Gibson LMS Compound

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Julian Roberts
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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby Julian Roberts » Wed Apr 29, 2020 1:10 pm

Cheers Philip - I think it's all in vain unless it's visible on the end product which depends on one's sight! - and viewing distance, lighting, etc, so when I paint it I'll make the colours lighter than they should really be. Even then with my normal glasses on I may not see it, but with music or computer screen glasses I will; but Allan Goodwillie for example can see such details with his normal sight, so everyone's different.

Here is my stab at making balance weights technique. Wheel diameter is inside the rim of course. Length of balance weight (BW) is according to number of spokes it covers. I'm not getting too OCD about this because almost every picture seems to show slightly different weights. I scale the thickness/width from the photo. So just remains to stick the template(s) to a piece of metal and cut/file them out.

Probably there are better techniques out there somewhere!?
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Philip Hall
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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby Philip Hall » Wed Apr 29, 2020 2:34 pm

Unless they’re provided in an etched kit or an accessory etch I can use, I never use metal for balance weights - it’s just too much hard work. I use a compass cutter like you have to cut them from thin Plastikard, held on with Loctite Gel superglue. I tend to keep them to 10 thou as it’s easier to cut through, but thicker ones can of course be cut.

Many of the sizes I’ve needed have come from Ultrascale’s little laser cutter for a few pence. That’s helpful because I dislike the job intensely. I am presently half way through converting a couple of 00 Works LSWR D15 4-4-0s to EM and P4, and I was delighted to discover that the prototypes didn’t have any balance weights!

Philip

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Horsetan
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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby Horsetan » Wed Apr 29, 2020 8:56 pm

Julian Roberts wrote:....almost every picture seems to show slightly different weights....


Somewhat OT, but your photo of 41071 also suggests that the engine had both Fowler (leading) and Stanier (trailing) driving wheels - the latter with its triangular-bevelled rim is the giveaway in the photo.
That would be an ecumenical matter.

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Julian Roberts
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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby Julian Roberts » Thu Apr 30, 2020 5:30 am

https://www.ultrascale.uk/eshop/products/CAT031

Philip I'd not been aware of these products - thanks for the tip, though looking online I think it might take as long to choose which one to buy as to make them, and then I wonder what the delivery time is currently! Yes of course it's more sensible to make them from plastic than metal, but I don't have any plastic sheet the right thickness, and I worried whether plastic from yoghurt pots or whatever would survive the painting process. At least I can make them in pairs soldered together in metal, but yes I agree it's darned time consuming.

Ivan, yes and two different types of balance weights fix to those different wheels.

Here is the drawing for the rear wheel BW where my process is a little clearer.
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Horsetan
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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby Horsetan » Thu Apr 30, 2020 9:04 am

Julian Roberts wrote:....and two different types of balance weights fix to those different wheels.....


It was a bit easier for them to have fabricated balance weights by pouring the lead in between the plates and then balancing that. The earlier cast-in weights must have been a real task to balance properly.
That would be an ecumenical matter.

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Julian Roberts
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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby Julian Roberts » Wed May 06, 2020 4:29 pm

In the process of getting 8 years grime removed, for painting
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Le Corbusier
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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby Le Corbusier » Wed May 06, 2020 6:12 pm

Julian Roberts wrote:In the process of getting 8 years grime removed, for painting

Thats looking very good now to my eyes ... :thumb
Tim Lee

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Julian Roberts
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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby Julian Roberts » Fri May 15, 2020 8:12 pm

Thanks Tim :)

Can't decide which of various threads to ask this question on so here goes -

I wonder what people think about painting the chassis with IPA alcohol used (drizzled about with a paintbrush) as the final cleaning agent? Photo taken a couple of hours after I did the tender chassis. Loco chassis was painted already but now has extra bits on.
20200515_202812.jpg


Loco and tender successfully primed (I hope...)
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Philip Hall
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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby Philip Hall » Sat May 16, 2020 11:10 am

I usually paint chassis by hand before the wheels go on. I use a matt black rattle can, shaken a bit and then some paint sprayed into the lid, which I then apply with an old brush. If the paint thickens it can be reactivated with a drop of cellulose thinners. If the wheels are already on then the brush can be poked around them; the same for the brake gear and other fiddly bits. Once the basic black finish is on I add the final weathered finish with Humbrol acrylics.

