Llewellyn Carriage works contract for the POR

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Captain Plod is now attempting to channel Glenn, Boston Lodge's carriage maestro.
The Red Room is now the Llewellyn Carriage Workshops, a four carriage consist for the Potters Orchid Railway is underway. The hard wired lighting and tail lamps has been sorted, now the woodwork resumes on these Brandbright kits. Plod has never been here before but for the goods van Slomo wagon he made a few years ago.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Captain Plod's mind is staggering with this non metal work concept.
He is very concerned with the exterior paint finish work. He has attempted research into the methods but processes are inclusive, so he is going to plead for advice from a Maestro. This may settle his nerves.









You doppey dipstick plodder, first class was supposed to be blue upholstery



[url=https://flic.kr/p/2qi5C1W]

Stick of wood, double sided cello tap, then masking tape to that and the seat supports pressed onto the masking tape which is sticky side up. Plod thought he was a clever sod to think that up.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

G'day everyone and a big hello to Maestro Peter Butler,

Captain Plod is building four Brandbright carriage kits. (two kits at a time so his cranium does not have a melt down)
He has anxieties!
He would be happy to get to this picture

So he needs to ask for some advice and or confirm that he is on the right path with these. He has tried researching forum threads and the ether net but he cannot form up some conclusive answers to his anxieties.
(Garden Railway Club, an article by Dia has been the best one he has found so far)

He intends to first sand and file every edge/shoreline to remove most of the black LASER cutting burn. Then to get a smooth fine outside finish Plod launches his first attack to the bare outside ply sides by rubbing down with 400 grit, then sealing with Rustins Quick Drying MDF clear sealer. Rubbing this back with 400 or 600 grit. Applying Auto lacquer colour paint via spray can. Then rubbing back with 600 grit for 3 -4 coats. (Plod will do some test panels on spare ply to ensure the paint finish works as intended) Plod is a narrow minded metal worker so he has never been here before with gloss paints and ply carriage walls. The thin outside onlay skeleton he was going to spray a contrast colour, then when the coats are dry glue this to the outside walls.
Final overall coat will be a gloss clear varnish. (before the glazing is added)

* However what would be the best glue to glue these painted overlays to the finish painted outside walls?
He is pondering how to obtain a clean neat sealed edge of the only to the outside carriage wall.

* Or does he glue to all up and then again paint and chase the edges with a fine brush ?

*Or do you have suggesting to how he might do these processes differently?

Cheers from Captain Plod's Therapist.

[Old Man Aaron]

Wracking my brain here, I'm not sure what sort of glue you'd use for the overlays.


You could use PVA or model plane canopy cement (Looks and smells like PVA but is tacky) applied to the overlay with a toothpick - but I doubt the strength of PVA glues on a painted carriage main wall. I'd also worry about the moisture content warping the overlays.


You could use superglue with a fine-tipped applicator - but you would have to seal the backside of the overlay with a thin coat of paint to stop the ply from soaking up the superglue as you apply it. You would also have to work very, very quick. You'd risk getting excess superglue dribbled across the wrong side of the overlays or carriage body, and possibly those white "fume" marks it tends to leave - especially on windows..


Two-part epoxy (the 24hr kind) applied to the overlays with a toothpick, would, in my book, work best.

Glue choices aside, your proposed painting process is similar to what I've had success with in past builds. You may find the sealer fills in the laser-scribed panel lines, so be prepared to gently re-scribe them between sanding and re-coating the sealer. A light coat of white or grey over the sealer will act as a guide coat, and help show up imperfections.

Good luck Daz, you'll see them turn out beautiful.

[Peter Butler]

When sticking pre-painted overlays to body sides I have found 'ZAP' Canopy Glue, (others are almost certainly available!) which is a rubberised adhesive similar to 'Copydex' but flows more easily.
You can take your time applying (with a cocktail stick) as Aaron suggests, as it needs a short time to be less liquid. When the overlay is applied to the painted surface any Canopy Glue can easily be removed with water whilst still wet. It can be handled after 3 hours and fully cures in 24 hours.
I have been using it for a number of years now and the overlays are still there!
Hope that helps.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Wracking my brain here, I'm not sure what sort of glue you'd use for the overlays.


