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Teaky's attic


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On 08/11/2019 at 19:55, teaky said:

Thanks Gordon.

 

The stairs aren't as bad in reality as they appear in the picture.  The area where you place your foot is no different than on an ordinary staircase.  It only really becomes a problem if you're half way up and realise you've forgotten something and want to turn around or if you have arthritic knees and need to place both feet on each step.  No problems so far with my size elevens but taking two steps at a time is definitely out of the question.

 

It's a pity you've found this thread.  I won't be able to take credit for the pointwork now! :nea_mini:

 

Oh dear.....I missed that last comment. Are you saying ET gave you a little inspiration to build your own or did you buy some from me when I had a clearcut a little while ago?

 

I'm flattered if it were the first and now just hoping they all work if it were the second....:D

 

At least you know where to find me if there's a problem.

 

I don't bother with insulation fishplates at all. I just cut through the rail with a slitting disc. Some people use a small piece of Plasticard in the slot in case thermal expansion closes the slot, but I've not had a problem as the temperature in my railway room is fairly constant.

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3 hours ago, gordon s said:

 

Oh dear.....I missed that last comment. Are you saying ET gave you a little inspiration to build your own or did you buy some from me when I had a clearcut a little while ago?

 

I'm flattered if it were the first and now just hoping they all work if it were the second....:D

 

At least you know where to find me if there's a problem.

 

I don't bother with insulation fishplates at all. I just cut through the rail with a slitting disc. Some people use a small piece of Plasticard in the slot in case thermal expansion closes the slot, but I've not had a problem as the temperature in my railway room is fairly constant.

Yes, they are the points I bought from you during one of your clear outs, Gordon.  They look great and I'm sure they will work perfectly as long as I make a decent job of laying them.  (I still have the wooden box you made specially just to post them!)

 

You may not have inspired me to build my own points but Eastwood Town is an inspiration as a layout.  I do like to see long trains negotiate sweeping curves and it's LNER too.

 

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5 hours ago, teaky said:

Do you mean from " Teaky's attic" to "Teaky's collection of green woodwork"?

 

 

Please don't ever change the title from "Teaky's attic" - it works for whatever you do (and whatever colour your woodwork is painted...)

 

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In that case sincere apologies for not making the connection....:)

 

It goes without saying, if there are any problems, please let me know. Of course there shouldn't be, but I'd hate anyone to feel disappointed with their purchase.

 

Thanks for your kind comments on ET. One day something will run again....and it may not be that far away now.

 

Your elevator is something special. Will it have a counterbalance to prevent it crashing to the floor, should you suddenly let go..:o

 

Terrific idea...

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19 minutes ago, gordon s said:

In that case sincere apologies for not making the connection....:)

Nothing to apologise for, Gordon.  It has taken me far too long to reach this stage.

 

It goes without saying, if there are any problems, please let me know. Of course there shouldn't be, but I'd hate anyone to feel disappointed with their purchase.

Unlikely to be a problem and I know exactly where to find you - on the golf course! :jester:

 

Thanks for your kind comments on ET. One day something will run again....and it may not be that far away now.

I know.  I've been watching.  I am looking forward to seeing the first circuits.

 

Your elevator is something special. Will it have a counterbalance to prevent it crashing to the floor, should you suddenly let go..:o

My plan to photograph my handiwork from a distance is obviously working.  It is quite basic really.  I am considering adding a handle(s) to make letting go less likely.  (FYI The drop would be approximately 0.5m.)  Once I have constructed the storage lines I will know the height of the lower level.  I will then add some stops with foam padding on top.  I have considered counterweights but once I hit upon how I would fit them I decided I could build the elevator before making a final decision on whether to fit them or not.  Another idea under consideration is some form of soft landing using kitchen cupboard soft closers or some kind of springs.  The drawer runners ensure there is no tilt so if I did drop the elevator a train would be bounced off the track and, I hope, contained by the sides.  Not something I want to risk but not as catastrophic as a plunge to the floor.

 

Terrific idea...

