all,

the glazing is currently 1.5mm acrylic, etched to provide grooves/texture for the frames to be glued to. I was tossing up between doing “bays” of 5 panes, or longer lengths, up to a whole length of A4, 3 or 4 bays.

I think I’d like to get down to about half the thickness, and sticking to the 5-pane bays. I’ll need to see what I can find, ideally something that laser cuts.

I’ve assembled a further 6 louvres. That’s 11, only 15 more to go...

cheers
Simon

 

[simond]

As it’s somewhat displaced at the moment, herewith a few photos of the locoshed. I decided that looking balefully at the uncompleted roof was not going to get it finished, and I have too many half finished, even half baked projects on the go, so a little uncharacteristic self discipline...

firstly, the underside:



the side you don’t get to see



With the workshop & office propped into place



I haven’t started on the roof for this yet. It’s part glazed, part slate.

the hole in the baseboard - yes, I didn’t think about the pits when I designed the baseboard, so it is not exquisite under here. Move along, nothing to see here...



rather a lot of scenicifying required round the back....

and the roof:



Which now has lights. I need to paint the light wires & resistors black, and fit contacts on the roof that will collect the lights’ power from the two lengths of aluminium angle that are epoxied to the top of the walls to stop them bowing inwards. I’ve just fitted two copper wires up the inside of the walls, which will be retained to the ally with 10BA screws, you can see the wires going to the connections on the first photo. These will eventually be suitably disguised as conduits with appropriate switch panels.

To complete the roof, I need to finish & fit the smoke hoods, I made the clerestory vents last weekend, and I purchased some 0.5 and 1mm PETG sheet from Kitronic, which is the same stuff that Tim W used for the glazed gallery he’s doing for Copenhagen Fields. It’ll look better than the 1.5 mm acrylic.

Slates are laser cut in strips from a slightly metallic grey art card, over sprayed with grey, purple and green washes, I need to mark out the roof so they get fitted in straight rows!

At some point I need to glaze it. That’ll be a laugh, not. There are 240 main panes to fit, 3 larger ones, and 96 smaller, plus the glass either side of the smoke hoods over the doors.

I have started the artwork for the etched door hinges and roof walkway supports, so I’ll get that finished and off to PPD at some point.

if anyone’s got a Dean goods boiler they don’t need, I have a home for it, under the very tall chimney!

more soon
Simon

 

[Giles]

That is impressive, Simon!

 

[John Baker]

Outstanding Simon! A feat of engineering

 

[Ressaldar]

Well done that man!

regards

Mike

 

[simond]

Thank you,

further progress tomorrow I hope.

S

 

[simond]

Smoke hoods, slow process.



There are 10 to make, and I’m getting through 2 per evening.

should be sorted by the weekend, more or less...

 

[simond]

that’s the side panel laminations made. And a few spares.

it does make me think that coach building in David Jenkinson style, but from laser cut card, rather than plastic, may well be feasible. I glued these by using blue evo stik wood glue, laboriously applied be cocktail stick, but if the fret were more complex, I think spray glue would be the way to go.

The two assemblies that I put in the jigs in the above post have had well over an hour to dry, so I’m going to risk making another pair tonight.

et Voila!

 

[simond]

Not so much on the workbench, but soo to be so, the smoke hoods have been made, and now need to be fitted. I’m aiming to fit them removeably, so I can spray them a suitably claggy colour on the inside, and smoke stained on the outside over something paler.

Currently just resting in place



Sorry, horribly dark photo, but you get the idea.

and in the silly department, less than thirty quid bought some impending entertainment.



Big Big Blue Flyer. Green & small yellow ends, diy motor bogies and r/c, I think. Won’t be superdetailed, but will make some pretence to a decent standard. Should be a giggle, and a reminder of my yoof.

 

[simond]

Not so much the workbench but the coffee table...

smoke hood assemblies, glue drying. I was worried that they’d be the wrong length, but over 850mm the chimneys are within a millimetre as far as I can tell. We’ll see when they’re glued into the roof, which may be this evening.




there are points for recognising the books, and the god. Some may be easier than others. Points may mean prizes on R4, but not here

and clerestory louvres, painted & also ready to add to the roof.



a pleasing morning’s “work”

more soon
Simon