It's a very good effort for your first model, the quality of Jim's kits helps a lot with this. I could see some points which can easily be improved. One thing was the punch trough rivets, there was a fair amount of metal pulled down around those rivets, which indicates to me that they were probably punched trough on a fairly soft surface like a cutting mat. Try punching the rivets on a fairly hard piece of wood, like a plank of oak or hardwood plywood, a wooden or nylon cutting board does work well in my experience and gives much crisper and nicer rivets. The solder stains can be completely rubbed of with the glassfiber pen you have, just brush in the direction of the planking grooves to avoid rounding of the detail I have seen the same small disadvantge on your kit as on some coaches I have from Jim, there is no separate chassis and floor for the wagon, and that makes lining up your axles a bit more difficult, because you can't put the model upside down on a flat surface to check the alignment. I meet up one axle guard to the chassis in the desired position and then scribe a line along the underside of the chassis, then measure the distance between the line and the underside, and scribe a line on the other 3 at the same distance. Then they can be soldered in exact the same height by clamping them to the underside of the wagon with crocodile clips or clothes pegs, before soldering. Should the wagon still be a bit wobly after this then the chassis may be a bit warped, and this can be adjusted by giving a little twist on the chassis/body assembly
Superb job, that is a nicely detailed model. I saw a pre-built one listed on eBay a week but sadly couldn't get it. However, I did manage to land a pre-built Great Western Railway 6 wheeled milk tanker that needs a fair bit of work. Videos like this are what inspired me to try brass metal kits. Thank you.
hi Kevin... WOW 11 pages of instructions... fantastic little wagon as you would call it... you did a great job & should look awesome when you get around to painting it... thanks for sharing... vinny
The perfect match for your 13xx (even if it out of region just a tad) ;) . Don't think I would ever be able to get my head around a brass kit like this. Those little rings sure looked very fiddly to add! It certainly make a nice rolling sound when on the track! Looking forward to seeing it all painted up! Keep up the great work!
Great build there Kev the kits look scary mate all those parts. You put the wagon together superbly great finish your turning into a master builder now mate. Great to see it painted. Kev
Hi Kev thanks very much was great fun to do ,just bought a catfish ballast wagon now that looks really hard more fiddly parts than this one tapered sides oh dear but it was secondhand and cheap !! Hope to paint the wagon next week and then give it a run with the pannier on my 3 feet of o guage track cheers Kev
You really are getting into this brass kit building Kevin and from the looks of it, you're really enjoying it! The finished truck looks great and look forward to seeing painted up...........Graham
Hi Rob thanks very much went together really well ,like you say certainly the brass looks really good and being that bit bigger as well makes all the difference cheers Kevin
Hi Dave I know bought another 2 kid yesterday , bought a catfish ballast wagon I think I might agree with you after reading the instructions this evening !!! Cheers Kevin
A very detailed wagon. Is there a natural weight to the wagon, being brass, or did you have to add some? I think you did a great job in soldering Kevin, and when its painted you wouldn't even notice it.
Hi John it is quite heavy compared to what I am used to do have not run it as I only have a piece of track so not been run properly yet it has had it first coat of primer and is looking good cheers Kevin
At least it was O scale so it makes it a little easier to put together. Once its cleaned and painted it should look really good. The solder paint must have helped instead of using regular solder. Great job. Scott
Hi Laurie thanks very much ,there was no bits missing I had every thing that I needed not sure why there was a hole, 3 rd take to roll it into the right place no chance of doing it in one !!!! not sure about paint yet it is in Halfords grey primer at moment will decide next week cheers Kevin
Great little wagon Kevin you must have a very steady hand,will there be a video when its painted,what happened to the diesel loco you were building,regards Tony
Hi Tony thanks very much hope to get it painted this week ,been away for a few days ,the other loco is still waiting for a few extra bits before I start cheers Kevin
Hi Matthew thanks very much , still sorting out all the other bits that I need probably be new year before I get going probably went to the o guage trade show in Reading yesterday so got a few bits but still a few bits to sort out cheers Kevin
Hi I need your help I've just got a plank brass wagon kit but not sure I've got the right stuff to build it with I saw your bits and pieces from Carr ect not sure what tools and soldering iron to get ect
+Paul Smith hi Paul you could use normal flux but the liquid flux like cars is a cleaner product the only carrs solder I use is low melt for use on white metal kits the only think I would say is clean the brass extremely well with fine wire wool and then put the flux on .get some off cuts of brass and practice before you start your kit . But it must be really clean before you start
+kevintregunna I have a glass fiber brush I use I have practiced soldering two bits of brass together but I seem to be alot of tools down which were on the paper instructions I would of liked to have seen how you did it on the video chap
+Paul Smith hi Paul I have some more kits to do but I have not had a chance to video myself actually soldering that was the first one I did and I think it will be a. While before I get a chance check this video out it shows my soldering iron that I use and I talk about a few of the carrs flux and solder
It's a very good effort for your first model, the quality of Jim's kits helps a lot with this.
