Author Topic: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO  (Read 174519 times)

Online Kim

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #855 on: May 25, 2019, 10:47:44 PM »
You're making great progress on the cab, Rich!  Looking great!
Kim

Offline Firebird

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #856 on: May 27, 2019, 10:43:56 AM »
Hi

Thanks Thomas and Kim  :ThumbsUp:

There are plans for the cab but I'm having to modify them to suit the side tanks + I'm aiming to make it so that it will come off reasonably quickly without disturbing anything else. I sometimes wonder if it is easier to just design yourself or spend the time modifying existing plans  :thinking:

Cheers

Rich

Offline cnr6400

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #857 on: May 27, 2019, 01:36:08 PM »
Hi Rich, +1 on doing your own CAD to verify a published design. For my own engines and projects I model them myself in CAD before cutting any metal. I sometimes use a published design as a guide but have found published drawings almost always have major errors. By doing the CAD I can also plan operations to suit my machine tools and fixturing, and also design for materials and hardware I have / can get rather than spending time hunting down materials or fasteners that are not easily available today. Many of the traditional engine and locomotive design plans being sold  date back to the 1920's to 1960's. A lot of materials and fasteners that were available then, whether in US or UK, are not available now, or are extremely costly from specialty makers.

One big step toward reducing errors is to redo the drawings using decimal-only dimensions rather than fractional dimensions. (Working in metric also eliminates fractional dimension errors)
"I've cut that stock three times, and it's still too short!"

Offline J.L.

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #858 on: May 27, 2019, 06:56:37 PM »
Hello Rich,

Thoroughly enjoyed watching you make the clever beaading for the edging of the cab wall.

Brilliant idea!

John

Offline Firebird

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #859 on: May 31, 2019, 11:21:59 AM »
Hi

Thanks cnr6400 and John  :ThumbsUp:

I have been following/watching Chris on his Marion build with great interest and in particular his recent name plate etching so I thought I would give it a go. My printer is an inkjet so of no use but would you believe it the printer at work is a laser
printer   ::) so armed with a memory stick I borrowed a bit of ink



Got a few print outs for Julians locos while I was at it

I have decided to have a go at the Ferric chloride method



Cheap enough off ebay

I tried ironing on the printout to some brass but it didn't work  :headscratch:

So I brushed on a little water then ironed it. Brushed on more water then ironed again. That worked



Dropped them into the solution and after 2 hours



Not bad but not very deep. I'm going to try it on a bit of copper later today

Cheers

Rich










Offline cnr6400

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #860 on: May 31, 2019, 01:23:46 PM »
They look good Rich!  :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:  I think you will get deeper etching in copper. I used to make a lot of circuit boards at home for robotic projects in the 1980's with ferric chloride. It worked faster than other solutions on copper. Used to heat the PCB and solution gently with a heat lamp too, which sped it up further. The PCB in the solution was constantly agitated to help the solution reach the copper on the board and clear away the dissolved copper.
"I've cut that stock three times, and it's still too short!"

Offline crueby

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #861 on: May 31, 2019, 02:19:31 PM »
Nice result Rich! I found the same, brass etched slower than copper but it does work. For the ironing of the pattern, the temperature is key, try upping the setting on the iron. It takes enough time to heat the metal up, and pressure too. Having the part suspended face down in the acid helps keep particles from building up.

Offline crueby

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #862 on: May 31, 2019, 03:05:39 PM »
Forgot to mention, before ironing on the transfer steel wool the surface of the plate to remove any oxidation, want it shiny clean, then don't get fingerprints on it.

Offline Admiral_dk

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #863 on: May 31, 2019, 08:23:11 PM »
Industrial PCB making has the PCB's hanging in free air inside a clear plastic container and use a constant spray of hot acid. This ensures that the material is removed from the PCB and container. Then catched by a filter, so only the acid is pumped back through a heater, before it is sprayed back on the PCB worked on.

The amatur semi pro version used to be an upright "envelope" with an aquarium pump and heater - again so the material is moved away from the "subject" and the heat speeds the process up quite a bit.
Nobody do this any more, as PCB's made in China in 5 or 10 pcs quantity has become ridiculously cheap (a few $) in a much better quality than even the semi pro can get.

You might be able to pickup old envelope style systems for PCB's for just collecting them ..... (if there are any left).

Nice work al around Rich  :cheers:

Offline Firebird

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #864 on: June 01, 2019, 04:53:41 PM »
Hi

Thanks cnr6400, Chris and Admiral

The copper test seemed to work better than the brass



I'm going to increase the size, they look too small on the loco, and try again but taking on board some of the suggestions from you guys

Cheers

Rich

Online Kim

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #865 on: June 01, 2019, 05:25:22 PM »
Wow, Rich! Nice work on the name plates.

I know you said that the copper etched deeper (and faster) than the brass, but I can't tell the difference from the pictures.  Is the depth difference pretty dramatic?    If you're going to paint, it probably doesn't make much difference whether its copper or brass.

Kim

Offline crueby

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #866 on: June 01, 2019, 07:21:20 PM »
Excellent plate! Fun to add a new technique, isn't it! 

 :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

Offline Firebird

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #867 on: June 01, 2019, 09:44:02 PM »
Hi

Thanks Kim and Chris  :ThumbsUp:

The brass ones only just had enough depth. I doubt I could measure the actual depth. I first sprayed them with etching primer then red . Once dry I rubbed them on fine wet and dry to remove the paint on the letters. It just did it but I would like to have cleaned the brass up a little further but its starting to remove the paint in the depression. It looks as though the etching solution has got through and pitted the topof the letters. I have just sprayed the copper one so I'll see what that looks like tomorrow when I sand it.

Cheers

Rich

Offline Firebird

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #868 on: June 01, 2019, 10:10:56 PM »
Hi

Some more work on the cab.

This is the aim, easily removable

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FGMa6mNFN4" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FGMa6mNFN4</a>

The rear hoop I have cut from some 10mm thick ally





Its fixed to the cab sides with 2 M5 bolts

2 5/16" stainless steel uprights have brackets silver soldered to the top and tapped M3 in the bottom





2 Brass angles along the bottom of the cab sides and 2 ally angles made to fit the curve at the top of the cab sides









Cheers

Rich

Online Kim

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #869 on: June 02, 2019, 05:25:29 AM »
THe cab is sure looking good!  And I'd say you've met your goal of 'easily removable' :)  :ThumbsUp:
Kim

 

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