Listening to the Solstice

[bigbadbadge]

Great stuff Tony this is amazing and very good practice for getting the fingers used to hot soldering iron temperatures otherwise known as asbestos fingers for when you start the loco.  

Great work. 

All the best 

Chris 

[TheBaron]

On 11/25/2018 at 2:51 PM, bbudde said:

Btw can Birr castle be converted into Bier castle? That would be fine

 

It has a moat.

It could be filled with beer and the punters could scull boats made of pretzels around it, dipping their mugs into the amber fluid from time-to-time. Ahh, those were more innocent times, when we were all drunk and had to be rescued from our dissolving vessels....

On 11/25/2018 at 3:38 PM, Pete in Lincs said:

Our neighbour has an extremely thick Golden Retriever

As in wide? You'd have to wrap several rolls around it then I'm thinking.

#AndrexBlimp

On 11/25/2018 at 3:38 PM, Pete in Lincs said:

I wondered how they'd obtained a Pegasus engine all that time ago.

The Parsons Steam-Harrier was a source of amazement to all who saw it rise majestically above the castle ramparts, startling those rowing around the beer-moat below.

On 11/25/2018 at 4:03 PM, CedB said:

More wow metalwork Tony - looking spectacular  

Thanks Ced.

Do I get to join the Bling Knights Dance Troupe then?

On 11/25/2018 at 4:11 PM, Spookytooth said:

Very fine soldering on a minute scale too.

A minute? It took a bit longer tbh Simon. 😜

23 hours ago, hendie said:

I find the one thing missing from a good soldering session is the satisfying  sound that tells you the job underway,

 

23 hours ago, Heather Kay said:

There’s a particularly satisfying sizzle if you use liquid flux.

Not forgetting the sizzle of my left thumb as I absent-mindedly rubbed the solder flat on the tip as it was cooling. Or thought it was cooling....

23 hours ago, Heather Kay said:

the momentary flash of bright solder appearing as the joint is formed neatly and not requiring careful cleaning up. How I wish my technique was that good all the time.

Ditto!

23 hours ago, giemme said:

Ditto!

Superlatives are now banned Giorgio until we find out if the amount of metal being added to the starboard engine will make it a nose-sitter...

23 hours ago, Hamden said:

Nothing left to say everyone else has beaten me to it!

So I'll just say STUNNING WORK AS ALWAYS.

It does get very competitive on here sometimes Roger. Vociferous condemnation is guaranteed to make your posts stand out from the herd however!

20 hours ago, keefr22 said:

 

damn well played Sir.

I don't care if you don't have a moustache Keith, I distinctly saw you twirling one whilst saying that.

20 hours ago, bigbadbadge said:

very good practice for getting the fingers used to hot soldering iron temperatures otherwise known as asbestos fingers for when you start the loco.  

That sounds like the pained voice of experience to me Chris! 😄

 

 

I did manage to epoxy that metal rear on to the front assembly before leaving for work this morning and added some oil-pipe collars to the pumps on the front of the resin copy I'd made of the E&T engine. Hopeful I might be able to sneak a bit more time in tomorrow and add a coupla pics.

 

Thanks for your support dear friends.

Blessed be the Brass and Pax Vobiscum.

Tony

 

 

[Tomoshenko]

All I can say Tony is that your work reminds me of this:

 

 

[bigbadbadge]

3 hours ago, TheBaron said:

That sounds like the pained voice of experience to me Chris! 😄

Hi Tony 

Yes definitely.  Although I am still in training !!! I have built several locomotive models and find them very enjoyable especially when you see them running too. Mine were kits though not scratch builds that's something I have notbeen brave enough to tackle yet. 

Keep up the good work. 

All the best 

Chris 

[TheBaron]

On 11/26/2018 at 7:38 PM, Tomoshenko said:

All I can say Tony is that your work reminds me of this:

Too kind Tomo. Much too kind.

It's funny but i've lost track of the number of times I've seen that film - always seemed to be on during the Christmas holidays as a lad didn't it? - I've often tried to count the clocks in the background in that scene and always gotten distracted by the action halfway through....

On 11/26/2018 at 8:46 PM, bigbadbadge said:

I have built several locomotive models and find them very enjoyable especially when you see them running too.

Running? 😨

You mean they have to move too?

Thanks Gawd mine only needs to hang over a wall into the street!

 

I've managed to grab a few mins here and there over the last couple of days just to keepthe ball rolling.

