O-Aust Kits PO Box 743 ALBANY CREEK QLD 4035 AUSTRALIA Phone +61 (0)7 3298 6283 (7.00pm to 9.30pm ONLY) Facsimile +61 (0)7 3298 6287 (24 hours) Mobile 0419 680 584 Email pa_rl_krause@bigpond.com Web www.oaustkits.com.au QR Class CLF Louvred Wagon Kitset in O Scale 1:48 Prototype Information The Queensland Railways CLF wagons were wooden bodied construction specifically built for the conveyance of fruit. They were constructed to a revised design in 1924, and were numbered 16842-16866. The wagon could be found with both corrigated or malthoid covered roofs. This kit represents the later type. The kit has also been developed to cater for both the On42 and On30 markets. For On42, there is a 4 archbar bogie available, to QGR specifications. For the On30 market an off the shelf On30 arch bar bogie can be used, or alternatively, the correct pattern 4 QGR archbar bogie can be used with a smaller bogie stretcher. Appropriate bogies to cater for either gauge version will be supplied.
CLF Wagon Kit Parts List Resin Castings 2 x Wagon Sides 2 x Wagon Ends 1 x Floor/Underframe 4 x Doors 4 x Roof Supports 1 x Brake Cylinder Brass Etch Components 1 x Brake Lever Assembly Brass Castings 2 x Brake hoses 4 x Buffer Shafts 4 x Buffer Housings 4 x Buffer Shaft Guides 3/32 Brass Tube 4 x Springs 2 x Sheets.020 (210mm x 55mm) Styrene for Roof 2 x 170mm lengths.020 x.156 Styrene Strip for Door Guide Covers 1 x.25mm x 1.5mm Brass Strip for shunters steps 1 x 150mm length Dia 0.5mm brass for grabirons 4 x 150mm lengths Dia 0.5mm brass for truss rods 1 x 150mm lengths Dia 0.8mm brass for queenposts Instruction Sheet ASSEMBLY SEQUENCE Read ALL instructions before commencing assembly to understand the correct sequence. All flash on the castings should be removed before assembly. Some castings may have air bubbles - these are easily puttied if desired and will not affect the end result. Occasionally a casting may be warped. This problem is easily rectified by placing in hot water in a flat bottomed container for a couple of minutes and allowed to cool on a flat surface. The instructions for the assembly of this kit assumes that the person assembling the kit has some basic kit building skills. The quality of the finished product is dependent on the care taken in its assembly. If you have any problems please feel free to contact O-Aust Kits direct. The resin parts in this kit are manufactured using a wax based release agent which needs to be removed to enable glue and paint to adhere properly. Either scrub the parts in lukewarm soapy water (not hot - heat may distort the parts) and rinse with clean cold water or wash the parts in clean white spirit. In either case take care with fine details to avoid breaking them off and ensure the parts are dry before continuing with assembly. Similarly, pewter parts should be washed in warm soapy water and rinsed and dried to remove casting residues that may not be visible. The manufacturing process may give rise to a small variation in parts size. Critical parts have been matched at time of packing to ensure a good fit between them. If you are assembling more than one of these kits at a time do not intermix parts between kits keep them separate. Some tools that are particularly useful in resin kit assembly, apart from drills and a sharp craft knife, are abrasive blocks. A stout piece of MDF to which abrasive paper has been attached either by gluing with a thin film of contact adhesive or double sided clear tape is great for sanding large flat areas or long components. Manicure abrasive boards are good for touch up work.
