Chris Ward Locos - help required !

[berryr99]

All,

As ever, all advice given is most appreciated....however.....

I have tried burnishing with a cocktail stick, a rounded cocktail stick, a manicure stick and also a round ended metal wax sculpting tool.

What I am getting are striations that don't burnish out (i.e. the surface does not go smooth), although it does go shiney.

I was just wondering if this is the result that everyone else gets or am I being too heavy handed.

I have tried to be as light as possible in some areas but the result is the same.

This is my practice model so not that important to not damage it but I'd like to think I was on the right lines for the "real" model.

I noted that burnishing is also advised between coats of paint - presumably this helps to fill in the striations ?

Thanks again for the advice

Bob

[garrywhiting]

All,
As ever, all advice given is most appreciated....however.....
I have tried burnishing with a cocktail stick, a rounded cocktail stick, a manicure stick and also a round ended metal wax sculpting tool.
What I am getting are striations that don't burnish out (i.e. the surface does not go smooth), although it does go shiney.
I was just wondering if this is the result that everyone else gets or am I being too heavy handed.
I have tried to be as light as possible in some areas but the result is the same.
This is my practice model so not that important to not damage it but I'd like to think I was on the right lines for the "real" model.
I noted that burnishing is also advised between coats of paint - presumably this helps to fill in the striations ?
Thanks again for the advice
Bob

The striations cannot be completely eliminated, only minimised. After burnishing, respray with primer, and after that has dried, apply the topcoat colour. When you hold the model close to, say 6 to 9 inches away, the striations will still be visible, but at normal viewing distance on a layout, say 18 ins. plus, they will be difficult to detect.

[berryr99]

Good afternoon,

The Chris Ward locos are nearly finished and all help thus far has been much appreciated.

I'm a bit stuck on how to fit the hand rails into the handrail knobs nice and neatly.

At the moment I am trimming the handrails to within a few mm of the correct size, supergluing them in and then trimming off the excess with some side cutters. Then I have to file down the small remaining length of handrail back to the hand rail knob. Its Ok...ish but is still leaving a little bit of untidiness next to the handrail knob.

I was wondering if a better way is to exactly size the handrail wire and then fit it.

I was wondering how everybody else did it

Thanks

Bob.

[Hugh Norwood]

How I do it:
first drill the holes to take the handrail knobs.

Thread two handrail knobs onto the wire (presuming there's two to fit) I find they seem to hang on the wire not at right-angles - this is not a problem. The wire is quite a bit longer than needed.

Fit the knobs into the holes on the body, taking care not to let the wire slip out of the knobs.
[repeat after swearing, until ready to proceed...]

while gently holding the assembly in place, glue the knobs into the body

Optionally slide the wire along so that it is mostly out one end of the assembly - to save on waste.

glue the wire into the knobs and trim off the excess.

[berryr99]

Thank you Hugh,

I now seem to have managed as outlined, however, I have run out of swear words to use.

I think about 5 hand rail knobs are now lost in the carpet....yes I worked right over my desk but they seem to spring out of the tweezers quite quickly to parts unknown.

To refer to a certain set of books - I think the Bogeyman who lives under the desk has got them.

Bob

[Graeme Dunbar]

Some people swear by a fairly deep rimmed tray. However, if the parts are determined to escape there is little that can be done - except to use one of those sealed bio hazard cabinets with the rubber gauntlets to handle the materials inside perhaps?  :laugh:

[The Banker]

Thank you Hugh,

I now seem to have managed as outlined, however, I have run out of swear words to use.

I think about 5 hand rail knobs are now lost in the carpet....yes I worked right over my desk but they seem to spring out of the tweezers quite quickly to parts unknown.

To refer to a certain set of books - I think the Bogeyman who lives under the desk has got them.

Bob

Horrible things! I have probably lost as many on the floor as I have ever used!

Simon

[Isle of Stoner]

I've learned by bitter experience to buy twice as many of the perishing things as I need. I believe that they evaporate when you drop/ping them.

