IanL Road Loco

Hi Lynn,

I put some rust inhibitor behind the tow strap before assembly but no paint. Needed some effort to get colour behind the strap in the rear corners where it is away from the tender, as I am brush painting.

Still need to give everything a rub down before the top coats go on.

Thinking about the side steps do I give them a worn look, or go for an out of the box finish? I like the idea of a worn look as this would highlight the tread pattern in the castings. I was wondering if dipping a piece of hard rubber in silver paint then touching the tread lightly would work, or should I rub down through the paint to reveal the steel and then lacquer or varnish the steps to stop them rusting.

What have you done with your steps?

Ian

Hi

I just painted with gloss black slightly thinned so it "drains" away from the top of the step.

Hi Ian,
I quite liked to highten the detail on the step treads. I simply painted then sanded the tops of the detail to reveal the "hatching".
That's what would happen on the full size engine!!
Here's a couple of pics to show you:-








Regards,
Tony

Hi Tony,

That was the effect I was looking for possibly just those areas that a foot would have trod. After sanding down have you applied any protection to the now exposed metal?

Your pictures look good with a super gloss finish to the paint work.

Thanks for the reply

Ian

Hi Ian,
To answer your last question, No I haven't bothered to varnish or protect the bear metal............ If it starts to rust, I might just brush on a bit of varnish.
Did you brush paint your tender?................. The finish looks very smooth!!
Tony

Hi Tony,
Yes brush painted, the photo only shows the second undercoat and yet to be flatted, I did flat before this coat as I had left it more than 24 hrs from the previous one.

Ian

It has been awhile since I last updated the pictures.

Could not resist putting the tender and hornplates together just to see. it looks really big when perched on top of the paired workmates.


I also have a new helper at least she checks the boxes are empty!


Stuff in storage in a spare room, even tried my first bit of pinstriping on the tender.



Belly tank during bolting together a big thanks again to Brian and Rob for their advice on putting this together.

The tool box showing hinge and notched rear panel to get it to work. I love angle grinders!


Completed belly tank awaiting primer.


Not sure why the pictures here look blury as they look OK on the PC

Ian

Nice to see an update. Looking good.

The blurryness could be the compression used by the image host.

Hi Lynn,

Have you spotted the difference between your belly tank and mine? No not yours is painted but yours is bigger than mine. ( dont go down that thought) I have 26 rivets along the end plate to your 29 could this be to help with avoiding fouling the wheel on full lock? With my tool box alongside the steam lifter position.

The pictures also seem to have made the blue much lighter than it actually is I guess the flash used. I still have to top coat the nut and bolt heads currently only in undercoat in these pictures.

Ian

Blimy that is looking at the detail. That also makes the toolbox take up most of the width of the top! hope it can be opened once the pipework it fitted.

Didn't notice that on mine so think I may also be a few rivets wider.

Hi Ian

Not sure but I think you may have the RL tank with the SRL toolbox. Are you doing the SRL? If so you may have the smaller RL tank as there is a difference. It would be best checking with STW

Rob

The pipe work is a good question having just looked at Lynns pictures it would appear that the steam pipe to the lifter would go through my tool box, but also the position of the lifter is further back on my tank so would need a pipe with an extra bend in it anyway to reach as Lynns looks like it is in line with the outlet on the steam chest. But that is 12 months away for me so planty of time for STW to resolve.

Yes Lynn I am doing the RL the tool box holes in the base line up perfectly with those in the tank also the name plate fits so assume there is only one tool box size but clearly a smaller RL tank. I thought I read on the forum last summer that STW were only doing one size of belly tank obviously not.

Ian

Have has a quick look at mine and I'm also a wider tank. Looking at other RL photo's they are the same number of rivets and tool box arrangement as yours so I'm sure all is good.

Hi Ian


In the words of Douglas Adams - DONT PANIC!!!!

I just popped my toolbox onto my RL belly tank and lined the fixing holes up, it fits OK and the pipe will be close but OK. The toolbox is not central on the panel but towards the rear - see below.

The Showmans engine does have a slightly longer belly tank, 3 rivets longer. I just counted mine compared to Lynn's too. It does make the RL toolbox a little big on the belly tank as it is obviously the same size as the Showmans one.

And yes, I know, I still havent put my end panels on

Cheers

Brian

Thanks Brian,

I had counted your rivets as well, as you say the pipe will fit albet close to the side of the tool box.

Re fitting the end plates can I suggest you get your apprentices to do them as their hands may be smaller and more able to manipulate the socket ratchet to tighten.

I do like your black name plates.

Ian

Hi Brian

I noticed your steering adjusters chain hooks are not welded shut. Are you able to do them as it will stop the loop spreading under shock loading.
If not let me know. You can post the ends and chain up and I would do them for you.

IanL wrote:Thanks Brian,

Re fitting the end plates can I suggest you get your apprentices to do them as their hands may be smaller and more able to manipulate the socket ratchet to tighten.

Ian

Unfortunately my apprentices keep growing and the younger of the two, Declan is going to be 15 in the summer but is already bigger than me!!! My daughter who is nearly 16 is also not much better in terms of having the dexterity and the smaller hands to do this. Therefore, I will be going online to buy a small child from a third world country (a bit like Angelina and Brad) and put them inside my belly tank with a spanner

Cheers - from jail, probably

Brian

bjwlancashire wrote:

Unfortunately my apprentices keep growing and the younger of the two, Declan is going to be 15 in the summer but is already bigger than me!!! My daughter who is nearly 16 is also not much better in terms of having the dexterity and the smaller hands to do this. Therefore, I will be going online to buy a small child from a third world country (a bit like Angelina and Brad) and put them inside my belly tank with a spanner

Cheers - from jail, probably

Brian

...but it is a good idea, let me know the URL of the Web site

Brian you could try this one....

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/01/24/ebay_african_slaves/

No comment...

Robfishman wrote:Brian you could try this one....

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/01/24/ebay_african_slaves/

Do they accept returns?????

lynnr wrote:Hi Brian

I noticed your steering adjusters chain hooks are not welded shut. Are you able to do them as it will stop the loop spreading under shock loading.
If not let me know. You can post the ends and chain up and I would do them for you.

I did not realise that they are supposed to be welded shut, are they? However, I think the thread of the adjusting nut would probably strip before the hook straightens out.

Brian

No they are not supposed to come done. They just come bent. I did mine as recommended by a chap I met at strathspey who has done 4 engines from scratch himself. Over time his hooks kept opening without stripping the threads.

have now got a few coats of paint on the belly tank just waiting for it to harden a bit before starting the top coats.

Looking good, I bet your glad all those rivets are fitted.