Semaphore Signals - 4mm Scale (Mainly)

[Steve Hewitt]

Latest signal from my workbench……….

 

GWR Bracket with three dolls and four arms.

 

This 4mm scale model is the starter for a Terminus Platform with the following functions:

1. Platform Starter – 4ft wooden arm
2. Calling-On arm
3. Calling-On arm
4. Backing arm – 3ft.

Usual spec'n of Servo Operation, GF Controllers and LED/Fibre Optic Lighting.

 

 

The main post is from a Masokits etch.

The two short dolls are white metal castings from MSE.

The bracket is based on a MSE etch, with extra N/S strip added to give proper angle iron profile.

(Because the two sides of the bracket on the etch are not identical, I used two etches to get good mirror images – I think MSE have now updated this etch)

 

 

For the Calling-On arms I called on the help of my friend Les Green.

He produced an excellent N/S etch for the arms, which I used previously as non-working arms on the Swindon East Down Home some time ago.

 

 

On this signal the arms are to be working and lit, so I called on Les again to produce an “Integrated Bearing, Bracket and Lamp with extended case”.

 

Sorry, they don’t show up too well being printed in translucent resin.

 

 

 

They are designed with a 1mm radius concave rear for fitting on Round Posts, which is removed with a couple of strokes of a flat file for fitting on Square Posts.

 

In use they are quite effective?

 

This shot shows some of the operating links etc.

 

I have a few Video clips, which I’ll edit and post on YouTube later.

 

Steve.

[Jon Fitness]

A very attractive signal Steve

JF

[The Stationmaster]

A very attractive signal Steve

JF

And a very unusual arrangement - it would be interesting to learn a bit more about the prototype as I know of only one example where a Western sub was not situated below the stop signal arm to which it applied but was mounted on a separate doll (it was a Shunt Ahead as it happens but otherwise the same).

[Steve Hewitt]

And a very unusual arrangement - it would be interesting to learn a bit more about the prototype as I know of only one example where a Western sub was not situated below the stop signal arm to which it applied but was mounted on a separate doll (it was a Shunt Ahead as it happens but otherwise the same).

Hi Mike,

 

I believe the layout is a "Might have been".

The owner specified the signal's characteristics, making a drawing for me from "cut & pastes" from various sources.

 

Steve.

[Steve Hewitt]

And here's the little video.......

 

[media]

[/media]

 

 

Steve.

 

p.s.  Why do my YouTube videos not "embed" in RMweb anymore - they used to!

 

p.p.s.   As you see above, I've managed to get it right!

 

I used the "Special BBCode" icon - third right on the top row, and pasted the link in a window that selecting "Media" made available.

 

Hope that makes sense!  

Edited February 27, 2015 by SteveAtBax

[Highlandman]

Like this.

 

http://youtu.be/6P7SRUaw9p8

 

Apparently if using Firefox when you select tthe media option it doesn't paste the YouTube URL on to the page.

[Jon Fitness]

And here's the little video.......

 

http://youtu.be/6P7SRUaw9p8

 

 

Steve.

 

p.s.  Why do my YouTube videos not "embed" in RMweb anymore - they used to!

I have the same problem with youtube clips not embedding. I'm at work at the moment too so I can't view youtube clips either. I just know it'll be superb though!

JF

[BRIDGEMAN]

Hi Steve,

I have just come across your blog while looking for something completely different,and was stopped in my tracks with your equisite signals. I have built several working signals with calling on arms which took me weeks to scratch build the arms and lamp housings. I was going  to commission an etcher to produce some arms for me for future projects but woundered if your good friend Les would be prepared to sell me some and the resin lamp housings. I will attempt to send some pictures as I think we are like minded in our approach to perfection.

Ray.

[Steve Hewitt]

Hi Steve,

I have just come across your blog while looking for something completely different,and was stopped in my tracks with your equisite signals. I have built several working signals with calling on arms which took me weeks to scratch build the arms and lamp housings. I was going  to commission an etcher to produce some arms for me for future projects but woundered if your good friend Les would be prepared to sell me some and the resin lamp housings. I will attempt to send some pictures as I think we are like minded in our approach to perfection.

