If in doubt... add more blowtorches!

Some significant progress today, I have not yet got a lathe sorted so had ordered some 1/4" brass bearings from the 'Wagon & Carriage Works'. These arrived during the week and look the part.



The main frames have the holes for the axles laser cut already, they just need opening out a little and the bearings then drop in. I silver soldered them in place with the last of the pre-mix solder/flux I had left over from last week.

The main frames then needed cleaning throughly and preparing with flux. I had bought some EF flux for the job which comes as a powder - add some water and a drop of washing up liquid and then it's ready.

The problem I had last week was not being able to get enough heat into the main frames for the solder to flow. This time I had sticks of 842 solder, rather than the pre-mix, but the melting point is the same - 620 degrees centigrade. To try and get more heat onto the work I had bought a brazing hearth (basically 3 fire bricks and a mat) and had been kindly offered a second pair of hands, to work a second blowtorch! Second pair of hands duly arrived with blowtorch, and even better, doughnuts!

The addition of the second blowtorch worked a treat, each joint was up to temperature in around a minute and glowing red nicely, the solder melted no problem and the flux did its job and carried the solder through the joints. We had the whole main frame soldered in less than 10 mins. Once sufficiently cooled, the frame went in the acid bath, the kettle was boiled - time for a cuppa and doughnuts!



After a good soak and some wire wool the frames cleaned up rather nicely, although some further cleaning will be necessary, perhaps a mini-drill with cleaning/polishing bits is needed. On inspection, the joints overall looked remarkably good overall.



Now, looking to the other side of the room, I remembered I had the wheels and axles sitting in a jiffy bag... well... what would you do!? The temptation to trial-fit the wheels was, of course, far too great!



So... thanks to some useful assistance (thank you to Dad for the hands and doughnuts!) it was pleasing to finish the day with something that now at least is starting to resemble a locomotive! A long way to go yet, however. Look forward to seeing the real thing down our way again soon, I took the image below of 70013 almost exactly a year ago and it's due to venture into Kent again on Wednesday (24th Feb). Hope to get out to see it!