Li'l Bash

[trammayo]

Thanks Gordon - its giving me something to do - and a small challenge trying to find bits of recycling material to fit the bill!

I have, in my mind, a picture of a contractor's loco with a string of side tipping ore wagons. That'll be the next job - seeing if the B'mann one will be the right size and then maybe (well, certainly) build a string of the same!

 

[trammayo]

I re-visited the tank filler caps, firstly to get them to sit lower and, secondly, the caps just didn?t look right. I had a box of white screw covers so I had a look ? the cap of the cover fit nicely on the plastic pipe ? and everything was altered to suit.

I also made some sand pipes to go from the sand dome. I used pieces of 1.5mm single (6241Y) and stripped back the insulation to leave the copper protruding as a locating aid. Holes were drilled in the base of the dome and down the side of the boiler (there?s a good 3mm strip between the tanks and boiler). Bent to shape - because the sand dome holes were below the level of the tanks (and therefore at an angle) - and manipulated into place with a pair of taper-nose pliers.

Next I made the mounting for the bell. This was a scrap piece of aluminium (ex-TV aerial) and I cut a narrow strip off. I drilled two 1mm holes for mounting to the base/boss, bent the strip to suit the shape of the bell, and then drilled two 1.5mm holes for the bell?s pivot. The bell was also drilled at the top to facilitate mounting. The axis/pivot bar is 1.5mm copper wire bent to suit. Photo shows temporarily mounted as it needs to be removed for the boiler to be spray painted. The bell?s mounting was held in place using two pins shoved right through the wood and clenched on the underside. I use a pair of pump pliers for this as the jaws can be moved to accommodate different thicknesses of material.

Then the question of handrails arose. Following close scrutiny of several different loco photos, I?ve opted for handrails on the tank ends. 1.5mm brass rod was used for this.

With everything mounted, I put a spot of superglue on everything (on the inside of the boiler)?..

I suppose there is still further scope between the tanks to add other detailing on the boiler top. I?ll give that some thought before I start with the first coat of paint.

Meanwhile, further detail needs adding to the bottom half of the loco and the cab needs some work too?.

 

[trammayo]

Well, the painting hasn?t gone too well. The boiler and tanks went reasonably OK and I tried polishing up the tanks using Stove Blacking. I got a nice shine but not the graphite effect I thought I could achieve. I painted the smokebox door in Humbrol Metal Black (which gives the graphite look when polished), but I think it is a little too grey?

Yesterday I removed (by file) the moulded handrails at the back of the cab. I then made a pair of simple brass ones and fitted them into the 1.5mm holes I had drilled. A dab of superglue from inside the cab secures them.

I then painted the inside of the cab green (oil-based undercoat) and that went OK. When dry, I masked off the windows and sprayed satin black like the rest of the loco. It was rather cold (I had to warm the can at room temperature in the house) so I warmed the plastic slightly with the hot-air gun and, again, all went well.

Today (even colder) I masked off the cab so I could spray the roof with red oxide. I made the roof hatch/vent from a rectangular plug (as used to cap off the ends of metal box sections) ? a quick razor saw cut to remove unwanted plastic, and more careful hacking with the old Stanley knife. A dab of ABS pipe glue, a weight to hold it in position, then leave until after lunch.

The red oxide spray was like sludge (it wouldn?t rattle) so that was brought indoors to warm up. I used the same procedure as for spraying the black paint ? warm things up and wait for it to dry. That was my mistake ? it wasn?t drying so I used the hot-air gun again. So the red oxide was now ?cured?, now to remove the masking tape!

Showing the roof and also, the valve rod (1.5mm galv wire).

The heat had softened the tape?s adhesive and this has left a residue on the black paint. I tried using methylated spirits but this didn?t do too much good. I have come to the conclusion that it is not a good time of year to be spraying in an un-heated shed. So you see it warts and all. It?s not screwed together as I have other little bits to do. The cab wants the green paint touching up and window frames adding or painting. This will have to wait for a temperature rise!

