Beer and Buckjumpers

User avatar
Paul Willis
Forum Team
Posts: 3031
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 6:00 pm

Getting there...

Postby Paul Willis » Thu Jul 16, 2015 9:48 pm

Well, after a lot of scraping of solder, and cutting and hacking, the Calf Van was reduced to a minimum. Every time I thought that I had reached a point of satisfaction, I found another element that I wanted to remove to improve it.

You may have seen the partly rebuilt van over on MikeH's Forum thread about starter wagon kits, where it made a brief appearance.

Now it's finished apart from adding weight and a roof. I assume that the roof was originally etched brass, and included with the kit. However like many casting details, this wasn't with it when I acquired the part-built kit.

So tonight I've been out with ruler and set-square, piercing saw and files, and started cutting out the roof from a piece of sheet brass.

IMG_1536.JPG


I've started squaring it off, and if I have time tomorrow I'll measure the arc of the roof and mark it out to size. I've already pulled the trusty GW Models rolling bars out of storage, and I expect that the actual rolling of it to shape will be the quickest and simplest thing to do...

Cheers
Flymo
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Beware of Trains - occasional modelling in progress!
www.5522models.co.uk

User avatar
David B
Posts: 1508
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 5:30 pm

Re: Another Round...

Postby David B » Fri Jul 17, 2015 6:51 am

I cut rooves using a Stanley knife, scoring it deeply then bending. I hold the brass in bending bars to break the piece off which keeps the edge flat. On thicker brass I have scored from both sides. The edges need touching up with a file, but it is quick and straightforward. The drawback is that you have to cut a strip but offcuts are useable elsewhere so waste is minimal.

User avatar
John Bateson
Posts: 807
Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:39 pm

Re: Another Round...

Postby John Bateson » Fri Jul 17, 2015 7:41 am

Something to look out for with the GW bending rollers - while the centre of the roof may be fine, at the edges where there is no continuous support from a second roller the roof curve may not be a steep as it is supposed to be - exactly where sometimes it needs to be.
Consider annealing the roof first then rolling and finish off the edges with a bit of camper mat and a small bar of brass.
John
Slaving away still on GCR stuff ...

Terry Bendall
Forum Team
Posts: 2416
Joined: Sun Jul 27, 2008 7:46 am

Re: Another Round...

Postby Terry Bendall » Sun Jul 19, 2015 7:48 am

David B wrote:I cut rooves using a Stanley knife, scoring it deeply then bending


Depends of course how thick the brass sheet is. Even using 10 thou this will take some time. An alternative is to us tin snips (scissors for metal) They may put a slight curve on the metal but this can easily be flattened. Safer than using a knife. :)

Terry Bendall

User avatar
Paul Willis
Forum Team
Posts: 3031
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 6:00 pm

Re: Another Round...

Postby Paul Willis » Sun Jul 19, 2015 7:58 am

David B wrote:I cut rooves using a Stanley knife, scoring it deeply then bending. I hold the brass in bending bars to break the piece off which keeps the edge flat. On thicker brass I have scored from both sides. The edges need touching up with a file, but it is quick and straightforward. The drawback is that you have to cut a strip but offcuts are useable elsewhere so waste is minimal.


Thanks David!

That's a really useful tip. In fact, dare I suggest that I can improve on it?

My Stanley knife is down in the motorbike tool chest in the garage, so I had a quick look around. Knowing that a normal modelling scalpel would not be stout enough I chanced upon the scribing cutter that I use for plasticard. It turned out that brass is soft enough for this to work effectively and as well as some really tiny coils of thin brass which I can think of no earthly use, it produced a really clean groove that was easily snap through:

IMG_8635.JPG


So now I have a lovely square sheet of brass that I can role in the rolling bars very quickly. I think later today I shall be wielding the soldering iron…

Cheers,
Flymo
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Beware of Trains - occasional modelling in progress!
www.5522models.co.uk

User avatar
Andy W
Posts: 884
Joined: Thu May 21, 2009 8:11 am

Re: Another Round...

Postby Andy W » Sun Jul 19, 2015 10:37 am

Probably an obvious thing to say but...... I always cut a roof from thin card before I reach for the brass to check the overhang looks right. In the past I've cut some too short/long - but that's probably just my bodging style.
Make Worcestershire great again.
Build a wall along the Herefordshire border and make them pay for it.

User avatar
Paul Willis
Forum Team
Posts: 3031
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 6:00 pm

Re: Another Round...

Postby Paul Willis » Sun Jul 19, 2015 10:57 am

Andy W wrote:Probably an obvious thing to say but...... I always cut a roof from thin card before I reach for the brass to check the overhang looks right. In the past I've cut some too short/long - but that's probably just my bodging style.


Post-it notes.

That tackiness along one edge acts as a very useful third hand when trying to line it all up and mark it accurately.

One thing that I have done on this roof which is not apparent on the prototype is to round off *very* slightly the corners. It may not be strictly accurate, but it does stop me bleeding all over the model at a future date...