YOU WILL NEED TO SUPPLY Couplers of your choice Large files and needle files Superglue Pin vice and/or 'Dremel' and drills (0.5mm or #76 & 0.8mm or #67) Soldering iron (variable temperature) Low melt and resin cored solder Craft knife, tweezers, small pliers, side cutters, scissors Fine wet or dry paper Small clamps or alligator clips Modelling putty Decal setting solution Piece of glass or surface plate (steel) BODY ASSEMBLY Step 1 Refer to Figure 1 for location and size of all holes that require drilling for the queen posts and truss rods on the floor/underframe casting. Figures 2, 3 and 4 illustrate the location of the holes required for the brake levers, brake hoses, buffers and handrails. Complete this drilling process now, whilst castings are in their flat state, but don t install the components mentioned just yet. Step 2 The top, bottom and ends of the side castings should be filed to a smooth surface to ensure a clean joint with the floor and ends. Tape a piece of fine grade sandpaper to a flat surface to achieve the desired result. The end castings fit over the side castings. The end castings will need their edges smoothed using the same technique as above. As it is critical that the length of sides are the same and also match the length of the floor casting, you must continuously check the castings against each other. It may be necessary to sand down the floor casting to achieve a consistent length with the sides. Step 3 Attach one of the side castings to an end casting, using the underframe casting as a temporary jig to locate the correct relationship between the two pieces. Note that the louvers on the side casting slope towards the ground. Also note the tops of the side and end castings are level with each other and when joined, part of the end casting will protrude below the bottom edge of the side casting. By now it will be obvious that the floor/underframe is located in this space. When happy with the position, apply glue and hold firmly in place until the glue sets. Do not glue this assembly to the floor/underframe yet. Repeat the process for the other side and end. Step 4 To make up the body, join the two ends/side sub assemblies together ensuring that the joints are square and the corners are flush. When happy with the position, apply glue and hold firmly in place until the glue sets. Leave until completely set. Step 5 Check that the dimensions of the floor casting match those of the insides of the ends on the assembled body. Make adjustments to the floor casting where necessary, keeping in mind that any adjustments need to be made equally to each side/end. A useful process might involve taping a piece of sandpaper to an appropriate flat surface, working slowly and removing equal amounts from each side/end, constantly checking as you go. If you intend on adding any additional weight to the wagon, do so now before glueing the floor in place. This weight may be added within the carbody, hiding it from view on the finished model. Take care that the floor sits evenly with the body. Note that the sides sit on top of the floor, and the floor in turn slips between the two ends. When happy with the floor position, apply glue and hold firmly in place until the glue sets. Step 6 Figure 5 illustrates the position of the 4 roof support castings. Clean up the castings and secure them in place as noted in the diagram. Take one of the.020 styrene sheets for the roof and mark the centre, drawing a pencil line down the length of the sheet. Also mark the centre on the wagon ends for alignment with the styrene sheet. The Styrene will need to be curved to follow the roof outline. Gently heat the
styrene sheet by dunking in warm water. This will soften the styrene and ease curving. Take an object such as a glass jar or an old can that has roughly the same diameter as the roof and bend the styrene around it. After cooling, fix the styrene in place using the previously marked centrelines to aid alignment. Use rubber bands to clamp in place and leave overnight to dry. Repeat this process with the second sheet of styrene. When all is dry, trim the styrene as required, so that the sides of the roof overhang finish flush with the door guides. The ends of the roof will need to have an 3mm overhang. Step 7 The door castings can now be cleaned up and installed on the wagon. Even though the door castings are all the same, they will become handed, left and right, after drilling for the handrails. There is a top door guide cast onto the side of the wagon and the door is located hard up against this guide. The door may be positioned to cover the opening, or you may wish to build your model with one or more of the doors open. The door guide will need a cover placed over it. Take a piece of the.020 styrene strip and trim to the length of the guide cast on the side of the body. Fix in place so that the top of the cover is flush with the guide. Bend 0.5mm wire for the handrails and fix them in place on the doors. Refer to figure 4. Step 8 Fit the brake cylinder to the chassis beam with the cylinder over the mounting block and pointing towards the yard brake end. Centre the casting between the edge of the floor and the centre sill. Refer Figure 1. Step 9 Referring to figures 6 and 7, Queen posts and Truss Rods will now require fabrication. The queenposts can be cut from 0.8mm DIA. Wire to the length shown. Cut and bend the truss rods from 0.6mm DIA. Wire again using the diagram as a guide. Please note there are 2 different truss rod