Sunday night I glued the metalworked rear to the back of the engine and quite pleased with that now. Just in the process here of tidying up and smoothing any results of rough handling over the last few weeks:

The cylinder heads of my resin copy look a bit stunted compared to those of the E&T original as they have to fit within the 'scallops' of the engine cowling.  Those bits are almost ready for for priming and then later paint, prior to being installed and having the necessary plumbing and wiring added.

 

There was also the matter of a prominently visible oil tank to build as well to go in behind the firewall, which gave me a perfect excuse to whip out the K&S tube cutter to see how it works on plastic:

Nice controlled job, though  - as you can possibly make out for yourselves in the above photo - the bevel of the blade at this scale tends to give slightly rounded edges to the cut, though a minor matter that a few swipes of the sanding stick remove. It does at least avoid having the cut at a wonky angle, something I am completely incompetent at getting straight with a microsaw or scalpel on tubes....

 

I then punched out a 2mm disc to cap one end, whilst the other received an angled length the streatched sprue to form the conical filler cap:

A couple of 0.5mm holes drilled out on the underside for supply and return piping:

Then time to test the visuals against the framing:

Ok for length, though also visible holding them in place are some angled brackets that have to be added, so a scrabble around in the metal scrap box to cut down a couple of blanks into these odd polygons:

These were CA'd together temporarily during this work to produce a matching pair, so after further cutting out to the requiree profile and grinding out a negative space to accomodate the diameter of the oil tank, these emerged:

Hammered flat again, then test fitted:

A bit more to take off the thickness of the upright angle of those brackets and a couple of lightening holes to be drilled out, but once that's done those can be soldered on and the bearer framework also primed for painting.

 

Thanks for looking.

Tony

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ex-FAAWAFU]

Gordon Bennett, Tony.  The Iron Chicken was awesome, but this is every bit as remarkable.  Either you have ridiculously vast hands, or this is stupendous work on a tiny scale.  Like everyone else, I’m loving watching it

[bigbadbadge]

41 minutes ago, TheBaron said:

You mean they have to move too?

Thanks Gawd mine only needs to hang over a wall into the street!

😃 That's cracking.  Oh yes mine are for a layout.  You can use a motor and gearbox though you don't have to make it a live steam locomotive or do you  ???

Only teasing fella.  You make it however you want to make it.  If you need anypointers or help there's plenty of people on here or RMWEB who will be more than pleased to help.  Me included although I am still in training remember. 

Great work on the engines and ancillaries. 

All the best 

Chris 

[giemme]

What was that thing about the superlatives? Ah, yes, I remember now, we used them all.

 

I 'll just go

 

Ciao

[Guest]

...not bad...

[bbudde]

Oh Tony,  may I call you mad?  I hope you won't mind. That german Glühbier has driven you to one point of that by now obviously.

Only a Staatlich Fachingen could cool you down so far by now:

 

Edit : This is/was usually the one in german hospitals.

Edited November 27, 2018 by bbudde

[hendie]

4 minutes ago, massimo said:

...not bad...

 

I suppose so.  He's getting better as these threads get longer

 

 

It's like a fractal (but smoked and didn't grow properly) linear sculpture, I wonder where he got the idea from ???

 

 

 

 

am I the first one to spot the shiny new anvil?  Nice anvil Tony!

 

 

 

[CedB]

I knowI New anvil AND a K&S tube cutter

I've put the tube cutter on my list…

 

As for the modelling, no way I'll be able to match that - I mean, just LOOK at that little tank (cue Lieutenant Gruber)  

[stevehnz]

I keep looking for the "this man is bonkers but in the best possible way " reaction but I think that lot above me nicked it before I got to here. Bloody marvellous stuff Tony.

Steve.

[Brandy]

Ummm... errr....WHAT? 

I give up!

 

Ian

[Martian]

20 hours ago, hendie said:

 

I suppose so.  He's getting better as these threads get longer

 

 

It's like a fractal (but smoked and didn't grow properly) linear sculpture, I wonder where he got the idea from ???

 

 

 

 

am I the first one to spot the shiny new anvil?  Nice anvil Tony!

 

 

 

Tony for the Turner Prize then!

 

Martian 👽

[The Spadgent]

I’m agog. 🕍  (just wondered if there was an emoticon for that and that was the closest thing that popped up). 🤣

Brass of the gods. 

 

Beautiful work as always.

 

Johnny.

[The Spadgent]

I’m agog. 🕍  (just wondered if there was an emoticon for that and that was the closest thing that popped up). 🤣

Brass of the gods. 

 

Beautiful work as always.

 

Johnny.

