Scalefour Forum

Howard,

Truly, a Work of Art.....

Brilliant..

Steve

"May the Flange be with you....."?

The dismantling and move sounds potentially daunting Martin; very best wishes that it all goes smoothly - your thread here maintains a very high standard of inspiration. Hope you are able to keep up the lovely work without too much distraction and interruption.

All best,

Steve

Tim,

Brilliant news about Slaters 4mm.......

Many thanks,

Steve

Hi Howard, I had to smile at your reference to eutectic alloys! In fact I had a fair bit to do with multi-element phase diagrams as a geology student - but nothing to do with them in six years as a research metallurgist! (I transferred electron microscopy/microanalysis skills between disciplines). E...

Thanks for the detail Howard, it is indeed Ag-free. Made in Taiwan, I note. I gather from Squires that my order is now on the way at last, one of a 'surge' sent out this last week (?!), including a replacement for my dwindling tube. The Dencon stuiff does now sound as if it will be a stand-by at lea...

Thanks Jim - simple but brilliant...

Will do!

Cheers,

Steve

In Googling, I have failed to find a reference to the melting point of this Sn-0.75Cu lead-free solder, which has been lurking in the armoury a fair while. I think it was a Maplin's job, coiled in a tube with a green cap. As I await a long-delayed Squires order, and my supply of 222deg solder dwindl...

Ha - thanks Paul. But no - it just means I will (hopefully) be spending a fraction of the time I have spent these last 18 years in laboriously scraping off excess solder? Actually, much of that saving will also be attributed to following David's meticulous attention to minimising the amount of solde...

As the proud new owner of a LRM RSU, still awaiting unpacking, may I just say how invaluable all this advice and experience is proving. I have still a few more urgent tasks to deal with, but am looking forward to putting this to use, particularly with some rather nice MR clerestory coach kits at the...

Phoned Hobby's Monday am; they sounded surprised, suggested I return the chucks - no apologies for inconvenience. Sent them recorded delivery that afternoon, with my mobile and landline phone numbers. Tracking showed Hobby's received the faulty chucks Tuesday morning; no communication from them duri...

I recall seeing Mike's model in bare metal at a West Group meet (1980s?), and I remember it being primarily nickel silver?

Steve

Minicraft drill, replacement chucks from Hobby's - beware, and check it if you have one unused! Delighted to receive two replacement keyless chucks from Hobby's this week; but now considerably disappointed. Both run far from true when fitted to my Minicraft drill, while my previous chuck runs concen...

NIgel, thanks - and especially for that fascinating link! Given that (3 hours heavy snow imminently forecast) I am taking a loco body down to Sheffield for a mate to turn up some replacement boiler fittings, that is highly relevant for me.

I will see about getting one under way....

Regards,

Steve

Just to complete the Minicraft drill query; thanks again Jol, I have this morning ordered two chucks from Hobby's.

They advise me that they have taken over the production of the Minicraft range themselves, so future availability should be assured.

Cheers,

Steve

That is simply superb, Jeremy. I can empathise heartily, as I am still wrestling with a Falcon Brass MR Railmotor and trailer; started 2012, shelved 2014 and only recently pushed towards completion. 'You are a braver man than I, Gunga Suter'! Although my MkII motor bogie uses the Falcon sideframes, ...

Thanks Jol, I will give them a try now...

Steve

Squires inform me that Minicraft range and spares are now unavailable? I need a replacement keyless chuck, MB 1932, as my current (replacement) one is so worn that it will not grip properly. Has anyone had experience of substituting other makes of chuck on a Minicraft drill, please? Many thanks, Steve

And with, eg. 'Protocab' and battery power......

!!!!!

"Beam me down, Scottie"

Thanks guys, Robin, Rob, brilliant - very useful! Tim - yes indeed; I guess dad logged the shedplates where he could, but in many cases (eg. not at Bristol, Holbeck) would not know the precise coding significance. As BC notes, on other Railways the code-names would be more intuitive eg SDN, DID etc....

Is there a readily web-accessible list of the shed codes in use by the LMS (LNER, SR and GWR also would be useful, to a lesser extent) in 1943-45, please? I am in the process of tracing my late father's rail travels/spotting logs as a 16/17 year old in this period, primarily between Poole and York, ...

Tim,

All my references are packed away for moving - but I think they may be at Midland Railway Study Centre in Derby (NOT Midland Railway Centre at Butterley...) - just possibly, the NRM..

Will try to chase for you!

Great stuff, am following all this avidly,

Cheers

Steve

Just when I was thinking I had an excuse NOT to model the actual pithead in my emerging plan to show my version of what happened to the Clandown branch when Middle Pit, Radstock, was altered early in the twentieth century....

Nice one, Rob; will be following with considerable interest.

Steve

Quite right, Howard! Sorry, but had briefly emerged from frantic box-packing and only picked up the later postings...

Stunning trackwork, as well.......

Cheers,

Steve

Strong magnet in body behind headcode number, white-painted stee/tinplate cover panel, handled with plastic tweezers?

Back to my pre-Group 'kettles'.......

Steve