assemblies that require fabrication. The shorter of the two will form the inside pair, designed on the prototype to clear the brake gear. It may be useful to set up a jig to construct these assemblies, as you will require 2 of each type. Once happy with the fit and shape, the queenposts can be soldered to the truss rods and each assembly installed on the model in the previously drilled holes. Step 10 Remove the brass etched brake lever parts from their fret and clean up. Open up all the holes to a diameter of 0.5mm. Referring to figure 8, fold the lever arm handle ends at the crease marks on the etching. Also fold up the lever arm guide, again using the crease marks and figure 9 as reference. Cut a 27mm length of 0.5mm DIA wire as indicated in figure 10 that will pass through the lever handle and also the brake support brackets. Mark position of brake support brackets. When satisfied, install on the model in previously drilled holes. At this point, you can simply superglue the brackets in place or, if you require a stronger connection, superglue and pin each bracket in place with short lengths of 0.5mm brass wire. Install the lever arm guide on the carbody using the same method as the brake support brackets. Step 11 You will need to fabricate 4 stirrup steps from the 2mm brass strip. Cut a 37mm length of brass strip and fold up to the dimensions shown on figure 12. In folding the legs, you will need to fold and twist in the same motion so that the flat part of the brass strip comes into contact with the side sill of the underframe and also forms a flat foot tread. Refer to figure 13 for location of steps, noting that they differ on each side due to the location of the brake lever. Again, you can simply superglue the steps in place or, if you require a stronger connection, superglue and pin each bracket in place with short lengths of 0.5mm brass wire. Step 12 Refer to figure 11 for the buffer assembly diagram. The location of the buffers is marked on the end castings, and these positions need to be used as a guide to drill through the end beam and into the bolster, drilling right through the bolster. Use a 2mm DIA drill bit and ensure that the hole is true and square, otherwise operation of the assembled buffer will be less than satisfactory. Clean the buffer shaft, making sure that the shaft is true, straight and a constant diameter. Next, clean out the buffer housings and the buffer shaft guides using a 1/16 Dia bit, again ensuring a true and square hole. Install the buffer shaft guide into the bolster, leaving the collar and 6mm protruding. Install the buffer housing into the body end. Cut a 10mm length of 3/32 brass tube and clean up any burrs. Position a tube and a spring into place and pass the buffer shaft through the buffer housing, picking up the brass tube/spring assembly and trapping it between the end of the carbody and the shaft guide previously installed. At this stage, adjustments to the buffer shaft length can be made, as can adjustments to the brass rod/spring assembly. Once satisfied with the distance of travel and the length of buffer protrusion, carefully solder the spring and tube to the buffer shaft as shown in figure 11 and in the picture below.
Step 13 Drill holes in bolsters on the body to accept the bogie screws. On42 modellers can now install the supplied bettendorf bogies. On30 modellers can now fit their preferred bogie. To fit the QGR 4 pattern bogie, both On42 and On30 modellers can follow the same procedure, bearing in mind the bogie stretchers and the brake gear will be differing sizes. To assemble these bogies firstly add two brass bearings to each bogie side frame casting. Ensure a correct fit and when happy attach and glue in place. Pair up each bogie stretcher with two side frames and install the wheels. Bogie stretchers and sideframes can be attached using screws, solder or superglue. We recommend that at least one side be attached with a screw fixing to allow for wheel play, enabling smoother tracking. The brake shoe assembly castings may require adjusting to sit correctly and not foul the wheel rotation. Check and adjust the castings as necessary. When satisfied, ensure the wheels run smoothly, adjusting the alignment where necessary. Step 14 Glue the brake hoses in the holes drilled in step 1. Refer to figure 3. Step 15 The wagon is now ready for painting. CLF wagons were painted a wagon red oxide colour. Buffers and trucks were black. Prime with your favourite primer and once dry paint the main body colour with your favourite brew. Allow for drying time and coat the model with a gloss coat to aid in decaling. Step 16 Decals - Ensure the paint is thoroughly dry and dust free. NOTE: Decals adhere better to a gloss surface. Trim margins around letters and numbers as close as possible, place in warm water until design is almost ready to release from backing paper, then place on paper towel to absorb excess water. Wet area with decal setting solution, place decal on model and slide off backing paper into position. Apply decal setting solution over design, mop up excess solution with edge of kitchen paper and allow 24 hours drying time. To protect decals and paint work, spray a thin coat of clear flat paint (eg. Testor s Dull Cote or similar brand) over entire model. Allow 24 hours drying time. Weathering to your requirements is recommended. The wagon should be ready to roll after lubricating the axles. References Wooden Wagons of the Queensland railways by John Armstrong (2006).