That's very nice of you to say so.  It isn't a new idea, I just don't think many people attempt it.  Having done so, I'd say it is easier than you think.  That being said though: let's wait until the whole storage area is complete.  I will need to be able to move trains on and off the elevator reliably which would include propelling long goods trains.  My cunning plan may yet come to a sticky end.

 

 

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2 hours ago, Stubby47 said:

Fit car washing sponges underneath the lift to provide a bit of cushioning. 

Excellent idea.  Thanks Stu.

 

Mounted on edge they should be about the correct width.

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Thanks Mike.  The "J" shape is just a result of running out of space due to not wanting to site the elevator next to the longer scenic sides of the layout.  I had come up with a balanced shape requiring two shorter curves at each end but after a little discussion and thought opted for the "J" because it enabled use of a gentler transition curve on the lead in track.  If you are considering building an elevator like this and you have the space to keep it all straight I would recommend doing so as it would simplify construction.

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Given that you've used drawer runners, how well do they work vertically rather than the designed horizontally on edge ?

I tried to use some side- hung ball runners on their backs under a traverser and they weren't that good as the ball bearings lost the gravity effect to keep them in place.

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9 hours ago, Stubby47 said:

Given that you've used drawer runners, how well do they work vertically rather than the designed horizontally on edge ?

I tried to use some side- hung ball runners on their backs under a traverser and they weren't that good as the ball bearings lost the gravity effect to keep them in place.

Obviously I've not subjected the runners to much use yet but they appear to be fine mounted vertically.  I was expecting to have to fiddle about adjusting the angles of each runner but was pleasantly surprised to find that there is just a fraction of play in each one which is enough to allow for my wonky carpentry.

 

I also considered mounting them on their backs for a traverser but there is definitely too much play when they are fully extended so I dismissed that idea immediately.  I concluded they should only be used on edge, as they would on a drawer, unless extension is limited in some way.  On the elevator, as the extension increases the weight pulls the thinner parts of the runners away from the wider bases which they resist very well.  If the weight pushed them backwards they would be more likely to flex.

 

On the runners I have used the ball bearings sit in lengths of plastic.  This holds them together at fixed intervals.  The only way to get the ball bearings out is to remove some stoppers from the ends and slide each set (ball bearings plus plastic) out from the ends.  I think using four runners helps because it means each runner carries little weight - a lot less than 10% of what they are designed to carry.  There is a possibility that there will be some movement with time leading to a tendency for the bearings to settle at some point along their line of travel but as supplied they are adequately lubricated so I just need to keep an eye on this.

 

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An interesting conversation having built a traverser years ago. At that time I used four heavy duty runners mounted vertically on edge. To avoid the problems with full extension, I set up parallel entry points to limit the back and forth movement.

 

I have a new traverser planned with three entry points to limit back and forth movement, but planned to have the four runners laid flat with the table on top. 
 

From Stubby47’s comment, is this going to be a problem?

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I think that depends on the runners you choose. I would guess that the higher the quality, the better they might be, but if you can find ones designed for that orientation so much the better.

I also had issues when trying to fix it all together - as designed the moving drawer allows easy access to the fixing screws, but by having two large planes ( baseboard top & traverser bed) I found it more difficult to fix them together. I ended up fixing one end of the runners first, then the bed, then the 2nd ends of the runner.

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10 hours ago, FoxUnpopuli said:

I've considered a paternoster lift before now.  While the engineering of it is a little involved, the volume of traffic that can be stored relative to floorspace is huge.

I agree.  A paternoster or a multi-level lift are appealing ideas for storage.

 

Unfortunately, in my case the only location would be right in the middle of the room, so consideration went no further.

 

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1 hour ago, gordon s said:

An interesting conversation having built a traverser years ago. At that time I used four heavy duty runners mounted vertically on edge. To avoid the problems with full extension, I set up parallel entry points to limit the back and forth movement.

 

I have a new traverser planned with three entry points to limit back and forth movement, but planned to have the four runners laid flat with the table on top. 
 

From Stubby47’s comment, is this going to be a problem?

