Thread: GNR Stirling Locomotive

Such beautiful work Keith ! Can't imagine how you made that tiny handle ....
Is aluminium work on the lathe much different to using brass ?

Regards,
Gus

Originally Posted by Dalboy

Super work Keith, the boiler looks fantastic especially with the colours added.

Good news I am now having short spells back in the shed and it feels great. Hope your bug clears up soon mate

Thanks Derek

I like the red and the gold goes well with it. The English are good at their colour schemes. The green livery hopefull will come up Ok.

That is great news mate. So glad you are on the mend.

Keeping the son away so he don't share any more with me

Best Regards

Keith

Originally Posted by xpro

Such beautiful work Keith ! Can't imagine how you made that tiny handle ....
Is aluminium work on the lathe much different to using brass ?

Regards,
Gus

Hi Gus,

Thanks mate. Your Automata is coming along great

I use a carbide tip tool and brush on water based cutting oil coolant. Best results at 1200 rpm. I think brass is easier to cut. Swarf comes off easier. Aluminium is affected by the heat of cutting and can melt onto the tip - that is why need to keep up the coolant.

All the Best

Keith

Hi All,

Been working on the main regulator. It differs considerably in looks to the regulator that I made for the 4-6-2 locomotive.

The photo is a Work in Progress. I have used a number of materials in this component. The flange and stuffing box is made of MDF whilst the main boss is pine. The clevis pieces are made of aluminium which I turned and then did a fair bit of hand fitting work with hacksaw and file to get then into the look that I wanted. The support piece on the right hand side of the handle was a bit of a challenge. I need a slide that would allow adjustment of the nut and screw. I tried drilling holes and then elongating but being only 3mm wide - it was almost impossible. What I did was machine up some aluminium to 9mm diameter. I then drilled longitudinally down each side with a 2mm drill and gave myself a 3.5mm gap in the middle (for the 3mm screw). I then cut off the end section 10mm long and machined both ends. Did the same with the longer piece and of course the holes will align because they are out of the same piece. Then used 2mm wire as my support piece.

The handle is aluminium flat that I have filed to the width I wanted. Filed the ends and then machined up the handles so they would fit onto the flat bar.

You may see just next to the screw on the right hand side of the photo - a pink section on the bar. This is where I mucked up my drilling of the hole. But this was easily fixed by mixing up some bodyfiller and plugging the hole. Filing and redrilling.

Still a bit to do on the regulator - enjoyable

Have a good day

Regards

Keith

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Great project!
My goodness!!! The things you have to go through to get er done!
But the thinking and the doing make it all worth while.
So it don't get much funner than this me thinks.

Originally Posted by htl

Great project!
My goodness!!! The things you have to go through to get er done!
But the thinking and the doing make it all worth while.
So it don't get much funner than this me thinks.

You are spot on there htl,

The really good part is trying to think out ways to try and keep things to scale and also being strong enough not to break apart whilst being made.

Thanks for your comments mate

All the Best

Keith

Hi All,

I have done a bit more on the main control regulator and now sitting in it's correct position. I think the paintwork makes it come to life a bit. Once all the controls and pipework in the cabin are done - I will start dismantling the whole loco and begin it's paintwork. Although I still have a lot of work to do inside the cabin.

If I don't post again before Easter - I hope everyone has a very enjoyable and SAFE Easter

Best Regards

Keith

98.jpg

Hi All,

Hope you are having a good Easter break.

I have been doing a bit of work on my cabin controls. Main components are made out of aluminium, pine and bodyfiller. The bodyfiller allows you to put smooth fillets and joins into position.
As I have said before - the cabin controls need to be made as modular components otherwise it would be almost impossible to fit in location. I have used 6mm aluminium round as my main copper piping in the cabin. This is really close to the actual scale. I found some "Rust-oleum - hammered copper" paint in spray tin at Bunnings. Pretty happy how it looks. More small valves to make up and also bleed off lines on the valves to complete the main valving requirements for this loco. Then onto the pressure gauges and the "Forward / Reverse lever".

Regards

Keith

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Great job Keith. The paint for the copper pipes looks spot on will have to get some for my turning work as I am looking for something to use instead of buying copper plate

Originally Posted by Dalboy

Great job Keith. The paint for the copper pipes looks spot on will have to get some for my turning work as I am looking for something to use instead of buying copper plate

I will get a photo of the spray pack for you Derek

regards

Keith

PS - Hope you are getting better quickly

Hi Derek (and all)

Here are the main paint sprays I use.

The first (on left) is a primer - Great for filling in any little flaws and tremendous primer for the next layer of paint. Available only from Auto supply shops in Geelong (don't know about other towns or cities) Costs about $15 per can but you can get it on special sometimes.

The next is Super Gold - it is also super expensive - but it does a top job. Use the primer on all paint jobs - brings the top coat out better.
Cost is $25 per can - I have only seen it at Bunnings here in Australia. Don't know who is the owner of the "White Knight" brand. They also have Super Chrome which comes out like a true chrome finish. You must be careful with these paints as they tarnish from your touch unless they are at least 48 hours dry.

The final one is the Rustoleum copper. You can get hammered copper or aged copper. I though the hammered looked better. Again use the primer. This was available from Bunnings. Cost was $12.

Hope this helps

Regards

Keith

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Greetings from Las Vegas. That is absolutely stunning, Keith. Well done.

Originally Posted by seriph1

Greetings from Las Vegas. That is absolutely stunning, Keith. Well done.

Tremendous to hear from you

Good luck if you do any gambling

Thanks for your comments

Regards

Keith

No gambling for us mate

Lots of replicas here! So bloody bizarre

Eiffel Tower ... London Eye ... Venetian gondolas ... the Pyramid (add inverted commas) and on it goes.