DJH model building

[one man and his dog]

Firstly, I've contacted the supplier twice already and he's been very helpful, how many more questions am I going to have before this is finished? If I can get answers from people here to some issues then I won't have to pester the supplier so much and when I do ask a question he may be more inclined to give a detailed answer, that's my thinking right or wrong.

I'll be making more progress when the post office deliver my 145 solder that is on order.

Regarding making the first model, I agree that it is a scary prospect. What I want is an 0-10-0 Lickey Banker but that's mid range complexity. So I decided to build an "easy" kit first and the questions I've had, I'm certainly glad I didn't start on the Banker first! Making the chassis is working with brass, when I get onto the body it will be white metal and I've got a white metal workshop to get practice and a white metal kit of a lorry for further practice so the position is: I'm building a building to get practice to build a lorry to get practice to build an "easy" loco so I can get practice to build the loco I actually want.

I've never done anything really worthwhile that was easy!

[sandy]

I must take my hat off to you. I over the years I have built many white metal kits and they often need much modification and filing to get everything fitting and looking right. DJH kits are a diferent animal yet again. they are very well made and the parts normally acruate and fit together well. In my opinion brass kits require a bit more experience than whit metal. The best thing to do as has been said is to get advice from the manufacturer.

[one man and his dog]

Well the 145 degree solder turned up yesterday so I set about soldering the chassis together. When I was done I tried the motor again and it fitted, very snugly indeed but it fitted so I've been worrying about nothing as it turns out. Would you like me to post updates as the work proceeds with perhaps the odd photo and lessons I've learnt?

[Walkingthedog]

Yes we like that sort of thing.

[sandy]

Yes please one man I do like to follow progress of building kits and things. Photos to would be good as we all can learn a lot with our eyes.

[mijj]

Yes please one man I do like to follow progress of building kits and things. Photos to would be good as we all can learn a lot with our eyes.

I am another that would appreciate following your building of these .
Jim.

[Rog (RJ)]

Plus 1

[Brian]

And plus 2

[one man and his dog]

Well, first I built my white metal model of a building. I doubt if I will ever finish it, it's pretty rough. I started educating myself for this project by watching the video on the DJH web site, the one by Tony Wright I think it is, it runs for 5 and a half hours! I'm half way through watching it for the second time. The significance of this is that it gave me great fear of melting the white metal casting. I started off with the iron at 150 degrees (70 degree solder) and the solder hardly took at all. Then I tried at 170 degrees and not much better so I wound it up to 200 degrees. Before I ruined the model I tried the iron on a very small casting and it refused to melt so I knew I was OK at 200 degrees and the solder took much better.

Then I started on the chassis for the 4-4-4. Again problems with the solder taking on the brass so I wound up the heat. (145 degree solder) 330 degrees works OK but I might try 350 degrees next time. When I'd finished the chassis I decided to apply my newly won knowledge to building the chassis to the 0-10-0. That seems to have gone OK. Photos attached.

I then got started with the body of the 4-4-4. First I took a piece of spare white metal and tried to melt it with the iron at 200 degrees and it didn't even mark it so I knew I was good to go. (Not all white metals are the same alloy so they can have different melting temperatures.) I then discovered that DJH casting are much more accurate than the model building I'd worked on which was appreciated. I haven't got enough of the body done to be worth showing you but I've got the cylinders and piston rods to do next, I hope my old eyes are up to it, it looks flipping fiddly.

To summarise then, don't be afraid to use a hot iron and if it's white metal you can test on a piece of scrap first to check you aren't going to do any damage.

[mijj]

Those look very neatly done .
Jim.