I could see some points which can easily be improved.
One thing was the punch trough rivets, there was a fair amount of metal pulled down around those rivets, which indicates to me that they were probably punched trough on a fairly soft surface like a cutting mat.
Try punching the rivets on a fairly hard piece of wood, like a plank of oak or hardwood plywood, a wooden or nylon cutting board does work well in my experience and gives much crisper and nicer rivets.
The solder stains can be completely rubbed of with the glassfiber pen you have, just brush in the direction of the planking grooves to avoid rounding of the detail
I have seen the same small disadvantge on your kit as on some coaches I have from Jim, there is no separate chassis and floor for the wagon, and that makes lining up your axles a bit more difficult, because you can't put the model upside down on a flat surface to check the alignment.
I meet up one axle guard to the chassis in the desired position and then scribe a line along the underside of the chassis, then measure the distance between the line and the underside, and scribe a line on the other 3 at the same distance.
Then they can be soldered in exact the same height by clamping them to the underside of the wagon with crocodile clips or clothes pegs, before soldering.
Should the wagon still be a bit wobly after this then the chassis may be a bit warped, and this can be adjusted by giving a little twist on the chassis/body assembly
Superb job, that is a nicely detailed model. I saw a pre-built one listed on eBay a week but sadly couldn't get it. However, I did manage to land a pre-built Great Western Railway 6 wheeled milk tanker that needs a fair bit of work. Videos like this are what inspired me to try brass metal kits. Thank you.
Caramel Flames thanks very much they are quite good fun to do cheers Kevin
I admire your skills and your patience too! Nice job once again Kevin.
Hi Mick thanks very much just love the modelling aspect cheers Kevin
hi Kevin... WOW 11 pages of instructions... fantastic little wagon as you would call it... you did a great job & should look awesome when you get around to painting it... thanks for sharing... vinny
Hi Vinny thanks very much will be painting it at the end of the week should make all the difference quite looking forward to it cheers Kevin
The perfect match for your 13xx (even if it out of region just a tad) ;) . Don't think I would ever be able to get my head around a brass kit like this. Those little rings sure looked very fiddly to add! It certainly make a nice rolling sound when on the track! Looking forward to seeing it all painted up! Keep up the great work!
Hi Callum they are great fun to put together really enjoyed it hope to paint this week and then run it on my 3 foot of track !! cheers Kevin
A labour of love eh Kevin ! You've done a great job with this...well done....Best wishes.....Steve.
Thanks Steve quite good fun to do cheers Kevin
Great build there Kev the kits look scary mate all those parts.
You put the wagon together superbly great finish your turning into a master builder now mate.
Great to see it painted.