Worth the bother though.

I've just bought one of the new 'England' style locos home to put together so I'll post some pics when I get a minute. I'm off to Cardiff tomorrow then back for a day and the off to London to unload 'Princess' at Paddington, back for a couple of days and then back to London for the public unveiling...
Blimey.

John W

[Hugh Norwood]

I think about 5 hand rail knobs are now lost in the carpet....yes I worked right over my desk but they seem to spring out of the tweezers quite quickly to parts unknown.
Bob

Ah - I didn't think of using tweezers! I hold the handrail knobs between a thumb and finger during the threading process... Once they're threaded on to the wire, you could put a small piece of blu-tak at each end of the wire to stop them falling off until they're stuck in place, perhaps.

[Graeme Dunbar]

Tweezers can be vindictive little things and ping stuff all over the place. I'm still looking for a useful self-closing pair and perhaps something over the tips to make the jaws (?) softer - but without being too bulky.

[berryr99]

I use a pair of surgical forceps whilst reaming and threading the wire but its when I use the tweezers for (say) putting the handrail knobs into the loco body or offering them up to the forceps that the problems start.

I have a small three pronged device that I use from time to time for small objects - it was included with a computer toolkit I got some time ago. Its about the size of a biro and has three extending (and retracting) wire prongs. Its not much good for handrails though because of their shape but it is good for putting small screws in.

Bob

[berryr99]

I attach a picture of the completed Chris Ward Growlers - just need to get some transfers/name plates and detail the headlamps/horn.

The finish is BR Green (Precision Paints)

Please can anyone advise me if I should laquer the finish and if so what laquer to use ?

Thank you all for the past help on this topic, however, I have a new project on the stocks - a Tom Bell Sentinel

Bob Berry

[jimowers]

Very nice locos!

If you want a lacquer surface over the model then I use Rustoleum Crystal Clear Matt spray which is available from a well-known orange DIY superstore chain as I mentioned in my OO9 News article recently. Spray before fitting the chassis.

My own experiences for what they are worth are:

Manicure sticks from a pharmacy work well with cocktail sticks for the tight places on the model. I also use a flour grade sanding paper for the main surfaces but with care as the surface is very delicate.

I tend to use the Humbrol spray paints as they cover well, building up in several thin coats.

Handrails are 4mm medium handrail stanchions from Eileen's Emporium with their 0.4mm brass wire. The secret I have found is to drill the holes so that they fit easily and then superglue one stanchion at the end of the piece of wire. Put superglue carefully in each hole with a cocktail stick. Thread the rest on to the wire and then fit with the glued one first, taking care to hold on to the wire at all times! I sympathise with your loss of these tiny items. We have a laminate floor and we still cannot find things that fall on it so carpet must be a nightmare.

The other thing which you may find useful for the windows is Deluxe Materials Glue-n-Glaze. Fill each window with a thin coat. Do the windows at one end of the cab at a time and then stand the loco on end until they dry. A little heat from a warm radiator can speed the process but never put the loco directly on the radiator, use a pice of folded kitchen towel between the radiator and the loco. Note that for larger windows on a loco you will need to use acetate sheet as this method is not suitable.

I hope that these tips are of use.

[berryr99]

Jim,

Thank you for the complement.

Thanks for these tips which are very useful.

The handrails one is one of those doh ! moments for me - I wish I'd thought of that !

I'll try the Rustoleum spray as I think it will protect my locos during handling and I'm assuming I would put the transfers on before spraying.

I will go to the orange superstore next Wednesday on Diamond Discount day - whereabouts would I find the product in the store - in the paints section maybe ?

Finally I note you are in a good location for the IOM steam railway which I have visited many times in the last 40 years and much enjoyed.

Bob

[jimowers]

Good luck with the spray.

Unfortunately the railway you refer to is a very long way from me. However, the IOW Steam Railway is one of the most popular in the UK but unfortunately not narrow gauge.