Once I’ve got an engine running nicely I am very loathe to take wheels off and the like so this approach seems to work for both home built and RTR engines.

Philip

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Le Corbusier
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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby Le Corbusier » Sat May 16, 2020 11:17 am

Is it my eyes ... or has some of the primer gunged up some of your beautiful scratch built detailing :?
Tim Lee

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Andy W
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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby Andy W » Sat May 16, 2020 8:22 pm

Blue tack is very useful to mask small details and the inside of locomotive buffers. To keep coach buffers clean the sharp end of a toothpick does the job.
Make Worcestershire great again.
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Andy W
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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby Andy W » Sun May 17, 2020 7:16 am

However your paint finish looks really good Julian.
Make Worcestershire great again.
Build a wall along the Herefordshire border and make them pay for it.

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Julian Roberts
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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby Julian Roberts » Sun May 17, 2020 5:27 pm

Thanks Philip Andy and Tim - I think (hope) you were seeing the blutac Tim and missed the small print font explanation under the photo.

Chassis now primed. I spray it on Philip and move the wheels between coats. I did paint the chassis already but before wheels and brake gear. Unlike my Crab all the gubbins is fixed on for good. Time will tell if the IPA final cleaning was effective.
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Julian Roberts
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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby Julian Roberts » Mon May 18, 2020 8:44 pm

"Let not the ideal be the enemy of the good" - I'm a believer in the good enough philosophy. As in the Bardfield Chronicles final instalment in the current Snooze. This may not be perfect but as I see it just now it'll do for me this time round. Next step lining but I'll let the paint harden. The Halfords tin says two weeks.

20200518_170458.jpg
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Will L
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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby Will L » Mon May 18, 2020 9:48 pm

Julian Roberts wrote:It took me more than an hour to get the wheels treads unpainted so hopefully the rest is as well keyed in.

Common or garden masking tape is good stuff Julian, perhaps not good enough for pin sharp body side masking when using an airbrush, but I find a thin strip of masking tape wrapped round the wheel treads saves lots of time.

Locos definitely looking good.

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Le Corbusier
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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby Le Corbusier » Mon May 18, 2020 9:55 pm

Wonderful Julian :thumb just a pity it isn't Crimson Lake ;)
Tim Lee

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Julian Roberts
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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby Julian Roberts » Tue May 19, 2020 10:59 am

Thanks guys - Tim there was one Compound that kept its red livery into BR days but it wasn't one based in Scotland. It would have been nice! But probably the owner wouldn't think it would do for "Kettlewell" (strictly Midland era) with a lion on wheel. So in spite of the temptation it's black, and I'll just have to try to make it interesting with Allan' Goodwillie's inspiration - he's promising the weathering class on his next Wemyss locos thread update. :)

Will, yes, Allan suggests Maskol, but I didn't because I needed to be able to roll the chassis along between coats, and I reckoned any masking stuff would jam up against the brakes. Definitely easier to paint a chassis where the wheels can drop out! As I said before, no more chassis for me with any wheels in a fixed bearing!

I'm attaching these two pictures showing the tender/loco heights adjusted to more or less acceptable on the left side, and pretty much correct on the right.

