Fitting door handles and hinges

[David Thorpe]

I have just largely completed a Comet LMS suburban coach that I intend to paint in unlined BR crimson. I have fitted door stops and the necessary handrails, but am considering whether I should fit the etched door handles before or after painting. If the coach was to be fully lined, after painting would seem most appropriate, but that would presumably preclude my soldering the door handles in position as the heat of the iron, albeit on the interior of the coach, might well damage the completed exterior paintwork. Even though I really don't like using glue with etched brass, something of that nature would then have to be used to stick the handles in position. However, with this coach it would seem fine to solder the handles in position before painting as there's not going to be any lining with which handles would otherwise interfere. Presumably the handles will not get in the way of an even coating of spray paint.

Then there's door hinges. I'm told - and accept - that these "make all the difference". Each of the 20 doors will presumably require three hinges, all the same (there are none with the kit) and all in perfect line. I'd be very grateful for any information as to how these are best made and fitted.

DT

[Mike Garwood]

Over the last five years I have lived on planet 'hinge'! Having completed twenty odd coaches all with hinges, I have only ever used the hinges from Comet Models. These come on an etch, which includes a stencil that allows you to drill the holes (0.5mm) at the appropriate and consistent height. I've just finished another 5 Collett coaches for LMJ. I'll post some photos when I've more time. A word of warning if you do choose these, you're going to need an asbestos fore finger. Time consuming...ohh yes, worth the effort...to me yes, to others, maybe not.
There is an alternative to Comet from MJT, these don't need to be drilled and can be held in place with glue or varnish.I painted these before I put them onto the coach.
Painting and lining doesn't present a problem with them soldered in place. As to handles and door handles I always put them in after painting and lining is completed, but before a final coat of varnish. My glue for preference is no nails applied with a cocktail stick. It dries clear.
Hope that's of some help.

Mike

[Tim V]

Do all work with soldering iron before painting. You can always scrape the paint off afterwards - that's what I do!

Hinges I make from flattened brass pins fitted into drilled holes. It is crucial that the hinges line up along the length of the coach - a jig is a good investment in time.

[Chris Mitton]

Each of the 20 doors will presumably require three hinges, all the same (there are none with the kit) and all in perfect line. I'd be very grateful for any information as to how these are best made and fitted.
DT

Hi David

In perfect line yes, all the same length no....unless you're building a flat-sided coach, the tumble-home and the need to have the hinge pins in a straight vertical line mean the lower hinges will be significantly longer than the middle (waistline) ones, and if the top of the sides curves inwards as well so will the top ones. Just to make life easy!

As to your request.....the only etched coaches I've built came from D&S - Danny helpfully provided tiny fold-up etches that you fold to a right angle, push through an etched slot (so the tricky lining-up bit was done for me) and solder to the inside of the side. Nice 'n' easy...not! the three coaches needed 126 of the little b*g**rs! If you haven't got a good salty vocabulary when you start, you will when you finish....

Regards
Chris

[David Thorpe]

Thanks for your help and suggestions, everyone. As Comet sadly cannot presently take any orders, I have sent off for some Frogmore Confederacy hinges (out of stock at MJT but available elsewhere).

DT

[spencerman]

Hi everyone
It is very coincidental that this thread should be here as I was planning to start one along similar lines.
I can find very little written word or articles about this subject, although I suspect that 3 out of print books from Wild Swan
may supply the details, but they are not findable - Coach Building Made Easy, and the 4mm coach vol I and 2.

Can anyone be so kind as to post any photos of how to apply these items to brass kits. Also any information on
application to plastic coach sides - both RTR and some Kitmaster Mark 1s in need of restoration and TLC - would
be appreciated.
Many thanks in advance for any help.

Philip

[David Thorpe]

I'm currently building a couple of coaches. One is a Caley Coaches CR full brake, the other a Comet LMS suburban. Both require quite a few door hinges.

The Caley Coaches kit is clearly a bit like the D&S kit Chris tackled in that it came with etched slots and tiny fold up etches. I just couldn't get on with them so instead I got a narrow length of brass strip off an old fret, just wide enough to go through the hinge slots, and pushed that through, soldering it at the back and filing it down at the front - the general principle is shown at http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index. ... -bk-third/, post 23, although the builder there didn't have the advantage of the slots. It turned out to be both easier and quicker than i thought it would be (a rare occurrence) and I'm happy with the result.

One might have thought that as the method in the posting referred to was applied to a Comet suburban I might have used it for mine, but in the absence of both slots and an RSU I've instead decided to drill holes in the appropriate places and use Frogmore Confederacy hinges - http://cspmodels.com/abante/index.php?r ... uct_id=179. These are tiny, but as you can see from the picture they incorporate a tail, approx. 0.5mm, for attaching purposes, and with any luck I should be able to make the holes of a size so that the hinges are a tight fit in them and I can then solder them from the back.

DT

[spencerman]

Thanks for all that DT very helpful indeed.

All I need now is any advice for the plastic sides - something tells me it will be
a little harder as the length of the etch tabs may be insufficient.

Getting close to getting stuck in.......

[Guy Rixon]

If you're gluing hinge tails into drilled holes from the outside, which seems to be recommended approach for plastic sides, then the thickness of the side should not matter.

[Will L]

Beware that the long bottom hinge which sticks out so much further because of the turn under on the coach side needs to go in parallel to the floor not to the side where they are fitted, because of the turn under. Its only two easy to put them flush into the side and find they are all pointing visibly downwards. Very aggravating.

Edied to remove a spell checkers aggregating intervention

[spencerman]

Tks Will and Guy

All understood however I should have said that I hope to use the exquisitely fine Markits turned Door Handles.
However on checking them I see that they have a small ferrule to set them at the right depth, and there seems to be
adequate tail length - but perhaps not for a Limathick coach!!


Thanks everyone
I shall have a go.

Philip