Stuart Restoration

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

3D printing has certainly changed many of the various types of modeling from figures to AFVs to cars/planes. You look to have got the scale about right to go with the “workshop” engines which were never massive.

Oh and just to further confirm that the  “sticky out” bits are correct even Stuarts offered them as castings for their slightly larger dynamo. The same arrangement is still used today on large electric motors to tension Vee belts. You also need flexible wiring to allow for the adjustment they give not rigid bars or conduit.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, well I like it a lot, yes the switch did look out of place, but the addition of the spares box has really overcome that problem. Well done Richard.

Regards Nick.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, the sliding runners shown in JasonB’s photo above are still used today, but in the picture, the one on the belt/chain side, should be the opposite way round to the other side, this is so that adjustment can be put on to the dynamo or motor on that side, and the opposite side will counteract the twisting effect of the belt/chain during the adjustment, and during loading in use. In industry, machines always seem to have sticky out bits.

Regards Nick.

[Charles LamontParticipant @charleslamont71117]

Well, I think you have done an excellent job of restoration and presentation. Thank you for taking the trouble to post it. This forum would be more interesting if more of us showed our work.

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Many thanks for the comments gents.  I eventually decided on a scale of 1/19th for the figures.  I think there is a fair degree of leeway but I thought 16mm was a reasonable size to give the engines an imposing feel while still having a large enough figure for detailed painting.  Doll’s house figures would have looked too big and been in danger of becoming the subject.

[cogdobbler]

On cogdobbler Said:

On SillyOldDuffer Said:

Excellent, just what I like with my breakfast coffee.  Hard to date, could have been made almost any time in the 20th Century because Stuart have been going for donkeys years.  Ditto Meccano, who provided the chain and sprocket wheels.

May I suggest three minor improvements, replacing parts out of character with the rest.  Nothing difficult, and they offend my eye!

The switch at arrow ‘A’ is clearly designed for human fingers, and its scale is wrong for the model.  And the d*mn thing being bright and shiny catches the eye.    Nothing that size and shape existed in an engine house!  Could be hidden round the back or replaced with a simple home-made brass knife switch scaled to match the man.

The plastic twin cable connected to the dynamo is also a bit out of place, though only a pendant might notice!   First, wiring is never run at anything other than a right-angle, so drop it straight down to a new hole in the floor.   Second, plastic insulated wire could be replaced with shiny brass strip or thick copper wire.   Both look more like the open busbars found in early electrical installations, and would match the look of the steam installation.

The way the dynamo is fixed to the floor looks odd to me.  No Aluminium in early engine rooms!   The sticky out feet are unnecessary and the mounting seems over-complicated.  Might be a poor implementation – an old dynamo I saw in Wales had a similar arrangement, except it the slim Aluminium in the model was replaced by a hefty balk of timber, a good way of reducing vibration on the cheap.  I’d be happier if the model dynamo were bolted straight to the floor, or the Aluminium was disappeared by painting it black!

Sorry to be a fuss-pot, but minor anachronisms stand out in a first-class job!

OMG, I’ve turned into Inspector Meticulous.  Nurse, where’s my medication…

🙂

Dave

 

 

 

 

And you wonder why model engineering (and this site) is failing to attract new blood. Prime example right here of the type of armchair nitpicking and negativity that has not only discouraged newcomers but also driven away many of the old hands.

 

 

well said

[parovozParticipant @parovoz]

Lovely job. You turned an old and much neglected model into a real exhibition piece. And I like the tool box trick…. The last wee details just elevated the whole thing. Super work, and I do like the figures. And I agree, much better than ‘dolls house’ the realism just adds to the whole effect.

Thanks for sharing.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Well I think it’s very nice indeed. Just one question, not a nit pick. Why 1:19 for the figures? Are they commercial, can I get 1:12 anywhere?

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Dolls house figures are typically 1/12th but not always very scale looking. 1/19th comes from 16mm:ft which would allow garden railway items to be used. But as said the company will print to whatever size you like.

There are also a lot of online sources where you can now just purchase a “file” and then print your own figure at whatever size you like, or phone a friend if you don’t have a printer. You can even use an image of yourself so the final figure looks like you. One example

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Duncan, as I explained earlier the figures come from an outfit, ModelU, who will 3D print them to your chosen scale.  I worked out what the height of the figure would be for different scales, cut a piece of wood to that length and moved it around the engines to get a feel for what a figure would look like against them.  I didn’t want the figure to be so small as to be insignificant so discounted 1/32nd and 1/35th, and I didn’t want them so big as to run the risk of becoming too dominant and hence the main subject, such as 1/12th.

I decided that 1/19th looked just right so I had them printed at that scale.  1/19th isn’t as odd as it sounds, it is a commonly used scale for military figures where they call it 16mm.

If you want to buy 1/12th scale figures the best source are doll’s house suppliers.  I have used resin doll’s house figures a number of times over the years, mainly as there is a wealth of detail accessories available to suit.

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Sorry Jason our posts crossed paths

 

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

If, by any remote chance, you felt inclined to model a vintage knife-switch … this one is a beauty

https://www.lot-art.com/auction-lots/Vintage-Industrial-Electric-Knife-Switch-WS-Hill/87-vintage_industrial_electric-05.12.20-matthewbullock

MichaelG.

.

