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cassettes...in short...

bcnPete

Entry posted by bcnPete

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Good afternoon - Wiring has continued on the layout and most of the droppers are now in place, just the turnout to wire. Then I need to work how I am going to connect them all. No pics of this as its relatively boring and nothing has changed much visually.

 

Whilst this has been ongoing, to relieve the pain I have been working up ideas for the cassette(s) You may recall I was going to make them 500mm in length with an extension piece at each end as the 4 CEP needs 600mm length.

 

The initial idea (based on Andy's son Chris highlighting it on the cassettes used for South Yard) was to use brass rod sleeved, however I wanted to try and reduce the amount of physical 'plugging in and out' of components. I then decided to try an idea where the cassettes were hinged in 2 x 250mm sections and upon butting themselves together the electrical contact was made. This was developed further using the brass strips from a well known UK supplier however I was a bit miffed when the 24 No. 250mm Brass strips arrived, to find out they had been cut down individually and actually, no two pieces were the same length...infact some were less than 250mm :angry:

 

So, I decided to hack them down myself using my hack saw and try and use 240mm as a common dimension which at least they would all have. Following this, the same 3mm timber strip was used as the bases and a Wilko hinge left to set with Araldite. The cut down brass strips were then araldited in place using the 2mm Association track gauges to space accordingly and once again, left to set. I then added the sides in the 3mm wood, but had to modify the side profiles to enable them to close once folded...as the first one didn't :D

 

Once cleaned up it was time to test it and (not surprisingly) although the loco crept along one half of the cassette it would not make the second half as the electrical contact was not strong enough...hmmm...time for a rethink. I did not want to introduce the sleeved brass again (in the middle) as I will use this at each end to connect to the fiddleyard fixed track so instead I decided to make a simple bent shape which could flex a little once the cassette was brought together and would still maintain electrical contact. These were made from code 40 plain rail and soldered into place and cleaned up. I was tempted to give all the brass a clean using my fibreglass stick...but thought better of it after the recent excellent 2mm article on the associated dangers of them :O

 

It was then tested again with the loco and it worked perfect this time back and forth...the springiness of the rail means I can flex it occaisionally to keep its shape. A hole was then drilled to enable a small nut and bolt to be inserted to keep them together once in the folded position in the boxfiles.

 

Only then did it occur to me that the cassettes were then a bit on the short side, coming in at around 480mm in length...not much good for the 4 CEP...or indeed other trains. So, a quick search on the web and I managed to source a quantity of different brass strips which although are fractionally narrower, they are in 304mm machined lengths...so I get back to 600mm (608) cassettes which will attach to a 100mm fixed portion of ballasted track at the start of each fiddleyard - this will be where the plug in and out connections will be done.

 

So although this one is a bit short, it has served its purpose and will be kept for shorter train formations. I now feel I have a workable solution for the cassettes for the layout.

 

A few pics including some sketches showing thoughts on connections etc...

 

blogentry-3290-0-91981500-1349874669_thumb.jpg

 

Ideas on hinging at the middle...

 

blogentry-3290-0-88935600-1349874683_thumb.jpg

 

Looking at heights regarding connection to main boards...

 

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Overall cassette unfolded...

 

blogentry-3290-0-03804300-1349874868_thumb.jpg

 

Zoom in of joint showing code 40 rail to maintain electrical connection...

 

blogentry-3290-0-53367200-1349874880_thumb.jpg

 

Once unfolded they protrude a tad...but nothing that worries me...

 

blogentry-3290-0-63094500-1349874852_thumb.jpg

 

And the cassetes folded up and secured together using a small nut and bolt...

 

blogentry-3290-0-85577100-1349874900_thumb.jpg

 

Overall plan shot...480mm is a tad short...

 

blogentry-3290-0-25863100-1349874922_thumb.jpg

 

Gratuitous shot again of Farish 33 on the vans...it just fits...

 

 

The idea now is to try and complete the electrics (I have a few switches awaiting collection when I visit UK in a couple of weeks time) and then start on the ballasting and platforms. Any comments, always appreciated.

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D869

Agreed - much neater than my messy efforts!

 

I'm wondering if phosphor bronze might be a better bet than code 40 rail for springiness and electrical contact though?

 

...and shouldn't you be using those hinges to make some tools and jigs as was expounded in the 2mm mag on so many occasions?

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Rammstein2609

As ever, your ideas are fantastic and practical.

 

Every time you upload something like this I have to resist the temptation to build a small portable layout.

 

Cheers

 

Martin

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bcnPete
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Your solution, as always, is very neat and your workmanship is superb.

 

Thanks Steve - only picked up on your thread the other day that 2mmFS is no more for you...hopefully you can still get to enjoy it, even if 7mm is now your scale...

 

Agreed - much neater than my messy efforts!

I'm wondering if phosphor bronze might be a better bet than code 40 rail for springiness and electrical contact though?

...and shouldn't you be using those hinges to make some tools and jigs as was expounded in the 2mm mag on so many occasions?

 

Thanks Andy - I did think about PB but it meant having to order/find some here and I have a large coil of code 40 that needs using up! Not sure about those hinges though...they are budget ones from Wilko and they don't seem too precise when you start to work with them...

 

As ever, your ideas are fantastic and practical.

Every time you upload something like this I have to resist the temptation to build a small portable layout.

 

Thanks Martin - Don't resist...will be a nice counterpoint to Rannoch and you won't have to rearrange your living room furniture to set it up ;)

 

Nice work Pete. I like the idea of the brass strips on the cassettes.

