Scots Mac's workbench

[BosKonay]

Steven, shes too beautiful for a display case - chip her and let her loose on your layout!

 

Might be on the cards....

[Rialto]

The 387 looks the business, nice one. Have you thought about doing any cement bubbles. I am trying to collect the materials for a rake of them but the kinder egg has changed recently. It has a hinge now and will need a lot more work.

check out the link below, it might be of interest to you.

http://newirishlines.org/2009/06/19/scratch-building-a-cie-cement-bubble/

All the Best

Leo

[Horsetan]

The 387 looks the business, nice one. Have you thought about doing any cement bubbles. I am trying to collect the materials for a rake of them but the kinder egg has changed recently. It has a hinge now and will need a lot more work.

check out the link below, it might be of interest to you.

http://newirishlines.org/2009/06/19/scratch-building-a-cie-cement-bubble/

 

I wonder what became of this?

[Horsetan]

Another project I'm working on is a 650 tank. I happened to notice that the Hornby LBSCR looked a bit like the GSR/CIE 650 class....

 

I did wonder if the Mainline/Dapol/Hornby Gresley N2 would have given you a better head start, as well as a ready-made 0-6-2T chassis (5'8" driving wheels)....

[Scots Mac]

Hi Horsetan, just checked out the Gresley N2 for a 650. No use. Boiler is way too fat.You could never get the chimney and dome looking right. Would stand way too tall. No, on reflection I think the LBSCR 0-6-0 was the right choice all in all.

Anyway, my B2 project ,engine 402, has just got her new chimney and cabside decals. Still waiting for its steam dome etc....but a bit of progress nonetheless !! Starting to look like a locomotive !! The chimney isn't exactly right but its not bad.Its an LNER B1 brass chimney casting by Cavendish. Bought it off Ebay.

[jhb171achill]

That looks amazing, scots mac! Excellent and convincing conversion!

[Scots Mac]

Hi jhb ,she's getting there. Just painted the chimney. Looks better with a tender behind her.Not the correct tender of course but I'll see what I can come up with once the locos finished. I'm actually pleasantly surprised how this model is turning out because I really wasn't sure at all about it when I took the knifes and dremel to it in the beginning !! Just crossed my fingers and hoped for the best:rolleyes:

[Mike 84C]

Hi Scots Mac, another 850! already more than the GSR had. I will be interested to see how you tackle the recessed smokebox door as it fits flush with the smokebox front in 850"s later guise. I must admit that, that area of the loco was my reason for picking the earlier version. As I rather fancied the green livery with black and white lining.

Mine is now back from being dcc chipped and runs well although I have given sound a miss this time. My friend who runs Digitrains suggests that if I do any more conversions to give the Bachmann split frame chassis a wide berth as they are very variable in performance and a pig if you do your own dcc conversion.

[Mike 84C]

Scots Mac, forgot to add that if you check out my blog you wiil see where I spliced bits of Dapol 2-6-2t to get the front footplate proportions a little better and the Belpaire firebox top. If you need any help please pm me. Like your 402, thats given me a bit of inspiration! Happy Hogmany lets make 2014 a productive year!! Mike

[Scots Mac]

Hi Mike, God knows when I'll get a start to the 850. I got the engine 2nd hand off the net from rails of Sheffield ,it isn't even here yet. I'm no even up to speed about the recessed snokebox door you refer to , so I'll certainly pick your brains Mike when I get hands on. I'm pushing on as much as I can in these winter months with the irish kitbashing because come the spring my attentions will be turning to my O gauge interests in the garden. I started re-building my garden railway to O gauge in 2012 and got about halfway complete ,never got much done this season at all but am hoping to push on again next season and hopefully if not finish it at least get one track circuit all the way round and a train or two running. So the Irish OO stuff will take a back seat for most of the summer months. So 850 may or may not get done yet this winter . My garden interests are USA / European and some British O scale.Running beasties like this.

[UP6936]

Hi Scots mac, as my username suggests im into American outline myself, and may I just say, that big steamer is amazing! How long is it?

[Scots Mac]

Hi UP havent measured it but it will be about 3 feet in total.Just bought it recently from the states 2nd hand . I have quite a few tasty American engines in O. Mostly B&O types but I have some UP diesels and an FEF 4-8-4 steamer. DAVY

[Scots Mac]

Hi Guys,well have made a start to another project Airfix 4F 0-6-0 to CIE J5 . Really like the look of the J5 and seeing this really good picture of one in the second of Tom Ferris' colour book its a must. 2nd pic attached shows the 4f with its cab removed and tender top removed. The tender top I'm going to install (oxide one in the picture) is off a Hornby B12. WHile it isn't exactly the same as the irish tender it looks pretty close. Studying the airfix tender drive and base I intend to cut away part of the traction weight front and rear and I'll also shorten the plastic tender base at the front and re-work the tenders steps back and front to look more like the irish tender and make the base look better with the B12 tender top. I need to re-work the loco running plate and re-hash the cab but I don't enviseage any major problems. Will post progress pics as I go.

