Thread: LMR 57 Lion (Titfield Thunderbolt)

Originally Posted by crowie

Come on Keith, You are old enough to remember how to peen over the nails as in cold riveting......cheers, Peter

Sorry Pete,

I missed this post. There are some things in our trade that you don't want to go back to. Love turning but not some other old school things .....

My peening never ended on a good looking dome

Keith

Originally Posted by Handyjack

Not sure how MDF will react to steaming as it tends to swell when wet.

+1 for the wall paper steamer.
I Have a Wagner W15, basically a kettle that will provide steam for about one hour. Costs about $100 at Bunnings.

Thanks guys for the info on the steamer.

I played around with some 3mm MDF yesterday and basically only got it damp from the steam, bent it and stayed in the bent form. As though it was purchased that way.

Regards

Keith

Hi guys,

Made up the frame for the tender water tank out of pine. Then I used 3mm MDF as my covering. I cut the MDF to dimensions taking into account the amount of curvature. I pinched one of Cathies' old saucepans from the kitchen (it's now mine). I placed the saucepan in a vyce and then heated it up to the boil using a blowtorch. I clamped the MDF to the top straight section of my pine frame and then slowly moved the MDF back and forth through the steam. The MDF got a bit wet and hot but no real effect on the surface of the MDF. I then formed to shape of the frame. Glued and then tack nailed into position. A light sand to the MDF surface and then a primer coat (After I put in the water filler). There is another 2 tanks that go down each side internally. Rivets still need to be added to the water tank. The coal sits on the centre floor and up the front of the water tank. Really happy with outcome. Steaming the MDF gives a great outcome.

Thanks.

Regards

Keith

Tender water tank.jpg

Looking fantastic mate.
Glad to hear the steaming is going well.
The more you do the more you'll be surprised just how pliable MDF is!.

Cheers
Trev.

Originally Posted by Repliconics

Looking fantastic mate.
Glad to hear the steaming is going well.
The more you do the more you'll be surprised just how pliable MDF is!.

Cheers
Trev.

Trev,

What is the thickest you have worked with. 3mm is pretty easy - how about 6mm and then does it effect the surface look (although as said, I smoothed off a bit with smooth sandpaper) ?

Regards

Keith

Hi,

Today worked on the internal sides of the tender, made up the manual hand brake lever and made the cap for the water filler. Can't go a day without putting more rivets in as well.

Working on a lot of different components. Nothing assembled yet - just primed (try at a pun there Trev).

I thought I would sit the "tender" behind the locomotive to see what it looks like. Pretty happy so far. It's coming together.

Regards

Keith

tender sides and brake.jpgTender looks.jpg

Originally Posted by Keith_1

Trev,

What is the thickest you have worked with. 3mm is pretty easy - how about 6mm and then does it effect the surface look (although as said, I smoothed off a bit with smooth sandpaper) ?

Regards

Keith

The thickest MDF I've steamed is 6mm anymore than that and it takes in to much moisture.
3mm is great it doesn't take much steam to get it moving, and if you wont it thicker just laminate them.
That's how I did the front mudguard on the Indian.

The tenders looking great mate!.

Cheers
Trev.

Originally Posted by Keith_1

Hi,

Today worked on the internal sides of the tender, made up the manual hand brake lever and made the cap for the water filler. Can't go a day without putting more rivets in as well.

Working on a lot of different components. Nothing assembled yet - just primed (try at a pun there Trev).

I thought I would sit the "tender" behind the locomotive to see what it looks like. Pretty happy so far. It's coming together.

Regards

Keith

tender sides and brake.jpgTender looks.jpg

Now that's really looking good Keith.....love the little hand wheel on the tender, great deal...cheers, Peter

This thread is riveting to watch.

The tender hand brake would have been one of the main brakes on the train originally. From my experience they work well as a park brake, but not all that effective as a stop brake, but that is what they originally used.

Keith, I am riveted to this thread watching 'Lion' come together. I bet you are glad you are only cutting nails and not hot riveting.

Originally Posted by Handyjack

This thread is riveting to watch.

The tender hand brake would have been one of the main brakes on the train originally. From my experience they work well as a park brake, but not all that effective as a stop brake, but that is what they originally used.

Keith, I am riveted to this thread watching 'Lion' come together. I bet you are glad you are only cutting nails and not hot riveting.

Hi Kevin,

You hit the "nail on the head" when you said about not real riveting. However. I am sort of using them as rivets by aralditing them in. It gives a bit more strength joining materials than just gluing.

More rivets on Monday - family get together tomorrow for Easter.

I have watched the Titfield Thunderbolt movie many times since I got it for my Birthday in February, looked like the guards' van had a manual brake that slowed the carriages and the loco brake was only on the tender. I have been using the movie as a reference. They should be "shot" for the colour scheme they painted the loco and tender in that movie.

I am really enjoying making the tender, I think that using new techniques (such as steaming MDF) gives a new dimension to your own work.

The photo I posted earlier today with the loco showed up some scuff marks on the "brass" on the firebox. Just been out in the shed with a gold paint spray touchup. It's come up well but won't move or touch anything to photograph it until tomorrow (when no-ones looking).

Thanks for everyone's kind comments about the tender.

Regards

Keith

Six Hours working on the top curved rim of the tender. Painstaking getting the joins correct and the mitres correct. They are a very weird shape - 90 degree angles on a odd cross section.
I used the offcuts from my "rivets" as dowels for the top rims as well as gluing onto the MDF side panels.

Then glued it together and clamped. I am really happy with the outcome - although still clamped together. I don't think I would win any awards for my clamping technique, not pretty but don't care. I am pretty HAPPY about the outcome so far - probably better than I thought.


Regards

Keith

Tender top rim 2.jpgTender top rim1.jpg

Had some free time this A.M. to sit down and catch up on your build. Now I will spend the rest of the day shaking my head and wondering, how does he do that. It is coming along beautifully, keith. Just plane awesome work you are doing as usual.

Originally Posted by PLD

Had some free time this A.M. to sit down and catch up on your build. Now I will spend the rest of the day shaking my head and wondering, how does he do that. It is coming along beautifully, keith. Just plane awesome work you are doing as usual.

Paul,

Thanks for your kind comments. Exactly the same can be said about your scrollwork. How do you get such a great outcome ? Great patience and skill !!!

I have a lot of friends on the Forum that give advice on how to do the different tasks using different techniques. I still have a lot to learn and have to improve the finish and detail of my work.
I also have other mates and sources in England and Canada who have been giving advice on the locomotive.

My next locomotive as stated is going to be the Stirling. (That is going to be a huge build) I hope I can find a restoration Society in the UK to have some contacts over there.

The Lion Society have been great with information.

Thanks for your comments and great to catch up.

All the Best

Regards

Keith

It matters not how you end up clamping it together as long as it does the job. The tender is coming along just great. Looking at the picture of the tender behind the loco I am worried that the square wheel will not work. Are the wheels the next part to do or have you still got more to do to the top end of the tender body