Cheers
Flymo
Beware of Trains - occasional modelling in progress!
www.5522models.co.uk

User avatar
David B
Posts: 1508
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 5:30 pm

Re: Another Round...

Postby David B » Sun Jul 19, 2015 11:44 am

I never thought of using a scriber. I think I will stick with the Stanley, though, because the blade does blunten and it is easier to change.

Rounding the corner is a good move. Not doing so makes everything so sticky.

User avatar
Paul Willis
Forum Team
Posts: 3031
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 6:00 pm

Re: Another Round...

Postby Paul Willis » Sun Jul 19, 2015 12:57 pm

David B wrote:I never thought of using a scriber. I think I will stick with the Stanley, though, because the blade does blunten and it is easier to change.


Which made me think that I don't have any spare blades for the scriber/cutter at the moment.

Ten minutes on That Interweb found that they appear to be difficult to obtain from a source in the UK. However thanks to the joys of international commerce, I now should have three packs each of five blades winging their way to me from deepest, darkest Poland...

If they turn out to be what they claim to be, and they turn up (I'm currently receiving a series of apologetic emails from the supplier in China of a 99p part for the strimmer carburettor for the garden...) then it will be a bit of a result for £2.07 per pack, and just over three quid for postage!

Cheers
Flymo
Beware of Trains - occasional modelling in progress!
www.5522models.co.uk

User avatar
David B
Posts: 1508
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 5:30 pm

Re: Another Round...

Postby David B » Sun Jul 19, 2015 3:17 pm

Terry Bendall wrote:
David B wrote:I cut rooves using a Stanley knife, scoring it deeply then bending

Depends of course how thick the brass sheet is. Even using 10 thou this will take some time. An alternative is to us tin snips (scissors for metal) They may put a slight curve on the metal but this can easily be flattened. Safer than using a knife. :)

I have used this method on 20thou nickel silver which I picked up cheap. I was cutting floors for wagons and scored the metal from both sides with 3 or 4 passes.

Philip Hall
Posts: 1943
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2009 7:49 pm

Re: Another Round...

Postby Philip Hall » Sun Jul 19, 2015 4:56 pm

I have used the Olfa cutter blades for sheet brass and nickel for years and it is much quicker than using a piercing saw. It is also possible to cut very thin strips, such as for brake levers, without having to uncurl them. I did find that you have to be careful as the sharp edges need cleaning up (I use an emery stick). I have quite a supply of brake levers now, as, having made a few by this method, a good friend cut me a load of levers and safety loops using a Swiss guillotine.

This of course is a much more expensive way than Flymo's internet supplier of the cutter blades...

Philip

User avatar
John Bateson
Posts: 807
Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:39 pm

Re: Another Round...

Postby John Bateson » Sun Jul 19, 2015 6:43 pm

Philip,
Can you be more specific about the Olfa Cutter - the ones I have seen seem more suitable for paper, card or material. They come in knife form which seem no different intrinsically to a Stanley knife and also in circular form.
John
Slaving away still on GCR stuff ...

User avatar
grovenor-2685
Forum Team
Posts: 3917
Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2008 8:02 pm

Re: Another Round...

Postby grovenor-2685 » Sun Jul 19, 2015 7:10 pm

Olfa also do what is commonly known in modelling as a "Skrawker", traditionally ground from old hacksaw blades, but Olfa saved us that trouble.
No 3. in this picture,
Image
mine has ben doing good work for years.
Looks likethis is the current model.
UK source here, http://www.olfa.co.uk/http___olfa.co.uk/Useful_Cutters.html
Regards
Regards
Keith
Grovenor Sidings

User avatar
jim s-w
Posts: 2185
Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2008 5:56 pm

Re: Another Round...

Postby jim s-w » Sun Jul 19, 2015 8:00 pm

Jim Smith-Wright

http://www.p4newstreet.com

Over thinking often leads to under doing!

David Knight
Posts: 810
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 6:02 pm

Re: Another Round...

Postby David Knight » Sun Jul 19, 2015 8:04 pm

jim s-w wrote:I can also recommend these

http://www.ema-models.co.uk/index.php/m ... riber.html

HTH

Jim


That looks like something you could get in 'used' condition from your friendly dentist.

Cheers,

David

User avatar
Paul Willis
Forum Team
Posts: 3031
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 6:00 pm

Re: Another Round...

Postby Paul Willis » Sun Jul 19, 2015 9:08 pm

David Knight wrote:
jim s-w wrote:I can also recommend these

http://www.ema-models.co.uk/index.php/m ... riber.html

HTH

Jim


That looks like something you could get in 'used' condition from your friendly dentist.

Cheers,

David


Indeed... It was a couple of Missendens ago that Tim Watson disposed of quite a few of those to the 4mm Locomotive Building group, in return for a contribution to the charity tin.