Fallplate will get fixed on last with crew.
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Julian Roberts
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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby Julian Roberts » Thu Mar 11, 2021 2:32 pm

Hopefully the paint has dried sufficiently. This poor old Compound keeps getting put aside and I've decided to interrupt the Kyle layout project to finish it. Here is the first effort at lining. I've assembled several bits of Modelmaster transfers here. I wonder whether anyone has any hints other than sending it to a professional. I will touch in the tiny breaks with a paint brush or pin. I started with the tender which was quite straightforward. The transfers haven't been varnished over yet, they're scarcely dry. Photos on Jim's Bretell Road thread are supplying some inspiration viewtopic.php?f=142&t=3805&start=575


20210311_132833.jpg

20210311_132804.jpg


I'm editing this with a quote from Jeremy Suter about preparation for painting

Jeremy Suter wrote:Not sure why you are cleaning uncut etches unless they have been handled allot and its the finger grease etc. to be removed. Why not just dip it in Citric Acid and wash off with water.

I use flux to clean the parts to be soldered together. Neutralize flux with Methylated Spirit clean the model for painting first in a Sonic bath of Citric Acid or Cilit bang then and soap and water to remove the Acid and water to remove the soap.

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Julian Roberts
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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby Julian Roberts » Mon Nov 15, 2021 10:15 am

Compound was put on the back burner yet again as I wasn't sure about this lining. Fox offer to do a bespoke transfer set for £75 but I decided not to go down that route, instead getting their standard pack. There have been two people showing the Bachmann version here recently. I wish I could just send this to Bachmann to get that standard of lining! I've now lined the left side with the Fox transfers. I realised that 40938 has more angled corners to the lining than some others which makes the job more practical. Now I need to somehow smooth off where there is a quite obvious join.
img20191208_20141995.jpg

20211114_215205.jpg
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Julian Roberts
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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby Julian Roberts » Fri Nov 26, 2021 8:18 pm

Loco ready for weathering, hopefully with Allan Goodwillie in a tutorial shared with our "Starters Group". Don't know what's going on with the tender centre wheel - investigation needed. I've varnished the transfers, obviously a lot of toning down to be done.
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Dave Holt
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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby Dave Holt » Sat Nov 27, 2021 12:35 am

Can't see anything glaringly wrong with the tender centre wheel, Julian. What do you think is the problem that needs investigation?
Dave.

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Julian Roberts
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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby Julian Roberts » Sat Nov 27, 2021 10:23 am

Hi Dave - I see the tender wheels don't line up very well with the cosmetic axleboxes. I think the paintjob heightens this as it wasn't at all obvious to me at the finishing stage pre-painting. But this has reminded me that aeons ago when I bought this kit already half constructed I saw this problem and decided not to strip it back to bare bones. I even wonder if the frames could be back to front as the centre wheel isn't symmetrical in the cutouts. Anyway I'm certainly not changing anything now!
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Dave Holt
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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby Dave Holt » Sat Nov 27, 2021 11:15 am

Ah, yes. Now you've pointed it out I can see the issue. In fact, to me it looks as if all the wheels are rather too near the front of the tender. Perhaps you can find a way of moving the inner chassis (if there is one) relative to the body/external frames?
Dave.

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Julian Roberts
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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby Julian Roberts » Sun Nov 28, 2021 8:16 am

Yes Dave I probably could have done back whenever it was I acquired this kit and was finishing the tender construction (it was already mostly complete unlike the loco). But I couldn't face it then and certainly can't face it now! I take comfort that I had to point out the fault to even such a modeller as you! I now have Rule No 2 which is "never buy a half made kit" and Rule No 3 "let not the ideal be the enemy of the good". Rule No 1 will see this loco hauling trains at Kyle :D

I think the eye is drawn to the problem by the wheel being at present a lighter colour whereas before painting the bright brass frame etc was the focus. So I'll get the weathering to do the same, and highlight the axleboxes and framing.

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Re: Gibson LMS Compound

Postby garethashenden » Sun Nov 28, 2021 2:35 pm

Julian Roberts wrote:I think the eye is drawn to the problem by the wheel being at present a lighter colour whereas before painting the bright brass frame etc was the focus. So I'll get the weathering to do the same, and highlight the axleboxes and framing.


I think the eye is drawn to the wheels by two hanging lower than one. When its on the track I doubt it will be noticeable, even square on.


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