Member postings for RMA

Thanks for that, I'm already a member but didn't recognise the abbreviation. I think the forum is mainly for the Winson kit builders but it might have diversified now. I haven't been on there for ages.

Hi. What is the address for this forum, I googled it and couldn't it. Thanks

Getting back to the tunnel on the tender, from my drawings the tunnel is parallel along it's length. Yours seem to expand into a cone shape. The cross section is a strange shape because it fits within the coal chute. I'm building a 3.5 inch Brit and the tender is a laser kit which doesn't have the chute, although he's cut a hole in the bulkhead. I am trying to make the complete tunnel, which looks much better.

Looking at your photos, there seems to be a front bulkhead missing.

OK, maybe an overcoat might help. The binoculars that are affected have been kept in the case in this country, and the radio is out in Spain and does get hot at times. Initially I thought heat and sun was the problem, but the bins are kept at UK temp and out of the sun. Interestingly my bins in Spain are not affected at all! Where can you buy this paint, I might give it a go. Did you clean off first or just paint over?

No, I don't want to paint them, I just want to remove this sticky mess. If I can do that successfully I'll live with it, but in future I'll try and avoid anything coated this way. Unfortunately it seems whatever the price of the item, this coating will fail at some point.

My 2A came with a modified overarm made from a long block of aluminium. I don't understand why a dovetail wasn't machined in the top and thereby making it a raising block while they were at it. I would like to do this if I can get someone at my club to machine the dovetail. Does anyone know where I can get two clamps?

The machine came from the Hornby tool room, but I don't know when the mod was done.

Seems it's a common problem then, but so far I've only had the two products fail. Since posting I've done a little research on the web and there doesn't seem to be a conclusive answer, but the Isopropyl alcohol seems the best method although apparently time consuming. Immersion in this fluid for a while and then scrubbing with a stiff brush will remove the 'crud' and get back to base. Difficult to do with the radio though.

Can this fluid be bought over the counter, or have the EU stopped us doing that as well? I remember when I was about 14 or 15 going into the chemists and asking for a bottle of Ether. I was asked what it was for and when I said I make my own Diesel fuel for my model aircraft, they just handed it over....how times change!

I guess putting this material on products ensures a limited life, I will however try and avoid buying anything else that's covered in the stuff. My binoculars weren't particularly cheap either!

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I'm sure I'm not the only one to have this problem. I have a small Blue Tooth Speaker/Radio which has a rubberised soft feel to the case. It's a couple of year's old and now the surface has become tacky and very unpleasant. I've just taken my binoculars out of the case and I notice the same thing has happened to them!

Has anyone on here encountered the same problem, and have you found a way of removing the tackiness? I did try detergent on the radio to no effect.

Thanks

Unless you've already bought the materials, I would seriously consider a timber construction which you can dry line and insulate. Easily fixed to your base and can be made in sections. Comfortable in both winter and summer. Hopefully you'll only build it once, so think about it before you start. As others have said, a metal box will need a lot of insulation. Have adequate ventilation as well.

Solid concrete blocks are very good, but the dense ones are heavy. Built a large pit in a garage once with them, never again! Good luck with the project and let us know how you get on.

Just to add a tip you might not be aware of. The above diagram is fine and I agree with bringing the cladding down to below DPC. The hardcore needs to be good stuff, Ideally small chunks that fit together well. I have a wacker to compact this sort of thing, if you can get your hands on one it will make life easier. However I've found small hardcore will settle quite well by moving it around as you put it in. Whatever you have it needs to be compact.

Sand (or blinding as it's called) needs to fill all the gaps in the hardcore, it's no good just laying it on the top. Obviously the wacker can be used for this operation, but if you can't get one, a little tip is to wash the sand into the hardcore using a hosepipe. When you're happy with that, leave at least an inch on top for the membrane to lay on. Try and get the membrane over the wall and lay the DPC on top of that, bedding it in with some mortar. and then build on top until you have the right thickness for your concrete floor.

I hope that has helped. I'm not sure what you're putting into the workshop, but most machines benefit from solid foundations. Start off right and you'll end up right!!

I can't work out what you're doing. Is the sleeper a sole plate for the wall? Why use a sleeper, it won't last forever. If you're going to the trouble of laying a concrete floor, why not do it properly and put a shallow footing with 2 or 3 courses of bricks and run the DPC through them. Your exterior cladding would then run outside of the brick course and finish well above ground level.

