Jump to content
 

Jon Fitness' average 7mm signals workbench.


Recommended Posts

Well, I still use MSE's packs of coloured lens material but my stocks are fairly old. I would use a green lens for a pure white LED, but personally , I wouldn't use pure white for LEDs. Warm white, calmed with a 1k ohm resistor or better still, the "gaslamp" colour LEDs available from Helmsman controls are best.

Cheers

JF

Link to post
Share on other sites

I got around this by putting a small piece of the MSE yellow lens material over the white LED then using the blue lens material in the arm. This actually works very well - there is enough red light passing through the yellow filter to still illuminate the signal red, and the blue material displays green.

 

I'll post a photo later if you're interested in seeing what it looks like.

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

22 hours ago, Chris White said:

Using green filter and a white LED will attract adverse commentary from the eagle eyed given the lens isn't blue when not illuminated :-)

Always did and always will!:lol:

I gave in eventually and changed LEDs to better ones. Job done.

JF

Edited by Jon Fitness
Link to post
Share on other sites

As John says most of us probably use the coloured gels available through MSE, more likely than not just because they're available in small quantities. If you want to go bulk I'd venture they're just some form of theatrical lighting gel which can easily be found by means of a quick search on the web.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

IMG_20190824_112812949.jpg.bdfd4beae53155acfed882d2292a42d7.jpgIMG_20190824_112823883.jpg.37749786adb039e2bdd49286e3dabfc2.jpgA little side project is slowly coming to fruition now. For those who like modelling their signalbox interiors and aren't satisfied with the usual generic GW style lever frames that seem to be the only option, here's a 7mm scale BR or REC/MR lever frame. Levers and plates are etched nickel silver with laser cut MDF frame sections. It still needs a bit of development but I think it looks the part.

Assembly is ummm, fun but as the levers run on a 1mm rod, each lever can be moved to your chosen position even when assembled!

JFIMG_20190826_230008949.jpg.4fffe144cad0358ad4a8ebdae2ad0ff9.jpgIMG_20190826_230045946.jpg.5fafa9473f4a86881fe883e688cafb0a.jpg

 

Edited by Jon Fitness
  • Like 7
  • Craftsmanship/clever 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

On 23/08/2019 at 14:47, Chris White said:

As John says most of us probably use the coloured gels available through MSE, more likely than not just because they're available in small quantities. If you want to go bulk I'd venture they're just some form of theatrical lighting gel which can easily be found by means of a quick search on the web.

thanks , amazon had 3 sheets for a few quid , all the signals for my lifetime  in that material 

Ill try the yellow filter trick for the existing few signals , and convert the next batch to warm white , or even try yellow SMD leds 

Link to post
Share on other sites

There's more..

For those of you out there who wish to add a bit of variety to your GW signal bracketry, I'm sorting out a "1942" pattern bracket for tubular post construction. There will be two sizes, of which this is the smaller one for 2 dolls. The first folded and rivet punched test example is being built up in 0.4mm nickel silver..

IMG_20190828_192103273_HDR.jpg.8994ab2f140b58bc6bd78ada7c8856c1.jpgIMG_20190828_194033966.jpg.361d4a1b9e2547cc22367c9284cf0273.jpgUpHome1.jpg.c4747d14e90cd025923b036000255be2.jpgUpHome.jpg.205c468f257ccb4e991f89cbc0ab56d6.jpg

IMG_20190829_103827758~2.jpg.69eae85ece660c9c98c3cdfb94d9fba8.jpg

Edited by Jon Fitness
  • Like 7
Link to post
Share on other sites

John . can you point out to me how you make your wooden posts, I searched through your threads , but cant quite find how you fabricate the wooden ones 

 

Does anyone have the dimensions of the main and doll posts for a GWR wooden post  bracket signal , I cant source one on the " Net" . I know they all ended in 6"½  and are a 1-60 taper 

 

thanks 

Edited by Junctionmad
Link to post
Share on other sites

On 02/09/2019 at 13:30, Junctionmad said:

John . can you point out to me how you make your wooden posts, I searched through your threads , but cant quite find how you fabricate the wooden ones 

 

Does anyone have the dimensions of the main and doll posts for a GWR wooden post  bracket signal , I cant source one on the " Net" . I know they all ended in 6"½  and are a 1-60 taper 

 

thanks 

I think the best genuine tapered wooden posts are available from Scale Signal Supply. If you are good with folding brass up, Borg Rail do some nice fold up brass posts which I can recommend.