 

Thanks Jeremy - Its nothing new in terms of ideas but I fancied a change from the ally ones I have at present...

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devondynosoar118

Have I missed something on the dangers of glass fibre pencils? Should I not have used mine to clear a blocked nose.....?

Cassettes look very neat as usual, will all this fit in your luggage?

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Kaolin2FS

Very nice! I have a similar question - how many will you get in your second boxfile - about 6 or so?

Graham

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Jon020

Little to say really... all very ingenious as ever Pete. You could have been a very good engineer :onthequiet: .

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Donw
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Very nice Pete. You no that as soon as you make the cassettes along comes something 'must have' which doesn't quite fit......

Don

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nick_bastable
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shame about the colour :nono:

 

as usual a neat well thought out idea however point 1 still applies :sarcastichand:

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bcnPete
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Have I missed something on the dangers of glass fibre pencils? Should I not have used mine to clear a blocked nose.....?

Cassettes look very neat as usual, will all this fit in your luggage?

 

As long as you didn't inhale :P

Thanks Tom - hopefully, 6 or so cassettes should fit in one of the boxfiles and hand luggage...

 

Very nice! I have a similar question - how many will you get in your second boxfile - about 6 or so?

 

Thanks Graham - as above! about 6 is spot on...

 

Little to say really... all very ingenious as ever Pete. You could have been a very good engineer

 

Thanks Jon - Don't mention the E word to Architects :D

 

Very nice Pete. You no that as soon as you make the cassettes along comes something 'must have' which doesn't quite fit......

 

Thanks Don - not talking blue pullman I hope :O

 

shame about the colour

as usual a neat well thought out idea however point 1 still applies

 

Thanks Nick - and :P...

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queensquare
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A very neat solution Pete although I'd be a bit worried about those contacts sticking out the end - they look a bit vulnerable to me. As Andy said, PB might be better as it has a bit of spring to it. I think I'd be tempted to just solder a loop of thin multicore wire to bridge the gap.

 

Jerry

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bcnPete
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A very neat solution Pete although I'd be a bit worried about those contacts sticking out the end - they look a bit vulnerable to me. As Andy said, PB might be better as it has a bit of spring to it. I think I'd be tempted to just solder a loop of thin multicore wire to bridge the gap.

 

Thanks Jerry - Fair comment on the vulnerability of the ends. In theory, its only for when being packed/unpacked and in transit they are so as when the cassettes are unfolded (which they will be most of the time) they present less of a problem - Perhaps a strip of foam in the boxfile may help with this? I may try still get hold of some PB as a back up though...

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Lisa

Cleaver idea hinging the cassettes, I like it so much that I might steal the idea, for my new layout. I would have used a flexible wire, to bridge the gap between the halves myself.

Lisa

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bcnPete
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Cleaver idea hinging the cassettes, I like it so much that I might steal the idea, for my new layout. I would have used a flexible wire, to bridge the gap between the halves myself.

 

Thanks Lisa - steal away ;)

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The Nth Degree

Thanks Steve - only picked up on your thread the other day that 2mmFS is no more for you...hopefully you can still get to enjoy it, even if 7mm is now your scale...

Only my eyes have given up, my enthusiasm is still there. I still have two etches of my little Fox Walker that I'm keeping just in case!

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bcnPete
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Only my eyes have given up, my enthusiasm is still there. I still have two etches of my little Fox Walker that I'm keeping just in case!

 

Lets hope you get a chance to finish the FW...in the meantime, I hope the 7mm exploits have a theraputic effect on your eyes that will let you try 2mm again at a later date...

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Mikkel
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The master of the cassette! Your work is so appealing it always makes me want to go and try it out myself :-)

 

And on top of it all, you've discovered a whole new species of grasshopper: Rmwebicus Petecus Barcelonensis

 

blogentry-3290-0-63094500-1349874852_thumb.jpg

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bcnPete
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The master of the cassette! Your work is so appealing it always makes me want to go and try it out myself :-)

And on top of it all, you've discovered a whole new species of grasshopper: Rmwebicus Petecus Barcelonensis

 

:rofl: Brilliant...and many thanks Mikkel...

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Guest Baba_Black_Sheep

Guest Baba_Black_Sheep

Posted

The folded end of the train cassette, looks like an insect!

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bcnPete
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The folded end of the train cassette, looks like an insect!

 

As per Mikkel's post...perhaps...

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marc smith

Very neat idea re those folding cassettes..

Nice :)

 

Neat, tidy work again Pete

I'd have dabs of glue & solder everywhere....

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bcnPete
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Very neat idea re those folding cassettes..

Nice

Neat, tidy work again Pete

I'd have dabs of glue & solder everywhere....

 

Thanks Marc - believe me when I say, there are dabs of solder and glue there...just careful positioning with the camera...;)

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ChrisR

Hi Pete,

 

Missed a few of your blogs on PWBIAB and its development but found again! Impressed by your folding cassettes and they look to be a great space saver. A thought I had (and I guess you had but discarded) concerns the electrical connection across the halves of the cassette...

 

Instead of having the rail soldered and therefore overhanging the end of each one, why not have a wire from one to the other? When folded down the excess could be fed into the space between the two halves. You'd also save the rails from tearing anything flimsy close by plus being broken themselves.

 

Neat wiring on your other blog! I wish I could be as tidy on mine or the club's layouts!

 

Chris

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bcnPete
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Thanks Chris,

 

That's a good idea re the wire - maybe when I have batch made all 6 cassettes I can look at that as an option...I was just trying to eliminate excess sagging wires as KIAB had lots and am hoping to improve on that...

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