Jump to content
 

sholidom

Members
  • Posts

    32
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Recent Profile Visitors

237 profile views

sholidom's Achievements

4

Reputation

  1. My layout is on two levels, running on DCC, and has two sets of lift out sections. One particular set is across my access to the centre area and I have the option of either lifting the two parts to this one section or crawling underneath. At the moment, crawling underneath is less of a fuff than lifting the two sections out but I can foresee a time rapidly approaching when the knees will complain a bit more then currently so I've decided to remake the liftouts. They're currently of a pretty robust constructions and therefore aren't particularly lightweight so making a single box type construction from plywood that will accommodate both levels is under consideration. However, as part of the planned reconstruction I'm investigating simplifying the electrical connections. As there are turnouts on the liftout, I currently use a D type connector for their power supply and a simple strip connector for each level's DCC bus but these are all located under the baseboard so I still have to crawl around on hands and knees. So, I got to thinking that it would be lovely if the connections could be incorporated in the new liftout so that it all automatically unplugs when lifted out and reconnects when replaced. I'm aware that there are baseboard dowels with connectors incorporated but also wondered if anyone has experimented with attaching power feeds to ordinary metal alignment dowels. Either way, that still leaves the turnout motor feeds and I'm struggling to find a suitable solution there. One other possiblility is replacing the liftouts with a hinged section. However, being on two levels, only a gate would work without major baseboard reconstruction but the gate and main baseboard would necessarily connect at an angle making male and female connections less easy and therefore the connections would have to be contact. Google searches have demonstrated that I'm not the only person searching for a solution so wondered if anyone has actually managed to crack this. All suggestions gratefully received!
  2. Having read through the responses, and many thanks to everyone who has, I think I'm going to have to ditch paper from here on if I continue to use plasticard. I tried adhesive sheets last night and they were about as successful as Pritt stick. Bostick tubes were better but entirely unsuitable for large areas of paper. I'm hoping I've managed to bodge it but at least I've learned a few more lessons should it come to station canopy mark 5! P.S. My wife keeps asking why I didn't pick a more relaxing hobby. Can't think what makes her say that!
  3. I've used a Pritt stick equivalent and it adheres up to a point but is very susceptible to coming unstuck again and so it's adhesive lifespan could be very limited; the last thing I want is to find it all peeling off 6-12 months down the line! Having built the framework, and from that you may gather that I'm already a good part of the way through rebuild 4, I did wonder whether rubbing the plastic sheets with fine Emery paper beforehand might've provided a base for the glue to adhere to but I've come too far to backtrack on that as an option. Google investigation suggested pva could be an option but I've ruled that out as a) it'd have a detrimental effect on the print as I use inkjet and b) I can't see it adhering to the plasticard anymore successfully than the Pritt stick. I do have Uhu so I might give that a bash but I suspect getting a thin even coat that won't show through the paper could be a challenge. I do also have adhesive sheets so maybe that's another option. As this topic seems to have raised quite a bit of early interest, I'll keep you posted.
  4. I've used a Pritt stick equivalent and it adheres up to a point but is very susceptible to coming unstuck again and so it's adhesive lifespan could be very limited; the last thing I want is to find it all peeling off 6-12 months down the line! Having built the framework, and from that you may gather that I'm already a good part of the way through rebuild 4, I did wonder whether rubbing the plastic sheets with fine Emery paper beforehand might've provided a base for the glue to adhere to but I've come too far to backtrack on that as an option. Google investigation suggested pva could be an option but I've ruled that out as a) it'd have a detrimental effect on the print as I use inkjet and b) I can't see it adhering to the plasticard anymore successfully than the Pritt stick. I do have Uhu so I might give that a bash but I suspect getting a thin even coat that won't show through the paper could be a challenge. I do also have adhesive sheets so maybe that's another option. As this topic seems to have raised quite a bit of early interest, I'll keep you posted.
  5. Good morning everyone. I've been using a lot of Scalescenes kits for my layout but am not getting the degree of finish that I want for my large station canopy. As a result, I've decided to replace card with plasticard but I am having real problems getting the paper printouts to adhere to the plastic. Any advice, please, will be very welcome as this is my 4th attempt at building this canopy and I'd prefer it to be my last! Many thanks. Rob.
