IanL Road Loco

Done bit more painting on the belly tank and also on the rear axle tube etc.


Not a great picture I know
the rear axle


need to get the rear wheel out of storage, to fit the bearings to it now that I have the rear axle.

ian

Hi Ian

Electric blue attractions. Looking very very nice.

When you are putting the axil casing into the horn plates you may need to remove the paint from the flange as the fit is very precise. I had to remove the top coats of paint but not the primer to get mine to fit. Also if it is too tight you may fracture out the paint on the hornplate and gasp chip it.

Hi Ian,
Agree totally with Lynn's comments............ That's going to be one very noticeable engine. Paint finish looks excellent, well done!!
Regards,
Tony

Hi Lynn and Tony,

The axle tube only has under coat on the mating faces although in the photo it does look the same as the enamel top coat. I knew I may need to remove some of the paint on the flange, but will probably use a new modelling knife blade to cut off the offending paint, this seems to work well on some of the other areas I have tried to keep paint off.

The paint is all brushed flatted between each coat of undercoat and top coat the final coat flatted with 1500 wet with soap, then used a Meguiars DA polisher with spot disc initially using an orange disc with T cut to even G3 then T cut finally using Auto glym resin polish. My plan is then to use the high gloss resin finish after the polish.

The belly tank has worked out OK so far but still need to add the pinstripes so not used the resin polish yet.

Ian

done abit more lining on the belly tank used a Beugler pen, I am not 100% ahppy with some of the lines so may try again. also fitted the rear axle tiube etc to the horn plates. I know they will have to come apart again but could not resist seeing what it looked like together and painted. Did manage to chip some paint doing it


another view of the hornplates

Evening Ian

To begin with I couldn't get on with the Beugler but once I got the paint mix right it's worked ok. I think I prefer the lining tape though as I get a nice crisp edge. Also as I'm on dark blue and a couple of coats are needed for good coverage on all lining colours to stop the blue grinning through, I found the pen really hard work for multiple coats. The down side though is it takes hours to lay the tape, but with the pen it's obviously much quicker.

Keep up the good work though It's looking great

Hi Rob,

I am using one shot paint lemon yellow, in the Beugler and have not had any problems with the blue showing through. However, I have only used a thick line so far which seems to lay down a good amount of paint , the challenge is making sure the pen stays at a right angle to the panel or else you get a taper in the line. I am planning on using a narrower line on the wheels for this reason. Looking at Steve Trails lining on wheels it is possible to use the Beugler with excellent results.
Ian

Hi

I use the OneShot and the primrose yellow goes down in one coat and covers the red of the engine perfectly by brush or Beugler.

I have started to assemble kit 3 . I have tried painting the name rings I am using VHT paint designed for car engines however, it has come out mat not really what I was wanting, My first attempt was to follow Lynns recent suggestion of polishing the letters before painting then wiping off the paint with thinners whilst still wet. I made a right b###s up of that ending up wiping most of the paint off the background as well. So plan two was paint, bake in oven, The boss was out dog training! then rub down with wet n dry and finally polish again. the result is not too bad although the paint being mat has absorbed some of the polishing compound and darkened slightly looks worse in the pictures.

I am sure I can live with it,

Ian

Evening Ian.

I had the same problem, in my case i gave it a generous second coat of red, and while wet poped it straight in the oven on a low heat for about 40 minutes (most of my bits have been in there).

Once baked left it for a week before lightly sanding with a fine sandpaper block, then polishing with a small mop in the dremil. You have to be careful mind as it is possble to damage the paint when polishing if you slip

After a couple of weeks it goes as hard as anything and I can now polish with Silvo wadding without having an effect on the paint. I'm sure you can use Brasso wadding the same but I didn't have any at the time so used the silver polish.

Hi Ian,

Welcome to my world of frustration... The amount of times I have touched up the engine after a knock here or a redesign there.

It will be worth it in the end, your parts are looking good.

Out of interest are you an Everton fan?????

All the best,

Brian M

Hi all,

I gave the rings a scrub with a nail brush and washing up liquid, the red has come up looking like new but still mat!!