It depends on what finish you want for your doors. I've used a lot of Sadolin and it's very good, but if you choose the Sadolin which gives a satin, almost glossy finish ( I can't remember what it's called ) don't be tempted to put too many coats on. Sadolin is a microporous paint and and will not work if the coat is too thick. Follow the instructions and all will be well. Good colour range as well.

That's exactly what I thought should happen Jason, and to be honest I really don't know why it hasn't given that most of the drawings are so old. The internet has/could make life easier for many of us, it just needs one supplier to take this on board and maybe it would catch on. The goodwill by such action would be welcomed by us all.

I'm sure there are many modellers in societies around the country who have found discrepancies and kept it to themselves, apart from having a moan in the club. I'm not sure how all club secretaries could be contacted, but if a memo was sent to all asking for faults found by members to be sent to a central database for all to access, I'm sure it would be welcomed. The database would need to be advertised of course and maybe this forum and magazines might be the place for it.

At least it would flag up a potential problem/s for someone thinking of making a specific model. They could then make their own mind up as to following the advice or not.

Thanks for the info Jason. I did a search "drawing errors" rather than look at the topic list and all I found was the MHS topic, which as you say is virtually inactive. Maybe that could be linked/incorporated to the main topic, because I gave up when saw it.

I've searched the site for a section dedicated to errors in drawings and haven't found much. I know from experience and talking to fellow club members that errors on drawings are very common, and one would have thought that corrections would have been made given the length of time since they were first drawn. However, I accept that changes of ownership through the year's would have complicated the process. I was told many year's ago by Martin Evans that the drawings are only a guide!!

A set of drawings isn't cheap these days, neither is correcting some of the mistakes made due to inaccuracies. Many hours must be wasted by model engineers around the world discovering the same errors. This forum probably comes up high on a search list and would be a great way to help.

Just recently a post and thread was started regarding suppliers. Unfortunately this thread was closed which is a shame as it's always good to know how suppliers perform....good or bad. Model engineering is a unique hobby, and expensive! Any help regarding suppliers can only be a good thing. If a post within that thread unacceptable it can be removed without closing a potentially useful thread.

Worth considering?

The internet has given us the opportunity to create forums such as this which have no country boundaries and opinions can be shared; discussed, and argued. How great that is!

This company is clearly profit motivated, so when the bad publicity hits their bottom line maybe, just maybe they'll sit up and take notice. The only important thing in their commercial life is their customer! I refer to the singular because a customer should be made to feel they are the ONLY customer.

So lets have more discussion like this, it can only be good.

That's really annoying but these things happen in carriage. I'm sure the supplier would replace and send quickly. I would wait and have the recommended product, you then minimise the risk of a bad job. I hate doing a job twice, but should the product fail for any reason, you'll have the support of the supplier because you used their materials. Good luck.

I never had a problem with the original company, but I accept nothing is ever perfect and some customers would have had experiences different to mine.

I would like to warn anyone contemplating buying a new boiler from the new company (that's if they still supply them). I bought a boiler off someone who had commissioned it from the said company. Still brand new and shiny, never been into a loco etc, and complete with all paperwork. It didn't take me long to discover the boiler was short by about 3/8". When I contacted the owner of the company he promptly told me the boiler was correct and as I wasn't his customer nothing could be done! I don't know who makes boilers for this company, but I would have thought an item of that value would have been checked by the company before sending on to the customer. I got over the problem, but as I said before, will never use them again unless absolutely necessary.

My advice to anyone buying ANY product from them would be to check everything without delay and don't assume they are correct. Unfortunately because of the very nature of model engineering, we tend to work slowly, so the castings that have been sitting in the workshop for months/year's might have blow holes/dimension problems etc. How this company would deal with that I don't know, but I guess they would fob you off and say you're too late to complain. Customer service isn't their strong point!

The original company was really good.......run by enthusiasts for enthusiasts......nothing too much trouble. How times change!

If we are talking about the same supplier, I had a similar problem just after the company changed hands. I took a casting back to them at the Ally Pally show because the casting was badly warped, only to be told (with a shrug of the shoulders), "they are all like that!" I never buy anything from them now unless an absolute necessity!