Peckett Body Build - First Attempt - NOW FINISHED Pictures page 6

[Peter Butler]

Now that's just showing off, expecting us to believe that is your first attempt at airbrushing too!......

[-steves-]

Now that's just showing off, expecting us to believe that is your first attempt at airbrushing too!......

Ha ha, there you go Peter, sometimes you just have to push the limits and see what happens. The backup plan was to respray the entire loco back to black again if it all went wrong. I have worked with Halfords spray paint up till now and used a normal brush for finer work. I could not believe just how easy it made the job. One of the airbrushes I found good for small work, like putting rust on one rivet and putting a fine mist of dirt colours on, the other one was good for the final matt top coat as the finer one would not push the thicker paint through it and gave a pretty rough finish when trying to cover a larger area. This build has probably been my biggest learning curve as it's all been a case of give it a go and see what happens, but I have seriously loved it.

With today's experience taken into account, I doubt I will ever buy a Halfords spray tin again for a loco. The airbrush was so easy to spray, so accurate and used so so little paint, I would say long term this will save me bucket loads, as I was getting through 2 tins of paint per loco, 1/2 a tin of primer, 1/2 tin of lacquer and a tin of the main colour, approximately £15 to £20 per loco!! (ok there may have been bits left in the bottom of each can, but not enough to do another loco that's for sure)

[ge_rik]

Another first, for you. This loco sure has been a learning experience. The outcome is excellent in many respects, but not least the sense of accomplishment it must give you. You have every right to feel proud of your achievements. My first efforts were certainly nowhere near as good.

Rik
PS why not pen an article for Garden Rail?

[GTB]

Well done. You've every right to be delighted with the result of this project.

I'm glad to see you summoned up the courage to try the airbrush. As you've now found, it can give results that are hard to get with brushes and close to impossible with spray cans.

I noticed you are upgrading your lathe, what are you planning to get?

Regards,
Graeme

[-steves-]

Well done. You've every right to be delighted with the result of this project.

I'm glad to see you summoned up the courage to try the airbrush. As you've now found, it can give results that are hard to get with brushes and close to impossible with spray cans.

I noticed you are upgrading your lathe, what are you planning to get?

Regards,
Graeme

Thank you Grame

The lathe that I plan to get is from Amadeal, the same as my mini lathe was (which has been sold today, I am now lathe-less until the new ones come into the country) Its called a AMA250AVF-550 Lathe (10x22) Variable Speed - with 2-axis DRO. The link to it is here, but the picture is not the exact one as it has 2 axis DRO on it. It has a separate leadscrew and feed rod, powered cross feed, tail stock can be offset plus a few more extra features.
https://www.amadeal.co.uk/acatalog/AMA2 ... html#SID=5

[-steves-]

Another first, for you. This loco sure has been a learning experience. The outcome is excellent in many respects, but not least the sense of accomplishment it must give you. You have every right to feel proud of your achievements. My first efforts were certainly nowhere near as good.

Rik
PS why not pen an article for Garden Rail?

Thank you Rik, the sense of achievement is amazing to be fair, anyone that comes to the house gets the loco shoved in their hands to look at

Funny you should mention doing a write up on it, but it was also suggested I do that by someone on facebook. With that in mind, I may well sit down and write something up at some point soon as I hope it will inspire someone else who really wants to try building in metal or even try airbrushing but is worried about what may be involved and give them the inspiration to just give it a go as most things are reversible.

[-steves-]

A bit of cab detailing now it's all done and working

[philipy]

Nice finishing touches.

[Peter Butler]

Nice finishing touches.

..... and having a driver in the cab make all the difference...... I can't stand runaway trains!

[-steves-]

Nice finishing touches.

Thank you. Just waiting on the wife making me a pack to go on the shelf, she is quite crafty so I guess a sponge sandwich or similar will be on the way at some point

[tom_tom_go]

Nice finishing touches.

