# Tim Lee's M&SV hand cut Combine



## timlee49 (Jan 12, 2008)

Okay now that we are back to the new (new) forum, here is a link to my first post on this topic....

http://archive.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=50646

Hey that is really good, I tried the preview and the entire thread came up! not just the post that I selected.

I shall add to this thread as I progress.

I have the trucks under the body now and one side of the clearstory completed, not going to do it *that *way again!!

Thanks 
Tim


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## chrismears (Mar 9, 2008)

Tim, I was reading through your great log on building one of these coaches too.  I read with great interest your notes on building the trucks as that is something that I am looking forward to soon as well.  You mentioned having a drawing to work from and I wondered if I might be so bold as to ask to see a copy for my own reference.

Your car is coming along very nicely and it's fun to follow along with something so similar to what I am working on (albeit in a different material)

Thanks
Chris


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## timlee49 (Jan 12, 2008)

G'day Chris and the 200+ visitors to this thread, many thanks for your interest.

Sorry that I disappeared in the middle of my posting here. I have spent the better part of the last month in the big "Health Hotel" with lung problems and a small case of pneumonia.

I am home now but weak as a kitten, I am using a walking frame (6 inch steps are a pain in the ****) and towing that oxygen bottle is a real BIG pain. I am having a O2 generator and piping installed on Monday.

Okay, it will be a few days before I organise my life and time for updating.

Chris, if you look at my original post, all the drawings and photos are there. When I get back to full steam (or even quarter) I shall post the bmp files that I used to create the cutouts, but really, all that I did was eliminate the extra from each layer and save the remainder.

I'm not dead yet!
Tim


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

*RE: Tim Lee's M&SV hand cut Combine*

Tim, glad to hear you're on the mend. To your doctor's relief, nothing says "take it easy" like sitting at your workbench for three hours at a time simply cutting out paper and styrene.  I'm quite sure he's glad you're not into skydiving. 

Looking forward to seeing more of your progress, and good luck with the continued recovery. 

Later, 

K


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## chrismears (Mar 9, 2008)

*RE: Tim Lee's M&SV hand cut Combine*

Tim, thanks for the reply. I'm glad to hear you're on the mend, I've been through lung work and I can share from experience that rest is everything it should be. Take it easy for sure. I have been reading through your thread with a lot of interest and I have a copy of the drawing you showed that I have imported into AutoCAD for deconstruction into templates. When I get my templates done I'll be sure to post them for comment. 

I look forward to updates on this project when you're ready to get back at it. Great luck on recovery, take care. 

Chris


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## timlee49 (Jan 12, 2008)

*RE: Tim Lee's M&SV hand cut Combine*

Hi Chris. 

If you look at Dave's photo of the 5 foot truck, you can see that there is a front and back plate that the journal box and lower spring bar slide between, instead of the usual arrangement of a single plate with guides front and back like "W" irons. I modelled this by the layering technique and made the whole journal, plates and upper and lower spring bars as a single unit. 

Also, have a look at Richard's work on a 5 foot truck in the operations forum, although I now notice that he has modelled a solid block at the journal instead of the ends of the lower spring bar accross the tops of the journal. We all make choices of what to model.

Keep up the good work! 

Tim 

(edit: added reference to Rchards work in operations forum (wrong forum referenced now fixed))


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## DSP&P fan (Apr 9, 2008)

*RE: Tim Lee's M&SV hand cut Combine*

Tim, 
That is very nice work. I've been looking at ways to build cast trucks (such as EBT Vulcans)...and you've given me the perfect solution! 

Do you have a specific drill bit size you use to bore out the axle holes/bearings in your trucks? For On3 trucks, I just picked up a #51 drill bit last night and it works great! I don't have any idea what size I'll need when I start building my first pair of Fn3 trucks (last night my LHS didn't have the right size of brass to begin making the sideframes of my first Fn3 arch bar trucks). 

I hope you feel better, and maybe your health will have a redeeming value...plenty of time over the next few few months to build away! 

Michael


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## timlee49 (Jan 12, 2008)

*RE: Tim Lee's M&SV hand cut Combine*

Hey! 

I'm back home after an extended time in physical re-hab. 

I have some more photos of the truck construction (already taken) that I will post, then I intend to do an extended list of the "Don't try this at home" mistakes that I made (and I got lots). 

Thank you all for your support while I've been away. 

Tim


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## timlee49 (Jan 12, 2008)

*RE: Tim Lee's M&SV hand cut Combine*

Hi all, 

THEY reckon that I'm as good as I'm gunna get. 

It's not *that * good but at least I can walk with a cane and I can breathe without help for now. 

To the topic: 

I've been "up the country" for my convalecence and done heaps of work on the combine - all un documented as I had no camera, not even film! 

All of my progress pictures are gone with the cameras (stolen). 

My stepson is coming on the weekend and we plan to take some photos of the current state of progress. I will put them up here next week. 

So what have I done? 

Built the body, 3 layers laminated from 14" length sheets, roof, floor all the same using staggered joints. 

built Carter bros styled trucks. 

cut seats ( Australian seats don't have arm rests to solve that problem) 

Cut brakes (will have some pics of that) took an afternoon for all 4 axles. 

Made chopper couplers to suit railway standard. 

Today I made Platform end rails for one end, not bad, temporarily installed, really adds that "finished" look. 

I am now looking towards painting - 

Question? I intend to paint the roofs flat black but would like to paint the clerestory sides the same colour as the combine body (i.e. mid blue) but how do I mask over the ventilators and the side panel after I undercoat the whole assembly grey. I have found that spraying the blue over black is too dark. 