There is definitely some sagging at full extension when they are laid flat.  If they cannot be mounted on edge then the sagging could probably be limited by having some smooth wedges underneath the traverser to increasingly limit vertical movement the greater the extension.  Another idea would be to fit aluminium strips under the traverser edge(s) and along the baseboard edge(s) to prevent any vertical movement at all.  Provided the friction can be limited, this may actually improve vertical alignment of track ends.  Multiple entry points definitely seems like a good idea if there's space.  I was aiming for two but the final decision won't be made until construction has progressed further and I see exactly how much space there is as I don't want curves and points to get too cramped.

 

1 hour ago, Stubby47 said:

I think that depends on the runners you choose. I would guess that the higher the quality, the better they might be, but if you can find ones designed for that orientation so much the better.

I also had issues when trying to fix it all together - as designed the moving drawer allows easy access to the fixing screws, but by having two large planes ( baseboard top & traverser bed) I found it more difficult to fix them together. I ended up fixing one end of the runners first, then the bed, then the 2nd ends of the runner.

I bought the runners from Screwfix, so if you do the same and open the package carefully you could probably seal them up and return them if they prove unsuitable.

 

All theory at this point but to avoid fitting problems I intend to have an open softwood frame rather than a flat baseboard top.  This should mean that I can access the runners and their mounting timbers easily with the traverser upside down.  All being well, I hope to be able to sort out a smoothly running traverser bed before laying any track.  The idea of using aluminium strips mentioned above is one I am keeping in mind in case the plywood traverser bed doesn't turn out flat and stable enough.

 

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Hi Rob

 

Just found this thread and spent a very pleasant chunk of the afternoon enjoying it.

 

You were very brave to build a loft conversion in a trussed roof attic. I design extensions for living and when I see a trussed roof generally do the 'draw breath thoughtfully across teeth' trick, because I know it's not going to be cheap!

 

You and your building crew seem to have done an excellent job, and now you're having all the fun of getting baseboards up.

 

You're way ahead of me. Although my new loft was completed last Summer, SWMBO decided it should be filled with 'stuff' and my chances of getting baseboards around seem to be receding into the distance. I keep muttering words like 'Ebay' and 'Garage sale' and have made several trips to the 'charity shop' as well as the 'community recycling facility', but still I am faced with endless possessions.

 

In fairness about 10 of the boxes are our daughter's - she got divorced last year and had to move into a much smaller house. 'Please could you store a few things for me?' she asked. The few things now occupy most of one garage and the loft!

 

Anyway, she's a lot happier now she's washed that man well out of her hair!

 

I shall follow you with fascination!

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2 hours ago, bigwordsmith said:

Hi Rob

 

Just found this thread and spent a very pleasant chunk of the afternoon enjoying it.

 

You were very brave to build a loft conversion in a trussed roof attic. I design extensions for living and when I see a trussed roof generally do the 'draw breath thoughtfully across teeth' trick, because I know it's not going to be cheap!

 

You and your building crew seem to have done an excellent job, and now you're having all the fun of getting baseboards up.

 

You're way ahead of me. Although my new loft was completed last Summer, SWMBO decided it should be filled with 'stuff' and my chances of getting baseboards around seem to be receding into the distance. I keep muttering words like 'Ebay' and 'Garage sale' and have made several trips to the 'charity shop' as well as the 'community recycling facility', but still I am faced with endless possessions.

 

In fairness about 10 of the boxes are our daughter's - she got divorced last year and had to move into a much smaller house. 'Please could you store a few things for me?' she asked. The few things now occupy most of one garage and the loft!

 

Anyway, she's a lot happier now she's washed that man well out of her hair!

 

I shall follow you with fascination!

Stick with it Peter.  It is very likely that you don't need most of the stuff you have in storage.  (Not your daughter's, the other things.)  I cleared heaps of stuff out of ours before work commenced and very little of it has made it back into the much reduced storage space which still has some room to spare.  I confess that there remain a few boxes in the garage loft space that simply relocated but I am determined they will not make it back without, at least, some drastic purging.  Most people own far too much stuff and it feels good once you're free of the clutter.

 

I could have done without the South Pacific ear worm though! :wacko::jester:

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