Garden Railway Forum

Would you consider using steel for bodywork if a low priced kit was available? The thread about the new Roundhouse "Jennie" got me thinking whether there would be a market for bodywork kits for that and other locos. I know there are kits available to create 7/8ths scale locos but they are made from etched brass which is pricey. Thin mild steel laser cuts extremely fast and the material itself is cheap - a 2000x1000mm sheet of 0.75mm steel is app. £12.00. My fiber will be able to cut thin brass but its a more expensive to cut since it requires high pressure N2 and of course the material costs more. It's also a fast process as there is no need photosetting of the artwork. A button clicks and the CAD file is ready to cut. Therefore even one-offs would be affordable.

Steel is easy enough to solder but of course it does rust. However it is easier to get primer/paint to stick than it is on brass in my experience.

My biggest challenge will be to make something that I'm sure fits. I can't afford to buy the locos to design bodywork around.

Roundhouse Millies and Berties have steel bodywork.

I am not against the idea in principle.
One of the advantages of etching is the ability to half etch fold lines, makes getting things square much easier.

Tim

11thHour wrote: Sun Oct 21, 2018 12:58 pm I am not against the idea in principle.
One of the advantages of etching is the ability to half etch fold lines, makes getting things square much easier.

Tim

It should be possible to engrave some fold lines with the laser. I'll get to grips with that once it arrives.

TonyW wrote: Sun Oct 21, 2018 12:34 pm Roundhouse Millies and Berties have steel bodywork.

Thanks for the info. I wasn't aware of that. I though RH only used brass.

I use 0.6mm steel for bodywork, it's excellent. I don't use brass

Yep! my Hunslet is 0.6mm Zinc Anneal sheet, purely because I had it at the time. OK I had to remove the zinc for soldered joints,
but that body is just about bullet proof.
My opinion only, but I fail to see why everybody uses brass to the extent they do. I use steel wherever possible especially for outside equipment on the railway, then I can apply acid and have it rusty in a few days. If rust is not required a quick undercoat, followed by a top coat and Bob's your mothers cousin twice removed. (I live in a fairly salt laden environment too)
Grant.

I agree Grant.

A loco manufacturer who shall remain nameless uses stainless for everything! Horrible stuff. My locos are swimming in oil, corrosion isn't an issue

Why do people like and build out of brass. Is it easier to handle and does it save time in the build.

Busted, I have a few IP shunters. After sorting out their mechanical quirks, they make lovely bombproof bits of kit. Mild.steel throughout.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonnybeegud/41156160495/

(Nb this is my first post and on a phone. Apologies for any goofs)

Hi Johnnie and Welcome,

Love the colour of your loco.

Have you tried loading your photos with the forum attachments link.

I like the idea of this, maybe you could sell body kits for Roundhouse engines? I am sure between us we own their popular engines so we can supply dimensions.

Feel free to use me as a tester!

There is potential for a lot of different dress up kits but what I might like may not be what everyone else likes. Therefore suggestions, sketches etc. would be very welcome.

0.63mm mild steel is cheaper than MDF and cuts extremely fast on a fiber laser so even if the laser time is more costly on a fiber (about 3 times that of a small CO2 laser) then it still works out very affordably. There is some setup cost but still within reason for one-offs.

I think one of the reasons brass has been used traditionally is because it can be photo etched. However with the price of fiber lasers coming down a lot over the last couple of years, I think laser cut steel is a faster, cheaper option now. I don't know how nickel plated steel solders but I can have parts nickel plated at very reasonable cost.

Busted Bricks wrote: Sun Oct 28, 2018 1:27 pm There is potential for a lot of different dress up kits but what I might like may not be what everyone else likes.

On one of the Facebook groups I frequent several months ago someone was looking for "expressions of interest" for some Mamod bodywork overlays.
They were to be of brass, and I think they needed five or six confirmed orders before they could proceed.

There were 2 types proposed, one with extended tanks and running boards, and one with extended cab sides suitable for operation with a tender. I was interested primarily in the former and if I recall were going to be £60.
Suffice to say nothing came of this, I assume the person never got enough interest to proceed. (I do hope if it was someone from this forum I haven't offended with this post).


And now to my point, after your comments regarding smaller runs and cheaper setups it might be a way to "dip your toe in the water". I suspect more people would take a punt on an overlay for an SL than a Roundhouse pride and joy.

I was thinking completely new body kit's instead of the Roundhouse ones which are pretty basic and flimsy.

It was Douglas Roberts (Dougrail) who offered overlays for Mamod/MSS locos.

BorisSpencer wrote: Mon Oct 29, 2018 11:57 am On one of the Facebook groups I frequent several months ago someone was looking for "expressions of interest" for some Mamod bodywork overlays.
They were to be of brass, and I think they needed five or six confirmed orders before they could proceed.

There were 2 types proposed, one with extended tanks and running boards, and one with extended cab sides suitable for operation with a tender. I was interested primarily in the former and if I recall were going to be £60.
Suffice to say nothing came of this, I assume the person never got enough interest to proceed. (I do hope if it was someone from this forum I haven't offended with this post).

I think that may have been Dougrail of this Parish, but on another forum or website.

I like the sound of this idea. Mild steel is a known quantity so far as problems and advantages are concerned, and as such is rather more appealing to me than some of the more exotic material that one hears of from time to time.

Cheers,
Peter in Va

I will see what I can come up with. I think my first effort will be a diesel loco in 7/8ths though as that is my preferred "size" (I hesitate to say "scale" as I like freelance designs).

I had a dabble in 7/8ths but decided to stick with 16mm scale as I have already invested in it.

However, I would be tempted to go 'wild' and try a 1:12 scale kit if it could be fitted to a Roundhouse or similar chassis!