Ray.

Hi Ray,

 

We're away in the caravan for a few days, but I'm sure we can sort something.

Please PM me with an estimate of quantities etc. and I'll take it from there.

 

Steve

[Highlandman]

As always Steve your work is exquisit, especially the last build with the calling on arms.

 

I'm in the process of building a WR bracket signal and have reached the time to add the operating cranks and rods. No matter how I try I always seem to have excessive movement in the run. How do you go about keeping the movement nice and tight with no slop in it? Is it a magic art or am I missing something really simple?

 

I hope your few days away in the caravan went okay and you didn't cop all that weather coming down from Scotland.

 

All the best

 

Andy

[Steve Hewitt]

Hi Andy,

 

Still in the caravan. Weather fine, even sunny! On the outskirts of Chester.

Using WIFI tethering on my phone and my wife's iPad to keep up to date on the important things.

 

To minimise lost motion, ensure all pivots have good bearings.

I insert a length of 1/32 tube through each crank, and cut it off fairly close.

This gives a bearing about 1mm long, with an internal diam of 0.5mm.

The pivots are typically Lace Pins with a diam of 0.45mm.

This is usually enough to stop the cranks wobbling too much.

Keep the holes for the operating wires a very close fit - I use 0.4mm holes on 0.4mm N/S wire.

 

Looking at my last video, you can see there is lost motion on all the crank runs.

If there wasn't, they would all bounce!

 

Steve

[Highlandman]

Hi Mick,

 

The wires are Nickel Silver, usually 0.3 or 0.4mm depending on length and need to push (buckling is always a risk).

 

I use a pair of flat nosed, parrallel action pliers.

They were made by "Maun Industries" and I bought them from Squires many years ago.

One of the best buys ever, I use them all the time.

The jaws stay parallel at all times, so they grip flat sheets etc really well.

(Pivotted jaws tend to only grip on the edges, particularly on thicker material.)

The action has a great mechanical advantage, so squeezing short lengths of wire is no problem.

 

Steve.

 

Many thanks Steve for your reply, and following your guidelines I have managed eliminate some of the sloppiness in the operating rods. Still a little way to go and I'm learning all the time. I have tried to fix the wires into the cranks using very small washers and a blob of solder a la fixing coupling rods, not very successfully I might add.

 

I hope you don't mind me asking more questions, but in a previous post of yours you mentioned Maun parallel pliers for crimping the ends of the wires to stop them from coming out of the holes. You said they had a great mechanical advantage so squeezing the wires was no problem. Does this depend on the size of the pliers as I have seen a 5 1/2inch pair for sale on eBay that I am considering bidding for. If these are a reliable way of fixing wire to cranks with little slop it seems to be the only way to go.

 

All the best

 

Andy M

[Steve Hewitt]

Hi Andy,

 

My Maun pliers are 5 1/2 in long with full width jaws.

They are spring loaded to open.

 

I also have a pair which are 5 in. long.

These have narrow jaws and are not sprung loaded.

They are useful in some cases where access is tight, but are not as easy to use as the others.

 

Because these tools are "parallel action" they are very useful for holding any flat material.

Normal hinged pliers tend to only grip flat material on the very edge.

 

If you don't win the auction, they are usually available from Squires, where I bought mine many years ago.

 

Steve.

[Highlandman]

Thanks Steve for that info. I am trying to bid on a set of pliers, (1x standard and 1x thin nose). But thanks to your fantastic tips and encouragement I have managed to get 2/3 of the way through building the bracket I need.

 

 

 

 

 

I don't think I could have got this far without your topic and easy explanations on how it's done. Any critique would be welcome. Please ignore the soldering as it comes nowhere near your standard.

 

One question regarding the operating rods. Would you prefer to use brass or nickel silver wire and which one do you find easier to squash flat?

 

All the best

 

Andy

[Steve Hewitt]

Hi Andy,

 

That signal looks to be coming along nicely.

Just a suggestion about the sequence of things - I personally find it easier to get all the static parts assembled and painted, before adding the moving bits.

All the moving bits having been painted or blackened before assembly.

