Scalefour Forum

Using the free account, once the initial 40 minutes ends, the meeting host is able to log back in and revive the meeting, such that the others can rejoin within a few minutes. It doesn't seem to require re-inviting the participants.

After a long hiatus, the brake parts are back from the printers and seem good to me. IMG_2025.JPG IMG_1319.JPG One print gives enough assemblies for four axles, so the cost is about £4 per coach before adding shipping. Not cheap, but for me it's worth it firstly because I am rubbish at assembling cl...

I haven't built this underframe kit, but I did build a similar BB underframe that looks to have the same basic design. I'm basing these remarks on the fret image shown on the Eileen's site. If I'm reading this right, the parts bearing the axleguards locate laterally against the folded-up spring supp...

It seems to carry the LNER's standard rigging for fitted wagons. That means: - probably not a pre-grouping vehicle; - probably not built after the mid '30s, when the wheelbase standard changed to 10'; - probably not built at Shildon, where wooden frames were normal until quite late. The LNER had qui...

Thanks John, that's nice and neat and saves some mental arithmetic. It's traditional at this stage of the software life-cycle to respond with suggestions for extra features, so if I may? 1. It would be nice to distinguish 2FS (1:152.3) from British N, and possibly to add European/American N. Working...

The large fittings on the wagon door, which are also present further along the sides, look like bobbins for attaching ropes. These are seen clearly in Plate 76 of Southern Wagons v3 (showing a D1347), albeit in a different distribution along the side.

If the grey wagon is intended for the SECR, then it's probably a model of (SR) diagram D1345, which was the last open design of the Wainwright period. They were 16' o/h on a Fox pressed-steel frame of 9' w/b, 5 planks in the sides and with the vertical braces in the doors and the sheet rail. The bra...

Where is the page pictured in this thread? Doesn't seem to be on, or associated with the link given.

If you don't fancy the home-printed waterslide transfers (some brands of paper are awkward to use with inkjets, apparently), you could print onto self-adhesive labels and then varnish them.

Thanks for all the advice. The opening bid is £100, which is worth a punt, and collection from Welwyn is OK for me (if Covid restrictions allow). I shall probably bid minimum on if if nobody else shows interest.

There is a Toyo ML1 lathe currently for sale on eBay. Some commentary on the internet suggests that this is original design produced by Toyo to support their manufacture of cameras; i.e. it was designed to work, not to extract money from fools like me. I have never had a lathe and was considering bu...

This video, around 8:00, shows making a spring from scratch.

See also the previous derailment in Lewisham, a few years ago, where a bogie wagon came off because of a twisted bogie and a sharp curve.

I don't know what you would do to strengthen the chassis topline, though, but providing more metal above the hornblock positions would be a start. I would be inclined to solder on brass angle, but I fear that if added inside the frames it might conflict with the suspension. Presumably it could be a...

... I might still try the hot/cold water treatment on them, unless someone tells me they will dissolve into messy plastic puddles). It would help if Bill could tell us what kind of resin he's used. I assume it's some kind of polyurethane, but I don't know which grade. It should have a spec sheet on...

If the flux in the paste was a solution, then would it not be sufficient just to add water?

The coach has been turned purple at the second attempt. The first go was trashed at the varnishing stage by a busted airbrush-nozzle and only turned the air blue. Pictures when I get back to base. Meanwhile, from exile, brakes: Screen Shot 2020-07-11 at 10.16.59.png The etches in the kit have blocks...

Looking at the assembly sequence for the Brassmasters bogies, I'm wondering about the best way to paint them. It seems there is soldering to do after fittings the wheels, suggesting that painting comes after assembly. This might require masking of the wheels (Mansell pre-painted as varnished wood), ...

Has anybody a list of their kits from the previous incarnation of the business? They're asking for votes for reintroductions, but I don't know what moulds they have.

If any kit does not include any type of suspension and if I subsequently decide that I do want suspension is it possible to retro fit? Please excuse me if this is a silly question. If you might want later to fit springs between bogie and body, you need enough vertical space for a little movement. S...

My take is that the real thing had springs between the axleboxes and the bogie frame, and between the bogie frames and the body. If you cannot, or do not want to see the difference, then why bother? Personally, I find the difference worth the extra work. Some real things do not have the springs bet...

A while ago you asked about print special wheel-centres. It's certainly possible and might also be feasible if the right material can be selected. First off, I suspect that the resins commonly used in desktop printers that have become popular are not quite what is needed. My experience of these part...

IMG_8252.JPG The brake-3rd now has a roof, by a different method to what I'd originally planned. The roof is made from the wooden section in the kit, heavily sanded down to fit the etched profile and to accommodate gutter strips, the latter from 0.020" x 0.060" styrene strip. The wooden p...

Just found this thread. I have been using the Lifecolour rail weathering set for ages all across Cadhay and it's all been fine, thinned either with water or acrylic thinner. Horror of horrors I actually let some dry completely in my (best!!) airbrush at one point. Thinking back someone had rung the...

Acrylic varnish over enamel has worked for me in the past, so I don't see why acrylic paint over enamel should go wrong, especially water-thinned acrylics. I suspect that acrylic washes and dry-brushing work less well on glossy surfaces, independent of the paint chemistry. I know that water-based ac...