Scalefour Forum

Flymo748 wrote:....However I'm going to experiment in advance with this silver conductive paint that I have and see whether covering the entire back of the wheel will provide sufficient conductivity for it to work effectively. I have plenty of spare wheels to test this with so shall dig out my Round Tuit later today...

I seem to remember that conductive silver paint had its day in the seventies but didn't prove all that successful. Fortunately I don't remember the details.

Will L wrote:

Flymo748 wrote:....However I'm going to experiment in advance with this silver conductive paint that I have and see whether covering the entire back of the wheel will provide sufficient conductivity for it to work effectively. I have plenty of spare wheels to test this with so shall dig out my Round Tuit later today...

I seem to remember that conductive silver paint had its day in the seventies but didn't prove all that successful. Fortunately I don't remember the details.

I'm surprised most people remember anything of the Seventies, from what I've been told For me it was just blackouts from the strikes, and the long hot summer. But at primary school I wasn't paying much attention to the physics of split chassis...

Anyway, here we go with a gash wheel and axle. I'm going to apply several coats, giving them time to dry, and see where we go from there.



I have some thoughts on how this will work well with CSB style of construction, and the ability to drop the wheelsets out. Watch this space...

Cheers
Flymo

So, with the brakegear taking shape, and settling down in sections, it was time to put it to one side and turn to the bodywork on the locomotive.



My good friend Carlos at CHEAG (my local Area Group, as a opposed to NEEAG, which is my distant Area Group) has kindly sent me an excellent set of research notes on the E22 class which he had prepared from all sorts of sources. They included some really detailed high-resolution photos for me to work from. Conveniently, they included views of both sides of GER 151, albeit a few years apart. So my locomotive clearly now has a definite identity.



It was then down to business with identifying the various body fittings on the photo and matching them up to the components I had. The Connoisseur kit included a full set of castings. However I was taking the opportunity to upgrade them to the more crisp lost-wax brass castings from Alan Gibson where available. In this case, it was back to the whitemetal though, cleaned up to remove the fine moult lines.



Ah, that's Liverpool Street station, and time to go to work! More next time...
Cheers
Flymo

I'll be interested in seeing the results of your conducting paint, I've never had any success with it.

You can also get black conductive paint, suggested by a friend. I haven't tried it yet but may have reason to do so soon.

e.g. http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/20002 ... 1476177873

Will L wrote:I seem to remember that conductive silver paint had its day in the seventies but didn't prove all that successful. Fortunately I don't remember the details.

Silver conductive paint needs to be built up in several extremely thin layers, the thinner the better. That seems counter-intuitive, but the reason is that it contains tiny flakes of silver. They need to be in electrical contact with each other, and that only happens if brushed out very thinly. If put on thick, each flake is insulated from its neighbour by a layer of resin.

Martin.

Armchair Modeller wrote:You can also get black conductive paint, suggested by a friend. I haven't tried it yet but may have reason to do so soon.
e.g. http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/20002 ... 1476177873

That's resistive paint, containing carbon. It's no good as a conductor for our purposes.

Martin.

Hi,
There is something called 'wire glue', that works but not much good as a glue. Having said that I've only ever used it occasionally with smd leds, where the current is miniscule compared with a loco. It does sound very similar to the Farnell offering.

Martin Wynne wrote:

Armchair Modeller wrote:You can also get black conductive paint, suggested by a friend. I haven't tried it yet but may have reason to do so soon.
e.g. http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/20002 ... 1476177873

That's resistive paint, containing carbon. It's no good as a conductor for our purposes.

Martin.

Thanks Martin - glad I mentioned it before buying!

Martin Wynne wrote:

Will L wrote:I seem to remember that conductive silver paint had its day in the seventies but didn't prove all that successful. Fortunately I don't remember the details.

Silver conductive paint needs to be built up in several extremely thin layers, the thinner the better. That seems counter-intuitive, but the reason is that it contains tiny flakes of silver. They need to be in electrical contact with each other, and that only happens if brushed out very thinly. If put on thick, each flake is insulated from its neighbour by a layer of resin.

Martin.

Thanks Martin. By chance, before your post arrived I was trying the technique of very thin layers. Part of the motivation was to ensure I didn't affect the back-to-back in any way through a lumpy finish.

I'm also helped by the silver paint being very thin indeed. It's more like painting with thinners than painting with varnish.

I'm up to four layers now, and it looks very promising.

Cheers
Flymo

Will L wrote:I seem to remember that conductive silver paint had its day in the seventies but didn't prove all that successful. ..Fortunately I don't remember the details.

Just noted the missing Un... Hay Ho,

And I had thought it was just a nice line in dry humour, Will....!

Cheers

Steve

And back to the Buckjumper locomotive body build at Missenden...

One of the characteristics of the prototype I'm building is the handrail at the front of the locomotive is in three sections, not the more usual single continuous rail. The handrail on the front of the smokebox is separate and circular. It's also quite close to both the edge of the smokebox itself, and the front face of it.

I judged the location of the three handrail knobs by eye, and carefully drilled the holes with a 0.4mm drill in a pin-vice. The holes needed a touch with a reamer and then I could fit the Short version of Alan Gibson handrail knobs. However before fitting these, I had to make the handrail itself.

If you're forming a circular handrail between your fingers, it can often end up looking kinked or uneven. As this was a separate section, and I didn't have to worry about a straight leg on either side, I could employ something for better effect. So I borrowed a set of GW Models rolling bars from Tony Gee - the great thing about Missenden is someone will *always* have the tool you left at home. I fed in some 0.45 nickel silver wire, and rolled...



The end result was a nice smooth curve.



