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Burton-on-Trent South - Adding Buildings


ISW
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Ian,

 

A trick with stranded wire I was taught many years ago.

 

Put one end in the vise, unwind as much as you can from the reel in a straight line. Grasp the far end with pliers and pull it until the wire "gives". Cut off and discard the ends.

 

You will then have a manageable length of wire, able to lie neatly into a harness.

 

- Richard.

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1 hour ago, 47137 said:

You will then have a manageable length of wire, able to lie neatly into a harness.

 

Richard,

 

Thanks for the tip. I might just give that a go with my bus wire (2x 0.75mm2) that does seem to have a mind of its own when it comes to being installed on the underside of the baseboards. The smaller (7x0.2mm and 16x0.2mm) stranded cables I use for droppers and distribution are much easier to wrestle into position.

 

I've personally seen the same idea used to 'straighten' co-extruded stainless steel / aluminium extrusions at the Alusingen (that's the old name) plant in Singen, southern Germany.

 

Ian

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Short Circuit Protection

 

Up until now I've been relying on the short circuit protection (SCP) afforded integrally by my NCE PowerCab controller:o. This, of course, means that I only have a single Power District for the whole railway. Not good or clever.

 

When I did the wiring for the Lower Level baseboards, I split the track into 2 Power Districts corresponding to the NB and SB tracks. The Ramp Tracks were connected to the corresponding NB / SB tracks:good:. However, it was all connected electrically to the single 2-core power cable of the PowerCab:negative:.

 

As I've covered previously, the Upper Level baseboard tracks will be split into 6 Power Districts, NB, SB, MPD, Brewery, 2-Track Ramp, & 3-Track Ramp:read:. So, with the Lower Level baseboards that's 8 Power Districts and while I 'could' continue to connect them all to the single 2-core power supply that doesn't feel to be a great idea:nono:. I really don't want trains on the Ramps to come to a sudden stop (they could derail) just because I've derailed a train in the MPD:senile:.

 

The plan, as outlined previously, is to use a series of SCPs for each Power District. To that end I've acquired 4No. MERG #57 kits:

20201224_170555_resize.jpg.2f1d84732d5fd1e209c8738433a8e3d0.jpg

 

As a 'test' I assembled one of the kits, carefully following the instructions (which, incidentally, are very good):rtfm:. My only error, brought out during the instructions 'testing' phase was to put a tad too much solder on a couple of wires:angry:. The solder pads are insulated from the surrounding ground plane by a 'very' narrow insulating area, and my exuberant soldering had bridged some. A bit of solder sucking had that quickly fixed:drag:.

 

To check out the newly assembled SCP, and its abilities, or otherwise, against the PowerCab it was pressed into service on the Lower Level baseboards in-line with the existing single 2-core power feed to the bus cables.

20201224_161915_resize.jpg.831c57a8d64db99b5c852088f4ed224c.jpg

 

And what a success it was:danced:. The MERG kit is faster acting than the PowerCab (thank goodness for that) and detected short circuits, and their subsequent removal without problem. I just wish the buzzer wasn't so loud, it's enough to give you a heart attack:bomb_mini:. The only issue I found was that it was 'too' good at detecting Short Circuits and it caught out wheels briefly shorting at Peco electrofrog turnout crossings. That was easily fixed by using the jumpers on the SCP board to set a delay to the Short Circuit detection:D

 

The SCPs will eventually be installed for a specific Power District and be sited on the underside of the baseboard. I'll use the features of the MERG kit to run an LED indicator and on/off switch to a separate operating panel, but that'll have to wait a while yet.

 

Just 3 more to assemble, and 4 more to purchase & assemble ... That's for next year.