You could use PVA or model plane canopy cement (Looks and smells like PVA but is tacky) applied to the overlay with a toothpick - but I doubt the strength of PVA glues on a painted carriage main wall. I'd also worry about the moisture content warping the overlays.


You could use superglue with a fine-tipped applicator - but you would have to seal the backside of the overlay with a thin coat of paint to stop the ply from soaking up the superglue as you apply it. You would also have to work very, very quick. You'd risk getting excess superglue dribbled across the wrong side of the overlays or carriage body, and possibly those white "fume" marks it tends to leave - especially on windows..


Two-part epoxy (the 24hr kind) applied to the overlays with a toothpick, would, in my book, work best.

Glue choices aside, your proposed painting process is similar to what I've had success with in past builds. You may find the sealer fills in the laser-scribed panel lines, so be prepared to gently re-scribe them between sanding and re-coating the sealer. A light coat of white or grey over the sealer will act as a guide coat, and help show up imperfections.

Good luck Daz, you'll see them turn out beautiful.

Super. I will get back soon. I have had to deal with a family emergency yesterday and it requires surgeries. More later.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

When sticking pre-painted overlays to body sides I have found 'ZAP' Canopy Glue, (others are almost certainly available!) which is a rubberised adhesive similar to 'Copydex' but flows more easily.
You can take your time applying (with a cocktail stick) as Aaron suggests, as it needs a short time to be less liquid. When the overlay is applied to the painted surface any Canopy Glue can easily be removed with water whilst still wet. It can be handled after 3 hours and fully cures in 24 hours.
I have been using it for a number of years now and the overlays are still there!
Hope that helps.

Brilliant. Thank you very much for replying. Plod will call in the Hobby Shop today on the way home from the Royal Brisbane Hospital after counting how many toes are left on mothers foot after surgery some time in the dark hours. One should not treat diabetes with contempt.

[Keith S]

I do love those Brandbright coaches. I bought four of them some years ago but have only built one so far.

As I recall, I filled and painted the sides much the way you describe. I painted the overlays separately and when the paint was thoroughly dry I sanded the backs of them with 400 grit paper over top of a perfectly flat countertop, to make sure the contact surface was as dead flat as possible. then I used slow-drying CA glue with a fine applicator. I put weight on them as the glue cured to keep them as flat as possible. I think it turned out well; there is no gap between the overlays and the sides. I was actually quite pleased with myself. Here is a picture of it. I painted it the same colour as the loco, which was a mistake in retrospect as the Canadian paint company has apparently discontinued this colour. Maybe Inwill make the rest of them green. It’s narrow gauge: probably OK to have a motley assortment of colours eh?

Oh one more thing: I glued the overlays onto the sides BEFORE assembling the four sides. That way I was able to keep them perfectly flat as they dried under a heavy weight. If you’re careful aligning them, the sides will mate up perfectly.

IMG_1526.jpeg (766.12 KiB) Viewed 286 times

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

I appreciate your reply. I had not thought of the overlays to the sides before assembly, thanks for the tip.
Various gel, slow drying, canopy CA glues are on their way for Plod to try out on test samples so as to get a feel of the processes before committing to kits.

I do love those Brandbright coaches. I bought four of them some years ago but have only built one so far.

As I recall, I filled and painted the sides much the way you describe. I painted the overlays separately and when the paint was thoroughly dry I sanded the backs of them with 400 grit paper over top of a perfectly flat countertop, to make sure the contact surface was as dead flat as possible. then I used slow-drying CA glue with a fine applicator. I put weight on them as the glue cured to keep them as flat as possible. I think it turned out well; there is no gap between the overlays and the sides. I was actually quite pleased with myself. Here is a picture of it. I painted it the same colour as the loco, which was a mistake in retrospect as the Canadian paint company has apparently discontinued this colour. Maybe Inwill make the rest of them green. It’s narrow gauge: probably OK to have a motley assortment of colours eh?

Oh one more thing: I glued the overlays onto the sides BEFORE assembling the four sides. That way I was able to keep them perfectly flat as they dried under a heavy weight. If you’re careful aligning them, the sides will mate up perfectly.

IMG_1526.jpeg