sb67 Posted July 13 Share Posted July 13 Does anyone know if this style of lamp bracket is available, or the best way to model it? I've one idea involving soldering a bit of brass strip to the bottom of a normal lamp bracket, then filing the curve but not sure how that's going to work. Many thanks. Steve. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee-H Posted July 13 Share Posted July 13 8 hours ago, sb67 said: Does anyone know if this style of lamp bracket is available, or the best way to model it? Good question. I’ve looked for the same thing but nobody seems to supply them, probably because they would be so tiny. I think the solution, as you suggest, is to make your own out of very narrow brass strip. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted July 13 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 13 The GWR cranked type might be adaptable? https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/shop/locomotive/mt187/ Mike. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium uax6 Posted July 13 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 13 As that looks like its a brake van lamp iron (for sidelamps) is there one available from a kit? Andy G 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sb67 Posted July 14 Author Share Posted July 14 14 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said: The GWR cranked type might be adaptable? https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/shop/locomotive/mt187/ Mike. Thanks Mike, I do have that etch, I've looked at ways to modify it but it looks way too big and the pre bends are in the wrong places. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sb67 Posted July 15 Author Share Posted July 15 I had a go at soldering some brackets up, really fiddly and frustrating! They kept breaking and were hard work to solder! I then realise I could bend the brass strip, but it does distort the brass a bit and doesn't look quite right. Back to the drawing board! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted July 15 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 15 Did you anneal them first? Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 97406 Posted July 15 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 15 Couldn’t you make a simple “L” shaped lamp bracket, mount it on the front of the loco, then make the curved bottom portion from 10 thou plasticard and glue it underneath? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sb67 Posted July 16 Author Share Posted July 16 11 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said: Did you anneal them first? Mike. I didn't, hadn't thought of that at the time and not really sure how I'd do it. That's taking me back to my school metalwork days! 11 hours ago, 97406 said: Couldn’t you make a simple “L” shaped lamp bracket, mount it on the front of the loco, then make the curved bottom portion from 10 thou plasticard and glue it underneath? I did think of that but didn't think I could glue the bracket effectively with only a thin edge. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 97406 Posted July 16 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 16 (edited) 39 minutes ago, sb67 said: I did think of that but didn't think I could glue the bracket effectively with only a thin edge. This technical drawing / fag packet is what I mean. The plasticard lower bracket section is glued flat onto the front of the loco. The brass bit is a simple L shape which looks to match the photo above. Edited July 16 by 97406 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sb67 Posted July 17 Author Share Posted July 17 On 16/07/2024 at 06:52, 97406 said: This technical drawing / fag packet is what I mean. The plasticard lower bracket section is glued flat onto the front of the loco. The brass bit is a simple L shape which looks to match the photo above. Thanks for the diagram, I hadn't thought about embedding the brass lamp iron as I would have a slightly larger hole to deal with unless I melted it in brass, Ian Rice style, a bit too daunting for me. I would have glued the lamp iron to the plasticard and front of the cab, but I didn't think that would be very strong. After messing around with the soldering iron again I've come up with these, a cruel close up but they're probably as could as it will get, I've been trying to clean them up a bit then the fun part of attaching them without making too much mess! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted July 17 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 17 If you'd have made the bottom leg a bit longer you could have bent it backwards at 90 degrees and set it into a hole. Mike. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sb67 Posted July 18 Author Share Posted July 18 22 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said: If you'd have made the bottom leg a bit longer you could have bent it backwards at 90 degrees and set it into a hole. Mike. I never thought about that, but I'd still have a hole to fill. The best method I've seen for attaching lamp irons etc is by the late Ian Rice, he has some jigs made from Formica and melts the brackets in, that's a bit scary and def beyond my skill set! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halvarras Posted July 18 Share Posted July 18 4 hours ago, sb67 said: I never thought about that, but I'd still have a hole to fill. The best method I've seen for attaching lamp irons etc is by the late Ian Rice, he has some jigs made from Formica and melts the brackets in, that's a bit scary and def beyond my skill set! This was Heljan's suggestion for fitting the supplied etched lamp brackets for their OO gauge Western Class 52 using a soldering iron........I reckon I have skills but no way was I going to attempt that - disaster waiting to happen!! I drilled holes and let the glue and the paint which was required anyway fill them around the inserted brackets. Regarding the subject 'curved' brackets, Bachmann fitted plastic versions of this to their early-style Class 25 in BR green livery (e.g. D5211, D5182) since these included the gangway doors and this design of bracket 'bridged' the central sealing strip. They also (incorrectly) fitted them as centre brackets on their first Peak releases (D67, 45114, D163, 46053). Since these had no horizontal nose seam, scribing these in was easier if the brackets were removed first - I did this to a 45114 and managed to remove the brackets intact, replacing them later with more suitable straight ones fashioned from scrap etch. The spares then found a use when I backdated a blue early 25 by scribing in the gangway doors with associated fittings - perfect! I subsequently had a go at another Peak (D67) but its more securely glued curved brackets didn't survive the removal process...... This is probably not of much help to yourself though.......unless somebody who's done the same as me with 45114 still has the removed brackets sitting about and happens to read this - you never know....😉 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 97406 Posted July 19 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 19 Re holes for lamp brackets. I use a small drill in a pin vice, drill the hole at the vertical, then waggle the drill from side to side whilst turning it, finishing off by using it a bit like a file to straighten the edges of the hole. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted July 19 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 19 (edited) 2 hours ago, 97406 said: Re holes for lamp brackets. I use a small drill in a pin vice, drill the hole at the vertical, then waggle the drill from side to side whilst turning it, finishing off by using it a bit like a file to straighten the edges of the hole. It's amazing how much abuse an 0.3mm (quality, not Chinese crap) drill bit will take, stitch drilling and then joining up the holes would be best in this particular situation. Another option is to file the bent part of the bracket down to 0.3mm and just drill one hole. Mike. Edited July 19 by Enterprisingwestern Afterthought. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 97406 Posted July 19 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 19 2 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said: It's amazing how much abuse an 0.3mm (quality, not Chinese crap) drill bit will take, stitch drilling and then joining up the holes would be best in this particular situation. Another option is to file the bent part of the bracket down to 0.3mm and just drill one hole. Mike. Aye, nothing worse than a bendy drill! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted July 19 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 19 5 hours ago, 97406 said: Aye, nothing worse than a bendy drill! Exactly the opposite, without a bendy drill, 0.35mm in this case, you can't drill handrail fixing points for English Electric cab handrails, or the handrail at the top cantrail step on a Brush 2 amongst others,the Chinese ones are far too brittle, presumably full of carbon, but that's only my assumption, presuming you can find one with a vestige of a point, and a land and flute any better than a nail. Also, it's more difficult hand drilling small diameter holes without some degree of flexibility. Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 97406 Posted July 19 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 19 4 minutes ago, Enterprisingwestern said: Exactly the opposite, without a bendy drill, 0.35mm in this case, you can't drill handrail fixing points for English Electric cab handrails, or the handrail at the top cantrail step on a Brush 2 amongst others,the Chinese ones are far too brittle, presumably full of carbon, but that's only my assumption, presuming you can find one with a vestige of a point, and a land and flute any better than a nail. Also, it's more difficult hand drilling small diameter holes without some degree of flexibility. Mike. I’ve had cheap drills which have literally been like a piece of wire where they just bend and stay bent. Blunt as you-know-what as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sb67 Posted July 22 Author Share Posted July 22 The current state of play! All the stuff with the front end done, got to repeat that with the other end. The next bit I dread. As much as I've tried to be neat there's always some cleaning up to do, just hopecI dont break bits! Then undercoat and see what stands out. 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sb67 Posted August 8 Author Share Posted August 8 The class 25 has had an initial undercoat. It wasn't the hottest day but I had a lot of trouble with the airbrush and acrylic paint! All done though, Ill smooth out any blemishes and wait for a cooler day before any more airbrushing. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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