Thanks 
Tim


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

*RE: Tim Lee's M&SV hand cut Combine*

Spray the roof the carbody color, then just brush paint the roof itself flat black. 










No masking needed, just a little bit of careful cutting in around the edges. Use a smallish (3/8" or smaller) flat brush. 

Later, 

K


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## Big65Dude (Jan 2, 2008)

That's what I did too. Here's how it came out:


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## timlee49 (Jan 12, 2008)

I was afraid that you were going to say that! 

Oh well, a little hard work never killed me before. 

Thanks Kevin and Jack. 

Hoping to finish the hand rails and end rails tonight, I'm using (I think Kevin's idea in one of his articles)to colour the brass with a felt tip permanent marker before painting to prevent chips showing the metal underneath. 

Thanks all, gee 1400 plus views of this topic! Hope it is worth the wait for you. 

Tim


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## timlee49 (Jan 12, 2008)

Well, "the best laid plans of mice and men oft gang aglay" (Robbie Burns, approx.) 
I live in the driest state in the driest continent in the longest drought in living memory, so what happens today when I was planning photos of my efforts in the photogenic mid-winter "bright shade"? 
IT RAINS! 
Not lovely, drought breaking, earth soaking rain. No. Since 9:00am this morning (it is now 8:45pm)we have received the blessing of a whole 2mm of rain (less than 1 point) in the form of misting rain with a few sunny periods. The sunny periods seem to have happened while I was still asleep. 
My stepson Michael and I had planned to take "RAW photos" of the bare styrene that shows some of my errors and fixes and then follow that tomorrow with undercoated photos. 
The light has precluded the first, and I'm not painting anything in 80% humidity. 
We will attempt some photos in the garage with the door open tomorrow. 
Thanks 
Tim 
Edit 
I forgot! This is the proposed color scheme for the B&RHT passenger stock. Freight stock will be grey.


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## timlee49 (Jan 12, 2008)

G'day all. 

As promised some pics of the almost completed combine. I still have some tidying to do like finish the step braces and the journal covers for the trucks. 

The left side: 










The clerestory detail, take my advice and build this part up in pieces: 










Baggage end: 










Right side: 










Passenger end: 










Steps and chopper coupler: 










The roof and floor: 










Seating set-out: 










Looking at the photos it is obvious that this is cut by hand with the wavering edges etc. before i start the next set of these I shall invest in a disc sander. 

Please note that items such as end and hand rails are only temporarily installed for the photos and will be replaced after the whole car has been painted. 

The blue of the seats is the blue for the body of the car and trucks. End platforms and steps will be gloss black and the roof, flat black. 

Anyway, if any body is thinking of trying one of these go ahead, it is easier than you think. If I can do it with arthritic hands and a stanley knife, then any body can. 

Thanks for looking, 
Tim


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## chuckger (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Tim, 

Nice work on your combine. Can't wait to see it painted. 

chuckger


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

*RE: Tim Lee's M&SV hand cut Combine*

Tim, I'd be tempted to go with the dark blue on the clerestory. Light colors on the roof of a car pulled by a steam loco wouldn't stay light for very long. 

The car looks fantastic! 

Later, 

K


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Tim Lee's M&SV hand cut Combine*

A fabulous job Tim. (I'm sure that it won't be at all obvious that it was hand-cut when it is finished, unless you bring a critic up close and personal. Stick to the 3-foot rule: Only to be viewed at the same distance as between the prototype rails!) 

I'm currently doing a modified Carter Bros kit from germany which is 1mm and 2mm plywood. I've had to cut several windows and walls, and I wonder if the plywood is easier to work with than styrene? I guess it is what you are used to cutting.


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

*RE: Tim Lee's M&SV hand cut Combine*

Hii Tim, 


Magnifcemt! A superb job by the look of it and I like the unusual color you have chosen. Thanks for the topic, it is most informative.


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## Matt Vogt (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Tim Lee's M&SV hand cut Combine*

Looking great, Tim! Wonderful car! I plan to start on one soon as possible. I hope and pray your health continues to improve! 

Matt


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## David Fletcher (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Tim Lee's M&SV hand cut Combine*

Terrific effort Tim, 
That it is all hand cut is quite something and very special. A really good model and looks fantastic. I too like the paint job you propose. 

Thanks for posting mate, hope all is going OK with you. 
David.


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## timlee49 (Jan 12, 2008)

*RE: Tim Lee's M&SV hand cut Combine*

Thank you all for the kind comments. 

Started the primer undercoat tonight, now all the defects that I could see before have disappeared -now I can see different ones! 

Kevin, of course you are correct and checking my sources again I plainly see that the cream should be applied to the window area only and the clerestory is body coloured. 

This colour scheme is derived from two sources, the blue Victoria Rail passenger coaches that passed my bedroom window every morning as a young child in the 50's and 60's and the green and cream of the South Australian Railways broad gauge "Centenary" livery. 

Thanks again 
Tim


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## timlee49 (Jan 12, 2008)

As promised for so long now, some pix of the completed combine.









































Just finished the final assembly last night, so I may do a few more people before continuing the 2 coaches and baggage car.

Thanks for looking,
Tim


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Tim Lee's M&SV hand cut Combine*

Nice job Tim!


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## chuckger (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Tim,

Good job on on your combine, it looks super.

Chuck


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Tim

Nice job, I like the paint scheme.


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## Matt Vogt (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Tim Lee's M&SV hand cut Combine*

Looks great, Tim! Quite an accomplishment! 

Take care of yourself, 
Matt


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