Weathering basic plastic no frills old Hornby wagons

hmmhmmhmmhmm

Dunno !!!!

:cheers  Gormo

Hi Gormo,

Found the pics of the mainline CO-OP wagon that got the "treatment". Typical activity on small branch line station/halt sidings with one local coal merchant. Coal was bagged in the wagon, loaded straight onto the delivery lorry. Weathering powders only, matte varnish finish. Needs a P number and white paint on the RHS diagonal bracing as it's also an end discharger. If it was a London coal merchant the upper wooden plank above the door would have been hinged on one side (and folded up out of the way) to allow easy access. I've never seen that modeled.

Nigel

Really Nice Job Nigel,
That`s a miniature work of art!!!!
I love the extra detail and the finish. You see, to my eye …..that is absolutely spot on!!!
Brilliant  thumbsthumbs:thumbs
How did you do the drop down door????

:cheers  Gormo

Excellent job, but my question is how did they lift the scales into the wagon?

REgards Alan

Hi Alan,

Brute strength, slid from the lorry bed into the wagon at an angle. London merchants did not have this problem of course. Which begs the question - how do you start bagging and weighing with a full wagon? 

Nigel

Hi Gormo,

Fine saw blade in a scalpel holder and a lot of patience keeping it exactly vetrical and horizontal - that plastic is thick.  Non-working, easy enough to have a working one using styrene sheet cut to plank height/width. This wagon is part of a cameo of 3 with a flat-bed lorry and coal sacks. Mainline CO-OP wagons only came with one number, using P numbers allows some differences.

Nigel

Bob's been talking about PO wagons and I've just noticed this has become un-stickied. (is that a word?).

Do you want it re-stickied, Ed?

Hi Max

Up to Gormo and everyone else, but I thought it a useful one to have at the top, like posting pictures.

Check it now, Ed.

It looks like it's at the top.

Cheers

:thumbs

G'day Folks,
It doesn't bother me whether this topic is stickied or unstickied.
I leave it up to the majority or the moderators discretion.
I'm happy to go with the flow.
Cheers
Gormo

Hi Gormo
Thanks for the interesting beginners intro to weathering. I noticed you mentioned changing the front coupling on a Smokey Joe. I have just bought a used one missing the said coupling and would appreciate any tips about how to fix a replacement as they were moulded as part of the chasis. I realise this should probably be the topic of a new thread and I'd happily move it but just thought it might be worth asking you as you've been there recently.
Thanks
Ray

G`day Ray,

Yes I did the conversion a little while back and not sure where I posted it now?…..no bother…I have some pics.

I must say that this is not the prettiest way of doing it, but it works fine. The first thing to do is study the area carefully and work out what goes and what stays.
 At the front of the loco I sliced off most of the moulded coupling…..enough so that from a side view it would look like it was never there. I then took a small Bachmann coupling and trimmed each side of it`s retaining plate so that it would fit into the recess under the buffer beam. I drilled a suitable size hole for the retaining screw. From memory the height of the coupling was good, however if it sits too high you can use a small washer or two as spacers. The height of the coupling is important and should be checked against some of your rolling stock to make sure you`ve got it right.



 This is a small coupling compared to the original, however it still looks big on a small loco like Smokey Joe. I do feel though that it improves the look of the thing dramatically.



The rear coupling was a similar exercise although I think a little easier. Again slice off the redundant moulded coupling. Once again I have trimmed the retaining plate off from each side of the Bachmann coupling. Drilled a suitable hole for the retaining screw and fitted the trimmed down coupling. Also once again check the height carefully and adjust with washers if necessary. You may note that the coupling is butted up to the plastic casing behind the screw. This stops the coupling pivoting on the screw. Normally the retaining plate that was trimmed off would do that job.





Here we have it completed……tested and working. 



Once the original couplings are gone, the Bachmanns fit up underneath pretty much at the same height as the originals…..give or take a washer or two.!!!

A quick tip!!!……old audio cassettes are a good source of small screws. Before you toss `em out, take the screws out.!!!

 Something different of note too is the silver buffer closest in the above pic. This is a replacement made from a flat head nail of suitable size. The top of the flat head was filed to create a key for solder. The nail head was then heated with the soldering iron until solder would flow quite easily. When soldering the nail head, it is quite easy to form a small dome with the solder. When it cools you can give it a rub with some fine paper to match it more closely to it`s neighbour. Then drill a hole so that it fits snugly into position. Oh….also you have to trim the nail to length to suit. Glue it into position if you wish.

So there you are Ray……the hardest thing to do is the initial step of hacking off the moulded coupling.



:cheers  Gormo

Brilliant Gormo
Thanks so much for the effort to bring out those older pics of the Smokey Joe conversion. The nail tip is a great make do fix too! Sadly all my cassettes are long gone in a previous international move!
This is a wonderful topic with some great pics and video how to's - thanks so much.
Ray

I am liking that Nail tip, I have some missing buffers and being tight always like a cheap solution, I had thought that maybe a nail might work so its nice to see it put into practice.

Off to look at my nail selection for suitable candidates…..

No worries Andy,
If you need more detail on the method…….just post it……and I`ll sort something out.

:cheers  Gormo

Hmmm i was watching the Granddaughter the other day with a craft set she had been bought….Threading beads..making bracelets..cheap as chips in all different sizes and cylindrical as well as round ones. wonder if some of those little cylinders could be used with the nail to make up different  buffers ? must look out a mixed pack next:hmm time I'm at that big craft store  …:It's a no no No !! I'm not pinching the GD's….Although  

Cheers

  Matt

OK Matt,
As long as the grandaughters stocks are safe.
:cheers  Gormo

More information on your method would be useful if you have the time to post it.

Thanks