Edited December 27, 2013 by Scots Mac

[Dunluce Castle]

Another loco, wow, the rate at which you work at is amazing, I'm only starting work on a 12ton NCC wagon van.

Your doing a great job so far, can't wait to see further updates.

One question: how do the airfix locos/motors run?

[Scots Mac]

Hi Nelson ,seem to work OK,though I'll need to replace the traction tyres on some of them but they seem to be easily available on ebay.

Anyway,just been working on putting replacement steam pipes back on my three 800 class queens.I removed the original mainline Rebuilt Patriot ones as they were quite different from the 800 class I drilled out holes in the running plates and cut plastic straws at an angle ,just estimated it by the eye then rubbed it with sandpaper to get the angle and pitch right.Applied superglue to the end of the straw and around the hole in the running plate. Held the straw in place with light thumb pressure while the glue set. Then snipped off the end of the straw. I'll let the pictures do the talking. Have done two ,another one to do and thats me for the night !!

[Dunluce Castle]

Superb work Davy, brilliant idea of using straws for the steam pipes, Nelson

[Scots Mac]

Heres a pic with one painted,right am away to finish the last one ,paint them ,have a cuppa and watch a film ! catch you later Nelson

[Scots Mac]

Hi Guys,well I bought another old Hornby King Arthur I saw goin cheap on ebay. It arrived in todays post. Having made a good start to B2 402 which is now waiting for a steam dome etc., I thought I'd have a go at one of the others of the class which didn't have its side running plates on one level .402 was the only one of the 400 class with conventional pistons that had a straight running plate. Anyway, in for a penny in for a pound. Made a start to things tonight. I cut out the King arthur chimney and may use it for some other project. So far I've hacked and buffed away most of the boiler detail. Anyway here's the progress so far. 1st picture shows the real thing. 11057[/ATTACH]

[Dunluce Castle]

Hi davy, yes its me again (sorry) A very unusual prototype (for me, never seen one before) it looks like its going to be a tricky one?, but your doing a great job of it so far. Are you planing/or have you got a layout, a busy shed scene with all your locomotives (when they are finished) lined up would look absolutely fantastic. Thanks, Nelson.

[Scots Mac]

Hi Nelson, don't have a layout at the moment but I have a fair size lean-to shed along the side of my house where I was into OO years ago.The shed is full of junk at the moment and my O gauge stuff for the garden is out there too.Hopefully I'll get it squared up shortly and make a start to a layout. The shed is long but narrow and I have to get the O gauge trains down one side coming in off the garden. So the OO layout will need to be to one side unless I wangle some kinda split level.For now I'm just pushing on with gettin as many irish engines done as I can during this winter. I don't expect I'll be able to get them all on the layout at once but we'll see !!??. As for this other 4-6-0 , the old Hornby King Arthur chassis will never be 100% right for the irish engine because the driving wheels should be bigger and the driving wheel spacing shouldn't be equal , the rear driver should be further back,but I'm just looking to capture the essence of the type. If I manage that I'll be happy. I've just cut off the smokebox front and am extending it forward like I did on the 402. When you do this it leaves the front end of the smokebox with a flat bottom edge instead of circular so it needs packed out and reshaped wityh the dremel to complete the circumference of the smokebox. Next I'll insert balsa wood extenders into the boiler and glue the smokebox front on further forward as per the other 400 class . Once thats done I'll fill everything up with cattaloy and wrap the whole smokebox area in a sheet of fine plastic. 1st picture shows the plasticard glued to the bottom of the smoke box face and the next picture shows it buffed away to shape.

Edited December 28, 2013 by Scots Mac

[Scots Mac]

Last pic for tonight... sittin next to its sister, smokebox front attached in its new position and some balsa packing done. Ready for filling and shaping.

[UP6936]

Looking good! I'm amazed that your workbench has got to 10 pages so quick. How many locos do you have now?

[Scots Mac]

Hi UP, I honestly don't know how many I have on the go haven't counted but theres a good few . Worked on a bit last night and started filling the body work, looks a bit of a dog's breakfast :puke:but she'll get there !! (I hope )

[Rialto]

Hi Davy, I'm lovin' the 400's and the 387 is a little gem. The 800's are looking great too. What decals did you use for the black/white lining? I have searched Railtec and SSM to no avail.

My C Class Diesel is waiting on paint, which I don't have. But I have a bag of ebay steam engines I must start surgery on this afternoon. I hope to get the plans at least on the Workbench sections later today.

One more question what matt varnish are you using?

