Scalefour Forum

Good morning all,

I have a largish lever frame built from the SHAG parts which is now ready for painting. The question is :-

Assuming I can clean all the soldering gunge out of the frame using some Vim and not a little Vigour, should it be painted all around and through, or would the top and ends suffice? What have others done.
I propose to use Red Oxide Primer with Satin finish black on top and then some satin varnish. Then put it all back together and connect up the micro-switches.

How much of the lever itself should be painted the appropriate colour, just the handle leaving the nickel silver to quietly gleam?

John

John,
I painted the outside only, black satin, leaving the uppermost parts of the slots unpainted, where they would get worn.

As to the levers, the handles were always left bright metal, and signalmen used cloths in their hands when pulling the levers to avoid contaminating them.

The levers themselves had distinquishing colours, of course.

Jim

Jim,
I think I have confused myself with nomenclature. To me the lever I was worried about painting was that small bit at the top which lifted the tappet.

I have now been put right.

John

John Bateson wrote:Good morning all,

I have a largish lever frame built from the SHAG parts which is now ready for painting.

Hiya John

Just Interested reading your thread, and wondered where the frame you made originated from(SHAG).

I have looked at the MSE frame and the interlocking frame from the Australian company, sorry cant remember their name. Also, the Brassmasters Frame.

Any chance of some pictures, would be very grateful.

Welcome any more options

Regards

Dave

The frame is made by the South Hereford Area Group of the Society - or SHAG - and is available from the stores or events which the Stores attends such as Scalefour North in Wakefield.
Prices have gone up slightly, the 5-lever frame is now £17 and you will need 5 suitable handles to glue or solder on the top - the ones from the stores look fine to me and are (I think) 70p each.

I have the main frame painted ready to receive the levers and microswitches. The levers are as we speak in the conservatory being primed with U-POL (available from Halfords) which somebody here recommended and seems to work just fine.

I can do pictures if you wish

John

Hi John

Thanks for your prompt reply.

As a P4 member, is it possible to order these from your Group, and also, how, When I'm ready to make them.

Some pictures would be great, when convient. Dont want to interupt your painting/finishing of these.

Dave

Hi,
I am not a member of SHAG, they are the other end of Wales to me.
However the ordering details are at http://www.scalefour.org/members/strsord.htm which is in the Member's Area of the Society Web.

Hi John

Thanks so much for the picture, which shows a very nicely made frame. I would be chuffed with that.

I had no Idea that was available from the p4 Society... It looks a lot less complicated to put together, than the Mse Frame .

So glad I came across your thread.

Many thanks

Dave