Just a brief update. Today I finally found the main problem. Jay Criswell suggested a possible uneven frame. Absolute. I used a vise to act as a leverage and bent the wheelbase slightly upward. I gained two millimeters riding hight and that looks much better. Still not possible to closecoupleon 72" curve but the tender riding hight has a reserve, too. I'll try that out also.
Brave woman, nice fix.
First of all I wish you a happy new year with a lot of train time ahead!
Finally I fixed the problem by bending the frame even a bit more and milling down the tender bolsters so the tender rides a bit lower.
Here's a shot of the lowered brass bolster
The tender coupled very close to the engine on 72" curve with 3/64" gap between roof and tender wall.
With the engine and tender so much disassembled I lost my fear of the PCS model. I found the shell challenging to handle. You always need to plan your next step, where to support it without bending or breaking off anything. I avoided disassembly of the rods because I did not want to unsolder the excenter crank. Alas, I will have to since the wheel tires are so shiny that I should burnish the metal to get a starting point for weathering. Not possible without disintegration.
Wish me luck again 
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Sarah posted:First of all I wish you a happy new year with a lot of train time ahead!
Finally I fixed the problem by bending the frame even a bit more and milling down the tender bolsters so the tender rides a bit lower.
The tender coupled very close to the engine on 72" curve with 3/64" gap between roof and tender wall.
With the engine and tender so much disassembled I lost my fear of the PCS model. I found the shell challenging to handle. You always need to plan your next step, where to support it without bending or breaking off anything. I avoided disassembly of the rods because I did not want to unsolder the excenter crank. Alas, I will have to since the wheel tires are so shiny that I should burnish the metal to get a starting point for weathering. Not possible without disintegration.
Wish me luck again
Great fix! Sometimes you just gotta' dig in and do it. And boy, are you ever doin' it! Way to go!!!
Oh yeah, good luck again! 
Sarah,
You do not need to disassemble the rods. Get Neo Lube, a chemical blue that will stain the drivers a weathered black. I've done this for years. the tube comes with a tiny brush one can hold to the spinning drivers and voila you're done. It can be purchased from Micro Mark. All my steam engines are done this way. Easy !
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Ron H posted:Brave woman, nice fix.
That was my first thought as well...
Mark in Oregon
Proud of you Sarah! It's obvious, you have skills.
Always here to help.
Jay
Ron H posted:Sarah,
You do not need to disassemble the rods. Get Neo Lube, a chemical blue that will stain the drivers a weathered black. I've done this for years. the tube comes with a tiny brush one can hold to the spinning drivers and voila you're done. It can be purchased from Micro Mark. All my steam engines are done this way. Easy !
Ron: THANK YOU for that wonderful tip! I'll bet I can use that on HO diesels as well in order to avoid having to disassemble the engine/trucks for painting the wheels.
Sarah: You GO girl!
Andre
Dear Ron, thank you for that good idea. Unfortunately Micro Mark does not ship it abroad. No chance getting the stuff. Contains alcohol and therefor can not be sent via air mail.
,,,and Ground will take forever!
Something similar to Neo-Lube must be available over there. The Brits use agents to blacken metal parts all the time. Carr's and Birchwood Casey seem to be two common brands. Here's an RMWeb discussion on the topic. Here's a link to C+L Finescale. I would like to believe that you could find something that would work.
Good luck!
Jim
big train posted:Something similar to Neo-Lube must be available over there. The Brits use agents to blacken metal parts all the time. Carr's and Birchwood Casey seem to be two common brands. Here's an RMWeb discussion on the topic. Here's a link to C+L Finescale. I would like to believe that you could find something that would work.
Good luck!
Jim
I bought the Birchwood Casey product because it's available everywhere, even in the tiny town where I live; I found it works very well, as long as the pieces you're wanting to tint are absolutely clean. And since it's made for gun bluing, I bet you can find it "across the pond" as well.
Not that this comment helps, but thought I'd chime in anyway...
Mark in Oregon
Sarah, I might suggest joining the Model Rail Radio face book page, we have several excellent modelers down in Australia on that Facebook groups and they may be able to tell of other products available locally down there. Several of the regular people are some them host and display at the Narrow Gauge show
I believe Sarah is in Österreich, rather than Australia.
David
Sarah posted:First of all I wish you a happy new year with a lot of train time ahead!
Finally I fixed the problem by bending the frame even a bit more and milling down the tender bolsters so the tender rides a bit lower.
Here's a shot of the lowered brass bolster
The tender coupled very close to the engine on 72" curve with 3/64" gap between roof and tender wall.
With the engine and tender so much disassembled I lost my fear of the PCS model. I found the shell challenging to handle. You always need to plan your next step, where to support it without bending or breaking off anything. I avoided disassembly of the rods because I did not want to unsolder the excenter crank. Alas, I will have to since the wheel tires are so shiny that I should burnish the metal to get a starting point for weathering. Not possible without disintegration.
Wish me luck again
Sarah, I am a long time scratch builder and Kit Basher and I am blown over. Lady you Rock ! j
Sarah,
Did not realize you were not in USA. Any good gun shop, where you live, should have the blackening or bluing agent.
Regards, Ron
Thank you! I try not to fly at all because I think our planet does not need me to fly around the globe. I am a sinner for importing a lot of train stuff to Austria, that's right of course. But I want to visit the states to do more research and to smuggle a flask of Neolube! *smile*
