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Assembly instructions for depot tender wagon kit
Assembly instructions for depot tender wagon kit
This page contains assembly instructions for 0-4-0 shunter tender depot wagon kit, which I have been developing for my own use, and will be coming soon for sale via contacting me through my contact page, or via my ebay account.
What tools will I need?
What tools will I need?
The kit comes straight off the printer, so some preparation is required. you will require the following tools to prepare and assemble the kit.
Small flush cut side cutters (Or sharp craft knife)
2mm drill bit and pin vice
Fine and medium grit abrasive paper and a flat surface for sanding, or emery boards with medium and fine grits
An engineers square or similar for assembling parts perpendicular to each other. the wagon chassis and sole bars must be assembled true, or the wagon will not roll as well as it could.
Your preferred adhesive for plastic. (Plastic solvent weld does not work, but superglue does)
Additional useful tools
Tweezers
Needle files (for dressing areas with print marks)
Razor saw (For cutting plank effect)
Small wire brush (For adding wood grain texture)
What is in the kit?
What is in the kit?
PLEASE NOTE:
The photo left (or above on mobile) is only a guide to what you get as the kit may change slightly over time to improve the kit quality. For example, the hand brake levers are now FDM printed, not SLA printed. The list below is definitive.
The kit consists of the following parts:
3D FDM printed chassis (x1)
3D FDM printed solebars (x2)
3D FDM printed brake shoes and lever gear (2x)
3D FDM printed body (x1)
3D FDM printed loco tools set (x1)
3D FDM printed buffer dumb beam (x2)
3D SLA printed buffer beam (x2)
3D SLA printed axle box and springs (x4)
3D
SLAFDM printed handbrake levers (x2) (No longer SLA - See notes)3D SLA printed buffers (x4)
3D SLA printed hooks (x2)
3D SLA printed chest (x1)
3D SLA printed barrel (x1)
Brass bearings (x4)
5 gram sticky weights (x2)
Dapol spoked wheelsets (x2)
Coupling options:
Loco end (Either)
3D FDM printed over-hook with plank effect (Ideal for large D coupling locos, but requires hook on loco to be removed)
3D SLA printed NEM pocket (no tension lock provided)
3D SLA printed tension lock pocket and tension lock
Freight end (Either)
3D SLA printed NEM pocket (no tension lock provided)
3D SLA printed tension lock pocket and tension lock provided
Please state the coupling options preferred at the time of ordering.
Preparation of the parts
Preparation of the parts
Please read all steps in the preparation and all steps in the assembly first, before attempting the build.
This is to familiarise yourself with why some steps in the preparation are critical for the successful assembly of the wagon.
With abrasive paper on a flat surface (or emery boards)
Sand the top surface of the chassis to remove any printing artefacts.
Sand the sides and ends of the chassis to remove bumps from the printing process. Try to keep the ends and side perpendicular (square) to the top surface, and the ends square to the sides. Use an engineers square, or similar to help.
Optionally cut plank and scratch wood grain effect into top of loco coupling. Suggest using knife to scribe planks then use razor saw to deepen the plank separation. Then use sharp knife or wire brush to create wood grain.
Please note: Although this is a labour of love, the flatter and squarer the sides and edges the better the model will assemble and appear once complete.
With abrasive paper on a flat surface (or emery boards):
Sand the backs of the sole plates to remove any printing artefacts.
Sand the tops of the sole plates to remove any printing artefacts. Try to keep the tops perpendicular (square) to the back. Suggest hold the two sole bars back to back to get even sanding.
Lightly sand the ends square, but final sanding of these are done during assembly, after bonding to the chassis.
Optionally lightly sand the front faces of the W Irons of the sole plates, and the front faces of the sole bar channel.
Please note: Again, this is a labour of love, the flatter and squarer the sides and edges the better the model will assemble and appear once complete.
Flatten the bottom of the body and provide a key for adhesion, later.
Sand the uprights of the wagon body to remove horizontal printing lines. Use progressively finer abrasive paper. These should be sanded smooth as they are normally metal on the prototype.
