Mini Loco Dickson locomotive Works 0-4-0ST

[Scratchman]

Thanks guys for your comments.

Here are three more shots of my progress







Gordon Birrell

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77318580@N00/

[Frederic Testard]

It is superb, as usual. Between your styrene achievements, and this German metal loco scratchbuilt posted this morning, we've had lots of beautiful locomotive building to enjoy today.

[RoughboyModelworks]

Gorgeous Gordon... up to your usual standards as always. I'm just amazed at how quickly your work...

Paul

[Ray Dunakin]

Holy moly, that sure is looking great! Speedy too. You're cranking out locos like Baldwin during the war!

[Tom Neeson]

Really beautiful Gordon. Can you give me some advice on how you accurately cut sheet styrene.

Thanks, Tom

[marc_reusser]

WOW!...simply outstanding styrene work.

Marc

[finescalerr]

I am really partial to this loco. It has all kinds of style. You have done a satisfactory job of construction so far, too. -- Russ

[Scratchman]

Thanks again for your comments.

Tom, I do my sheet cutting on a pad of quad paper . line up the sheet on the paper to square it and then line up your straight edge with the lines on the paper. Score with an X-acto knife  and break don't try to cut all the way though. this will work good on thicknesses up to .040. For .060 .080 .100 .125 I will use my table saw.

The photo below is showing two tools to cut circles. I got the X-acto circle cutter last Friday and it is so much better than the compass that I've been using for the last past 40 years. All the cuts on this photo are out of .040 thick styrene with the blade in the right way go around three or four times then turn over and go around three or four times and then break loose. If need be clean up with an emery board. the compass is used the same way but may need more times around.

Gordon Birrell

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77318580@N00/

[Scratchman]

Gordon Birrell

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77318580@N00/

[Tom Neeson]

Hi Gordon
    Thanks for the pointers. I wonder if the circle cutter could be used for straight cuts on thin material. I think I'll have to pick one of those up.

Tom

[SDwn]

     Nice work Gordon. Can you go over how you made the saddle tank if you do not mind (unless I missed it in an earlier post). I am curious as to how you made the styrene bend so nice and evenly. Did you heat it up or use a jig and do you think that your technique would work in smaller scales. Thanks    Sean

[Scratchman]

Tom, I think a straight edge and a X-acto knife is the best way to go.

Sean, the styrene on the water tank and the boiler is put over a core of tubing. You can see the left over part of the water tank core in one of the photo below. One section of  2" tubing inside a section of 3" tubing with wood spacers  I will go into more detail on this type of tank construction in my up coming article in the  Narrow Gauge Annual.

Here's two more photos of my progress on the cab and the wheels
                           




Gordon Birrell

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77318580@N00/

[finescalerr]

Gordon, that is just disgustingly elegant. I'm so jealous of your skill that I'm going to stick my head in a vat of acid. -- Russ

(Oh. I must already have done that or else why would I look like this? Now where is the phone number for my plastic surgeon?)

[Frederic Testard]

Now where is the phone number for my plastic surgeon?

In the bottom of the vat, Russ...

Batman going to the cornaire (if there's some room left).

Apart from this, you're not the only one to be jealous of Gordon's fabulous skills...

[Chuck Doan]

Excellent as usual. I really like those curved buffer beams/pilots.