 

Seasons Greetings

Ian

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Upper Level Baseboards - Labelling Wires

 

When I wired the Lower Level baseboards I meticulously labelled all the cables (at both ends) and all the sockets to make sure I didn't drop a 'clanger' or two along the way:good:. And in the most part it was highly successful. However, the Lower Level only had 2 Power Districts.:unsure:

 

Now I'm wiring the Upper Level baseboards with 6 Power Districts:rtfm:, so it was time to 'up the game' of labelling to the next level. I was going colour this time.:o

 

The way I make the labels, in Xara DesignerPro incidentally, is to print out lines of boxes containing the turnout number, track name, or Power District. I put double-sided tape on the back of the sheet and then cut out strips corresponding to a single item. Previously I put them all in a box and grabbed the one I wanted as I went along, peeled off the label and stuck it down. That was not a good idea:no:. I used to spend longer 'looking' for the right strip than actually 'using' it.:stop:

 

So this time I made a couple of 'improvements'. Firstly, each 'item' was colour coded corresponding to its Power District and, secondly, I then stuck the 'strips' onto a sheet of paper:

20201224_200354_resize.jpg.b7394ac31929327924b454a92893425f.jpg

 

Now, finding the 'right' label is very easy:good:. The colour coding should also make the wiring a little more 'foolproof' as it will be case of simply (?) making sure all cables of the same coding are wired together:D.

 

Ian

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Upper Level Baseboards - Wiring

 

With wiring commenced on the underside of Baseboard E, it was time to start installing the servo motors and frog polarity switches:read:. These follow the design I used on the Lower Level using the aluminium 'U' channel method.

 

Assembly line in progress:

20201229_160947_resize.jpg.bd5b4b611e0a33c0527d9441bafccf1a.jpg

 

These are then populated with the servo and wiring to/from the microswitch, and then installed under the baseboard:

20201229_200337_resize.jpg.8083c5ec2ed447adc488aabf12a66c82.jpg

 

These servos are slightly larger than the Hobby King HK15178 type (that I used on the Lower Level) such that a pair of large pliers are required to 'snug' the servo fully into the 'U' channel:o.

 

I'm still working on the wiring of Baseboard D, but here is some of the progress so far:

20201229_200311_resize.jpg.984dfb2cd0ec9de7208d12cdfa79fd53.jpg

 

Hopefully, as this slowly progress I'll get a bit tidier at wiring! At least it is all fairly 'modular' and, with all the labels I add to each socket / plug, it should be easy to test and troubleshoot.

 

Ian

 

 

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  • ISW changed the title to Burton-on-Trent South - Upper Level Wiring
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14 hours ago, ISW said:

Hopefully, as this slowly progress I'll get a bit tidier at wiring!

 

I can show you proper untidy wiring anytime you like! I am sure your planning and attention to detail will pay a dividend in the long run  

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36 minutes ago, young37215 said:

I am sure your planning and attention to detail will pay a dividend in the long run 

Rob,

 

Fingers firmly crossed on that one.

 

If there is 'one' job I hate the most it's the 'one' where you have to go back and do it again. That's the driving reason for me taking so much time with planning and labelling all the electrical connections on the layout. I really do not want to have to go back and fix / correct something I got totally wrong.

 

But, just to make it easy to 'fix', I'm using simple PCB type plugs and sockets everywhere I can instead of soldering. It'll make troubleshooting a lot easier when I can disconnect sections / parts / elements of the layout to find those elusive short circuits ... And, yes, I'll be testing each baseboard as I go long for short circuits, continuity, and correct frog polarity.

 

Ian

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Upper Level Baseboards - Wiring

 

Progress continues on the underside of Baseboard E to the extent that all the droppers are now connected to small bus power daughterboards; the turnout microswitches are installed, wired, and connected to the turnout frogs; and all the servos installed and wired back to the MegaPoints servoboard.:heat: The MegaPoints servoboard is fully populated and the 13th servo (top left) will be controlled from Baseboard G via some jumper cables as per the Plan.:rtfm:

392510862_20210101_165545-BaseboardE_resize.jpg.507870dbd4c03924ef6d833dd522dcfd.jpg

 

That 'just' :read: leaves the power bus wires to install across the 'bottom' edge of the baseboard, together with some custom jumperboards (stripboard) and sockets at the 2 side edges for connection to the power bus daughterboards & to the adjacent baseboards. Then there is the MegaPoints network and power supply feed and the lighting circuits (LEDs to illuminate the Lower Level baseboards) to add. Oh, and a few Merg kit #57 short circuit detection boards to install.

