Simond Posted February 13, 2018 Author Share Posted February 13, 2018 Well, having browsed through my shed albums (2 x Lyons, 1 x Griffiths) I conclude that there are more water cranes with both vent and devil than there are with only one, and there are a few with neither. I did begin to wonder if the vent was to exhaust the steam... Thanks to Miss P for the heads up. Vents will be fitted to my cranes, and they will have devils! The picture of Reading on page 153 of Lyons & Mountford is a gem! Best Simon 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted February 24, 2018 Author Share Posted February 24, 2018 Not strictly Porth Dinllaen, but I thought it might be nice to have a photo plank. A few minutes with some bits of wood, and some more time with a couple of old cereal packets... This is likely to be a relaxing, “glue on a few more bits when you feel like it” sort of project. I thought an accommodation tunnel, or culvert, might add a little interest. Once it’s meshed with card, I’ll cover with brown paper, kitchen paper, whatever, and paint brown. Then raised trackbed, a yard of Peco & ballast. Finally static grass. I think I’ll fit a couple of removable “ends”. I’m wondering about a buffer stop. Best Simon PS - minor progress on the water cranes, I bought an 18” length silver necklace with very small links, under a millimetre I reckon. £3 ish, delivered. I also made up the vents, in brass, as I figured the WM ones would last five minutes, but not ten. Considering remaking the bases in plastic. 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted February 26, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 26, 2018 And next on the list of vanishing suppliers is Timber Tracks: http://www.timbertracks.co.uk/index.php?route=common/home Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted March 27, 2018 Author Share Posted March 27, 2018 What’s new at Porth Dinllaen? Well, I can’t seem to stick to one thing, I have a half built Garratt, a half rebuilt Duchess, and just for fun, I decided to build a breakdown train. This all started about a year ago, when I got into a discussion with Terry Dumbrell on the GOG forum, leading to me buying his Cowans & Sheldon 802 crane kit. You don’t get a match truck and afaik, there isn’t a kit, so that needs making, and so I referred to Atkins, Beard & Tourret, Page 221, drawing of a diagram L15 match truck, 11 foot wheelbase, 19’6” over the headstocks. Started that on Sunday, as I found some 5mm milled channel. I milled the angles on the ends, and the notches for the buffer planks to fit over the solebars. Drilled buffer holes, milled coupling slots, drilled horse holes. The Proxxon baby milling machine seems to earn its living... Realised I needed some W irons & brake gear, and another thread had pointed me at the Walsall website, they have taken over WEP wagons, who do an etch. Well, whilst I was buying the etch, i recalled Ian Kirk’s thread about getting them whilst they’re hot; it seemed like a good idea to buy the riding van kits too... Yesterday I opened the crane kit, and started on the jib. The WEP stuff arrived today (ordered Sunday, brilliant service!) so I thought I’d do a bit more on the wagon. Best Simon 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgman Posted March 27, 2018 Share Posted March 27, 2018 Some nice models there Simon, I'll look forward to seeing the crane come together. Grahame Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
N15class Posted March 27, 2018 Share Posted March 27, 2018 Some nice projects on the go there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted March 28, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 28, 2018 You'll be purposefully derailing stuff left, right and centre once that's finished. I'm thinking you should paint it all up in Thunderbird livery... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted March 30, 2018 Author Share Posted March 30, 2018 Talking of derailments, the jointed coupling rods for the Duchess arrived yesterday, so the next job will be getting the horn blocks and motion back on that. Meanwhile lunchtimes at work are spent adding the garrat chassis components to a layout suitable for the milling machine. One of these fine days I’ll actually stick to one job long enough to finish it! Best Simon 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giles Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 ..... now, about that working crane you're making...... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted March 30, 2018 Author Share Posted March 30, 2018 (edited) The dockside one? Well, I got a set of 1/48 plans for the Stothert & Pitt 12t crane at St Peter Port in Guernsey, kindly provided by the harbourmaster, probably back in 2005? I have redrawn them to 1/43.5, and built most of the upper metalwork, a substantial bit of the lower metalwork, and much of the jib. I think I’ve turned the pulleys too, but it’s been a while. I was working part time and being a house-dad, which gave lots of opportunity for DIY, boating & modelling, and lots of time with the kids, but career-wise, it wasn't great. I got a super opportunity & we emigrated to India in 2007, returning in 2010, and I’ve been a bit busy ever since... And the old layout, which had crane tracks along the dockside, has been replaced with a loco shed, and the modelling shed has not been built, so there’s no quayside (despite a profusion of shunting locos...) on which to place it. So it resides, packed in foam, in a stout box under the layout. One day... As Chris Klein remarked, it’s not a race! Best Simon PS. There were two stalling points that held me up, the slew ring is a lantern gear, about 140 pins iirc. I was not confident of dividing the circle sufficiently accurately for it to mesh well enough to work, but that problem has now gone away due to the VMC we have at work. The other was making a couple of drive motors & gearboxes to drive it along the dockside rails. I think an N Gauge mech might be adaptable but I got a couple of tiny can motors that might be better. Not sorted that out in my head yet. Edited March 30, 2018 by Simond 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Focalplane Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 As Chris Klein remarked, it’s not a race! Best Simon Simon That depends on one’s age! Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted March 30, 2018 Author Share Posted March 30, 2018 Simon That depends on one’s age! Paul Oh, Paul, don’t! MrsD reminds me that I’m 60 going on 12... Best Simon 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted March 30, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 30, 2018 Oh, Paul, don’t! MrsD reminds me that I’m 60 going on 12... Best Simon There's a few folk on here that refer to me as young Spams, but I'm fast approaching 50! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