I also used to use the sticks off firework rockets and planed them up but it is a bit of a imprecise science.:unsure:

Link to post
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Junctionmad said:

I’m going to make an aluminium jig to create the 1:120 each side taper and plane down ramen wood square section with a small belt sander , I’ll see how I get on 

I shall look forward to the results:good_mini:

JF

  • Agree 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

The etches for the Radstock bracket signal came out quite well although I'm not entirely sure of their dimensional accuracy!

2028060460_Rad001(600x800).jpg.bc6c2d3db98f0e0ffe62f0d87169c8d2.jpg

Its a huge structure (by my standards anyway!) but the geometry of the main lattice post worked ok. I had to fold it in the usual 2 halves but insert all the separate bracing plates within the structure. These hung uot of the sides and the 1.5mm brass angle was soldered to them, all the way up one side and as far as the bracket on the other. The bracket was a fold up job and had rivets to punch out as well. It's not represented exactly as the real thing as there is no vertical strip on the actual signal but I had to have something to solder to the main post!

Here is the end result...

The main post, associated bracing, the bracket, ladders, staging, weightbars, bellcranks are all my etches. The arms are MSE and the finial and lampcases are Modelu.

1879152055_Rad002(600x800).jpg.676750c35921fe17445e98ff9549f3c9.jpg662882541_Rad003(600x800).jpg.ced5bc1de473700da760d674bd4b9555.jpg1342187413_Rad004(600x800).jpg.77b82409b98637e855f5b5f94b0a57b0.jpg880409233_Rad005(600x800).jpg.3ad05ca3e171a65ac565769e263e3101.jpg2089463494_Rad006(600x800).jpg.cb09b308df196a0a52f4616d88d08827.jpg1988923406_Rad007(600x800).jpg.694f1b2acffc523f15d8052de941ce40.jpg835219372_Rad008(600x800).jpg.a8ded3562686008877296e110ba86777.jpg2051085009_Rad009(600x800).jpg.a5e34dfcc5113bdeed159189f8bc4262.jpg1349517430_Rad010(600x800).jpg.3ac69e066c57bbac762f345b17103cd1.jpg

This will be my last customer signal until my vintage bus is completed although there may be the odd random test build of a signal for my planned range of 7mm etches that will be on sale from 2020.

Cheers

JF

  • Like 7
  • Craftsmanship/clever 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

That does look really nice. Looking at the 'sky' shots, I though for a moment that you had found some colour photos of the prototype! I'm quite envious now of the customer..... mind you, I think it best to overlook the thorny subject of whether or not the sub arm had purple lights :-)

  • Agree 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

41 minutes ago, RailWest said:

That does look really nice. Looking at the 'sky' shots, I though for a moment that you had found some colour photos of the prototype! I'm quite envious now of the customer..... mind you, I think it best to overlook the thorny subject of whether or not the sub arm had purple lights :-)

Or the lack of slotting on the home signal!:wacko:

 

 

  • Like 6
  • Craftsmanship/clever 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

This chap is an LMS "running line to loop" signal. Once common over the LM network (and on others but less so).

IMG_20191109_094240485_HDR.jpg.7dfbdb8a314b3f6a9e663c1448e20d6c.jpg

IMG_20191109_094255759.jpg.cdcd2aeb6c9af6398a536acfc6d8d67b.jpg

 Most parts visible are from my etches, including the arms and will be available as a partial kit early next year. It will include etched parts for the bracket, staging, linkages and a shunt arm.

Cheers

JF

  • Like 6
  • Craftsmanship/clever 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Steve Hewitt said:

That's lovely Jon, please let me know when you reduce the etches to 4mm scale.

 

Steve.

TBH, I can't see me doing that Steve. It would need to be changed completely as it would be way too fine and fiddly reduced to 4mm!

JF

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...