  6. I kept wondering why a Hawksworth coach kept derailing on a tightish radius while no other coach has the same problem. On closer inspection, I noticed that the coupling is separately attached to a spring and not the boogie can restrict the radius through which the boogie can turn. Has anyone else had a similar situation? is there a solution or do I simply impose a 'route restriction'?
  7. HELP! I've completed my track in three sections, ballasted, done the scenery and am using NCE powercab with a short circuit indicator. When I'd laid the track, everything was working fine but now. a few years later (it took that long to get so much of the scenics done!) I've attempted to run some locos but am getting indications of short circuits. Now I'm aware that the problem probably lies with the points (I've got 30-odd all powered by tortoise on a separate DC 12v circuit) so I've gone round with a multimeter to isolate the problem(s) and I give this as an example. It's a single slip that is giving shorts on the exits although the entrances are fine. I uplifted the slip and double checked that all track had insulated joiners. They had. The fact that it has occurred only on the exits suggests a problem with the wires from the electrofrogs but I double-checked and, indeed, redid the wiring to the tortoises to make sure they were connected to the opposite motors and they were yet I'm still getting a short. Any ideas anyone?
  8. Hi John, N-Scenic and York Model Making were 2 of the (very many) websites I've looked at but neither had quite what I was looking for. I feel sure there must be someone out there doing what I want and I'll keep on looking but if anyone can guide me to that someone................... Many thanks, Rob.
  9. Happy New Year Everyone! Does anyone out there know of any supplier of Ornamental roof supports for N Gauge? I'm in the process of kitbashing Scalescenes Large Station and, in the process, am scaling the canopy roof into two sections to cover 4 tracks and three platforms. As a consequence, I need some supports on the central platfor to support the two roof sections. Now I could kitbash the parts already in the Scalescenes kit or make up something up using toothpicks or whatever but before I get to that point I thought I'd look for the sort of ornamental column supports that are the norm on a major station such as those at York (see below) . However, I've just spent the first part of 2020 on a fruitless search on the internet so I wonder if anyone out there knows of a supplier and so save me wasting too much more of the New Year! Many thanks in hoopeful anticipation!
  10. Is it just me or has anyone else had problems ordering from Revolution? I've tried umpteen times to order the Western 0-6-2 but everyone I put in my card details the website asks for my password but when I input that I get a message saying that the user name and password don't match. I've tried resetting the password but I get the same error message. I've contacted Revolution twice by email (no contact phone number) but so far no response and I'm getting a bit frustrated. I know Ben has another job with the BBC but.........
  11. I need to populate my layout with some road vehicles and, as I have a couple of stations, I thought a few buses would be nice. But, can I find any?(Rhetorical question!) Timeline is 1950s, loosely based around Warwickshire/Gloucestershire, so probably Midland Red, but trying to find anything is proving extremely difficult so I'm wondering what other modellers have done.
  12. Hi Nitpick, I've been through the Oxford, GF and Basetoys ranges and there is very little for the 1950s full stop. I don't mind repainting but it'd be nice if there was something out there I could apply the paint to!
  13. I need to populate my layout with some road vehicles and, as I have a couple of stations, I thought a few buses would be nice. But, can I find any?(Rhetorical question!) Timeline is 1950s, loosely based around Warwickshire/Gloucestershire, so probably Midland Red, but trying to find anything is proving extremely difficult so I'm wondering what other modellers have done.
  14. Having written to the manufacturers on the subject the official response is, 'Actually, we don't stipulate this. DC or dcc is fine. This stipulation is being removed from the manuals, as for dcc ready it makes no sense. Models that are not dcc ready and will have hard wired decoders fitted would suffer from invalidated warranties, unless fitted by an authorised installer, therefore should be fully tested (run in) on DC first.' So there you have it!
  15. Again, many thanks for all the responses and I'm greatly intrigued by the range of views. I've decided to build and, indeed have already started, on a permanent test track on a shelf above my layout. I have an old Gaugemaster DC controller that I can use for running-in (the subject of my original query) but I'm also setting it up with DCC input for programming which is going to be the next bit of faffing around once the chips are fitted. It really would be very interesting to get the official line from manufacturers as to why they so strongly advise running-in in DC. This is all a very far cry from the Triang Princess I had as a kid and writing as someone who got the lowest grade in Physics GCE and has only the most basic grasp of resistances and currents, the electrics have been proved a very "interesting" learning curve! I have to be honest and confess that I've struggled a bit (lot?) with some of the explanations and teminology but I'm getting there. And I've still got the programming of an ardhuino powered turntable to look forward to so that will no doubt be the subject of another crie de coeur in the future!
×
×
  • Create New...