Locotracteur Brissoneau et Lotz

Carl, it's looking GREAT!!!

3 mm MDF is very hard to cut indeed... I assume using styrene for the bodywork is not an option because of the heat of the engine?

Carl, any advice on cutting 3mm MDF would be appreciated and could save me money on ply
and internal strengthening.

The way I cut 3mm MDF is with a sharp knife by continually scoring. It doesn't take too much effort but don't try and go too deep with each cut. Just score enough without dragging or digging the blade.

You get a very clean and square cut.

I clamp the piece to the worktable and I use a ruler (straight edge) with a finger guard on it. you can get from DIY shops for decorating/paper hanging. I use robust knives with the standard snap off blades, one large and one small.

Curves are ok too providing you have a metal template to score round.

For windows and doors it is difficult to score repeatedly into the corners so I score out the shape as much as possible and then score more heavily towards the middle part of each line until I am through to the other side then I use a very fine razor saw in an Exacto type craft handle to saw into each corner.

It is a bit tedious and be really careful of your fingertips but it is exceptionally cheap material.

Other plus are that it is smooth and has no grain as such. I also find it doesn't warp as much as ply.

You will need to seal it though both sides. I use any old spirit based paint heavily diluted and it just soaks in.

For this latest creature/creation there is bracing on the corners of 8mm square. The roof (now glued in place) keeps the shape and rigidity.

I also use superglue and not usually wood glue for mdf unless you can get that thin runny stuff marked as Bostik pro or something in very small bottles.

The thick PVA type glue tends to sit on the surface where as superglue really soaks in.

If you have a bench router and want to get really 'pro' you route out window recesses even.

philkelly wrote:

Carl Hibbs wrote:

They are called 'Persienne'

Perhaps because this design originated on window shutters common in the Middle East to allow air to circulate while keeping out sunlight?

And then there's Venetian Blinds and Persian Blinds- which are related, each being a louvered window covering. The difference is persian blinds are made of wood, whereas venetian blinds are metal or plastic. Personally, I never heard the term persian blinds before - I just looked up venetian blinds on Wikipedia and the article referred to persian blinds as well. Persienne seems to be a more general term for louvers in French.

I assume venetian blinds somehow relate to Venice, but who knows. After all, I never saw anybody eating Brussels Sprouts in Brussels and the French in French Fries doesn't refer to France.

Another good glue for MDF (and a bit cheaper than superglue) is the two part epoxy resin such as araldite but diluted with acetone (nail varnish remover). this really soaks into the fibres and is totally waterproof;

mikey

mikeyh wrote:

Another good glue for MDF (and a bit cheaper than superglue) is the two part epoxy resin such as araldite but diluted with acetone (nail varnish remover). this really soaks into the fibres and is totally waterproof;

mikey

Thanks, good tip. That's something new to me. I will try it.

Superglue prices are getting silly unless you buy multipacks of the non-branded stuff without the fancy self clean nozzles!

More progress in sunkissed Normandy.....

I had to rebuild the chassis as the motor bogies were larger than I anticipated and the engine (Thunder Tiger .12) is taller.



It is now a well arrangement made from aluminium thanks to some generous offcuts from a recent veranda.



USA Trains motor bogie, no traction tires, skates removed and a simple pivot plate made from double sided PCB and a 4mm brass bolt and using the existing fixings.



Out on test. It runs at a slow scale speed using 3.6 volts and draws less than 1 amp.



Back to the body and it was decided to make the cupola removable to enable access to the engine without taking off the whole body.

Last coat of primer I think, the roof is now smooth enough.

Great progress! Are you bringing this one to RailExpo? I would love to see it in real!

I certainly hope that's why I'm cracking on with it now while I have a couple of weeks half-free.

I've still got the other (red) one to finish off.

So the appearance of 4 diesels (including David's) at RailExpo is a distinct possibility.
More if Anton were to come...

Very impressive Carl, lovely profile to the roof.

Recently got my hands on a Sirio 09 engine, If I connected it to a DC motor, would it be

possible to start the engine from the motor and then switch over to generator?

dufrok wrote:

Recently got my hands on a Sirio 09 engine, If I connected it to a DC motor, would it be

possible to start the engine from the motor and then switch over to generator?

YES...indeed...but.....

Have a look at various threads in the live diesel section.

BTW what is/size a Sirio 09? Is that .09 cubic inches?
I have not heard of this make.

A little more progress over the last few days.



A half painted body and some chassis work. It will be nice to have some 'free space' at each end of the loco not filled with wires and engine parts. The whole engine module should fit in the well.
The colour will be PLM/PO/CP blue and grey using airbrushed acrylic solvent paints from Interfer which I get from Train Modelisme.

A have started making some very simple representative bogie side frames. There is little point to me in spending weeks trying to make perfect replica bogies when most of the detail will be hidden under the body.

A feature of many French metre gauge motive power seems to be the huge inverted leaf springs connecting the axles, Brissonneau and Billard especially used these.

So it's springtime.



Simple cart leaf springs made from strips of glued plasticard.

Dont take this the wrong way Carl; but that looks like a professionally made model , and just like what it purports to be!! Great work

mikey

Superb!

Looks great already, even wearing 'photographic grey'

Carl, this machine is really looking very impressive and very often, your work gives me new ideas and improvements that i can make to my locos.

Where and when is the rail expo?