 

This is one of the more complicated baseboards on the Upper Level, only surpassed by Baseboard J.

 

I've already done some electrical testing and there were no shorts and the three power districts on this Baseboards were all separate.:danced: It does give a sense of satisfaction when a plan comes together, wires can be followed, and it all 'looks' reasonably tidy. 

 

Ian

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Upper Level Baseboards - Servo Installations

 

On 12/11/2020 at 09:57, ISW said:

My only knowledge, at present, is that the MegaPoints aluminium channel method works okay for me with 12mm plywood, without any shims. It'll be a while until I'm at the point of wiring the underside of my first Upper Level baseboard (9mm plywood), at which point I can check out the problems / issues / solutions required. At least I still have some 5mm or 6mm plywood offcuts that I can use to make shims.

 

As you may have noticed in the above posting, I've installed the 13-servos on the underside of Baseboard E. With the MegaPoints 12servo board also installed and wired up it seemed a good time to set up the servos:read:. After just 1 servo it was apparent that the amount of movement I had at the switch toe was 'only just enough' to fully throw the switches from normal to reverse (and vice-versa):angry:. It 'would' work, but only if I got the lateral position of the servo exactly right (ie: dead centre of the stock rails) and I used all the operating range of the servo:negative:. Clearly, this was not going to be a reliable solution.

 

So, as sort of 'predicted' back on 12/11/20 (see quote above) I tested a retrofit of a timber packer under the servo bracket:

 

Before:

20210102_164245_resize.jpg.ca42d50e930452b52185b72ed6e072e6.jpg

 

After, with 5mm plywood timber packer glued to the underside of the baseboard:

20210102_161041_resize.jpg.c3135bca8ab0d508f054e8e2e0a2f205.jpg

 

The increase in vertical distance between the turnout toe and the 'pivot' of the servo, by ~5mm, increases the effective throw of the servo:good:. This now gives enough throw to operate the switches, and actually 'hold' the tongue rail up against the stock rail (by a slight bend in the piano wire):danced:.

 

Lesson learnt, and I'll slowly progress to retrofit the plywood packer to all the 13 servos.

 

2-steps forward, 1-step back ...

 

Ian

 

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Upper Level Baseboards - Servo Installations

 

Sods Law strikes again.

 

When I wired the microswitches at the servos I 'carefully' checked :read:which way the turnout was facing when the microswitch was 'closed' and then 'carefully' attached:read: the Red / Black wires to the NC / NO microswitch connections as appropriate. Now, with the servos setup through the MegaPoints servoboard I could verify the polarity at the turnout crossing / frog. Yep, I had every one of them 'backwards':rtfm:. Grrrr.

 

The only positive I could take from this experience was my 100% failure rate and utter consistency at getting them wrong.:(

 

So, it was out with the soldering iron and swapped over the NC / NO connections. Actually, it took less than 10 minutes to affect a fix so not such a big problem I suppose, just really annoying.:angry:

 

Ian

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4 hours ago, young37215 said:

Bin there, done that! Now I leave the soldering until after I have proved the polarity wiring is correct by just hooking the wire through the microswitch connections. 

Rob,

 

It'd be nice if I had that option. My 'cheapie' microswitches have simple pins to solder to, no holes or loops. I did try using my 'normal' PCB crimp-pins as a push-fit, but they didn't fit either.

 

I think I'd be better just soldering them all as NC - red / NO - black. At least then 'some' of them will be correct!

 

Ah well, it'll be 'better luck next time'.