N15class Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 Chris you may be quickly approaching 50, unfortunately you seem to leave it behind even quicker. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Focalplane Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 You are as young as you feel. That is until after you have spent four hours in your workshop. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted June 17, 2018 Author Share Posted June 17, 2018 Well, after an unreasonable amount of time and effort, the laser is showing what it can do. Herewith some of the panels for the loco shed. Those who have been following this nonsense for years will recall that MrsD & I had a dirty weekend in Aberystwyth in 2015, measuring the loco shed courtesy of the VoR crew, who were wonderfully welcoming, and very kind. Measurements led to CAD, and CAD led to G-code, and thence to lasered MDF panels of bricks, and acrylic pillars to join them... herewith the first few, with some of Alan Buttler’s Modelu figures for scale. I’m particularly pleased with the doors, old Corn Flake packets are very, very cheap! This weekend, I’ve cut 6 window panels, 3 doors panels (one in the photo), 4 plain (2 in the photo), and the one with the odd window, which also figures in the photo. I need a total of 20 windows, and 6 plain, the others are done, 30 in all. Then there’s 14 roof trusses, the roof panels, end panels, endless slates, window panes, floors, inspection pits, doors, smoke hoods, aprons, and no end of other paraphernalia to do, but I’ve finally made a real start. There’s lots of the story on the laser thread, linky-thingy below. Best Simon 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 (edited) First attempt at the floorplan, that is, the plan for making the floor, and the plans of the floor, what a shining wit... The uprights between the wall panels have an L shape, and engage in slots in the floor, which comprises three layers of 2mm MDF. The wall panels have tags which engage in slots in the floor, and the brackets on which the roof trusses rest will be drilled (well, I’ll laser cut the next batch with the holes in) for a tie rod that will run the length of the building . It’ll be 1/16” brass, probably, and could be used as a lighting bus bar. Anyway, I’m pretty pleased with progress so far. The walls stand up on their own, which is a start. I made a cod’s ear of the pit, as the recess for the rails should be two layers deep, not one. I need to experiment with the structure of the pit, and how it fixes under the floor. The door is the aforementioned Cornies packet. Will fit knob at some point. It’s not hinged. Best Simon Edited June 20, 2018 by Simond 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano747 Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Good to see you're getting to grips with the laser cutter, Simon, having followed your thread on 'lasers'! It's coming along nicely. Regards, Deano. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted June 24, 2018 Author Share Posted June 24, 2018 Well, it’s been a busy weekend, but the laser has had some use. Purchased the licence for LightBurn, and have been playing with settings to get consistent results. I also bought a pack of 2mm MDF, couldn’t get A4, so bought 17 sheets of 3’ x 4’, which was the thick end of £45, including delivery. We have a guillotine at work, so I chopped one sheet down into 16 pieces roughly 10” x 12”, and spent muc( of today charring them into submission. For my labours I got the end walls recut, inside, outside and middle layer, and made the outer ends of the floor with the pits in. Quite pleased with this really. Will do some further assembly during the week. Best Simon 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted June 25, 2018 Author Share Posted June 25, 2018 The £45 was a good deal - it gives me material at about 17p / sheet, which is half what the A4 sheets cost, and in round numbers allows me to feed the laser for about 50p per hour! It’ll make a lot of loco shed, turntable pit, bothy, sand furnace and just about anything else! Best Simon 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted June 27, 2018 Author Share Posted June 27, 2018 And this is what several years work, a second hand laser, a Smoothieboard and about £2.00 of MDF will buy you... Lots of work still to do, but the structure is stable, and forms a solid foundation for the fiddly bits. I haven’t yet done the design for the smoke hoods, but it doesn’t look too worrying. I have the brass H girders for the door frames, so I’ll look at them soon. I need to get an etch made for the door hinges, and the roof walkways, and I’ve never done it before. Great fun this novelty! Best Simon 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
N15class Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 Looks good Simon. Those trusses are very impressive. I must have another go at learn to draw on the computer. Not for laser cutting as over here a machine would be to expensive. But for some etch work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted June 28, 2018 Author Share Posted June 28, 2018 Peter, I’m an Engineer by profession, so progressed from drawing board to CAD around 1984 - Cadam, which was the forerunner of Catia - I purchased a copy of TurboCAD 12 in about 1991 as I had a laptop by then, and I’m still using it- best 20 quid I ever spent! I have Solidworks at the office, but that’s far too expensive for home use (though, lunchtimes...) There are lots of free programs around - a search on here and the other modelling sites will bring up lots of suggestions. It’s certainly worth learning - I draw any- and everything on CAD before cutting - and it saves furniture moves too! I’m going to have a go at doing the etch for the shed, but probably in the winter, as it’s an indoor activity. As I said, I need the door ironwork, and the roof walkway supports, and handrails. I’m sure there’s enough lasering to keep me entertained... Best Simon 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted June 28, 2018 Share Posted June 28, 2018 Simon Absolutely a stunning piece of craftsmanship, very envious Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
N15class Posted June 28, 2018 Share Posted June 28, 2018 (edited) Simon I'm am or was a clockmaker by trade. We only learnt TD at school and college. Long before computers, in business there was never the call for more drawing. What there was was, was normally back of a fag packet style. I then went into building and carpentry, so there was no call there. I will have to go in feet first when I get my next laptop, mine at the moment is trying to die, but I am keeping it life support at the moment. Edited June 28, 2018 by N15class Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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