Slaters 1/32nd 6 Wheel Milk Tankers
- Thread starter taliesin
- Start date
taliesin
Western Thunderer
Yesterday a small package arrived from Slater's which is very efficient, the bad news is that it contained more of the "four" bolster type. I phoned Lorna again and explained the situation who told me that the parts were the same anyway so i explained that they looked somewhat different. She asked me how i knew they were different so i explained by looking at the instructions supplied, and the prototype pictures included within 
. I was told that David White was out and that he would have to deal with it so i suggested in the meantime that she looked at the parts in the 7mm kit based on Brian's posting.
Lorna phoned me today to say that she had spoken to David and that the six bolster type had never been made for the 1/32nd kit and that all i had to do was carve up the type supplied, i thanked her and suggested that the instructions could do with some revision so others don't get confused like me. oh well, four bolsters it is then,
cheers to all, Rob
. I was told that David White was out and that he would have to deal with it so i suggested in the meantime that she looked at the parts in the 7mm kit based on Brian's posting.Lorna phoned me today to say that she had spoken to David and that the six bolster type had never been made for the 1/32nd kit and that all i had to do was carve up the type supplied, i thanked her and suggested that the instructions could do with some revision so others don't get confused like me. oh well, four bolsters it is then,
cheers to all, Rob
taliesin
Western Thunderer
A bit more progress see's a set of tank supports made up and fitted along with the lamp brackets, two per buffer beam. There is a slight problem with the lamp brackets in that there are some pilot holes in the buffer beams to drill out for the spigots to fit into on the back of the bracket but unfortunately the distances are unequal 
,
I got round it by filing down one spigot and putting my trust in super glue. Nice one Slater's, not picked up in the test build then.
Couldn't resist putting a tank in place to see how it looks,
Got to play catch-up with the others now but they are at least getting there, cheers Rob
, I got round it by filing down one spigot and putting my trust in super glue. Nice one Slater's, not picked up in the test build then.
Couldn't resist putting a tank in place to see how it looks,
Got to play catch-up with the others now but they are at least getting there, cheers Rob
taliesin
Western Thunderer
A small step forward see's a tank glued into place which almost resulted in a fatal cock up. In my efforts to line everything up square i forgot that the fittings on top of the tank are "handed" and the tank should only fitted one way, i remembered this about seven hours into the araldite drying, heart in mouth i checked the instructions with a 50/50 chance it was wrong but luckily fate smiled on me on this occasion. Don't intend to chance it again though!
Before doing this the lamp brackets had been blackened and attached to the buffer beams and discovered that some of the kits were missing these castings, a further check revealed others missing as well.
Another phone call to Slater's then but they are out of stock so i have to wait a week or two before the next batch is cast. Not really a problem as i can figure out how to attach the tank straps securely in the meantime.
The parts left to do now are all highly visual so i am taking care not to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory
,
cheers to all, Rob
Before doing this the lamp brackets had been blackened and attached to the buffer beams and discovered that some of the kits were missing these castings, a further check revealed others missing as well.
Another phone call to Slater's then but they are out of stock so i have to wait a week or two before the next batch is cast. Not really a problem as i can figure out how to attach the tank straps securely in the meantime.
The parts left to do now are all highly visual so i am taking care not to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory
,cheers to all, Rob
taliesin
Western Thunderer
Some more rather fraught progress to show, the next stage to address were the straps over the tanks and their mountings. Supplied are four thin and delicate etched straps, a piece of 40 thou brass wire and eight rather nice lost wax brass castings, one for each end of a strap. Running true to form the instructions give no mention at all about fitting this lot together, or indeed what it should all look like. Having removed the straps from the etch and cleaned them up it was time to try and work out a way of attaching the wire to the castings. The best i could come up with is drilling into the casting as far as i dare then use superglue to hold them together. Having used a 1mm drill which is as close as it gets to 40 thou these were then sprayed with etch primer and placed to one side.
The strap has a hole at each end so i put a small kink in a piece of wire which was then threaded through the hole and soldered on behind the strap. The castings were then glued onto the sole bar. Once fully dried this assembly was offered up to the wagon and the wires were gradually trimmed until the strap appeared to be tight round the tank and the wires located into the holes into the castings. I really should have taken a few pictures but it was all getting a bit fraught and i plain forgot. After this the straps were etch primed then top coated.
Here is where it's all at.
Having fixed the straps with super glue more black paint has been applied. The tie rods are relatively simple, there is a central casting drilled and glued to the sole bar which brass rod cut to length and pre-painted is fitted to, being threaded through pre-drilled holes in the end bolsters. Now it might look ok-ish in the picture but i'm really not convinced by the super glue bit and need to think up possible alternatives.
For those who looked at this build from the beginning you may remember i was building these listening to the uplifting sounds of the Disco Goddess Donna Summer, well i'm fast reaching the Heavy Metal played backwards stage, perhaps Slater's have hidden the instructions amongst the subliminal messages
,
cheers to all, Rob
The strap has a hole at each end so i put a small kink in a piece of wire which was then threaded through the hole and soldered on behind the strap. The castings were then glued onto the sole bar. Once fully dried this assembly was offered up to the wagon and the wires were gradually trimmed until the strap appeared to be tight round the tank and the wires located into the holes into the castings. I really should have taken a few pictures but it was all getting a bit fraught and i plain forgot. After this the straps were etch primed then top coated.
Here is where it's all at.
Having fixed the straps with super glue more black paint has been applied. The tie rods are relatively simple, there is a central casting drilled and glued to the sole bar which brass rod cut to length and pre-painted is fitted to, being threaded through pre-drilled holes in the end bolsters. Now it might look ok-ish in the picture but i'm really not convinced by the super glue bit and need to think up possible alternatives.
