Locomotive Detailing

[berryr99]

Good Afternoon,

I have now built the two Chris Ward Growlers that have been the subject of previous posts.

I'm sorry to to say that clumsiness resulted in one of them suffering  "fall from height" which resulted in a shattered cab that had to be rebuilt - but you can't see the join (s) !

As these are the first two locos that I have ever built I don't have a "bits" box from which to pick items such as air horns, headlights, coupling hoses and the like.

Please can anyone identify a source ( or sources) where I can start to get these items from.

I'm not sure of Second Hand Sales would have these ? I will be going to Narrow Gauge North in March in any event

Thanks

Bob Berry

[Krizzy]

Bob

Meridian Models may be able to help with headlights. I have some headlights off the Baldwin gas mechanical kit as detailing spares.
Shawplan or 247 Developments can supply air horns. I have also used their etched brass louvres (for modifying a sg class 37 diesel loco) to do similar on a 009 loco. I use MJT wagon vacuum pipes as they are a little smaller than the PD Rheidol spares. All the MJT stuff I pick up at trade stalls visiting or exhibiting at shows. Mainly Trains is another source of detailing bits and pieces such as handrail knobs and 0.45mm wire.

Roger

[Hugh Norwood]

Eileens Emporium do handrail wire and knobs (usual disclaimer)
I make my own vacuum pipes out of tinned copper wire of a suitable diameter wrapped as appropraite with thread which is then stuck down with superglue.

{addition}
A tip (from Garry W). You can get from your local craft shop (I'm not certain what they are actually called and you may have to ask for them) - they are flat-bottomed crystals (?rhinestones?) that make good lenses for headlamps. I found some that are about 3mm diameter. the flat back is green in colour, but they are white from the front.

[Graeme Dunbar]

Perhaps "Swarovski" stones or crystals? (I probably got it from Garry W too!) e.g.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100-CLEAR-SWAROVSKI-CRYSTALS-4mm-glue-fix-NEW-2058-cut-even-MORE-sparkle-/170985872008?pt=UK_Crafts_Beads_CA&hash=item27cf8d5a88

I am struggling to remember the correct term to go with Swarovski to find the right thing - stones, crystals, beads, brilliants ....??? I did once turn up a supplier on eBay that did a whole range of diameters that are of the right range of sizes.

[berryr99]

Thanks guys - I will follow up.

Good tip on the crystals - I will ask the domestic authorities first as my wife is a crafter !

Hugh - I assume that the copper wire is just normal single strand copper wire and then tinned to give it some body. Then you wrap suitable cotton ? thread round it , stick it down and then paint if appropriate.

Bob Berry

[Isle of Stoner]

If you are a user of eBay then I find that if you put 4mm scale into the search you will find that among the Hornby etc you will find the occasional gem amongst the detritus. I just won a brass casting for a reversing lever, a vacuum brake control and a couple of lubricators all for a couple of quid. Keeping your eyes peeled can pay dividends.

John W

[Hugh Norwood]

Thanks guys - I will follow up.

Good tip on the crystals - I will ask the domestic authorities first as my wife is a crafter !

Hugh - I assume that the copper wire is just normal single strand copper wire and then tinned to give it some body. Then you wrap suitable cotton ? thread round it , stick it down and then paint if appropriate.

Bob Berry

Sorry -  I was making an assumption you'd know what I meant. Tinned Copper Wire is a standard item in the electronics fraternity. It is solid (i.e. single strand) copper wire pre-tinned in order to make it easy to solder. It comes in a numbe rof different gauges (thicknesses) I use 20swg size which is about 0.90 mm diameter. I thought I got my reel from Maplins, but it has a part no "355-063" on it which make me think I might have got it from Rapid instead. (it was a 200gm reel)


To make a vacuum pipe, I cut off a length about 50mm long and straighten it by rolling it between a steel rule and a flat surface. Now I  bend one end gently round a suitable tube like a biro body. This makes the curved (flexible) bit of the pipe. I attach a length of sewing thread near the end of this curved section (clove hitch!) and wrap the thread round unit it gets to nearly the end of the curve. Tie it off and drop some superglue on it.