Having looked at Lynns pictures now she has set fire to it, it does make you wonder why we are trying to make them so perfect in the first place as I certainly do not plan on having a museum piece.

No, not an Everton fan but I do know one. who insisted on taking me to the Everton shop last time we were working in Liverpool together. an interesting address as the shop is called Everton 2 postcode is Liverpool 1

Ian

Ian your point is very true. Looking at your recent photos brought a smile to my face. I must of painted the hornplates about 6 times because I could not get the finish I wanted. Now I don't know WHY I did it because I cannot see the dam things. I have had many an engine builder tell me 'why send all your time painting as it will get damaged and dirty, your time should be spent getting the build right and running correctly'. Painting can be done afterwards (still don't learn, I have just finished painting the gears which you can't see, I told myself it will protect the gearing....... ). If we have 10 minutes we seem to reach for the brushes...

I am the same, I have repainted parts more than once because I wasnt happy with the finish,I know it will
all get dirty covered in soot ash etc but I just cant help myself!

Kev

I just spotted how long it has been since I updated this thread.

Had a number of kits since cleading and steering still need something to hold it all together hopefully end of September I will get the boiler.

Smoke box and chimney


I have test fitted the steering worm and wheel on the bench having read all the issues that have happened before I thought this may be easier and I do not have a anything to attached it to anyway.

what I have found is that a slight notchiness at one point in the revoultion of the steering wheel I filed a small amount off the inside edge of the worm gear at each end on one thread this has completed resolved the issue. however, I have had to make sure there is a slight amount of end float on the chain shaft. if this is tight then the steering wheel will not rotate.

Locking the worm to the steering shaft I used the strap wrench which can be seen in the picture this held the worm whilst tightening the lock nut. worked a treat.

Ian

Hi Ian

Nice to see your progress. I also found the steering chain rod bushes to be a bit tight. I placed a washer inside the end plate, in effect extending the length of the rod. I also added a shim to one end to tilt the bearing housing to allow a better movement.

At last I have received kit 2 so just had to post a pic of it have dry assembled, needed a fair bit of filing to get the spring hanger to fit in the pivot with the axle and springs in place. Hopefully taken enough off to allow for painting. I also found the spring plates which screw on to the axle the holes in the axle were well off centre about 3mm, I followed Steve Trails idea of slotting the plates and extending the countersink. all now fits.

.

Ian

Hi Ian

While you have the perch together you may want to think about lubrication for the pivot. I had to load up my engine for Boat of Garten in July and the steering was almost solid. Turned out to be water dripping round the smokebox and getting down into the pivot. (Castle Fraser in June was WET)
After some grunt with the engine barrel on a stand and steering chains disconnected. I got it free again.
I will, this winter, be removing my perch from the smokebox and putting a spiral grove in to allow a grease nipple to lube up the perch.

Hi Lynn,

I have not as yet done anything about lubricating this but have read several posts on here especially Steve Trails about fitting a grease nipple. So have given some thought about trying to arrange something but nothing decided as yet.

I do like your post of Crystal turning over slowly.

Ian

I have also done the greasing mod, Andy2 ( The Coalman (Coleman) ) might have pictures of it to explain easily how its done.

Cheers Kev.

I have decided to take the advice and fit a grease nipple to the pivot perch bearing, I notice there is a small countersunk hole on the top of the axle in the centre which goes through to the pin, am I right in thinking this is for oil, however getting the oil can spout in there once assembled will be rather tight.

Ian

Finally collected the boiler from STW towers end of Sept, had to borrow my wifes car to get it in.

then used the engine crane at home to position it in the garage.
with it in place i was able to put on a coat of paint before heading of on holiday. then on my return I popped the smoke box on.

more to follow its getting exciting putting the bits together.

ian

Looks like it was still a tight fit in the boot.

Hi Rob,

Yes it was tight as shown in the picture but plenty if room when turned for aft but needed to tie it down to stop it sliding on the roundabouts. The Beemer 5 series estate is quite roomy in the back when the seats are folded.

Ian

The pessimist says th cup is 1/2 empty.
The optimist says the cup is 1/2 full.
The engineer says the cup is over engineered and wasting materials.