 

Ian

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More Short Circuit Protection

 

I've been wielding the soldering iron again and assembled two more MERG Kit #57s for short circuit protection of Power Districts of the final layout. The lessons learnt building the first one were successfully applied and both passed the pre-testing phase without any issues:danced:. No excessive solder on any joints this time. It really helps when you have a completed Kit to look at and/or refer to:read:. I assembled these 2 kits together in less time than it took to assemble the first one:good:.

20210105_204254_resize.jpg.4e5d80efe1c7fb25ab3e552584e26d79.jpg

 

Each one was individually pressed into service on the existing Lower Level layout and both successfully detected and cleared from deliberately applied short circuits. Yay.

 

Ian 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Upper Level Baseboards - Wiring

 

Further to my posting of 1st January 2021 work has progressed on the underside of Baseboard E to the extent that the wiring is now complete:danced:. That entailed adding the MegaPoints Network cable, under-baseboard lighting, inter-baseboard terminal blocks, and six Power bus cables; Brewery, 2 Track Ramp, NB, SB, MegaPoints power, & lighting, the later two being 12v DC:heat:.

 

I think I kept it 'reasonably' tidy and extensively labelled:

348995103_20210115_173616-BaseboardE_resize.jpg.2bc9d2880f0c5832f1bc9a8101ac3a76.jpg

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Upper Level Baseboards - Wiring

 

With Baseboard E out-of-the-way:danced: I decided to tackle Baseboard D that, although it has only a few tracks and no turnouts, is quite completed as it has the main feed connections to all the circuits [DCC in, MegaPoints power in (12v DC), & Lighting in (12v DC)] plus the MERG kit #57 short circuit detection (SCD) boards for the 6 Power Districts:rtfm:.

 

Here it is below assembled in all its glory. I decided to mount the SCD 'buzzers' on some track underlay as they are loud enough without using the baseboard as a soundboard:yes:. The blue/green/yellow MegaPoints network cable takes a rather circuitous route to avoid crossing too many DCC and/or 12v DC cables where it 'might' pickup spurious signals:

4588640_20210115_155427-BaseboardD_resize.jpg.fac2df4abfd2996c4475aaafedf43564.jpg

 

The cluster of cables bottom-left in the above photo is shown below. This allows for easy disconnect of any SCD should that be necessary:read:. It also includes the 12-way socket for the jumper cable to the adjacent Baseboard.

999565232_20210115_155456-BaseboardD_resize.jpg.11f9d3353c6506a4d8796e40be126890.jpg

 

The chocolate block bottom-centre-left in the first photo just splits the incoming DCC across the 6 Power Districts. It probably should classify as an archaeological find:rolleyes: as it's at least 40-years old, and still has the price of £0.50 stuck on it. And, no, it's not the 'best' quality chocolate block known to Man, but it was time I put it to some use!

2067830527_20210115_155513-BaseboardD_resize.jpg.7bc86adedd1e15638890607a17ee334d.jpg

 

At some later date I'll get around to fitting the remote 'Cut-off Switches' and the 'Panel Indicators' for the SCDs. All that will probably end up in a small box to be fitted to the layout in a useful and accessible location.

 

Ian 

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14 hours ago, ISW said:

The blue/green/yellow MegaPoints network cable takes a rather circuitous route to avoid crossing too many DCC and/or 12v DC cables where it 'might' pickup spurious signals:

 

Very wise, I have experienced network intereference first hand and it is irritating. It might not be obvious but I am sure your efforts will pay a dividend of smooth operation

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1 hour ago, young37215 said:

 

Very wise, I have experienced network intereference first hand and it is irritating. It might not be obvious but I am sure your efforts will pay a dividend of smooth operation

Rob,

 

Thanks for the support. I thought it better to keep the Network Cable separate as much as possible.