Sand very lightly the body planks for a painting key with rough (120 grit) paper, but basically leave the horizontal printing lines in the planks as they can help simulate wood grain. Ensure you sand in the direction of the planks, so scratches help simulate the wood grain.
Again the more time spent sanding the uprights smooth and the planks, the better the finished and painted model will look.
3. Accurately drill the axle bearing holes in the W-Irons of the sole-bars with a 2mm drill, and remove any burs. Try not to over-drill or "ovalise" the holes, or the bearings will not grab well when pressed in.
4. Lightly sand the flat surfaces of the brake gear to remove printing artefacts.
5. If you are using the oil barrel, sand the bottom flat.
6. If you are using the chest, sand the bottom flat.
7. Sand flat, the base of your chosen coupling block
8. Carefully cut the axle box and springs from the supports. These are very delicate!
9. Carefully sand the back of the axle box and springs.
10. Using a 2.0mm drill bit, carefully clear out all partially cured resin from the hole in the axle box. Be extremely careful not to drill right through!
Assembly of the model
Assembly of the model
Ensure all preparation stages are complete before beginning assembly.
PLEASE NOTE: Since producing this guide I have updated the hand brake levers to use FDM not SLA printing process. This has lost some detail but has made the delicate part much stronger for handling during the building and painting process, and once the wagon is complete. I was finding that although the pin whole detail looked great in macro photos, the lever vertical stays would snap at "the blink of an eye".
1. Press the four brass axle bearings squarely into the 2mm holes you have drilled in the two sole bar W-Irons, with the recessed part of the bearings facing the flat side.
If you are using top-hat bearings then they must be pressed in as far as they will go. If using normal bearings the end must be flush with the inner surface of the sole bar. If the 2mm hole is accurate, the bearings should grip in the solebar without adhesive; if not use a dab of adhesive.
I place the bearing "cup-down" on a hard flat surface and then press the solebar onto the bearing. This works well for me, having built many of my 3D-printed chassis, but it may not work for you.
2. Ensure that the bearing is pushed in until flush with the inner flat surface of the solebar
3. The image above shows the bearings flush on the flat side of the solebar and protruding on the outer, detailed side.
3. Place the chassis upside down on a flat surface. After performing a "dry-fit", using your preferred plastic adhesive fit one sole bar to the chassis in the inverted position, so that once in the normal running position the top surface of the chassis and the top surface of the solebar are flush.
Ensure one end of the chassis and the solebar are flush with each other.
Make a note of which end this is with a dot of pen or paint or similar identifying mark. Ensure the solebar is vertically perpendicular to the chassis.
4. Once the first solebar adhesive is set, perform a "dry-fit" of the solebar in the same way as the first, then when happy, adhere the second solebar, ensuring that again it is vertically perpendicular to the chassis and the end if flush with the same end as the other side, indicated with the dot of pen or paint.
This check is to ensure the axles are perpendicular to the chassis and the wagon will run true.
5. Using an emery board or abrasive paper on a flat surface ensure that both ends of the chassis and sole bars are flush, and the top surfaces is reasonably flush, too. This will enable a good fit of the buffer beam.
When sanding, ensure that the ends remain square to the chassis length. I suggest periodically checking with a small engineers square.
6. Select which style of buffer beam you will use. The kit comes with two pairs of dumb buffers and two pairs of normal buffers. You can use either or a combination of both.
In this guide I am using dumb buffers for the locomotive end and normal buffers / buffer beam for the other end.
The dumb buffers are in two parts fixed together with a printing support "sprue". Wood grain can be introduced using abrasive paper in the direction of the "grain"
Very carefully cut the buffer beams from the printing support. The dumb buffers can be clipped off using sharp flush cut side cutters, however I suggest using a very sharp craft knife to remove the normal buffer beam from the support or it can break in removal using side cutters. Ask me how I know!
Normal Buffers
Normal Buffers
6.a. The normal buffer beam is fitted with adhesive across the ends of the chassis and sole bar, which should have already been sanded flush with each other.
Sand the top of the chassis and buffer beam to enable a flush fit of the body to occur.
Dumb Buffers
Dumb Buffers
6.b. The dumb buffers are in two halves and are fitted across the ends of the sole bars and chassis, but flush with the outer end of the solebars.