..... and having a driver in the cab make all the difference...... I can't stand runaway trains!

If I had a quid for every time you have said this on the forum Butler

Floor looks good Steve, real wood?

[Peter Butler]

..... and having a driver in the cab make all the difference...... I can't stand runaway trains!

If I had a quid for every time you have said this on the forum Butler

Maybe, just maybe my persistence will pay dividends eventually? I'll just have to keep on trying!

[-steves-]

Floor looks good Steve, real wood?

Yup, real wood stirring sticks from McDonalds prior to them going to plastic ones. Then a brown wash and then a light black wash in places to make it darker and dirty, lol

[-steves-]

A little video of it taken today.

Decided it definitely needs a 30:1 gearbox and get rid of the yukky 15:1 standard gearbox. I kinda knew this was on the cards from day 1 thought as I never get on with the 15:1 gearboxes, just way way too fast and uncontrollable.

[tom_tom_go]

You certainly need to sort out the gearbox as the running doesn't do the loco justice after all the work you put into the look of the loco.

[-steves-]

You certainly need to sort out the gearbox as the running doesn't do the loco justice after all the work you put into the look of the loco.

Couldn't agree more, but as I said, I kinda knew it was on the cards before I started the project. The motor and gearbox came with the chassis, but I have never had any luck with 15:1 ratio gearboxes in loco's unless they have tiny drive wheels. They need torque, not speed.

[-steves-]

Slow running all sorted out now. 30:1 ratio gearbox fitted, the quartering played with a smidge and a proper oiling after its paint session as I forgot to re-oil it after cleaning and spraying. Runs perfectly now, super controllable and doesn't fly off like a runaway anymore.

Have to put a big thumps up to my step father who we went to see today as he did the quartering for me and supplied the gearbox

Couldn't take a video as it started raining

[philipy]

Looking forward to seeing the final version video.
Where did your step father get the 30:1 box from? I've got one of those chassis and I've always thought it could do with a better gear box.

[-steves-]

Looking forward to seeing the final version video.
Where did your step father get the 30:1 box from? I've got one of those chassis and I've always thought it could do with a better gear box.

Can't wait to do the final video now, just waiting on the good weather, might be a long wait at this rate, lol.

The gearbox. My step father actually builds his own chassis. He uses the MFA Como motors and gearboxes and has a number of these on his bits and bobs shelf, so he gave me a new motor and gearbox and said to put the gearbox in mine. I know he buys them from MFA Como direct at a cost of £11.74, plus P&P, you have a choice of voltage and gearbox when you buy. Pretty sure its the 918Dyyxxx, yy being the gearbox ratio and the xxx covering the voltage, something like that. Hope that helps?

(it might be 918Dxxxyy, which covers the ratio and voltage, but its along those lines. I know my ones are 918D15112/1 and I need the 918D30112/1, as I use the 12V motors and like a 30:1 ratio.)

[GTB]

(it might be 918Dxxxyy, which covers the ratio and voltage, but its along those lines. I know my ones are 918D15112/1 and I need the 918D30112/1, as I use the 12V motors and like a 30:1 ratio.)

I don't know why some manufacturers use such low ratios as 16:1. Then again, I've never understood why some modellers use extremely high ratios and run the motor at such high revs that it makes a fair impersonation of a dentist's drill........

The way MFA-Como design their gearbox series usually means it is easy to exchange them for a different ratio, but you shouldn't have to......

I design my electric chassis for about 250 rpm at the driving wheels, which gives nice scale speeds, without the motor screaming it's head off. The reduction used varies from 30:1 for the 25 mm dia. 918D series, up to 60:1 for the faster revving 12mm motor in the 951D series.

The MFA-Como data sheets for each motor/gearbox are available for download on their website. They give electrical and rpm data, as well as drawings, which are useful for working out what fits in a small chassis.

https://www.mfacomodrills.com/gearboxes/gearboxes.html

Regards,
Graeme