[Scots Mac]

Hi Guys,heres the Lima wagons I'm doing up to represent the Tara mines ore wagons. Old Lima units painted oxide. I have about 6 or 7 of these ,so far simply spray painted with primer to get rid of the various Lima liveries they were in, Yeoman,ARC etc. I'll try and get a colour nearer the right colour for the Tara wagons as and when. I'll cut roofs for them out of plasticard. They won't be 100% accurate but there are 12 side panel divisions on these as per the Tara wagons and next to the Irish locos they stand approximately the right height to my eyes so they'll do for me. I will add buffers to them too at some point. I also saw an IE (track maintenance??)train with similar wagons to these on a you-tube link but not on Tara mines traffic, but those wagons had no roofs they were open. I've looked for that bit of video again but haven't been able to find it since ??.

[Rialto]

That body filler is going to come up a treat. I really like the way you use it. It hadn't crossed my mind before now. You must have had motorbikes or cars at some point. I have used it a lot to work on early 80's bikes. keep the photo's coming Davy.

[Dave]

Those taras look really well. Well done

[Glenderg]

Mornin Davy.

 

I did a job on one of those some years ago, and never finished it cos it looked too big. I did a drawing, and uploaded it here http://www.irishrailwaymodeller.com/showthread.php/2113-Tara-Mines-Wagons?highlight=tara

 

The wagon is a bit big for the prototype, about 8 foot longer, but it looks fine behind the 071, and it's a cheap donor in fairness!

Richie

[Scots Mac]

Hi Davy, I'm lovin' the 400's and the 387 is a little gem. The 800's are looking great too. What decals did you use for the black/white lining? I have searched Railtec and SSM to no avail.

My C Class Diesel is waiting on paint, which I don't have. But I have a bag of ebay steam engines I must start surgery on this afternoon. I hope to get the plans at least on the Workbench sections later today.

One more question what matt varnish are you using?

Hi Leo, the Lining is by Fox transfers, white-black-white but you'll also need just black/white lining for the cabs and tender edges.I spoke to the girl at FOX and I'm sure she said they do it as coach lining. as for the varnish I use satin. At the moment I;m using a tin of "Marabu" "Seiden-Matt-Lack" which I presume is German for satin matt laquer.Its really good stuff. I'm used to humbrol enamel paints. I can work with Humbrol gloss varnish with a brush no problem and likewise their matt varnish brushed but for some reason I always ended up with a pig's breakfast if I tried to use their satin varnish brushed so now I always use satin spray cans. That Marabu stuff is excellent and very quick drying. My local model shop now has Revell enamels , their paints are fine but I hate their varnishes. Railmatch paints are excellent too as is their satin varnish spray. Incidentally on the subject of the 800s ... 801 Macha and 802 Tailte sported single chimneys in their final years. I tried a couple of stanier chimneys on the one I did but they didn't look right .Last night I took the plastic chimney section from that 2nd King Arthur and buffed it down and fitted it onto the 800 ..... I think it looks the part now.

[Scots Mac]

Hi Guys, as for the Tara wagons, well like I've said , my main interest is locomotives, so as long as what trails behind them looks the part and captures the feel then good and well. I've also been doin up some old Lima continental 4 wheel tank wagons for the weedspray trains. Early days with that project yet though I intend to do two versions of the weedspray train,an older version I've seen behind a 141 on you tube and the current IE weedspray train. Neither will be perfect but should look alright and as you say Ritchie "cheap donors".

[Scots Mac]

Hi troops, well I've smoothed off the boiler barrel on the 2nd 400 project. I will now make a start to adding the detail ,belpaire firebox, split level running plates etc. Anyway pic attached shows current state of play.

[33lima]

Nice work, great to see the RTR steam loco conversions in particular, a really good way to get an Irish steam stud up & running, especially if like me you weren't born clutching a soldering iron and/or considerin them primarily an instrument of (self-) torture! Keep 'em coming!

[Scots Mac]

Cheers Lima, Jusr been doin the belpaire firebox ,same as the other 400 except this one's sides need to go down further because iof the lower level running plate. Basically made a box. Glued on top first,packed with some balsa for strength then glued on sides.Back fill with cattaloy., then shape it. Need to leave for work shortly so this will be all for today. cheers DAVY

[Scots Mac]

Hi Guys,Happy New Year, well ,after doing my belpaire on this 400 the same as the last one 402 I realised that 402 was indeed quite diffrerent from the rest of the 400s. Different cab, belpaire boiler position ,cab position etc,plus dealing with the fact that the wheelspacing on the chassis isn't right either.So comparing to tech drawings I've had to make some adjustments .Now I'm having to extend the belpaire firebox forward and also the cab has been chopped at the back and am making new sides to bring it forward too. Managed to get the split level running plate looking not bad Anyway this is the state of play so far. Still a fair ways to go. Having to alter stuff at this stage is a pain in the neck ,however it just wasn't going to look right so needs must. Every day's a school day eh ??

[heirflick]

beautiful work - looking forward to seeing the beauty finished!