Ive decided to go back to shunt at the moment as the warship is causing serous problems that i have not got time for at the moment as im firmly accepted onto my uni course and will be leaving in about a 5 weeks. So the very basic body is forming very slowly, although it looks nothing when compared to others on here, again, my patience level is very low, and i like to get things done as quick as possible ...and it shows through my work unfortunately, but im hoping it will grow on me

1. Good luck with your university course. Where is it and will you be keeping in touch and doing any modelling for the duration?

2. Railexpo is on 25/26/27 November at Villebon which is about 20kms south west of Paris. Fairly easy to get to by train.

3. Patience is not very easy when you are young. As I get (even) older I still want models to be finished quickly but I realise there is a timeline and sequence to these projects. If you plan the work so that you can multi-task it will help. For instance start the body and the chassis as two items. Whilst you are waiting for the paint or glue to dry on one you can work on the other.
Have small modules to do to fill in time, like buffers and couplings to construct.

Everyone begins from somewhere and learns and you have already achieved some interesting work.

Am thinking of heading to Railexpo this year, have found a flight from Ireland to Paris for

48 euro (return!!) Any suggestions on Hotels in Villebon? There seems to be just one, with

mixed reviews. I'm not that fussy, but would like a pleasant stay.

dufrok wrote:

have found a flight from Ireland to Paris for 48 euro (return!!)

.

That's excellent.

Most people stay at the Campanile which is good or the cheaper Premiere Classe which is just across the road from the other.

These hotels are not in the town of Villebon but in Villejust/Courtabeouf the other side of the A10 motorway. The Grand Dôme, although noted as Villebon sur Yvette is actually nearer to Villejust.
The hotels are about 1km from the venue.

Thanks Carl,

Will look into those!

The course is at the Buckinghamshire New university, and thank you very much. The course i am going to be studying is: Aviation with commercial pilot training.

Yes, the uni is a 25 minute drive from my house, and although i will be staying there, i will pop home often and will continue making throughout. (time permitting)

Carl, i would love to know how you manage to cut such perfectly shaped grills in the side of your machines, as i wish to do this with the warship but im afraid ill mess it all up.

I am deeply considering coming to this expo, as i would love to see all these diesels in one place at one time, and hopefully i would be bringing two or even a third machine with me, if i manage to complete them.

Obvious question really...Do you intend to be a commercial pilot when you finish perhaps with one of the major airlines or something more specialised?

The grills (apertures) are cheated really. I cut the basic rectangle shape out of the wood (scoring with a knife and razor saw) and then use a 40 thou plasticard overlay.

It is much easier cut this out and shape accurately than the wood and looks better too.

The aperture of the plasticard is 2mm smaller all round than the hole for the wood and overlaps the hole by 2mm also.

The grills themselves were cut from a large piece of 3mm steel mesh I found ages ago. I need quite large ventilation holes because the engine will sit directly behind.

A good source of (smaller) mesh is cooker hood filter panels which are often alloy.

Yes indeed, that is what i am going to be aiming for, although larger companies such as British Airways and Emirates, rarely take on pilots who have just graduated from the course. Moreover, going to a company that specialises in long haul flights is not the best way to get hours up in flying as the main element that will need improvement once the course has been completed, is take off's and landings, and on a longhaul this may only happen once every 8-12 hours where shorthaul is could happen every hour or so. So i will be aiming for a company such as Ryanair and working my way up.

The flight school i will be learning with that is in partnership with the university is called Cabire, and they have links with Ryanair, Flybem, BMI as well as a few others. They say most graduates are first officers with an airline within 1 month of completing the course.

My dream is to create my own flying school and have a small airfield where i can teach people to fly. This will also benefit me as i will be able to acquire various aircraft and have somewhere to keep them...and fly to and from..well thats the dream anyway...

And thanks for the info, do you have any pictures of how you actually went about making the 'apertures'? As even if i only have one working diesel by the time the expo comes around, im sure any others would make a good static display

antonr91 wrote:

I am deeply considering coming to this expo, as i would love to see all these diesels in one place at one time, and hopefully i would be bringing two or even a third machine with me, if i manage to complete them.

Anton:
Not knowing what your exact plans are, I thought I'd mention one possible issue with flying to the Expo . You cannot bring any fuel with you; I'm certain the security folks would frown on that . That would also likely apply to any residual fuel left in fuel tanks etc. The sniffers/scanners are certain to detect it.

Here is the prohibitive list for British Airways. I would imagine other airlines are similar.

http://www.britishairways.com/travel/bagrest/public/en_gb

But...good old Eurostar should allow you to bring a model or two.

http://www.eurostar.com/UK/uk/leisure/travel_information/before_you_go/prohibited_items.jsp

Although it does say flammable substances in minimal quantities.

I can't remember travelling by plane with any models but certainly on Eurostar although not the green nitro monster just live steam on several occassions which is the same risk I would have thought. No gas cannisters and I had to show the gas tank was empty. Maybe prudent to confirm if you are using that means.

Allow plenty of time at baggage security.....Not only for inspection but for discussion. There's always someone interested who wants to talk about it.

Even the CRS at the gare du nord came to have a look once..."Un train sur le train...et alors".

Back to the model and a fair bit of progress since.










Painted in the blue and grey of the Chemin de Fer de Provence.

There is no engine in it yet but the powerplant will go in over the next few weeks hopefully. It will trundle round as is on battery power if required.

There are still a few body bits to finish like bogie side frames, cab side steps, and I have yet to fit the LEDs in the lamp holders, plus I will fabricate some cab interior later on.

The entire body quickly lifts off the chassis and the cupola lifts off the body.

Carl, that really looks superb! You say that ity will work on purely battery power if neccessary?

mikey