LNER G5 loco build
This is my third 'O' gauge locomotive build and the second from Connoisseur Models. Connoisseur make very good etches and the diagrams and instructuions are excellent. The down side is he seems to like LNER more than anything else, so if this is not your scene, tough!
The kits are all etched brass, with nickel silver for the chassis and detailing in white metal. There are usually options included for making some, if not all, of the variations found during the life of the prototype so there is no excuse for not building the correct variation. As with all things in this hobby, a little research will prove invaluable. Lots of research gets you the title "obsessive compulsive" from your better half and your friends will start tapping the sides of their heads when they think you aren't looking.
Having chosen your project and searched around for the best value supplier it is worth remembering that little things like spring buffers, motor, grears and crew will probably not be included. So don't forget to order them when you buy the kit. You will also need a good soldering iron (40 watts is nice) and some decent tin snips or shears, needle files and scalpel and Stanely knife (light duty and heavy duty) are also useful. Don't forget solder for brass (I use Ersin multicore, its' general purpose and very easy to use. You will also need low temperature solder and flux if you want to solder the white metal components together, the alternative is expoxy resin.
If you can't afford the luxury of a low temperature soldering iron you can cheat. Take a three inch length of ring main cable and strip the live or neutral conductor out (the earth is thinner so not as easy to solder with) and wrap it around the barrel of the iron, leaving about one inch protruding past the bit. Practice on some scraps until you get the feel of it but the result is a low temerature iron. You can even shape the tip to a chisel or a point if required.
So now everything this ready, what next? Well, sit down and read the instructions, then look at the parts and then read the instructions again. It is usually a good idea to start with the basic chassis (side frames, spacers and wheels (don't be tempted to solder the bushes in place just yet) to get something that is square and level to build the rest of your model from. It is also worth studying the side profile drawings of your model and offering the motor up to the drawings to see if the motor will foul on anything (it's a bugger if you build it all then find out the body doesn't fit).
The basic chassis with wheels attached will give you something to check spacings against for splashers and cabsides. It will also allow you to see if electrial shorts might occur between chassis and body before the sides obscure the view.
Remeber when the building the loco body that you might need to add extra weight to one end or the other (the G5 is a good example here as, being an 0-4-4, it needs a lot of weight adding as far forward as pratical). It's amazing how many nooks and cranies there are on a loco that can't be accessed after a certain point in the build.
Once the basic body and chassis are completed it's time to start adding detail. Most detail parts are cast in white metal but some are brass. Think about the assembly procedure first as if a white metal part is fitted and then you need to add a brass part you might damage the white metal trying to solder on the brass part. It is also worth pointing out that the marks the designer places on the boiler and smoke box to aid alignment are only as accurate as your ability to keep things in line, so always have a good look to check that it looks right too, chimneys should always go straight up! When adding detail to the chassis always check that the body will still fit and that you haven't fouled steps or other detail. Don't leave sand pipes dangling below wheels as this definitely causes a short electrically.
Before giving up entirely on parts that just don't want to solder in place, remember the old adage " if all else fails; cheat"! Super glue and epoxy resin are equally as good as solder if given the correct key and onlookers will not know the difference once its all covered in paint.
Painting is really when the model comes alive and getting it wrong will leave you in a pit of despair with a model that you loath (or want to stamp on if you remember how I felt about the class37). Brass kits lend themselves to some fairly basic painting techniques. Being metal you don't have to worry too much about special primers (OK who wants to use their oil paints?) The range of primers and undercoats found at Halfords is excellent and comes in a choice of three colours; red, grey and white. There is an equally good range of top coats if you have chosen Henry Ford's favourite colour (black), If you wish to create a weathered look then use the matt black, for "pristine" looks go for the satin black, the gloss black looks a bit artificial unless you are after the fresh out of the factory look.
The golden rule I have found on painting is little and often and don't be tempted to rush. Find a good clean area with good lighting and no dust. Make sure your model is clean, grease free and dry. The first primer coat can be gently dusted on to see if it shows any glaring errors that can be rectified before going any further. Dents and scratches and excess flux and glue will all show up more once you have taken the shine off the brass. Once satisfied I usually aim for between three and five undercoats before starting with the top coat. Bear in mind that the undercoat colour will also effect the colour density of the top coat so if you are painting a rake of wagons the same colour you can get subtle variations just by using a different colour undercoat.