Scalefour Forum

I invested in an Avonside chassis jig last year. Using that together with a GW Models Wheel Press & Quartering Jig, not to mention a High Level gearbox, I managed to produce for the first time a loco that ran sweetly from the start without the need of any tweaking whatever. Highly recommended. DT

Anymore brass stories out there, or do Ultrascale advertise them as some sort of 'in-house' joke? When I was at the Glasgow model railway show this weekend I spoke to the operator of an EM gauge layout who told me that all his locos (diesel) and rolling stock are fitted with brass wheels (albeit no...

For a limited time from 18th February Aldi will be selling a miniature combi drill unit with flexible extension shaft. (http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/2827_13039.htm?WT.mc_id=2010-02-16-11-28) At £12.99 it isn't a bad buy (and nor, at £8.99, is the digital caliper they currently have in stock ...

Tool List buy a caliper gauge, you get very nice digital ones out of places like Liddle at a very reasonable price, once you have one it will surprise you how often you will use it. For anyone who is interested in one of these, Aldi (at least here in Scotland) currently have digital calipers at £8....

Tool List buy a caliper gauge, you get very nice digital ones out of places like Liddle at a very reasonable price, once you have one it will surprise you how often you will use it. For anyone who is interested in one of these, Aldi (at least here in Scotland) currently have digital calipers at £8....

The difficulty with your case, Rodney, is that whatever the arithmetic calculations may point to, actual practice seems to produce a different result. You suggest that the use of EM wheels will cause problems. But Martin (Goodall) was specifically asked at one point: "Are you claiming that by u...

That's all very well, but Martin Goodall assures us that his track is built to P4 standards: "First, my track is built to P4 standards. Flangeway and check rail clearances are all within P4 tolerances; they have not been adjusted in any way to accommodate the EM-profile wheels". As far as ...

A little off topic ("Wagon" suspension), but I assume that while rolling stock with EM profile wheels runs on P4 track, the same cannot be said of locos?

David

I dont see why it should IF as Martin states that he isnt using P4 standards. Which he isn't and indeed hasn't claimed he is here. He is just using EM standards set to a wider gauge. As some P4 modellers model Irish gauge its not the gap between the wheels that defines the standard but the wheels a...

Thanks for that, Tim. John's method seems eminently logical and sensible, and I shall equip myself with some Brassmaster hornblocks and give it a go. Obviously it can't be combined with Mark's split axle method, so I assume that you just split your chassis frames in the usual way and insulate them f...

I'm enjoying this thread very much indeed and (I hope Alan doesn't mind) am printing it out so that i can read it while not at the computer. I wish i could manage two decent running chassis in 10 days - it's taken me all evening struggling with some Gibson sprung hornblocks (I know, I know, but they...

I'm enjoying this thread very much indeed and (I hope Alan doesn't mind) am printing it out so that i can read it while not at the computer. I wish i could manage two decent running chassis in 10 days - it's taken me all evening struggling with some Gibson sprung hornblocks (I know, I know, but they...

I have used the John Brighton system of Brassmasters hornblocks over several locos, amended for split frames, with complete satisfaction. Using his methods I can build a working chassis first time and very quickly. I'm afraid I don't know about the John Brighton system, and I haven't used the Brass...

LesGros wrote:If the frame is live, then insulation must be required to prevent inadvertant shorts through Loco bodies, buffer beams and metal couplings.

If you use the method I have described above, the frames will not be live and insulation will not be required.

David

I'm not sure what you mean by "the additional bits around the hornguides". If you use Mark Humphry's method, you first solder a piece of thin PCB on the inside of the frame over the area where the hornblock cut-out is going to be. You then cut out your hornblock slot, ie cutting through bo...

wouldn't it be easier to use the plastic Exactoscale hornblocks? Alan I'm afraid that I've never seen or used the Exactoscale hornblocks, so I don't know. The PCB method, however, presents no great difficulty and so I doubt if the Exactoscale hornblocks would be any easier - I've looked at the inst...

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...