Hello From Sunny(!) Sussex

WeatherWitch · Hello From Sunny(!) Sussex

Hi All,

I have been lurking on the forum for a week or so, reading up on your amazing restorations!

About me…
I am 45, Married and have a strong Engineering background, mainly in Electronics and Electrical Engineering, but have done a bit of “Metal Bashing” and machining in my time.
I moved over to the “Dark Side” (IT) about 10 years ago and am currently working as a Systems Administrator.

My hobbies are R/C Aero modelling, Amateur Meteorology,
Amateur Horology (Fixing clocks to you!) and Slalom Racing (Skateboarding!!!)

I have recently acquired a few! Various Mamod’s to mess around with.
The first restoration project being a TE1a, of which I made the fatal mistake of stripping ALL paintwork down to bare metal, before reading it’s frowned upon – oops!

Hopefully I will keep the Newbie questions to a minimum!

Kind Regards,

Mark Roberts

Stilldrillin

Hi Mark! A good morning to you from a brighy & breezy Derbyshire.
Welcome to the forum......

We all do many things, or not! A few of us restore.....

Re paintwork..... You do your own thing.... or not!

Newbie questions? Don`t be shy, ask away!

Les

Hi and welcome to the forum from Bournemouth.

When it comes to engines and restoration, at the end of the day it is your engine to do as you wish, there are no right or wrongs, some people prefer to keep them as they are, some do a complete restoration to 'as new' and some like to modify.

And ask as many questions as you want, and also we like pictures, so if you have any of your collection we would be very pleased to see them.

Sandman

Hi there, and a big Scottish welcome from a rainy Ayrshire.

As has been said, there are no rights or wrongs on the restoration issue. The main thing is that you have fun with your engines.

Sometimes the decision is made for you simply because of the condition of the item.

You've come to the right place for any questions or help in any way.

We have, right here, the biggest and most respected names in world wide toy steam who are committed to furthering interest in our hobby.

You should be warned though, that this hobby is most addictive and you could end up with considerably less money and considerably more steam engines. Just ask anyone here.

Wallace

Welcome to the forums Weatherwitch

.
Great forum name

By no means is a engine strip frowned upon on these forums. Each to there own

Shoot away with newbie questions. It's encouraged

tmuir

Hi and welcome.

As far as I'm concerned the only time you should avoid stripping the paint is if it is an old rare and expensive model else do what you want.

One of my future goals is to be able to make a clock as I own most of the tools needed to do this including a watch makers lathe but at the moment I'm settling on improving my skills making much simpler and larger parts for toy steam engines.

WeatherWitch

Thanks for the warm welcome

duncandumpertruck

Hello and another welcome from a slightly Sunny Scotland

Mamodman123

Welcome to the forum

As others have said restoration is up to the owner of the engine

alan2525

Welcome to the forums Mark!

Be warned though - those few mamods that you have now could quickly turn into a few more and before you know it you could end up with a collection of them!!!

Alan

johnreid

Welcome from Indiana USA

Roly Williams

Hi and welcome.

As most people have already said - it's your engine so whether to restore or not depends on your reasons for owning it. The only thing I wouild seriously frown upon is taking an old and/or rare engine with the original paint still intact and repainting it just for appearances. Otherwise, it's up to you.

The thing to remember is that the main purpose of paint is to protect the metal. If the original paint is so bad that the metal is beginning to rust then you are doing it a disservice by leaving it to get worse.

WeatherWitch

Thanks again to all for the warm welcome.

Yes Roy, my sentiments exactly. I would never restore just for the sake of it! - I learned that from my Clock restorations.
The more original it was, the more it was worth.

The Te1a probably was not too bad and some(most) would probably have left it original.
The fire box is burnt and badly rusted, but salvageable and the smokestack(?) badly chipped, with signs of limescale corrosion, so I decided to strip.
The boiler, to be honest, was not too bad. Just paint chips around the safety valve, but quite severe chipping/missing paint where the front wheels had been hitting.
I assume the latter is quite common?

However, as I am planning to do a complete restore, the paint had to go! and damn good paint it is too! paint stripper did'nt touch it, so I puersuaded it with a belt sander

I'm at work at the moment, but will take a few pics tonight and add a thread in the restoration section - I assume that is the correct place?

Atticman

Hi Mark, welcome to the forum.

Several of us love clocks as well, so pics of them on the off topic board is very welcome .

As Tmuir says, something as common as a TE1a wont matter to strip the paint. Some redos sell for more than the original painted ones

Less common ones, as with clocks, preserve where possible

Dont worry about questions, no one is above learning, and if anyone knows everything about a hobby- its time to move on

alan2525

When restoring engines, it's easy to get the old paint off but I always have a desperate struggle trying to get a decent gloss finish when repainting...so leave as much original as I can get away with!

MTA

Mark.

It wasn't very sunny today was it? I was caught in most of the rain we had down this way, I wasn't amused!

Please do ask any questions you may have, we endeavour to answer all of them

All the Best,
Si

Kritika

Hi Weatherwitch

to the forum from Hampshire.

made-in-england

From Sunny ( Or not!) stockbridge!

toxx

H'llo, Mark!

A big welcome from Vienna!

RocDoc

Hi Mark, a big welcome from Lincolnshire ... home to James and all of his sheep!

Pete

WeatherWitch

There Multiplying!!!!

I just hope my wife does'nt look at the bank statements this month!

Les

WeatherWitch

Thats what arrived today!
I have an SE2 in bits and a little un (MM1?) - Looks like I'll be busy for a while

Jay_Minor

A big welcome from Sunny Southampton (or as in todays case) wet Southampton.

WeatherWitch

Thanks for the welcome

Wet again here!

I recon the Chinese have been messing around with the weather to keep the olympics dry

Graham-Jilly

Another big

from the land down under.
and shame on you on moving to the dark side

MooseMan

Welcome aboard from soggy Cardiff!