LGB LCE Improvement project

[Dave Hub]

Quite right there is a delay, and yes it just happens to be this model I was woking on when the incident mentioned in another thread happened.

Since then I have been struggling a little, also I am banned from working with sharp tools after SWMBO bed time, as I was not popular for a night time trip to A&E.

I have been given some metal weights from a source that needs to remain annonymous, I have been working out the best place to put these to give optimum running.

What I have been doing all be it a little slower than I wanted is designing the doors, and I started cutting the windows. The doors are goibig to be a thin sheet of plasticard over the placing of the existing door. Each door will have a window cut in it. This will then line up with holes already cut into the body which will "hopefully" make the door windows more flush than the saloon windows. I spent today cutting 20 plasticard doors, and measuring up where the windows will go.

As for cutting the windows, well this is a lot harder than I thought. Firstly good old LGB, good tough almost indestructible plastic. All good and well till you want to cut it and kitbash it. A scalpel will not touch it. I tried a piercing saw and I broke about 5 blades on one window. I have now taken to using a pinvice to try to peforate the curved corners, and then using a dremmel (rotary tool) to join up the dots. This works but is a lot messier than I was hoping and my dermmeling is not a really straight line.. Meaning I'm going to be spending a lot longer than I wanted tidying up the windows.

If any one has done something similar in the past any tips on cutting windows in super tough LGB plastic would be appreciated.

I'll post photos in the morning.

Oh the other thing I have done is drill a hole in the base of one of the drivee units and fit the sound unit I found inside properly, it now works and can actually be ajusted with out taking it apart.

 

[Dave Hub]

as promised here is an update on what I've been doing, installing the sound, this needed a couple of holes, one for the volume control, and one for the power leads from the bogie. The one for the pwoer leads had to be done as this power bogie is inverted so as the two power bogies go the ssame direction.

 

[Dave Hub]

Even with the big chunk of LGB metal above the bogie I find the construction of the LCE thrain a little on the light side. Especially as I remove lots of plastic for the windows so more weight was needed.

The weights I have used are sticky backed metal weights designed for goning on alloy wheels to balance them. Very usefull, if you know some one who works in a gargae or ask mr kwik fit nicely? failing that they can be brought on the internet. I ut these above the non powered bogie, in the undercarrige and also a few extra stuck to the LGB weight.

 

[Dave Hub]

The other thing I have been doing as mentioned earlier is cutting the windows out. Its messy as I'm using the Rotary tool method. So I'm going to cut all windows out first then sit there and snad and file them to look tidy.

This shoud keep you all ticking over till I get some more chopping done.

 

[railwayman198]

Not trying to hijack the thread but I'm also interested in knowing what method people use to cut window apertures in plastic body shells. In my case I started a project to convert an old Aristo FB unit into a freelance railcar some months ago. I bought a Proxxon mini jigsaw especially for the job but I have found that unless the speed is set to very slow the plastic melts and reseals the cut. So I have resorted to using a cutting disc for some of the cuts. This means that a lot of cleaning up with knives and files is needed. I'm sure there must be a better way but what is it?

If ever this project progresses I'll post the results in a separate thread. The Proxxon jigsaw can be glimpsed in the background of one of the pics. It works very well on brass and wood, but much care needed on plastic.

 

[Madman]

Not trying to hijack the thread but I'm also interested in knowing what method people use to cut window apertures in plastic body shells. In my case I started a project to convert an old Aristo FB unit into a freelance railcar some months ago. I bought a Proxxon mini jigsaw especially for the job but I have found that unless the speed is set to very slow the plastic melts and reseals the cut. So I have resorted to using a cutting disc for some of the cuts. This means that a lot of cleaning up with knives and files is needed. I'm sure there must be a better way but what is it?

If ever this project progresses I'll post the results in a separate thread. The Proxxon jigsaw can be glimpsed in the background of one of the pics. It works very well on brass and wood, but much care needed on plastic.

You might try the Dremmel cutting wheel that is used for shaping wood. http://www.dremel.com/en-us/AttachmentsAndAccessories/Pages/AttachmentsDetail?pid=543 < Link To http://www.dremel.com/en-us/AttachmentsAndAccessories/Pages/AttachmentsDetail?pid=543 < Link To http://www.dremel.com/en-...ntsDetail?pid=543

 

[pugwash]

nphone: A tip for bodyweight, those balancing weights are iron (Fe) which isn't that heavy. If you have an old fashioned printers nearby ask if they have any scrap lead type going, most have and only keep it because they have to pay to have it taken away and recycled. If you're feeling confident ask if they used to have a linotype or monotype caster, then you might get a pig of lead!
While you are there you could also ask for a couple of aluminium offset plates, these have a multitude of uses and are relatively thin.

 

[Dave Hub]

The next mod I did was to remove the crude pantos & I printed some fans & grills on vinyl sheet to fill the space, then mounted these onto some thin plasticard and glued in to the roof opening, now the driver ends look more like a diesel/electric unit.

Don't suppose you have a photo of this you could post please I like the idea, might borrow it if you don't mind?

 

[Dave Hub]

nphone: A tip for bodyweight, those balancing weights are iron (Fe) which isn't that heavy. If you have an old fashioned printers nearby ask if they have any scrap lead type going, most have and only keep it because they have to pay to have it taken away and recycled. If you're feeling confident ask if they used to have a linotype or monotype caster, then you might get a pig of lead!
While you are there you could also ask for a couple of aluminium offset plates, these have a multitude of uses and are relatively thin.

