Scalefour Forum

The use of Shellac to harden card was extensively recommended in all the magazines when I was a lad and it became a process that was undertaken with a semi-religious zeal by many people - me included! I think I bought the flakes and the meths from the chemist aged around 10 years old and had to answ...

I believe the angle of the teeth on a piercing saw blade should face the handle, the cut being made on the 'back' stroke.

The Branchlines/South East Finecast 16xx chassis has CSB points etched in - but as it was designed by Justin then I'm not surprised!

PhilipT wrote:Always used butanone without problems.

+1

David T., if you have all the skills that you profess to have (and I don't doubt you) then why not offer yourself as a demonstrator at one of the society's events? Nice of you to suggest it! However, it's a case of Jack of All Trades and Master of None, I'm afraid, although I am quite a good bodger...

David T., if you have all the skills that you profess to have (and I don't doubt you) then why not offer yourself as a demonstrator at one of the society's events? In this way you will - a - meet lots of interesting people b - have your expenses paid c - wear a badge for a good reason I discovered t...

I posted this on the RMWeb thread but it could also be of interest here. I always like to be able to drop axles out while chassis building and the fixed axle on a compensated chassis incorporating the gearbox is no exception. I ream out the axle hole to take a close fitting top hat bush then careful...

(there should be an acute accent over the 'e', but my keyboard can't do accents) Martin, it's not your keyboard, it is which keys and what order you press them... Press "Alt" and hold, press "e", let go of the Alt key, and press "e" again. - é Doesn't work for me I'm a...

I've just finished track laying and wiring my new 'Enigma' replacement which, typically of me, flies in the face of perceived P4 wisdom. When testing wagons, the best running by far is an old Mainline tank wagon with straightforward replacement P4 wheels. No bearings, no compensation, no springs. As...

philip-griffiths wrote:Some illustrations, but Morill was better known for its text.

You mean as in transposing complete paragraphs, losing others and thereby making no sense of the articles?

For some time now I've used a piece of thin MDF rubbed along the rail top. On plain track a piece approx. 20 - 25mm wide and then around point work etc. the same is used on edge along the rail top. Just cut the dirty area away when required. I have also used a piece of cotton cloth and MekPak or sim...

Yes please Mr A. Just the one for me - and there's no rush

Thanks to Terry Bendall's excellent lathe tutorial class I am the proud owner of a fly-cutter and also have all the parts to make a Geoff Helliwell version of the flare turner. How long it will be before this actually gets made is another matter! I have a 'commission' to make a pair of domes for a B...

It was my second visit to S4 North and every bit as enjoyable as the first. I'd like to extend thanks to all who made it happen, and especially Jeremy Suter and his wife for a very warm welcome at the Stores stand and Paul Gittins for very patiently answering my beginner's questions on chassis cons...

I had a good weeknd, thanks to all who dropped by and talked chassis. However, I have returned home without my venerable orange anglepoise lamp. I don't really understand how I could have done this as I packed everything away and stacked it while I went to get my car. Please let me know if it has ap...

Thanks for the link but there doesn't seem to be the 'dirty urban industrial northern city' design that I need. I'll have to get some photos and a paintbrush out!

I had one once but goodness knows where it is now! I mark the rivet position on the sleeper from the template using a pointed scriber (gramophone needle in a pin-chuck) and then open out with a 1.2mm drill. If the hole is slightly tight a fine round needle file rotated in the hole works wonders. I s...

The box at Llangollen is right at the other end of the station with footbridge, platform canopies and a slight curve between it and the signal in the photo.

I was told a couple of evenings ago by one of our members that he uses a C&L brass fishplate as the 'pivot' point, fitted loose to both rails. I might try this myself as I have some very tight industrial points to build.

My home made chassis construction 'jigs' have a between frames width of 14.5mm which, with 'normal' thickness frame material provides anything from 15 to 15.5mm overall width. Some kit spacers fit perfectly, some are to wide, some are to narrow. All EM ones I've tried are far to narrow but I have so...

I would have liked to come down but I'm afraid the weather put me off. Perhaps next time.

I agree fully with Terry. It was an excellent day out and the distances some people had come was remarkable. (Spain anyone?).

There is plenty of advice on FB trackwork building on American websites and this one (Model Railroad Hobbyist) is good as an online source. It's a 'magazine' format and lots of it is probably of little interest to a UK P4 modeller but some of the 'technical' features are interesting and useful. Addr...

Philip Yes indeed this is really a labour of love rather than a commercial proposition I would have to accept, although if you did a batch of say 5 the last 4 might be a little quicker; it's the filing under the footplate at the cab end and the fiddling about fitting the chassis that took the time....

This is all very interesting to read. But in practical terms, how much variation in design is possible? For example, how about flat fronted spokes as per Barclay wheels? One of their 'standard' sizes was 3'5" which is a bit of an oddball but I suppose 3'6" (which is a tyre size that would ...