Kev
Hi Kev thanks very much was great fun to do ,just bought a catfish ballast wagon now that looks really hard more fiddly parts than this one tapered sides oh dear but it was secondhand and cheap !! Hope to paint the wagon next week and then give it a run with the pannier on my 3 feet of o guage track cheers Kev
You really are getting into this brass kit building Kevin and from the looks of it, you're really enjoying it! The finished truck looks great and look forward to seeing painted up...........Graham
Hi Graham they are good fun to put together bought a couple more at the weekend hope to get it painted this week cheers Kevin
For a first attempt you must be pleased with that,,, some lovely detail ,,, well done great job,
Hi Alan turned out good get a coat of paint on it later this week should finish it off cheers Kevin
Great build Kevin looking great for a first attempt mate
Cheers
Graeme
Hi Graeme really pleased with how it turned out cheers Kevin
It looks great. You've done a good job on it. Nothing like brass sheet to imitate iron or steel sheet. Plastic doesn't get it like the brass.
Hi Rob thanks very much went together really well ,like you say certainly the brass looks really good and being that bit bigger as well makes all the difference cheers Kevin
You are a glutton for punishment Kevin , but I know you love doing these builds , and a very nice job you have done there
Hi Dave I know bought another 2 kid yesterday , bought a catfish ballast wagon I think I might agree with you after reading the instructions this evening !!! Cheers Kevin
Jim's kits are f***in great. worth every penny.
Gus Wittering they are certainly good cheers Kevin
Gus Wittering was my first o Gauge kit got a few more to do
Just about to start my second loco from Jim.
Gus Wittering only done the one loco ,got a JLTRT western kit that I need to finish off cheers Kevin
A very detailed wagon. Is there a natural weight to the wagon, being brass, or did you have to add some? I think you did a great job in soldering Kevin, and when its painted you wouldn't even notice it.
Hi John it is quite heavy compared to what I am used to do have not run it as I only have a piece of track so not been run properly yet it has had it first coat of primer and is looking good cheers Kevin
At least it was O scale so it makes it a little easier to put together. Once its cleaned and painted it should look really good. The solder paint must have helped instead of using regular solder. Great job.
Scott
Hi Scott easier than oo that's for sure the solder paint is good on certain bits cheers Kevin
Great detail on that kit Kevin. What was the missing part?
How many takes to get it to roll in?
What paints will you use to paint it?
Cheers, Laurie
Hi Laurie thanks very much ,there was no bits missing I had every thing that I needed not sure why there was a hole, 3 rd take to roll it into the right place no chance of doing it in one !!!! not sure about paint yet it is in Halfords grey primer at moment will decide next week cheers Kevin
Great little wagon Kevin you must have a very steady hand,will there be a video when its painted,what happened to the diesel loco you were building,regards Tony
Hi Tony thanks very much hope to get it painted this week ,been away for a few days ,the other loco is still waiting for a few extra bits before I start cheers Kevin
very nice done a good job of the build hows that class 52 coming along Andy
Andy thanks very much still sorting out the odds and ends for the Western so will be the new year before we see progress cheers Kevin
Gud job mate, that looks brill!!! I wudnt knw where to start! Hws the Western comin along :)
Hi Matthew thanks very much , still sorting out all the other bits that I need probably be new year before I get going probably went to the o guage trade show in Reading yesterday so got a few bits but still a few bits to sort out cheers Kevin
Im sure theres HUNDREDS of bits :)
Hi I need your help I've just got a plank brass wagon kit but not sure I've got the right stuff to build it with I saw your bits and pieces from Carr ect not sure what tools and soldering iron to get ect
Hi Paul I bought a variable temperature soldering iron from Maplins cost about £50.00 and just general modelling tools cheers kevin
+kevintregunna ok Kevin thanks what about flux and solder dose it have to be carrs?
+Paul Smith hi Paul you could use normal flux but the liquid flux like cars is a cleaner product the only carrs solder I use is low melt for use on white metal kits the only think I would say is clean the brass extremely well with fine wire wool and then put the flux on .get some off cuts of brass and practice before you start your kit . But it must be really clean before you start
+kevintregunna I have a glass fiber brush I use I have practiced soldering two bits of brass together but I seem to be alot of tools down which were on the paper instructions I would of liked to have seen how you did it on the video chap
+Paul Smith hi Paul I have some more kits to do but I have not had a chance to video myself actually soldering that was the first one I did and I think it will be a. While before I get a chance check this video out it shows my soldering iron that I use and I talk about a few of the carrs flux and solder