I cut it to slightly over length, for later trimming back, slid the three handrail knobs on, and secured them in their holes with the faintest touch of 100 degree solder. I'm quite pleased with the result, shown here balanced on a Missenden Mug (no, not Tim Shackleton...).



So that was how things finished after the very productive weekend. But inspired, I made more progress at home in the next couple of days...
Cheers
Flymo

...and delivered a free carrier bag. With some content which will make very pleasurable reading.



I may be quiet for some time...

Cheers
Flymo

Flymo748 wrote: With some content which will make very pleasurable reading

I have got to wait for a few weeks to start reading mine since it is an anniversary present but I could be very tempted... .

Flymo748 wrote: I may be quiet for some time... Flymo

A thought to be savoured.!

Terry Bendall

No, not me. Although in the months since Missenden I've been persuaded to do more running, so spare time tends to be taken up that, and after a 10k race I definitely felt worse for wear.

However I've also found a little bit of time to fit the final body components onto my Buckjumper. The E22 research photos sent to me by Carlos have been a superb reference. There are pictures of both sides of number 151, so that is what I have used to identify the relevant components to fit, and where to place them. There appear to have been a lot of variations!

So this is the finished body:







The colouration is the result of using Carrs Surface Cleaner to really shift all of the crud, grease, and so on before it has a final clean and the painting starts. The cab roof, and the backhead, are separate fittings which will be painted separately and fixed later.

There are a couple more things to mention along the way, so I'll post those when I have a little more time.

Cheers
Flymo

Hi Paul,

It looks very nice your E22, and very detailed! I look forward to see it painted. Glad that my document was of help. I've been very busy during the last months, and things are not going to improve (life running around me, not me running ). But I've managed to finish the second MR van and nearly finish the GE wool wagon (just a few paint touches away...), featuring your buffers and axleboxes/springs. I imagine you are aware that Fox transfers is preparing some GE transfers, including this wagon!

Now I'm pondering if starting my E22 engine at last , and, at my pace, continue it for a couple of years (at least) or to move to the next wagon, something I could finish in a few months...

Carlos

Carlos wrote:Hi Paul,

It looks very nice your E22, and very detailed! I look forward to see it painted. Glad that my document was of help. I've been very busy during the last months, and things are not going to improve (life running around me, not me running ). But I've managed to finish the second MR van and nearly finish the GE wool wagon (just a few paint touches away...), featuring your buffers and axleboxes/springs. I imagine you are aware that Fox transfers is preparing some GE transfers, including this wagon!

Now I'm pondering if starting my E22 engine at last , and, at my pace, continue it for a couple of years (at least) or to move to the next wagon, something I could finish in a few months...

Hi Carlos,

I'm pleased to hear that you have some spare time for modelling. I can imagine that the boys keep your hands very full in the evenings and weekends!

I have heard about the GER transfers from Fox. Were you also aware of this initiative from a chap called Marcus over on RMWeb?

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/13361-ger-wagon-transfers/?p=2463010

I have a couple of sets of transfers from him, and they look very good. Now I just need to build the wagons!

I can't remember about your E22. Who was the kit manufacturer? The Connoisseur one went together very well, but needed a couple of modifications to make it suitable for the GER period. However you do gain an awful lot of whitemetal castings which you do not need to use... Condensing pipes, valves, etc, etc.

Cheers
Flymo

Hi Paul,

Yes, I try to do something MINE sometimes, and not only running after kites or doing maths homeworks . But productivity is very low, even in the maths front...

Yes, you are true, I got in contact with that Marcus and I also got a sheet for the D17 wagon (but no wagon yet...) He told be about Fox and the wool wagon.

My E22 kit is from London Road Models. It is, I think, the first kit designed by Iain Rice, so a kind of cult one... It looks very nice, and also plenty of castings and options for different periods. I think GER period should be straightforward. I also bought wheels (approximate ones from Gibson), motor, couplings... and a Poppy's "loco builders box"

Carlos

When looking for a quartering problem, don't overlook the obvious.

Faced with a pronounced stall on the very first test run after fitting the DCC chip and uniting the body and the chassis, do check that in putting the two together, you haven't squeezed the front steps on each side slightly together, and they are now fouling the front crankpin nut.

DAMHIK...



Cheers
Flymo

PS - yes, it's been a busy summer, but now it's time to come back with a little modelling

Very nice little engine. And as I looked at it coincidentally my own blue one was sitting next to the computer. Mine is private owner though, and the undercarriage is far from the stage yours is at. those little vertical pipes on the sides of the boiler: mine are copper (with a black top) and I just discovered AK Interactives True Metal, a wax based stuff that you can polish, which is excellent. I just tried photographing them and became aware how untrue the colour on my camera is, so no image unfortunately as they just look like whitemetal.

Just to say, it's amazing what a weekend at Missenden does for your modelling motivation



Cheers!
Flymo

In response to a question asked on the EMGS Q&A board, this is a post to illustrate how I insulate gearbox sides with a Rizla cigarette paper and superglue...



Cheers
Flymo

And also in response to an EMGS Q&A:



Insulating a DCC chip using heatshrink tube.

Cheers
Flymo

Blimey!

Where did 18 months go to?

It's not as though I've done _no_ modelling in the intervening time, but it's been a fairly fallow time. And no, that doesn't mean I've been studying Barry Norman and Gordon Gravett for landscaping.

That little Buckjumper was finally finished. When it's daylight, I'll take a picture or two... But coming up soon, the documenting of another weekend at Missenden. A story board tale of key points of the build, as it were. Partly in answer to a comment made over on the EMGS forum by someone about to jump into their first High Level kit build.

As they say around here, and now for something completely different...

Cheers
Flymo