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kyle 2015 - flat bottomed rail...you make the rocking world go round...


bcnPete

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First up Happy New Year all :)

 

Resolution nr. 1 - more modelling...less thinking about doing modelling :D

 

It's been an intense period of work for me up until Christmas and likely through to Easter but having committed to the BHMRC show set for early May there is nothing like a deadline to get one focused.

 

I had set myself a slightly unrealistic target of getting the Fiddle Yard finished and wired over the 10 day break and although I didn't quite make it, I gave it a fair crack. The intention was to build the track with a mixture of easitrac sleepers and pcb however the decision was made for me when I realised I had ordered the 600mm straight lengths of rail from the 2mm Association shop in flat bottom rail rather than bullhead...wondered why I couldn't thread it through the plastic chairs to begin with :no:

 

That said I do still like a bit of old fashioned track making...even if my soldering skills are still shocking. I first made the two feeder roads in the FY extension board which meant a slight revisit on the height and alignment issues - some tweaking still needed but at least this allowed me to progress. I then laid 216 sleepers individually yesterday afternoon fixed with cyno...which accounted for a rather dense headache which thankfully got slept off overnight.

 

Today I have secured just the front leading edge of each of the 4 roads and this leaves me to pick off each road on a one by one basis as time permits.

 

The jury is still out on the wiring and alignment however I still favour the brass rod or a mixture of brass rod and mini bulldog clips (I had two really small clips which I thought I had purchased from the 2mm shop but I can't seem to find them now or even in the 2mm product list - maybe I dreamt it)

 

Here's how it stands at present - its not as neat as I would have liked but I may spray the overall FY in paint afterwards depending how it looks - I do like the rather raw appearance of pcb in FY's set against the scenic section...reinforces the cut off point between front and back of house.

 

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Feeder roads...

 

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Overall view of FY with 4 roads tacked at the critical end...

 

The other thing I managed to get done this holiday was something I have been meaning to do for ages and hopefully will help facilitate more modelling...a small portable workbench.

 

Now we no longer have space at home most of my modelling stuff is kept in a garage which is 200 metres from our apartment - needless to say, the enthusiasm to model of an evening fades at the prospect of trekking to said garage with a lamp to bring back various tools and bits and pieces.

 

The workbench was knocked up after work in an hour just prior to Christmas and finished at home over the festive break. It is based around an A3 cutting mat which is tacked with double sided tape so can be removed if replacement is required. There is space for my soldering iron (as I am hoping to build some 2mm rolling stock kits) and two shelves for test tracks. The upper one incorporates a rolling road and the other end will have a spacer to set my DG couplings against. The lower one will probably be two pcb lengths of track to pose stock and check general running using a battery controller (Thanks Jerry, as I saw one in one of your posts and promptly purchased one ;))

 

Beneath the two shelves are two pull out drawers with a mixture of tools and a few materials. The top is completed with a stand for liquids to prevent spillage and a linear light which uses my usual IKEA strip light solution. The whole thing is fashioned from a mixture of 5mm and 10mm foamboard and hopefully will allow me to work on things of an evening rather than sit in the sofa, watch tv and nod off :D

 

Here's the portable workbench:

 

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Draws closed - New Farish class 37/4 awaiting running in prior to rewheeling to 2FS standards...

 

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Draws open - A3 mat is recessed to allow drawers to open...

 

Finally, I downloaded one of those annoying apps to track how many days left to get my act together :O

 

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That's all - comments always welcome...

 

Pete

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Wonderful stuff

 

its not just what you do that always appeals, its the sheer quality of the "how" .

 

The Fiddle area looks like some pseudo-industrial "installation" as Art, not just somewhere for small trains to hide away

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  • RMweb Gold

That's insanely neat Pete!

 

I'm off on the 16th so will try and get to the show to see it in the flesh!

 

Tom. 

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  • RMweb Gold

Good stuff Pete. I made a similar portable tray which fits inside an old brief case. It can also be placed on one of those TV tables  for evening modelling.

Don

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  • RMweb Gold
Wonderful stuff its not just what you do that always appeals, its the sheer quality of the "how" . The Fiddle area looks like some pseudo-industrial "installation" as Art, not just somewhere for small trains to hide away
Many thanks Mickey - lovin' your description - just wondering if I can find a way to suspend the FY rolling stock in formaldehyde visible through the slot ;)

 

That's insanely neat Pete!I'm off on the 16th so will try and get to the show to see it in the flesh!
Thanks Tom - Not so neat close up! Will be good to see you if you can make it...

 

Wow, the BHMRC show opens at midnight? ;)
10:00am one hopes...midnight refers to the time I will start rewheeling stock, weathering and attaching DG's... :P

 

nice to see you back   like your workbench very neat   :yes:
Thanks Nick...

 

Good stuff Pete. I made a similar portable tray which fits inside an old brief case. It can also be placed on one of those TV tables  for evening modelling.
Thanks Don - yes I recall seeing your mini workbench - I was inspired by both this and Jerrys one...although I draw the line at those TV tables :D
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  • RMweb Gold

Love the workbench ... anybody registered copyright yet??

 

I just have  :D

 

Only joking. That's a very nice workbench Pete. Can I suggest one addition: A timer and a live wire, which gives you a shock every time you nod off in the couch  :P

 

The fiddle yard is simply cool. As Mickey says, it wouldn't be out of place in a design museum. I agree about the raw pcb and the signal it sends, I think it would be a shame to paint it.

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  • RMweb Gold
Love the workbench ... anybody registered copyright yet??
Thanks David - it was inspired by others workbenches so I hope I can pass the batten on...

 

I just have  :D Only joking. That's a very nice workbench Pete. Can I suggest one addition: A timer and a live wire, which gives you a shock every time you nod off in the couch  :P The fiddle yard is simply cool. As Mickey says, it wouldn't be out of place in a design museum. I agree about the raw pcb and the signal it sends, I think it would be a shame to paint it.
Thanks Mikkel - no need for that addition - my wife is pretty sharp to point out my flash nap snoring disturbs the TV output :DYes my preference too is to keep the FY as is...it's just that having cleaned the pcb with a fibreglass stick and applied solder its not as sharp as I would have wanted - I do like to have a nose at exhibitions and see FY construction so I will try my best to avoid spraying...or pickling it :laugh:
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  • RMweb Gold

Evening Pete,

 

Love the work bench. :D  A neat solution to nodding off I say!

 

Also like the sneak peak of the Farish 37/4.  Look forward to seeing this in all it's 2mmFS glory.

 

And you can't beat a bit of Queen either!!! ;) 

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

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  • RMweb Gold
Evening Pete,

 

Love the work bench. :D  A neat solution to nodding off I say!

 

Also like the sneak peak of the Farish 37/4.  Look forward to seeing this in all it's 2mmFS glory.

 

And you can't beat a bit of Queen either!!! ;) 

 

Thanks Mark

 

The work bench has been in my head for ages...but already its had good use I wish I had built it much sooner.

 

Can't get that song out of my head since writing this blog entry... :D

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Very neat! traverser. I do like your portable workstation. Is it made from foamboard? Please can you tell me what is BHMRC exhibitions?

 

Julie

 

EDIT spelling correction

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  • RMweb Gold
Very neat! traverser. I do like your portable workstation. Is it made from foam board? Please can you tell me what is BHMRC exhibitions?

 

Julie

 

Thanks Julie - Yes, 5 and 10mm foamboard construction using PVA adhesive and some double sided tape.

 

BHMRC is the Burgess Hill Model Railway Club exhibition - usually a 1 day show with a nice selection of layouts...

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