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The Corliss project

Started by lab-dad, May 18, 2009, 09:55:34 AM

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lab-dad

Since I have some of your attentions....
This is the color I will be striving for on the brass;
Do any of you have experience using gun blue?
I am wondering if that would give me the color I am looking for as opposed to the usual "blacken - it"
-Marty

RoughboyModelworks

#136
Marty:

Have you tried Neolube yet?  It's a very fine graphite in an alcohol solution. Brush it on then buff it with a soft sable brush... it's excellent for representing oily steel. The more you buff it, the shinier it gets. Being graphite, it also has the advantage of lubricating surfaces.The more coats you brush on the darker it will become. Blueing will give it more of a blue/black finish.

It's not a particularly good photo (scan of an old color print), but the 1:48 engine, valve-gear and drive-train components on the shay in the picture are all painted with Neolube. They are actually shinier than they appear in the photo. I wish digital cameras had been around when I painted and weathered this model...  :(

Paul

finescalerr

Outstanding, Paul. Thanks for the great tip. -- Russ

lab-dad

That gives me something else to try.
Guess I will use both and see what I come up with.
A subtle variation by using each may be the answer.
Thanks,
Marty

SandiaPaul

Here is another option:

http://www.caswellplating.com/kits/electroless.htm

It's a bit pricey but I bet you could find a cheaper kit with a little searching.

Good luck!

Paul
Paul

RoughboyModelworks

Paul

Have you ever tried using any of the Caswell products for model work? I use their powders and so forth in my powder coater for motorcycle work (their products are excellent by the way for 1:1 work) but the resulting finish is too thick for model work. It also has a tendency to fillet so is difficult to retain sharp edges and details.

Paul (the other one)

SandiaPaul

No I have never used the powders. I have used a lot of the chemical colors for brass/bronze and steel and they work very well and add nothing but color. A good electroless nickel should only add maybe .0005. I know others who have used it for things like running gear on live steam engines and it looks great.

Its too bad that the plating kits are so expensive, it really puts it out of range for small work like the Corliss. Maybe a local gunsmith could do the work? I personally think the beautiful work Marty has done would be a shame to be covered in paint. What I really like about machinery like the Corliss is the contrast of painted surfaces combined with polished metal. Here are some good examples:
http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/showthread.php/more-massive-machinery-shifting-183752.html?t=183752

Regards,

Paul


Paul

RoughboyModelworks

Thanks for posting the link to those beam engine photos... fabulous piece of work especially when you consider it was built to pump sewage. The contrast between the polished brass and steel pieces and the painted components is wonderful. It's obvious that the aesthetics of the machine were considered to be a valued and important element. Nothing wrong with making something attractive.

I haven't had the occasion to try any of the Caswell plating products but have been curious as to how well they work. My experience with their products has been limited to powder coating. It's not as easy and simple as they like to make out in their product literature. There are many opportunities for fouling up a finish, but like any other finishing system, with practice and some learned skills, you can produce a very nice powder-coated finish on small components without having to go to a specialty shop.

Paul

Ray Dunakin

Thanks for the link to the sewage pumps... such amazing, and amazingly beautiful, pieces of hardware for such a mundane task!  They certainly took pride in their machines back then.

Visit my website to see pics of the rugged and rocky In-ko-pah Railroad!

Ray Dunakin's World

lab-dad

The valve gear is complete....sort of.
I need to get some acorn nuts in 00-90, 1mm and do some final shaping of the clevis'.


Close up.


The clevis and links were a lot of fun (not) several machining steps and fabrication of jigs to get the holes correct. The clevis start out as .062" tube and the rods are.045" for size reference.

And yes the linkage is all functional. ;D ;D ;D ;D

Guess I need to get some stuff to try out the finishes....
-Marty

michael mott

Hi Marty, just catching up, beautiful workmanship on the engine.

Michael

RoughboyModelworks

Whoa.... this just gets better and better. Love all that spaghetti linkage Marty. It has a certain Rube Goldberg character to it. Superb work as usual...

Paul

finescalerr

Marty, when are you going to make some progress on the Corliss? As for the photos, I hope you did that without any help from your mom. -- Russ

P.S.: Don't paint this thing; it's too gorgeous to cover up.

Mr Potato Head

Please hook it up to compressed air! I want to see the "whirl-e-gig" spin around! ;D ;D
Gil
Gil Flores
In exile in Boise Idaho

Scratchman

Very nice Marty, looking forward to the diorama.

Gordon Birrell

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77318580@N00/