I find painting a finished signal can be a right pain.

 

I notice you've got a mixture of "Pull" and "Push" in the operating wire for the left hand doll.

From the base up to the Weight Bar, everything would be Wire Rope, so Pulling to raise the Weight.

Ideally the first crank should be reversed, so a Pull downwards makes a horizontal Pull to the Right.

The Wieght Bar should also be reversed, with the weight to the right of the pivot, so it is raised when the Operating Wire is in tension.

The connection from the Weight Bar - the Down Rod - is rigid, and pushes upward on the Signal Arm to make it move in the lower quadrant for clear.

 

Don't worry about it though  --  I used to get it wrong on all my early signals which I built for our Club 00 layout "Oxenholme". (and nobody every seemed to notice).

 

Brass or Nickel Silver? - always Nickel Silver

 

N/S wire seems a bit stiffer than Brass for any given thickness.

N/S doesn't expand as much when you apply heat, soldering etc.

N/S doesn't conduct heat as well as Brass, so you don't burn your fingers as much.

N/S doesn't tarnish so much when you've polished it, so etched components stay cleaner longer.

N/S takes "Gun Blue" very well, which is how I blacken all my N/S operating wires.

Once blackened with Gun Blue it will rersist solder, so its easy to assemble moving parts without soldering everything up solid.

 

I really hope this is helpful.

Keep up the good work.

 

Steve.

[BRIDGEMAN]

Hi Steve,

Hope you enjoyed your break away. As mentioned I have added a couple of pictures.I would be interested in what LED fibre optics you use and where they can be obtained from, as my signals were build about 5 years ago and the smallest bulbs I could  get were grain of rice. Small LED's did not seem to be about, two have since blown and are a pain to replace.

I am totting up the calling on arms and will be in touch. Ray.

[Jon Fitness]

Hi Steve,

Hope you enjoyed your break away. As mentioned I have added a couple of pictures.I would be interested in what LED fibre optics you use and where they can be obtained from, as my signals were build about 5 years ago and the smallest bulbs I could  get were grain of rice. Small LED's did not seem to be about, two have since blown and are a pain to replace.

I am totting up the calling on arms and will be in touch. Ray.

shrewsbury signals 019_resize.jpgshrewsbury signals 021 crop.jpg

Gorgeous! A couple of Salop's finest?

(Edit...just seen the picture tags..Doh!)

Jon F.

Edited March 12, 2015 by Jon Fitness

[Steve Hewitt]

Hi Steve,

Hope you enjoyed your break away. As mentioned I have added a couple of pictures.I would be interested in what LED fibre optics you use and where they can be obtained from, as my signals were build about 5 years ago and the smallest bulbs I could  get were grain of rice. Small LED's did not seem to be about, two have since blown and are a pain to replace.

I am totting up the calling on arms and will be in touch. Ray.

shrewsbury signals 019_resize.jpgshrewsbury signals 021 crop.jpg

Hi Ray,

 

Those are great looking signals. Real works of art.

 

The optical fibre I use is 0.5mm (0.020in) dia.

I used to buy it from All Components, who stocked an American product.

When they couldn't get it a year or two ago (new proprietors), I found a UK company on the Interweb who used it in large "night sky" interior decorations. See www.starscape.co.uk

They sold me 150 metres at a reasonable price, much of which I sold on to other UK Model Rail Traders, just keeping enough for my own use.

(I honestly can't remember who, but I'm sure you'll find some if you get in touch with all the usual suspects.)

 

The LEDs I use are "Gaslights" from Helmsman Electronics .

www.helmsmanuk.co.uk

 

I think my earlier posts, around January, show fairly well how I install the fibre and LED on my signals.

Anything further I can help with?

 

Steve.

[Steve Hewitt]

Next signal - a Bracket Signal with Round Posts for Woodford Halse.

 

This is the "schematic" drawing, to scale, for the signal:

 

I usually start by making a few of the components, such as the Arms, just to get in the mood.

This time I went a lot further and I've made almost all the components and sub-assemblies I'll need to construct the whole signal:

 

I think the only parts missing from this lot are those which are "made to measure" during assembly, such as the handrails, operating wires, wooden boards etc.