Sand the top of the chassis and buffer beam to enable a flush fit of the body to occur.
7. Check the body fits on the chassis by dry fitting and ensuring position, and then adhere the body to the chassis.
8. Fit the break gear inside the chassis on either side.
Ensure the following alignments:
The base of the brake gear cheeks touch the floor and are bonded to the chassis side
The centre of the pivot bar is in alignment with the centre of the "V Hanger"
the vertical supports align with the sole bar vertical supports
8. Fit the two 5 gram self-stick weights centrally in the chassis voids. Ensure to leave space evenly on either side for the wheels to rotate.
9. Check the gauge of the Dapol wheel sets and adjust as required, then gently spring the sole plates apart to allow the axle pinpoints to nest into the brass bearings.
The wheels should run very freely if the chassis and soleplates have been assembled correctly.
10. Adhere the four axle box and springs to the W Irons, ensuring the hole in the back of the axle box locates over the protruding brass bearing.
11. If using the normal buffer beams, using a 2.0mm drill bit, and using the round holes in the buffer beams as guides, drill into the buffer beam to make a locating hole for the buffer spigots. Carefully cut the buffers off the spru using a sharp craft knife, and trim length as required to get buffers to seat into holes in buffer beam correctly.
12. If using the normal buffer beams, adhere the buffers into the buffer beam
13. If using normal buffer beams, very carefully cut the hook from the printing support. Adjust the square peg with abrasive paper, emery board or needle file until it locates fully into the square hole in the buffer beam. Then adhere it in to the buffer beam.
14. Fit the coupling block for the type of coupling you require. In this case I am using the NEM socket block.
15. Clip in the NEM socket tension lock coupling.
16. Find the brake levers with their printing supports. Although you only need two, three are always supplied, because these are VERY delicate! they will be loose in the bag.
UPDATE:
Due to the hand brake levers being consistently way too delicate, both when building the kit, and afterwards when handling the model for painting and or in use on the layout, I have taken the decision to produce these using FDM printing instead of SLA. This does mean a drop in detail as the pin holes are now not present. However, the levers are now much more robust for all handling after this stage in the build.
17. Very carefully cut the brake levers from the printing supports. These are VERY delicate!
UPDATE:
Now that these hand brake levers are FDM printed, instead of cutting from the supports they now need a couple of gentle bends applied to take the lever in to the V-hanger position. Bend inwards slightly at the 135° downward bend in the lever, and outwards slightly just before the V-hanger pivot spigot. this can be done with a pair of tweezers and your fingers. Only a very slight bend is needed.
18. Adhere the levers to the chassis using a blob of adhesive in the following locations:
On the V hanger
Where the left hand end of the spring touched the solebar
Where the right hand of the spring touches the sole bar and,
The protruding part of the chassis channel above it.
Wiper contacts
Wiper contacts
There are two slots in the centre of the underside of the chassis which can be opened out to hold phosphor bronze strip for contacts, should you want to use this wagon a means of providing extra electrical pickups for a shunting locomotive.
PLEASE NOTE: phosphor bronze strips for electrical contacts are not provided.
Accessories
Accessories
There are a few accessories which can be used to augment the model.
Fire irons
Small wooden style chest
Printing these instructions
Printing these instructions
If you have a "Chromium-based" browser like, Chrome, Safari, Opera, MS Edge then you can right click on a blank portion of this page to open the page context menu, and select Save as PDF... and save this to your PC. The PDF file can then be opened for printing.
PLEASE NOTE:
The Print... option from the page context menu does not appear to render this page very well for printing.
The most up to date version of this document can always be found here:
https://sites.google.com/view/dibsyard/3d-printing/0-4-0-shunter-depot-tender
Some ideas of how to paint this wagon can be found in the Shunter Depot Tender Gallery page.
Any Feedback?
Any Feedback?
If you have found these instructions difficult to follow, or have any feedback on how they can be improved, please use the contact form to send your suggestions. I strive to make the instructions as clear as possible, but I may have overlooked key steps.
If you have any ideas which may improve the kit in general, please also fill in the form and indicate your suggestion.
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