[TheBaron]

On 11/27/2018 at 9:34 PM, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

Gordon Bennett, Tony.  The Iron Chicken was awesome, but this is every bit as remarkable.  Either you have ridiculously vast hands, or this is stupendous work on a tiny scale.  

Curses! Rumbled!

On 11/27/2018 at 9:40 PM, bigbadbadge said:

I am still in training remember. 

I see what you did there Chris.

Very subtle.

On 11/27/2018 at 10:15 PM, giemme said:

What was that thing about the superlatives?

That they're preferable to laxatives?

I'm not a doctor.....

On 11/27/2018 at 10:37 PM, massimo said:

...not bad...

 

On 11/27/2018 at 10:48 PM, hendie said:

I suppose so.  He's getting better as these threads get longer

So much brass, so little time....

On 11/27/2018 at 10:46 PM, bbudde said:

Only a Staatlich Fachingen could cool you down so far by now

I looked that up Benedikt.

From their website:

'Fachingen not only promotes your health proactively - it is also a premium water with a first class taste in a well designed bottle.'

They're right - it is a very handsome bottle, one that I weirdly now covet!

On 11/27/2018 at 10:48 PM, hendie said:

It's like a fractal (but smoked and didn't grow properly)

I remember conversations like that at raves in the early 90s too....

On 11/27/2018 at 11:35 PM, CedB said:

I knowI New anvil AND a K&S tube cutter

Tool envy from Ced?

There is a disturbance in the Force...

On 11/28/2018 at 2:29 AM, stevehnz said:

I keep looking for the "this man is bonkers but in the best possible way " reaction but I think that lot above me nicked it before I got to here. Bloody marvellous stuff Tony

😁 Thanks Steve.

On 11/28/2018 at 3:30 PM, limeypilot said:

Ummm... errr....WHAT? 

I give up!

Wasn't that a Sigue Sigue Sputnik lyric?

21 hours ago, Martian Hale said:

Tony for the Turner Prize then!

Aidan Turner?

The original Breeches Boy......

17 hours ago, The Spadgent said:

I’m agog. 🕍 

 Brilliant!

 

Well, a fit of energy last night and I got the oil tank framework made less clunky-looking and the somelightening holes drilled:

It's jobs like this that I couldn't live without the Dremel workstation these days, especially in being able to control placement when using fine (this is 0.5mm) drill bits on metal consistently:

Full deployment of wet tissues required to stop the bearers falling apart when soldering these sub-assemblies on:

Actually that tape underneath was too weak to support that part when soldering it on so I held it in the jaws of one of my Japanese heat sinks with one hand and the soldering iron in the other:

Both went on surprisingly easily in the end, although you do have to pull the iron away very quickly at the optimum moment (that rousing sizzle and silver flash that @Heather Kay mentioned previously) to avoid the heat travelling too far and loosen surrounding bonds. A test-fit of the oil tank itself:

Job done.

 

I need to work out a way to drill several holes in that firewall to let things like oil and fuel lines and engine control rods through - something I should have done right at the start but there you go. With care and a slow Dremel it should just be possible without breaking anything.

 

All that stuff @Tomoshenko was banging on about at the weekend about The Time Machine.

Nonsense.

Whoever heard of such a thing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bbudde]

That looks really great and the part. Btw Staatlich Fachingen should be available in the Uk and is a very good one. Like it as I don't like too much carbonic acid in my water.  Cheers

[CedB]

Oh no, it's GONE!

After all that work!

Did it make 'the TARDIS noise'?

 

Lovely stuff Tony. Yes, I giggled too - twice.

(I shall have a tube cutter…)

[Brandy]

Lovely jubbly...and Kenny too, perfect!

wooow... woooow....woooow... oops, where did it go?

 

Ian

Edited November 29, 2018 by limeypilot

[giemme]

1 hour ago, TheBaron said:

That they're preferable to laxatives?

  They sure are!

 

Top job again, Master Baron (or Baron Master ...   😃 )

 

Ciao

[Tomoshenko]

1 hour ago, TheBaron said:

Brilliant just brilliant

 

 

1 hour ago, TheBaron said:

Noooooooo….

What have you done...get it back...get it back......

[Spookytooth]

A piece of artwork Tony.

Never mind it disappeared, it will re-appear again shortly.

 

Simon.

[Terry1954]

1 hour ago, TheBaron said:

That is just amazing work Tony. Given some of your comments over the last month, and that original picture of your Great Grandfather's mishap, I can't help but think you are simply warming up to the moment when you decide to create some working valve gear on a 4mm scale Stroudley locomotive..................😁

 

Terry