Scalefour Forum

I'm presently experimenting with the split axle system advocated by Mark Humphrys in E4um back in 2003. He pointed out that many kits nowadays have a very specific way of assembling the frames that could be compromised if the spacers were replaced with PCB. What he wanted to do was to assemble the f...

Thanks, Russ. I had a feeling that brass on brass was not going to be satisfactory. And Andy, Branchlines do do split axles, but rather than one steel tube, as with Bill's, theirs are made up of three separate units, similar to the Society's ones. There must be 1/8th steel tube available somewhere! ...

Good morning everybody - I hope that you all had a good Christmas and are now looking forward to the rigours of Hogmanay! Anyway, I was wondering if there is any reason why brass should not be used for locomotive driving wheel axles? The reason I ask is this. I like split axles and many years ago Bi...

I owe Chris Gibbons an apology. Having said in another thread that my Hudswell Clarke kit didn't include a required 14BA bolt, I've now found it in a pack among some other very small items. Sorry Chris! I haven't done much with the kit over the last few days, but got it out tonight and that ended up...

John Bateson wrote:The connection will be by something like the Express Models 2-pin micro connector.

I've just been looking for something like that - thanks!

David.

Yes, it is a High level kit. So far it has required the use of four bolts - three M2s and a "14BA C/S bolt, cut to about 4mm long". Only two M2 bolts, each about 20mm long, were supplied. I've got a pack of M2s, so they're not a problem, but if I can't get a 14BA bolt at the Dundee show th...

Hope you are enjoying making the locomotive :D - looking forward to seeing the results sometime Thanks. It's the first kit I've built after a lapse of about 15 years and I must admit I'm finding it quite difficult and slow going! I am however making steady progress, although I'm currently held up f...

davebooth wrote:A good investment IMHO

But not, unfortunately, one that I can take up now - they've all gone! Sometimes you've got to be pretty quick to get these Aldi specials. Thanks for the feedback though - they'll come round again and hopefully I'll be quicker of the mark then.

David

Does anyone here ever use a butane soldering torch and if so, are they useful in a modelling context? I ask because Aldi's currently have a 135W mini soldering torch kit among their weekly specials at £12.99 and I'm tempted to get one just in case it's ever required. Although it's by no means a fort...

Thanks for the replies, David and Nigel. The annealing went very smoothly, although thanks to the DIY style blowtorch it also went very quickly and I'm afraid that the brass was red hot in seconds. I allowed it to cool naturally (again, that didn't take long) after which it was all nice and workable...

Making slow but fairly tidy progress with my new Hudswell Clarke kit, I came across the instruction: "Anneal the firebox wrapper and then, using the firebox former as a guide, bend it to shape....." I'm afraid that I haven't done any annealing before. There appear to be a number of theorie...

Having prevuiously said that I was going to reboot my model making by reconstructing an 0-6-0 chassis, I've instead started on a High level Hudswell Clarke 0-4-0ST. On the basis that the High level kits are highly regarded and that instructions are comprehensive, i thought this would be a good reint...

Thanks, Russ. Very helpful, even if rather as I feared!

David.

Like Ralph, I've been away from active modelmaking for quite some time. My old layout, which I intend to refurbish, uses ply and rivet track, and I'd like to upgrade it with cosmetic chairs. I've never actually seen these chairs, however, and just can't get it into my head how they actually work. Wh...

But why handrail knobs? Well, I suppose that, lacking some confidence in my own abilities following a lengthy period when I've done no modelmaking at all, and therefore feeling it best to follow the CLAG instructions to the letter, I gave it no further thought. But now you have got me thinking. The...

2. Others had tried it and hadn't been impressed. No actual evidence for this so what does silence mean. In practice people are usually only to keen to dish the dirt if they think a smart a***s like me is getting it wrong so I say the absence of comment on this one is goes some way to suggesting it...

A little unfair, Will. While there were indeed several posts, only two of them were by people (you being one, thank you) who actually said they used the system. After nearly a week passed with no more, I came to the conclusion that either people weren't interested in it or hadn't been impressed with...

Well, I have to say I'm a bit surprised that only two people on this board apparently use the CSB suspension system! I can only think that the general lack of response indicates that most people either aren't interested in it or have used it but with indifferent results.

DT

Thanks for your reply, David. I have in fact spent quite some time looking at the CLAG site which is why I say that the CSB system seems flawless in theory. I do also read E4um which is a mine of useful information but I think it would have to be a very brave man indeed to post anything there that w...

I'm about to rebuild an 0-6-0 chassis that has never worked well. It incorporated Sharman-style rigid beam compensation on two axles, with the rear driven axle fixed. I've decided not to use that again and would prefer to use a more modern system of springing. I have a packet of Alan Gibson hornbloc...

Again, thanks very much, everyone. I've decided to get the best of both worlds - because I got the Maplin soldering station so cheap, I've also ordered an Antex 25w iron with 3mm bit and the combination should equip me for most tasks. I may graduate to the Antex station at a later date..... As to cl...

Thanks for these helpful replies, everyone - I thought you'd all be out gardening as I have been required to do! Keith, the Maplin offer seems too good to miss and, based on your recommendation, I've gone for it. As I've never tried temperature controlled soldering before, £30 seems a very modest pr...

Happy Easter, everyone! Now that I'm back into some serious railway modelling, I've decided (probably on the basis that a bad workman always blames his tools) that my soldering irons are not really up to scratch. I've got an 18 watt Antex, which is good for very small items but not much else, and a ...

Thanks for all this, guys - unfortunately, decent model shops are few and far between round here, so it's an extra incentive to try to get down to Scalefour North this year (Scaleforum is just that bit too far).

I'm now making some progress on this and have dealt with the driving wheels. However, I'm a bit stuck with regard to tender wheels that require 2mm axles and which I would also like to pick up current. The problem is that I have been unable to source 2mm split axles and have been unable to think of ...