 

Strangely, I recently encountered an 'issue' with the MegaPoints system on the Lower Level baseboards. I was about to shunt some wagons to where I could more easily remove them from the tracks and so turned on the power supply to the MegaPoints system, something I've done without issue for a couple of years now. This time some of the servos were being commanded to move by themselves for rather longer than usual. Plus there was a 'wining' noise from somewhere. I turned it all off and back on again. Same issue. I also found that one of the servo boards had a red LED lit, instead of the usual green. Hmmm ...

 

Thankfully, the MegaPoints power and Network run around the layout with jumper cables between baseboards. So, I unplugged them all and gradually replaced each jumper to increase the Network size board-by-board. This enabled me to get 3 servo boards running okay. When I came to the fourth I noticed that when I removed the PCB screw type plug from the socket that plug was coming apart. Very odd. So, I simply replaced it with a new plug. I continued to install jumper cables and soon had all the servos working again.

 

No idea if that faulty PCB screw type plug was the issue, but it all worked again afterwards.

 

Ian

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Upper Level Baseboards - More Wiring & a Bit of Testing

 

With Baseboards D & E completed (D having the Main DCC / 12v DC feed sockets) the opportunity arose to do some 'testing':senile:.

 

With some trepidation (even though I'd previously checked for shorts), I plugged the NCE PowerCab into Baseboard D and turned the power on. Good news, the green lights of all 6 MERG SCDs came on and no buzzer sounded that would have indicated a short:heat:. A loco was placed on a track and motion was achieved up and down the 2 baseboards. Hurrah:danced:. No turnouts were moved, however, but at least the frog polarity was correct.

 

After that little success, it was back to yet more wiring:swoon:, this time under Baseboard F, a corner baseboard where the Brewery Lines pass under the 4-track Mainlines. All plain line track. As can be seen from the photo below, there was more wiring associated with the Power Bus cables than to/from the tracks:O. There is also a pass-through servo cable to a single turnout on Baseboard E that will be controlled from a MegaPoints ServoBoard on Baseboard G.

2108742778_20210116_154911-BaseboardD_resize.jpg.e274e66db1a8075128bf6bf347f55c27.jpg

 

Ian

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Upper Level Baseboards - Servo Installations - Microswitches

 

A while back (see posting of 4th January 2021) Sods Law struck and I had all my microswitches wired 'backwards'. I'd taken quite a bit of care to get them right and was a bit miffed to find them wrong.

 

Now I know why.:sarcastic:

 

Some bright spark had got the NC / NO (normally closed / normally open) moulded-on labels on the microswitches the wrong-way-round. Or at least, wrong according to me. With the microswitch 'open' the NC was live; with the microswitch 'closed' the NO was live:swoon:. Now that may be 'logical' to some, but it certainly ain't to me. Maybe that's why they were cheap?

 

At least I now know the issue, and can make sure the remainder of the microswitch installations are correct first time, or until Sods Law comes back again.

 

Ian

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In electronics, a closed switch is on and an open switch is off - because there's an open gap between the contacts… the "normally closed" terminal will be "normally on" unless something pushes the switch!

 

Painful lesson to learn, though...

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1 hour ago, BusDriverMan said:

In electronics, a closed switch is on and an open switch is off - because there's an open gap between the contacts… the "normally closed" terminal will be "normally on" unless something pushes the switch!

 

Painful lesson to learn, though...

Yep, have to agree with you on that. You can tell I was a p/way engineer and not an electronics engineer!

 

I had to re-re-re-re-read your first paragraph before it finally stuck. So, basically, a microswitch is 'closed' (ie 'on') in its natural state by the internal spring (NC). It's only when the lever is pushed against the internal spring that the contacts break 'open' to make it 'off' (NO).

 

Glad to have that sorted.

 

Ian

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Insulated Stand-offs

 

You may have noticed that I use a lot of small veroboard / stripboard pieces to mount cable connections to the underside of the baseboards. Because the underside of the veroboards have soldered connections (of varying height, width, quality:o), it's necessary to 'lift' them slightly off the baseboard to be able to screw them down successfully. To do this I'm using 2~3mm thick silicone 'washers' made from some cheap:good: aquarium tubing. Being silicone, I don't have to worry about them 'shorting out' any of the tracks on the veroboard.