I have about three, in different shapes and angles. As they are both incredibly tough, and sharp, I find them very useful for scraping out solder joints, or removing it from panel lines, or whatever.

Make friends with your dentist - it makes sense in many ways!

Cheers
Flymo
Beware of Trains - occasional modelling in progress!
www.5522models.co.uk

Philip Hall
Posts: 1943
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2009 7:49 pm

Re: Another Round...

Postby Philip Hall » Sun Jul 19, 2015 10:44 pm

John,

The Olfa cutter I have is the 'scrawker' shown as no. 3 in Keith's photo. I have two of them now, one I keep for thick plastic sheet and the other I use on metal, simply to preserve the blade on the 'plastic' one. I use that also for scribing plank lines in sheet styrene.

I think they are readily available although I've had mine for many years. I don't change the blades very much as a little fettling with a diamond lap hones the edges up nicely.

Philip
Last edited by Philip Hall on Mon Jul 20, 2015 1:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Paul Willis
Forum Team
Posts: 3031
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 6:00 pm

Re: Another Round...

Postby Paul Willis » Mon Jul 20, 2015 5:11 am

Philip Hall wrote:John,

The Olfa cutter I have is the 'scrawker' shown as no. 3 in Keith's photo. I have two of them now, one I keep for thick plastic sheet and the other I use on metal, simply to preserve the blade on the 'plastic' one. I use that also for scribing plank lines in sheet styrene.


Mine, acquired many years ago, is branded "Tamiya".

IMG_1556.JPG


It's actually very nicely made and has a really good feel to use. Unfortunately they have changed the design, and the current ones ("Scriber II") seem a little more plasticy and flimsy. That's only the impression from photos and I hasten to add that I haven't tried one in use.

They seem to be widely available online, starting from around a fiver. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/350806925836?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&chn=ps&device=c&rlsatarget=&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108&ff19=0 Highly recommended as a purchase.

And last thing last night I popped the roof in place, so this is another thing all ready for the paint shop...

IMG_1555.JPG


Next on the modelling tasks is a recreation of some events of the 1960s...

Cheers
Flymo
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Beware of Trains - occasional modelling in progress!
www.5522models.co.uk

User avatar
David B
Posts: 1508
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 5:30 pm

Re: Another Round...

Postby David B » Mon Jul 20, 2015 7:56 am

That has scrubbed up very nicely, Paul. Are you sure you don't want to adjust those brakes . . . ?

User avatar
Paul Willis
Forum Team
Posts: 3031
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 6:00 pm

Re: Another Round...

Postby Paul Willis » Mon Jul 20, 2015 8:33 am

David B wrote:That has scrubbed up very nicely, Paul. Are you sure you don't want to adjust those brakes . . . ?


I refer the Honourable Gentleman to my previous answer...

If you are going to start ignoring my declaration of a "three foot rule" for this vehicle, I'll park it permanently in a cattle dock so you can't tell whether I've adjusted them or not ;-)

Cheers
Flymo
Beware of Trains - occasional modelling in progress!
www.5522models.co.uk

User avatar
jim s-w
Posts: 2185
Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2008 5:56 pm

Re: Another Round...

Postby jim s-w » Mon Jul 20, 2015 8:52 am

Does anyone ever actually view models form 3 feet away? :?

Jim
Jim Smith-Wright

http://www.p4newstreet.com

Over thinking often leads to under doing!

User avatar
Ian Everett
Posts: 379
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 9:43 pm

Re: Another Round...

Postby Ian Everett » Mon Jul 20, 2015 9:01 am

jim s-w wrote:Does anyone ever actually view models form 3 feet away? :?

Jim


I do, with 68 year old eyes and a touch of glaucoma, so don't look too closely at the stock on Clecklewyke! :cry:

Ian

Philip Hall
Posts: 1943
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2009 7:49 pm

Re: Another Round...

Postby Philip Hall » Mon Jul 20, 2015 1:45 pm

I always said with increasingly age related poor vision that the two or even three foot rule would do for me. However, two recent cataract operations have removed 56 years worth of short sight, and once I get proper close up glasses in a month or two things look like they are going to be bigger, so that's that excuse out of the window.

It seems that I've been modelling in TT veering towards N gauge for many years, now it's heading towards S!

Philip

User avatar
Paul Townsend
Posts: 964
Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2009 6:09 pm

Re: Another Round...

Postby Paul Townsend » Tue Jul 21, 2015 4:04 am

Philip Hall wrote: However, two recent cataract operations have removed 56 years worth of short sight, and once I get proper close up glasses in a month or two things look like they are going to be bigger,

Philip

Brilliant news that the ops are done and you like the results.

jayell

Re: Another Round...

Postby jayell » Tue Jul 21, 2015 7:32 am

My wife has also had two cataracts removed and can see better without glasses than she could with them before the opps, she too is waiting to see an optician to see what vision correction she still needs

Best wishes

John


Return to “Paul Willis”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests