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What's on your 3mm workbench


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The signal box is now complete and nameplate attached.  The full name of the station is Totleigh in the Wold which is straight out of the Jeeves and Wooster stories by P G Wodehouse.  It might be nice to include Totleigh Towers, the residence of Sir Watkyn Bassett on the layout backscene.

The nameplate was etched for me (along with the station running-in board by my good friend Brian Golding.

20191219_232303.jpg

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Well done. That was quick (by my standards!). I've not got around to managing door knobs yet. One thing I didn't use on my current layout was point rodding; still wondering if it is worth it in our scale.

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A bit of progress on the bridge. Here it and the abutments are loosely in place. Calculations went astray slightly; I need to either lower the bridge by a couple of mm or so, or build up the road to that level. I'm thinking of the latter.

 

h1020411.jpg.c55f4309c10a3826bc427ea6a90a564e.jpg

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11 hours ago, NCB said:

One thing I didn't use on my current layout was point rodding; still wondering if it is worth it in our scale.

I thought about including it on my last layout (Chipping Compton) but didn't in the end. Some rodding stools in whitemetal might be nice for the new project.

But then again perhaps it's one of those things that is best left off if it doesn't look perfect ?

Edited by 4109
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I guess the eye can envisage so not doing well will grate so perhaps best  left off. Where turnouts have  sleeper wide tiebars with out of track connection to a point op mechanism , at the location of visual  interest the most obvious model over real will be on show, rodding will stop short cranks in the way and perhaps no point locks possible. 

 

However if timber covers as on the Highland were employed subterfuge might be successful.  I can recommend the 2mmfs booklet on rodding design will put all plans into a working order!   

Robert  

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Modelu does point rodding stools in 4mm & 7mm, probably could be persuaded to do them in 3mm:

https://www.modelu3d.co.uk/product-category/detailing-components/infrastructure-detailing/point-rodding/

 

Think one would have to have the right sort of layout design to accommodate them, and design them in from the start. My current layout is a bit too compressed to put them in without looking odd. For the same sort of reason, my signals are token only; if I signalled it as per the prototype it would look too crowded.

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Civil engineering works on the layout are still progressing, latest project is yet another bridge:

 

Bridge.JPG.1a16f9bac121f1c78148db2073458d17.JPG

 

The four girder spans are from the the Tri-ang T.104 bridge set, picked up out of the 3mm Society 2nd hand "50p an item" rummage box at a society meet some years ago on a "you never know..." basis, and the abutments/bridge decks are scratch-built from 1mm sheet plastikard.

 

Although as it is now on a curve I suspect I have made the spans about 5mm too narrow (the original idea was it was going to be on a straight) and there will be clearance problems as a result, so I may still need to take a razorsaw to them...

 

 

 

Edited by TT-Pete
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Could you make the track as sharp as possible on the piers and as shallow a curve as possible on the actual deck?

 

I used to have a Triang 00 bridge but unfortunately the plastic went off and became brittle.

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The rear of the layout consists essentially of retaining walls. I've just extended them to meet the embankment with the bridge at the the end of the the layout.

 

m1020414.jpg.aa0ea1d412c34cf5b12609ed68c5c3fc.jpg

 

Most of the retaining walls are made from Noch N scale products, as here. They are easy to cut to fit the space and have good relief. I paint them to keep things reasonably uniform, using something like Tamiya dark sea grey; do it lightly and you can retain something of the underlying colour, and also get the joints looking slightly different. These here need tidying up and capping slabs (plasticard rectangles) added. I mix different sorts of wall and add various angles to provide variation at the back.

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On 19/01/2020 at 18:08, NCB said:

Could you make the track as sharp as possible on the piers and as shallow a curve as possible on the actual deck?

 

Actually slicing them down the middle and inserting a 5mm strip was surprisingly easy, if anything they look a bit more in proportion now;

 

Bridge2.JPG.1479495d05ad694d465b78b59faf74f0.JPG

 

I'm hoping that now gives enough clearance so that coach overhang doesn't hit the bridge, or a train coming the other way, but if it's still too tight I'll wiggle it about a bit like you suggest...

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
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Hello everybody,

 

I've finally managed to work out how to insert photos into my replies (using my phone) so here is a glimpse of what is currently keeping my mind occupied.

 

You can see one of two F&S J50's that are at about the same stage of construction...stalled over Christmas when I got to rolling the boilers...but work about to restart....soon !

 

2 3D prints arrived in the post from Simon Dawson via Shapeways (very quickly I might add.) The A5 has been married with a part built chassis that came via Caroline at the 3mm Soc 2nd hand, which will fit the body perfectly once I trim 1mm off the chassis' rear, I already have some wheels so this should progress quickly, hopefully, although the body is printed in WSF which needs quite a bit of preparation to smooth the surface by all accounts.

 

The little Manning Wardle 'Bamburgh' is printed in SFD and is a fair bit smoother, it's a lovely little model but I've already managed to break off one set of steps which is why it's at an angle, should be easy to repair and strengthen though. This is not on the priority list for the moment and a bit of chassis planning will be required but I've already successfully built a couple of smaller locos (Y7 and a Peckett.

 

Don't hold your breath for progress though as I'm not renowned for it ! LoL.

 

Regards,

Ian.

8EA0B045-3BC8-4EC1-B9A3-13A3FDF8206C.jpeg

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Nice! I might be able to find room for a Manning Wardle. I find SFD fine for this sort of thing. But I've broken the front steps off a Cambrian Albion from Sparkshot on Shapeways, like you, and have given up trying to reattach them so will probably order another; there was a mistake with the splashers which has since been corrected, so that'll solve that problem as well.

 

Nigel

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Bit more progress in the overbridge area. It's coming together, slowly...m1020415.jpg.e874e972883ecee620daa39733cbae00.jpg

 

Basics of the roadway put down, walled buttresses added to girder ends, and the basics of the rear retaining walls almost complete.

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Here are my two latest excursions into 1:100 scale structures.

 

IMG_4026small.JPG.ea72c9cf1e427a094f2d8c7a593ebbaa.JPG

 

The bridge is a slightly stretched version of Eric Ilett's drawing of a GWR road bridge in "Eric Plans". I've omitted the bridge wings and shown it as part of an elevated road with retaining walls, rather than an embankment. Made mostly from cardstock, or 3mm MDF with card facings, and Scalescenes texture sheets scaled to 76%, plus some old 1/76 railings that I cut down!

 

IMG_4030_small.JPG.540cbfa7dc636b8a013fc62c45ed6598.JPG

 

I hesitate to put up pics of unfinished work, but I took this at the same time as the bridge pic. It is a partly low-relief model of an imaginary maltings. This is (very!) loosely based on John Ahern's illustration of a Welsh warehouse, but with an extra storey added, plus a scaled down chimney from the Scalescenes factory/warehouse download. Slates, guttering, downpipes, etc, yet to do.  Mostly from cardstock but roof and front projection from flooring grade foam, with card facings.

 

Cheers, Mike

Edited by Spotlc
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On 06/02/2020 at 22:28, 03060 said:

The little Manning Wardle 'Bamburgh' is printed in SFD and is a fair bit smoother, it's a lovely little model but I've already managed to break off one set of steps which is why it's at an angle, should be easy to repair and strengthen though. This is not on the priority list for the moment and a bit of chassis planning will be required but I've already successfully built a couple of smaller locos (Y7 and a Peckett.