The residue on the cab sides?

Posed on the track

I don?t feel confident enough to weather it at the moment so it will stay as is ? apart from remedial work to the cab paintwork. Any suggestions as to the removal of the adhesive residue would be welcomed.

 

[steven large]

hi tammayo....are u weathering it?

 

[Madman]

Nicely done. I can't see the tape residue in the photos. Goo Gone, which I believe is a product of the same manufacturer as Goof Off, should help with the residue. But you'll need to be careful, as they may take the paint off as well. Especially the Goof Off.

 

[trammayo]

hi tammayo....are u weathering it?

Hi Steven - don't know yet. Got fed up with the very cold coditions in the shed so I'm giving it some thought.

 

[trammayo]

Nicely done. I can't see the tape residue in the photos. Goo Gone, which I believe is a product of the same manufacturer as Goof Off, should help with the residue. But you'll need to be careful, as they may take the paint off as well. Especially the Goof Off.

Thanks Dan. Don't think I've seen that product over here. Problem is about the sticky residue, is that I know its there and that spoils it. I'll end up removing all the black and starting again. It'll have to wait until warmer weather (could do it in the house but the wife won't like that!).

The mess can be seen in fourth pic down - should be same semi-gloss as tanks (which it was before I masked it up).

 

[playmofire]

Try a query on "Sticky Stuff Remover".

 

[trammayo]

I have had a quick look but not much for Ireland. I figure that whatever I use, the acrylic paint will suffer. I have resigned myself to repainting (and masking everything again). I have several different types of thinners which I will try - if one works that will be great and, if it doesn't then nothing lost (given my present thoughts).

Halfords do one but I've read the reviews and am not certain that it will do. But thanks Gordon. Its my own fault.:thumbdown:

 

[steve parberry]

One tip i was told of is lighter fluid the stuff for Zippo's.

Used to use it to remove label gum from cd case's but not sure about use on paint!!!

 

[Gizzy]

Sticky stuff remover?

Nurses in the UK NHS use a product called 'Zoff' to clean off the adhesives used on sticking plasters and other dressings.

If you know a friendly District Nurse, she might be able to help you here....

 

[tramcar trev]

One tip i was told of is lighter fluid the stuff for Zippo's.

Used to use it to remove label gum from cd case's but not sure about use on paint!!!

Yep, lighter fluid or white spirit is good for removing glue residue.... The trick I believe is to use the blue tape or I found either the Humbrol liquid mask ( if its fresh) or everyday latex liquid gives residue free masking and conforms to fitting around details easily, taping up can be more tedious than doing the job.
It's a rather nice looking job too, especially since the bell has been replaced. Now I guess you will be scouring a well known online auction site for a job lot of side tippers? like this; http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Bachmann...ains&hash=item53f1448769&_uhb=1#ht_500wt_1121 < Link To http://www.ebay.com.au/it...p;_uhb=1#ht_500wt_1121
or this; http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/BACHMANN...ways&hash=item564f9acec2&_uhb=1#ht_500wt_1354 < Link To http://www.ebay.com.au/it...p;_uhb=1#ht_500wt_1354

But at those prices I reckon you would be reverse engineering a rake....

 

[playmofire]

I have had a quick look but not much for Ireland. I figure that whatever I use, the acrylic paint will suffer. I have resigned myself to repainting (and masking everything again). I have several different types of thinners which I will try - if one works that will be great and, if it doesn't then nothing lost (given my present thoughts).

Halfords do one but I've read the reviews and am not certain that it will do. But thanks Gordon. Its my own fault.:thumbdown:

I'm sure I've tried Sticky Stuff Remover from Lakeland (http://www.lakeland.co.uk/8976/Sticky-Stuff-Remover) < Link To http://www.lakeland.co.uk..6/Sticky-Stuff-Remover) on a Playmobil respray job with acrylic paint (it was a fire car and I'd added some yellow striping and had to remove some from one side. I'll root it out and look at it and check and get back to you. If you want some of this stuff, I can get you some (they do a wipes version, too). Diane says she's bought the same stuff at supermarkets, so I'll look out for it today when we're at Tesco and see if they stock it.