When the glue has dried, I finish bending the pipe and trim it off. Paint and fix in place.
I think I may have some somewhere and I take a photo and post it.

Oh yes - I can't afford Swarovski - I use plastic ones!


Addition: 355-063 is an RS part no - and it is still available. Squires also do 20swg TC wire, but they sell 500g reels, which you might find excessive.

Tell you what, Bob, send me a message and can meet at NG North and I'll bring a couple of metres of it for you to have a go.

[rod335]

For vacuum pipes, there is an old trick and much easier than winding wire round a core. Use steel round wound guitar strings, the lower three, E A and D should be checked for size. You must buy steel strings (not steel guitar strings) with round or wire winding, flatwound are wound with a tape and no use for this, or really any other, purpose. Classical guitar strings are wound on a nylon filament core and again no use for modelling. Buy the cheapest you can get, for this purpose there is no point in buying decent strings!

Rod

[garrywhiting]

Perhaps "Swarovski" stones or crystals? (I probably got it from Garry W too!) e.g.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100-CLEAR-SWAROVSKI-CRYSTALS-4mm-glue-fix-NEW-2058-cut-even-MORE-sparkle-/170985872008?pt=UK_Crafts_Beads_CA&hash=item27cf8d5a88

I am struggling to remember the correct term to go with Swarovski to find the right thing - stones, crystals, beads, brilliants ....??? I did once turn up a supplier on eBay that did a whole range of diameters that are of the right range of sizes.

Exactly Graeme, you have to use a variety of the terminology to find what you want. A few years ago after much searching on eBay I was able to find a supplier in Shanghai from whom I purchased a "selection box" of these fake gemstones, various diameters ranging from 1mm to 4mm, and a mix of traditional cone backed and flat backed. They were quite cheap, less than

[Tigger]

An anecdote. A couple of years ago, at a show. a lady visitor commented on the headlights on my Colonial & US style locos. I told her that it cost me a fortune buying the diamonds. The look on her face was priceless.

EXCELLENT!!  ;D

I'm sure Garry does the same but whenever I visit exhibitions and Members' Days I always trawl the stands for any small packets of anything which look useful and 'might come in handy one day even if I never use it'.  Over the years I've built up a vast collection of odds and sods at an expense which is spread so thinly it's negligible.  I can normally find something to do the job I want, even if it's not 100% correct.  The right hand end of the Langley stand is always worth a look.

[MickT]

The common term for what we call headlights in the crafting world is Brilliants and they are very easy to obtain - if you have a Hobbycraft near you they sell a variety of sizes and colours. If you still have a "proper" craft shop in your locality, especially one that caters for the jewellery making craft market, then you will find various gauges of wire, plus "proper" faceted cut imitation diamonds as well as the flat backed type - personally I go for the flat backed type of 3 to 4mm diameter for headlamps and smaller facet cut "ruby" imitations for brakevan red lamps. I did manage to source some brilliants of the right size that came already mounted in a plastic/nylon cylindrical mounting and on strings at so much (not much) for foot lengths - ideal as they come for headlamps as the mounting is just right for the lamp housing.

Tour the market stalls etc and you'll find loads of things that could be useful!

Mick

[berryr99]

Guys - fantastic help so far.

We have a Hobbycraft so I can have a look there and I can see I will have to haunt various stalls at shows to start my bits box.

I have started to realise that there is lot to building and finishing a loco - far more than meets the eye - but I'm glad to have made the effort and I think the "bug" has bitten me. Next up I am waiting for one of Tom Bell's 3D printed Single cab Sentinels to arrive from Holland. I also have an unbuilt Peco NG loco (can't remember which one) to build.

Also there's the layout to get on with.

I thought retirement was all about taking it easy !

Bob

[Hugh Norwood]

Got the digital box-brownie out at last. Here is a pic of a home-made vac pipe next to a white-metal one for comparison. The background grid is 1cm

[berryr99]

Thanks Hugh, now I can see how its done

Regards

Bob

[kingfisher]

try markits,as they do a lot in loco parts.
mike