 

I ran out of 'washers', again, and here I am in the process of making a new batch:

20210121_194535_resize.jpg.3908cc2d27791c8c26fc637e91564bbe.jpg

 

Ian

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Upper Level Baseboards - Wiring

 

I've been working on the 2 baseboards that comprise the corner Upper Level Baseboard C. There are 2 because the Lower C connects to the 3-track Ramp, whereas the Upper C connects to the 2-track Ramp. Baseboard C is where the Upper Level dives 'under itself'.:read:

 

The Upper C is really simple, with just 4 tracks curving around the corner. As with the other corner baseboards I did recently, there is more wiring associated with the Power Buses than actually feeding the track.:haha:

914819304_20210117_120705-BaseboardD_resize.jpg.b6031db706a2eaaeb40006314b4fec30.jpg

 

As all the 'work' is in the corner, here is a more detailed view. You also get to see part of the LED lighting strips I'm adding to the underside of the Upper Level baseboards to shed some light onto the Lower Level baseboards.

908818309_20210117_120719-BaseboardD_resize.jpg.06ee1ba20b41ae39267f37250b2d87a5.jpg

 

Lower C is slightly more complicated as it has the 2-track Leicester Line and 4-track Mainlines coming in. These then combine through 3 turnouts into the 3-tracks that then connect to the 3-track Ramp.:read:

688117470_20210120_201358-BaseboardLowerC_resize.jpg.bdee67a985d3062d0f71318e47576fba.jpg

 

The 3-track Ramp connects in the lower-right corner of the above photo, for which a more detailed photo is included below. This also shows the 2-pin PCB socket (green) for the jumper cable that provides the Power Bus connection to the 3-track Ramp. With any luck, I might have even managed to correctly wire the microswitches this time.:no: We shall see.

1537587086_20210119_211601-BaseboardLowerC_resize.jpg.e51a49d5f88c91c12651759cc2f73391.jpg

 

With Baseboards C, D, E, & F now done that completes one complete side of the Upper Level baseboards. 4 down, 6 to go ...

 

Ian 

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Upper Level Baseboards - Wiring

 

I've finally turned a corner, well geographically, as I've been working on the wiring of Baseboard G that is next to the window. It's been another complicated baseboard with 9 servos, and a link to a 10th servo on Baseboard E.

 

The basics of the wiring is just as before:read:, but I've made an effort to try and 'simplify' it a bit by feeding turnouts and plain lines from the same little veroboard instead of keeping turnouts and plain line feeds on separate veroboards. I have to keep each veroboard separate for Power District and placement reasons, but this has helped.:yes:

 

Testing for short circuits went well until after the servos were installed. Suddenly there was a complete short across the Brewery Power District:angry:. The Brewery tracks are fed by 3 pairs of wires from the Brewery Power Bus to veroboards, so I unplugged them all and re-connected them one-at-a-time (the advantage of plugs & sockets) to see if I could isolate the issue to one of them. No dice. Complete short no matter which ones were connected:swoon:. A visual check of the wiring confirmed that back-to-black had been scrupulously followed.:(

 

I therefore theorised that I'd missed an IRJ on one of the turnout frogs. Yep.:banghead:

 

Installing an IRJ in already laid track is not great fun, but thankfully I could lift ~200mm of plain line adjacent to the turnout to allow for removal of the fishplate and to retrofit with an IRJ. I then re-glued the plain line to the underlay. Indeed, the underlay was in perfect condition, with the PVA glue leaving no trace at all. Neat, and the short circuit was banished.:good:

 

1193195465_20210124_114633-BaseboardG_resize.jpg.d5e30dc36e6f664f0bb3a038e6822013.jpg

 

Ian

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