Yet Another PDF Baldwin
Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 12:41 pm
I'd been "umm-ing & ahh-ing" over the PDF Models Baldwin kit for some years now. But a new loco is an exceedingly rare and expensive treat. Seeing Mitch Stack's Baldwin started my thinking about one again, and for once, I had the money to spare. In spite of this, I stayed disciplined after the kit arrived, leaving it in the cupboard - there's plenty of work left to do on the new workshops and existing projects. After a month however, I relented and unpacked the kit.
14/06/2020
The kit arrived complete and undamaged, which was very fortunate - the box hadn't been taped shut prior to dispatch! Quite understandable, what with the current workload that Peter and Leanne are facing. No harm done. I was particularly impressed with the wheels (Slaters?) - judging from photos until now, I thought they were Binnies. (Nothing wrong with Binnies of course, most of my stock rides upon them)
The instructions state that the frames' axle holes are to be drilled out to 3.8mm. Well, I don't have oddly-sized drills, so I thought I'd just try a 4mm bit, and see how the bearings fit. Worst case, turning new bearings to fit oversized holes wouldn't take long.
As it turns out though, 4mm rendered an excellent press-fit to these bearings. A bit of retaining fluid was applied with a screwdriver, simply because I had some.
The mini vice was quite handy for this.
As this is the newer version of the kit, with rather nice laser-cut frames and rods, the frames' screw holes are no longer countersunk, and phillips-pan-head screws are provided. Preferring hidden screws, I countersunk the holes with the 4mm bit, and have ordered new screws to suit.
Few kits I've assembled screw together, so it was a nice change to be able to easily run a dummy assembly to see how the completed loco will look. Unsure weather to paint it green or yellow, but either way, it'll look just right as an early I/C loco in the canefields. Given that a number of Hunslets, Baldwin tanks and Simplexes of the Great War were later sold to Queensland sugar mills, the prospect of a Baldwin tractor in the canefields is plausible.
17/06/20
A coat of filler primer helped in smoothing the slightly rough laser-cutouts. The burrs left from countersinking were also filed away. The primer was cleaned from the bearings with cotton buds dipped in thinners.
Some very minor bowing was straightened, in readiness for assembly.
18/06/20
The gearboxes' irregular shape inevitably makes it a particularly tedious part to finish, but well worth the effort. Comparing with photos of the prototype and Wrightscale models, the PDF gearbox seems to be a representation, rather than replica. This doesn't bother me, but it's a good, prominent spot for some extra detailing. Dummy bolt heads were added roughly where I could see them on the prototype..
I hadn't used these "MENG" bolt heads in years. Very nicely moulded, but a sh*t to apply. In hindsight, using tweezers and a fine-tipped glue applicator wasn't the right way to use these.
This time, I thought I'd try solvent weld - and what a difference that made. A small drop was applied to the gearbox.
Whilst the brush was still wet, it could be touched against a bolt head to pick it up, then placed into the puddle of solvent and dissolved filler-primer on the gearbox. The head then sticks into the puddle, and the brush can be withdrawn.
Letting it dry for a minute, followed by a light re-application of solvent to where head and gearbox meet, helps them stay stuck together.
19/06/20
The countersunk M2 screws arrived surprisingly quickly, allowing the chassis to go together. Emery boards were quite good for finishing the visible surfaces of the frame stretchers.
Whilst the front axle was a nice, free-spinning fit in it's bearings, the rear was quite stiff. Checking the assembly revealed nothing untoward, so I opted to simply bed the axle into place. A little light oil applied with a flat blade screwdriver, and twenty minutes with a cordless drill, had the axle running as smoothly as it's counterpart. I'll have to remember to de-grease around the axle with cotton buds and alcohol, before painting..
That's all so far.
14/06/2020
The kit arrived complete and undamaged, which was very fortunate - the box hadn't been taped shut prior to dispatch! Quite understandable, what with the current workload that Peter and Leanne are facing. No harm done. I was particularly impressed with the wheels (Slaters?) - judging from photos until now, I thought they were Binnies. (Nothing wrong with Binnies of course, most of my stock rides upon them)
The instructions state that the frames' axle holes are to be drilled out to 3.8mm. Well, I don't have oddly-sized drills, so I thought I'd just try a 4mm bit, and see how the bearings fit. Worst case, turning new bearings to fit oversized holes wouldn't take long.
As it turns out though, 4mm rendered an excellent press-fit to these bearings. A bit of retaining fluid was applied with a screwdriver, simply because I had some.
The mini vice was quite handy for this.
As this is the newer version of the kit, with rather nice laser-cut frames and rods, the frames' screw holes are no longer countersunk, and phillips-pan-head screws are provided. Preferring hidden screws, I countersunk the holes with the 4mm bit, and have ordered new screws to suit.
Few kits I've assembled screw together, so it was a nice change to be able to easily run a dummy assembly to see how the completed loco will look. Unsure weather to paint it green or yellow, but either way, it'll look just right as an early I/C loco in the canefields. Given that a number of Hunslets, Baldwin tanks and Simplexes of the Great War were later sold to Queensland sugar mills, the prospect of a Baldwin tractor in the canefields is plausible.
17/06/20
A coat of filler primer helped in smoothing the slightly rough laser-cutouts. The burrs left from countersinking were also filed away. The primer was cleaned from the bearings with cotton buds dipped in thinners.
Some very minor bowing was straightened, in readiness for assembly.
18/06/20
The gearboxes' irregular shape inevitably makes it a particularly tedious part to finish, but well worth the effort. Comparing with photos of the prototype and Wrightscale models, the PDF gearbox seems to be a representation, rather than replica. This doesn't bother me, but it's a good, prominent spot for some extra detailing. Dummy bolt heads were added roughly where I could see them on the prototype..
I hadn't used these "MENG" bolt heads in years. Very nicely moulded, but a sh*t to apply. In hindsight, using tweezers and a fine-tipped glue applicator wasn't the right way to use these.
This time, I thought I'd try solvent weld - and what a difference that made. A small drop was applied to the gearbox.
Whilst the brush was still wet, it could be touched against a bolt head to pick it up, then placed into the puddle of solvent and dissolved filler-primer on the gearbox. The head then sticks into the puddle, and the brush can be withdrawn.
Letting it dry for a minute, followed by a light re-application of solvent to where head and gearbox meet, helps them stay stuck together.
19/06/20
The countersunk M2 screws arrived surprisingly quickly, allowing the chassis to go together. Emery boards were quite good for finishing the visible surfaces of the frame stretchers.
Whilst the front axle was a nice, free-spinning fit in it's bearings, the rear was quite stiff. Checking the assembly revealed nothing untoward, so I opted to simply bed the axle into place. A little light oil applied with a flat blade screwdriver, and twenty minutes with a cordless drill, had the axle running as smoothly as it's counterpart. I'll have to remember to de-grease around the axle with cotton buds and alcohol, before painting..
That's all so far.