 

 

 

 

Bamburgh is a larger class of Manning Wardle than the I/K class ones on the Selsey Tramway. I'm not sure of the wheelbase of that but the I class wheelbase in 3mm scale is pretty damn close to a GWR Pannier in N. Might be worth a look. I have a N gauge Pannier from Dapol which would work but for the way the stub axles have been made. Longer stub axles would need to be 3D printed and I'm not sure I have the skill set for that. The Grafar pannier might be better

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On 13/02/2020 at 16:23, whart57 said:

 

Bamburgh is a larger class of Manning Wardle than the I/K class ones on the Selsey Tramway. I'm not sure of the wheelbase of that but the I class wheelbase in 3mm scale is pretty damn close to a GWR Pannier in N. Might be worth a look. I have a N gauge Pannier from Dapol which would work but for the way the stub axles have been made. Longer stub axles would need to be 3D printed and I'm not sure I have the skill set for that. The Grafar pannier might be better

 

Hello Wim,

 

Thanks for the suggestion, I haven't considered using an N gauge chassis before in 3mm. I certainly have a Dapol Pannier and I think that I have a BGF one also so I shall have a look at these over the W/end. 'Bamburgh' was a MW 'L' class with a large cab, it had a total w/base of 10'9" (5'5"+5'4") and 3'6" wheels. I had originally thought about using a 3SMR set of frames for the 08 but I think that these would be 5'9"+5'9" but I will check them anyway (you never know.)

 

One of the reasons that I said that the chassis would need a bit of thought is that Simon's print includes the full diameter of the boiler and a full footplate underneath (I'll post a picture later) and so I will be trying to remove only what is necessary. I will also be considering scratchbuilt frames and a High Level gearbox which I fitted into the Y7, I think that the Peckett has a 2-stage Branchlines box in it. The loco is not particularly high on my very long 'to do' list but it would be a shame to leave it lying around for too long, the body is probably also suitable for 'Cawood' and possibly 'Arthur' which I think were also 'L' class locos, I have the MW of Leeds book to hand in my modelling room.

 

If you want basic dimensions of the printed model I can measure it for you to see if it would give you a suitable starting point for an 'I', 'Old I' or a 'K' class if you like.

 

Regards,

Ian.

Edited by 03060
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The underside of the MW 'Bamburgh' as supplied (with footstep s/glued back on (my fault !))

8EA5C418-257B-454B-9400-12CE99E2EB58.jpeg

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I've got a High Level Roadrunner and a couple of Branchlines 2 stage and single stage gearboxes in stock to try out but I need to get some wheels from Andy Shillito and I'll probably try one of the small motors that he sells also. I've a couple of part built small locos (Ruston 165ds and an EE deisel) that require the chassis building so I'll probably try and do all 3 at the same time .....after the J50's and the A5 (for which I realised the 2nd hand chassis I'd bought was 14.2 and not 12mm gauge - oh well, it isn't any more !)

 

Regards,

Ian.

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On 17/02/2020 at 21:22, NCB said:

I've started using the Tramfabriek coreless motors:

https://tramfabriek.nl/motors.html

 

I've used the 8x16mm OK (see the start of this thread), and have the 6x15mm, which I haven't tried in earnest but under test seems fine.

 

Nigel

 

Get your stock in before December though ........

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4 hours ago, whart57 said:

 

Get your stock in before December though ........

 

Not sure about that. Tramfabriek appears to be split between Netherlands and UK. I've an idea the motors are from the UK.

 

By the way, noticed that they stock worm/gear for Tenshodo Spud motor bogies. Could be useful for some projects.

 

Nigel

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18 hours ago, NCB said:

 

Not sure about that. Tramfabriek appears to be split between Netherlands and UK.

 

 

That's the sort of thing that makes businesses vulnerable. Filling out a form for a delivery to a customer is tedious but doable, having to treat two halves of a business as separate entities for the purpose of revenue and customs is a much bigger problem. And something I doubt those who voted for this mess ever considered.

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The bridge finished and in place, track has been laid (a bit wiggly admittedly as it's just a bit tight in places - a widening of 7mm would have been better than 5mm) and I have been experimenting with some scenics. I can only trundle trains back and forth at the moment as the other half of the circuit is still missing, but as they say, "owt is better than nowt"...

 

feb01.JPG.910e69d678c9b7968afce0a47691ac77.JPG

feb02.JPG.5072a8e61a373e89c041f2717ad0a1fb.JPG

Edited by TT-Pete
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