For those who looked at this build from the beginning you may remember i was building these listening to the uplifting sounds of the Disco Goddess Donna Summer, well i'm fast reaching the Heavy Metal played backwards stage, perhaps Slater's have hidden the instructions amongst the subliminal messages
, cheers to all, Rob
Phill Dyson
Western Thunderer
I remember having similar fun with the strapping & the tie rods on my three
.........I didn't find an easier way either
Phill
.........I didn't find an easier way eitherPhill
oldravendale
Western Thunderer
I remember having similar fun with the strapping & the tie rods on my three
Phill
And my 7mm versions.....
Brian
taliesin
Western Thunderer
Preparing the second set of straps and castings gave me time to think up an alternative solution, this time i remembered to take a couple of pictures along the way. Take a couple of castings and make them an interference fit on the solebars, one either side, i found a 0.9mm drill was just right for opening up the locating holes. Then a kinked piece of wire was soldered onto the strap as before using 225 degree solder.
Picture one shows the soldered strap along with a casting, picture two shows it with the casting soldered on, sorry it's blurry.
225 solder was used for the strap and wire as it's really small and i did not want it to come unsoldered whilst attaching the casting with 145 degree solder. It was a right faff and fiddle getting it absolutely right in length so that the strap is really tight to the tank body. This next picture shows it in place,
This is really tight to the body, a lot tighter than you can go using superglue so in leu of any other idea's i think this is the way forward. Once all four straps have been done they can be popped off for painting and final fitting using superglue. cheers to all, Rob
Picture one shows the soldered strap along with a casting, picture two shows it with the casting soldered on, sorry it's blurry.
225 solder was used for the strap and wire as it's really small and i did not want it to come unsoldered whilst attaching the casting with 145 degree solder. It was a right faff and fiddle getting it absolutely right in length so that the strap is really tight to the tank body. This next picture shows it in place,
This is really tight to the body, a lot tighter than you can go using superglue so in leu of any other idea's i think this is the way forward. Once all four straps have been done they can be popped off for painting and final fitting using superglue. cheers to all, Rob
oldravendale
Western Thunderer
Hi Rob.
Just the job for the 7mm ones too. I'll apply your method to those I still have to build (two already completed and I'm awaiting the urge to gird my loins and start some more, but they are fiddly.) You don't have a patent on this method, do you?
Brian
taliesin
Western Thunderer
Hi Rob.
Just the job for the 7mm ones too. I'll apply your method to those I still have to build (two already completed and I'm awaiting the urge to gird my loins and start some more, but they are fiddly.) You don't have a patent on this method, do you?
Brian
Feel free Brian, the suffering of others softens the pain
, cheers Rob
Phill Dyson
Western Thunderer
Hi Rob
I did my straps by soldering the wire to the brackets & used super glue to fix the straps on afterwards......
To add to the fun I managed to drop a strap which of course was never to be seen again ......I ended up making another from plastruct
Phill
I did my straps by soldering the wire to the brackets & used super glue to fix the straps on afterwards......
To add to the fun I managed to drop a strap which of course was never to be seen again
......I ended up making another from plastruct Phill
taliesin
Western Thunderer
Had a call from Slater's today and my castings are ready , whilst on the phone i ordered some "United Dairies" etched plates for the tank sides only to be told that i might have to wait as there had been on a run on them recently, the connotations are scary...........
Back to the tankers and the soldered straps are now fitted as shown, i remembered to take a picture before slopping matt black over everything so hopefully this is clearer,
This is without doubt the superior method of the two tried so far and the other two will get the same treatment, shame it would be too much faff pulling the first one apart and re-doing it, cheers to all Rob
, whilst on the phone i ordered some "United Dairies" etched plates for the tank sides only to be told that i might have to wait as there had been on a run on them recently, the connotations are scary...........Back to the tankers and the soldered straps are now fitted as shown, i remembered to take a picture before slopping matt black over everything so hopefully this is clearer,
This is without doubt the superior method of the two tried so far and the other two will get the same treatment, shame it would be too much faff pulling the first one apart and re-doing it, cheers to all Rob
taliesin
Western Thunderer
Having taken a couple or three weeks off from doing anything i got back into the swing of things this morning and tanker number three has had it's straps made up,
As the sun is still shining the intention is to clean them up and spray some etch primer over them this afternoon.
Having purchased from Slater's some etches to represent the cast "United Dairies" plates it struck me that i'm not too sure where they fit, now i know that they are between a pair of straps but at which end and are they at opposite ends either side or both at the same end? can any wise soul advise?
cheers to all, Rob
As the sun is still shining the intention is to clean them up and spray some etch primer over them this afternoon.
Having purchased from Slater's some etches to represent the cast "United Dairies" plates it struck me that i'm not too sure where they fit, now i know that they are between a pair of straps but at which end and are they at opposite ends either side or both at the same end? can any wise soul advise?
cheers to all, Rob
lancer1027
Western Thunderer
Hi Rob,
From the pic i have in the Pictorial Survey by avid Larkins the etched name fits to the right but the vehicle has no straps going up and over the tank. They look as if they have been cut where they meet the tank about half way from the top of the solebar and the timber end support. Also the etched name is in line with the timber end support.
Hope this helps.
Rob
From the pic i have in the Pictorial Survey by avid Larkins the etched name fits to the right but the vehicle has no straps going up and over the tank. They look as if they have been cut where they meet the tank about half way from the top of the solebar and the timber end support. Also the etched name is in line with the timber end support.
Hope this helps.
Rob
lancer1027
Western Thunderer
The " Express Dairy " etches seem to be on the left side of the tank and most of the pics show these vehicles have 4 straps.
Rob
Rob