A nice idea I'll see if there are any printers any where near me?

 

[themole]

For my conversions, I use a Dremmel, and cutting disc. The key is not to rush the job, and let the plastic cool any molten plastic can be removed with a sharp Stanley knife.When finished dress with a swiss file. Alyn

 

[Dave Hub]

Whilst I sit here letting my Drellem cool down as its red hot (again), I thought I'd give you a quick update, I have cut 42 windows so far and still at least another 25 windows to go. I hope to get these finished this week. I did want them done by the weekend just gone but things keep coming up.

A quick tip if your planning on doing this yourself. Start small! Perhaps I've been a little ambitious attempting to do a 5 car set in one go, maybe a three car might not have been so daunting. Not helped by the fact that I decided to do both cab varients at the same time in effect I'm working on 7 cars. Never agian.

I'll post a pic of the holes soon, I know you can't wait to see a bunch of holes in plastic its soo exciting, but it will look like a train again hopefully (one day).

(can you tell I'm fed up of cuttin holes yet?)

 

[yb281]

Whilst I sit here letting my Drellem cool down as its red hot (again), I thought I'd give you a quick update, I have cut 42 windows so far and still at least another 25 windows to go. I hope to get these finished this week. I did want them done by the weekend just gone but things keep coming up.

A quick tip if your planning on doing this yourself. Start small! Perhaps I've been a little ambitious attempting to do a 5 car set in one go, maybe a three car might not have been so daunting. Not helped by the fact that I decided to do both cab varients at the same time in effect I'm working on 7 cars. Never agian.

I'll post a pic of the holes soon, I know you can't wait to see a bunch of holes in plastic its soo exciting, but it will look like a train again hopefully (one day).

(can you tell I'm fed up of cuttin holes yet?)

Keep at it mate, we're all waiting with baited breath to see the results .

 

[Dave Hub]

Well Folks its been a while and for that I appologise, I've been on some bad shifts in work where all I do when at home is sleep. I mean who invented a shift that starts at 00:41?

Any how moan over, I had an afternoon to myslef and cracked on with window cutting. and by the time I finished I think They were getting better. Only took me to cut 90 windows to prcatice on. Yep 90 windows been cut into the whole thing, (and you were wondering what was taking so long) not helped by a rotary tool that kept getting red hot overheating.

I took most of this batch of photos mid afternoon to take advantage of the test bed in the garden, still a little rough around the edges, job tomorrow afternoon is to finish tidying them with a little sandpaper.

The other thing I finished was cutting out my 20 doors and shaping the windows for these. These are now complete and ready to be stuck in place. So hopefully its starting to take shape.

See below for some more photos.

 

[Dave Hub]

These first 3 photos are at a distance on my test trackbed. (the test bed that the dog uses as a short cut to the neighbours fence) Taken at a distance, the windows don't look too bad. The do need tidying with a file and sandpaper.

I chose to make the windows slightly smaller on this than the LGB stickers. This gives the illusion that the coaches are longer than they are. Also with new EU directives on Crash worthiness it leads to better crash protection. Just try and get a window seat next time your on a virgin Pendilino!

 

[Dave Hub]

A couple of close ups showing that although cut out they are still a little ropey right now. Also highlights the fact that I am moving the doors outwards a bit to allow an extra window in the saloon.

 

[Richie]

Great work Dave Its your work that you've done thats push me to have ago at kitbashing a plow

 

[3Valve]

Great progress Dave. Worth the wait.

 

[Dave Hub]

Its been a long time, unfortunately, lots of things have stood in my way from doing much over the past few weeks.

What I have done was inspired by a Virgin pendolino. I was looking at the roof of my LCE train thinkning it looked a little plain and boring. So I started to add some detail.

I started with the sides of the roof. As can be seen on a pendo. there are strange angular sills along the edges (except where the Pantograph is) So I cut some thin plasticard, and stuck it on the sides, using styrene strip as supports on the back.

 

[Dave Hub]

You will also notice that as I'm making this inspired by a pendo. there is a bulbous lump just above the cab on the roof. So I started on this today using car body filler. see pics.

Once the filler is dry I'll be sanding it to some sort of reasonable shape tomorrow.

Also as I had these all in pieces everywhere, I took advantage of a warm garage and decided to spray the grey undercarrige, and white connecting bits in a Satin black. Once this is dry and weather permits I'll get a photo of this too. Hoping to make some more progress tomorrow so this should be taking shape soon.

 

[Dave Hub]

Told you all I'd be back, 2 posts in 2 days I'm speeding up.

Anyhow, slight problem today, (apart from the snow this morning stopping daylight photos) the lumpy bits I made out of body filler went a bit pear shaped to say the least. So I had to try to re do this today.

After leaving the filler dry I decided to work on the roof detail some more. Pendo coaches have what look like air con vents or radiator vents on the roof. So I ordered some radiatior panels last week from cambrian models. Then made a frame for them joining two radiators up with some piping for effect.
A finished vent type thing is about 4.5 inches in lengeth so will be big enough to add substantial detail to the roof. I have made three of these for the main saloons, I may need to modify the idea for the leading ends due to the large pantograph assembly area. (which wil be next to be detailed.

This pic is of my finished vent assembly.