 

[peterbunce]

Hi Mick,

IF the main area of your paint 'disaster' is the panel on the cabside why not make an overlay from planked plasticard (or plank a sheet yourself) to cover it.

The little Porters had just such a panel there.

Here is a quick photo of my Porter just for ideas - I fitted two panels but with the small size of your panel one should be enough. The loco is lined out with vynil tape and painted paper tape (for the gold) on Humbrol dark green.

Yours Peter.

 

[3Valve]

Great bash

 

[trammayo]

Wow - so many helpful answers!

Steve - I'll ask my son for some! Isn't a more refined form of petrol? I use petrol to get the tar off the car.

Gizzy - I remember surgical spirit in the First Aid cupboard - you don't seem to see it around these days but, like the Zoff it certainly removed the sticky residue - could have done with some of that earlier this year after an emergency ECG

Gordon - yes that would be nice to know - there's plenty of Tesco's around Ireland - thankyou very much. If suppliers will not post to the Republic, I get stuff sent to my son's address. Beats the system!!!!!

Trevor - I have some of the blue tape "Low-tack" there's more tackiness in a sheet of Izal Toilet Paper (at least as regards the tape I bought here) I've use it in England for sign-writing and had no problems, but this stuff?

As for that well-known (and equally despised?) auction site ...... your last sentence says it all. What I think I'll do is ask if anybody can post some detailed pics and dimensions then I can extrapollate that information .....

Peter - its a good suggestion. Thats a nice little loco you've done there. The recess on my cab sides is rather shallow - maybe 0.3mm deep. Trouble is, I cocooned it in tape. On reflection, I should have spraved the roof first (as the smallest area requiring masking when doing further painting), then the black and then the cab interior which didn't require me to mask anything up as I was brush painting.

Gareth - thankyou!

Now I've no excuse not to finish it!

 

[Madman]

Nicely done. I can't see the tape residue in the photos. Goo Gone, which I believe is a product of the same manufacturer as Goof Off, should help with the residue. But you'll need to be careful, as they may take the paint off as well. Especially the Goof Off.

Thanks Dan. Don't think I've seen that product over here. Problem is about the sticky residue, is that I know its there and that spoils it. I'll end up removing all the black and starting again. It'll have to wait until warmer weather (could do it in the house but the wife won't like that!).

The mess can be seen in fourth pic down - should be same semi-gloss as tanks (which it was before I masked it up).

Ah, yes. I see it on the cab side wall. Perhaps laquer thinner, used carefully would take the glue off, but the paint as well for sure. I feel your pain. I would most likely do just what you are planning to do, start from the beginning.

 

[trammayo]

Well Dan, I had a further go at removing the sticky gunge this afternoon. I used the Humbrol Thinners (I think it might be a refined white spirit) ? first testing on a part of the cab that would be hidden by the tanks. It worked. There were no ill-effects with the paintwork (apart from my attempts yesterday) and it cleaned up OK in the end. It didn't come off in one go but, after each wipe over with the thinners, I used a dry soft cloth until it was down to the paint. I polished it up and there wasn't any trace of thinners left on (or sticky stuff!)

I felt a lot happier so I made some wooden window frames (3mm square bass wood). I cut all the pieces to a tight fit in the opening. I used a red marker pen to stain the wood (3 sides and both ends of each piece ? with the ?bare? side facing into the cab.

I then inserted the pieces into the opening with a modicum of force. Once I was satisfied, I applied superglue from inside the cab. Then I was able to touch up the green inside the cab.

Whilst the cab is off (more painting of window frames required), I took a look at the rest of the loco ?

I think you could make an open cab loco, or anything you want. It has a lot of potential.

 

[steven large]

looking good so far

 

[Madman]

I'm really glad you had success with the goo. The window frame looks good!