One of my New Year's resolutions is to build a locomotive chassis kit, and this isn't it. Since I haven't soldered anything apart from small pieces of wire, I thought I would learn on something static. A couple of years ago I bought a London Road Models LNWR signal box kit (link) which seems like a good place to start.
So I've read the instructions several times; identified all the bits and pieces on the frets; I'm just about ready to start and can't decide how to separate the parts from the fret without causing any damage.
Do I use a really sharp knife or do I need a good quality side cutter of some kind?
I don't know - HELP!
David
(Once my camera batteries are charged, I'll post some step by step photos)
I find a sharp blade does the business for me. I don't try and trim it right up to the tabs though as you may damage what you are trying to cut out. Leave a little bit of tab material in place and file it away after.
QUOTE (dwb @ 3 Feb 2009, 07:13) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>As it happens, my tool box contains fibre glass brushes (how do you avoid the shards?), some Carr's Green flux and some wet & dry from a car project years ago.
You can't really. One way is to do all the fibre glass burnishing under running water in the laundry sink. I however wear plastic food prep gloves that you can buy a box of several hundred for a few bob. Religiously put them on at the start of a session and this has the added bonus of preventing greazy finger prints being applied to the etches too.
QUOTE (dwb @ 3 Feb 2009, 07:13) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Here's the result. I'm not sure if you can see my "new" soldering but I used flux every time - honest. I think I just need some practice.
Yep that is all it takes is practice. And the beauty of soldering this together is you can undo it and redo it if you are not happy.
I think you are going along well and will have really made a lot of head way into mastering soldering after this one.
I must get me one of those kits too I think for my Midland box. Looks like it will be the Dickens to paint when done though. Do you leave the roof off? Put in an interior?
The desk lamp was made using a tiny 0.8mm LED from Richard J and some of his fancy wire that I never remember the name of all super glued together. Never thought of the fire box flicker effect in the stove though. Is there a cheaper alternative than a loco decoder in there? Just thought I would look and a TCS 2 function decoder that has no motor drive, just functions definitely has fire box flicker.
Indeed that looks like alot of fun when powering up your layout's lighting where not all lights in houses and buildinga and the street all come on at once. Adds a nice animation dimesnion to layout lighting. What's that unit cost?
Great to see and thanks for sharing. How did you paint the interior given the construction method? I am wondering if rooves should be left off and the spray primer liberally applied as best as can to the interior as I will no doubt be tackling one of these down the track. Is the interior the Wills kit? Apols if this is mentioned previously. I like the fact you put in the signalling diagram - even I didn't do that but did apply a pixie dust LED in the form of a desk lamp assuming that the box would have been dimly lit at night anyway.
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