 

Where appropriate I'll describe how the sub-assemblies were made, and how it all goes together.

 

Steve.

[Steve Hewitt]

First the foundations.

 

Followers of this topic will know I like to have good foundations under my signals - some say "over engineered".

 

These are the major components:

 

The turned brass tube, which will support the main stem of the signal, is soldered to the N/S base plate.

 

The flange ensures it is perpendicular.

A notch filed in the flange allows one of the "Guide Tubes" to be located.

 

The Guide Tubes are 1/16 in dia Brass Tube.

They ensure the operating wires are aligned accurately, and minimise the risk of buckling during operation.

 

The tubes are soldered through the base plate, and supported by scrap etch.

 

From the top side:

 

The larger 1/2 in dia Brass Tube which will eventually align the signal in the baseboard with the servos, is not fitted yet.

It will be added after the main post has been secured in place.

 

More soon.....

Steve.

[Highlandman]

Your picture tutorials are a great way to show how you build your signals. Very clear, concise and easy to follow. The only thing I lack is the ability to turn a post socket to make sure posts sit square to the base.

 

I do have one question though, can you tell me who supplies the GWR lampman staging fret that you showed in an earlier post as it is just the thing I need to try and complete my route indicator.

 

It's always a pleasure to follow your informative thread.

[Steve Hewitt]

Hi Andy,

 

Glad you find my posts helpful.

 

I'm sure you'll be able to find someone with a small lathe who can turn up such items for you.

If you're a member of a club, that's a good place to start.

If you need to look elsewhere, try a local "live steamers" group or Model Engineers.

 

Once again, my friend Les Green made these etches for me.

 

Steve.

[Steve Hewitt]

The Main Post and Dolls…..

 

Nothing much out of the ordinary here.

Main Post is 9.5 in dia which scales down to 3.167 mm  i.e. 1/8^th in Brass Tube.

 

The shorter Doll is soldered into the top of the Main Post.

Doll dia is 5.5 in, which scales to 1.833 mm. Although slightly overscale, I use 2mm dia Brass Tube.

The i.d. of this is 1.0mm, so it will take the 0.5mm Optical Fibre easily when I install that later.

 

 

The taller doll will be fitted to the bracket and will carry two arms – Home & Distant.

Because two Fibres will not fit, I required a 2mm tube with a larger internal diameter.

My solution was to use 5/64 dia thinwall tube, sleeved with 1/16 dia thinwall.

I’ve used the two together for strength. These thinwall tubes can kink very easily if any bending moment is applied to them.

The internal dia of the result is about 1.2mm which will take the two fibres comfortably.

 

(I normally work in metric dimensions, but because the Brass stock is made in America, it is labelled in Imperial)  5/64^th in is 1.98 mm.

 

Once I’d estimated where the Fibres would be inserted into the Dolls and Post (just below the Lamp and below the Bracing Bracket), I drilled the necessary holes that you hopefully can see in the picture. The holes were drilled at an angle to facilitate threading the fibres.

 

More soon……

Steve.

[Steve Hewitt]

The Bracket etc……

 

This main structural component of the signal is made from channel section brass.

Two lengths soldered back-to-back, cut to length and filed square.

 

 

They are separated by square brass sockets which are drilled to fit the bracket to the main post and support the second doll.

The front channel is also drilled to carry the Rocking Shafts, of which more later.

 

The angled truss bracket is from another Les Green etch.

 

 

This was based on a drawing of an LMS No 4 Bracket in Graham Warburton’s excellent book – Pictorial Record of LMS Signals.

 

The bottom fixing for this truss is made from another piece of Brass Channel.

This has been machined to fit the main post and ensure good alignment.

It is overlength here for ease of fitting.

 

The cosmetic “shoes” are the fixings used in the prototype to fix the post and dolls to the brackets.

Again made by Les Green, these were cast in resin using a master made by 3D printing.

Solder all the bits together:

 

Add the extra diagonal struts

 

To be continued….

Steve.

 

 

[Horsetan]

Woodford Halse fascinates me, and I don't know why.