Edit: __ More photos here

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/vintage-industrial-electric-knife-switch-ws-hill–87-c-fae49c8a19?srsltid=AfmBOoq9s_9nf5wA6h9w8DQEYYWZ6gRmz6XaDWUURqfs6Y40-zdBrGYV

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Just don’t be tempted to use it to switch both the black and red wires as you will get a short across the terminals. ⚡⚡ Unless that is some form of fibre insulation rather than copper where each knife meets the bar.

 

There are some good figures on that ModelU site.

[DalboyParticipant @dalboy]

A great looking restoration. The box over the switch is a great solution to hide the chrome looking switch, did you make it a lift-off to turn the light on or have it so you slide it to operate the switch.

 

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Michael, That looks like something suitable to bring Frankenstein to life.

Jason, I think they are insulators on the handle, possibly supported by the terminal screws on both connections on the base.  So a three pole switch.  I’ve used ModelU a lot on the railway as well as one or two more unusual ones on such things as fishing boats.  The two on the Stuart display are both Victorian railway line side figures.

Dalboy, the original intention was simply a cover to be lifted off to enable access to the switch.  However I made the fit around the switch lever so close that the box can be used to operate the switch without lifting it.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Sorry for the topic drift, but I thought you might like to see the bigger one

.

.

MichaelG.

.

Ref. https://archive.org/details/electricalworld24newy/page/451/mode/1up?view=theater

[martin haysom]

On martin haysom Said:

On cogdobbler Said:

On SillyOldDuffer Said:

Excellent, just what I like with my breakfast coffee.  Hard to date, could have been made almost any time in the 20th Century because Stuart have been going for donkeys years.  Ditto Meccano, who provided the chain and sprocket wheels.

May I suggest three minor improvements, replacing parts out of character with the rest.  Nothing difficult, and they offend my eye!

The switch at arrow ‘A’ is clearly designed for human fingers, and its scale is wrong for the model.  And the d*mn thing being bright and shiny catches the eye.    Nothing that size and shape existed in an engine house!  Could be hidden round the back or replaced with a simple home-made brass knife switch scaled to match the man.

The plastic twin cable connected to the dynamo is also a bit out of place, though only a pendant might notice!   First, wiring is never run at anything other than a right-angle, so drop it straight down to a new hole in the floor.   Second, plastic insulated wire could be replaced with shiny brass strip or thick copper wire.   Both look more like the open busbars found in early electrical installations, and would match the look of the steam installation.

The way the dynamo is fixed to the floor looks odd to me.  No Aluminium in early engine rooms!   The sticky out feet are unnecessary and the mounting seems over-complicated.  Might be a poor implementation – an old dynamo I saw in Wales had a similar arrangement, except it the slim Aluminium in the model was replaced by a hefty balk of timber, a good way of reducing vibration on the cheap.  I’d be happier if the model dynamo were bolted straight to the floor, or the Aluminium was disappeared by painting it black!

Sorry to be a fuss-pot, but minor anachronisms stand out in a first-class job!

OMG, I’ve turned into Inspector Meticulous.  Nurse, where’s my medication…

🙂

Dave

 

 

 

 

And you wonder why model engineering (and this site) is failing to attract new blood. Prime example right here of the type of armchair nitpicking and negativity that has not only discouraged newcomers but also driven away many of the old hands.

 

 

well said

Not well said at all! Do you guys read my posts?  This one starts with the word ‘Excellent’.

Positive suggestions are not ‘nitpicking’!  As a result of what Isaid does anyone think Richard’s latest version is worse than the original?  Nope, he’s taken his model to another level – that toolbox is genius, better than my knife-switch suggestion!

By the by, review is normal process if you want to do better in engineering.  Self-satisfied is bad.

Just in case anyone still hasn’t got it, I emphasise again that Richard’s model is excellent!

Dave

 

 

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

I could sit here and add further comments about the light switch But I’m blinded by the light ! There are so many nice touches, the tool box was pure genius and the rest is just glorious – I wish I had the patience to make such things, and to those who have – I take my hat off. Noel.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Succinct, Noel

I couldn’t agree more

MichaelG.

[michael mParticipant @michaelm]

It puzzles me why it should be considered unacceptable, by some, to make a constructive criticism of anyones work. It’s how we all learn to improve by input from others. The OP is described as a superb model engineer so surely he would be interested in knowing how he can improve his own high standards. I thought Dave’s (SOD) comments were relevant and considered and who would disagree with his view that ” minor anachronisms stand out in a first class job.”

To me it’s redolent of those who criticise model engineers who are trying to create a first class model by using the disparaging term “rivet counters”. What’s wrong with trying to get things right and helping others to do so? Or are you advocating a counsel of mediocrity?

In Proverbs it states, and I use this in an historic sense rather than any religious aspect……

“Give instruction to a wise man and he will be yet wiser.” This same comment was made in the earlier rendition of the “Teach Yourself” books.

To be fair to the OP He does take on board some of the comments, would he have done so without Dave’s remarks.

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

If anyone cares to read through my reply to the original points made I think they will see that I was more than receptive to the points being made and I also completely agree with the ambition to improve via the means of constructive criticism.

However, as I also stated but which seems to be conveniently ignored, there are ways of getting a point across.  Using the expression “Offensive to my eyes” is not an expression I would suggest is a particularly positive way of doing this.  Putting a negative message across in a positive manner is a life lesson that many would benefit from.

So to answer the point I welcome constructive criticism.   We obviously have differences on just what “constructive” looks like.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Have to agree with Richard. In cold print the phrase itself comes across as rather unpleasant.

If said face to face with a smile and a wink it might give a different impression.

Colin

[Author]

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