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Chassis jigs


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  • RMweb Gold
3 minutes ago, Rhb Simon said:

I've used both the hobby holidays & avonside for both 4 & 7mm buildings they are both exceptional pieces of kit. 

When I gave up building for people I sold the hobby holiday 7mm jig on & kept my avonside for my 4mm builds. I still use it to this day having built well over 200 locos on my trusty jig. It's well worth the investment & would reccomend it highly. 

I've never like the idea of wood for a chassis jig as the thought was that holes will loosen in soft material etc.

 

Depends on how many locos you are building & how much you can afford. I went with the buy the best tool for the job you can, I've invested heavily in tools but I was a full time model maker.

 

A good observation, professional and DIY tools do the same jobs, but selection is based on usage/accuracy/price.

 

Mike.

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My own formula for buying a tool is based on I*T*H*N where:

 

I = improvement in results achieved using the tool

T = time saved

H = hourly value of hobby time

N = number of times the tool is used

 

If you're a reasonably well-heeled (or time starved) and eager rookie then you will assign high values to all these variables and will be likely to buy the tool.

 

If few or none of these apply you will be likely to say that the tool is a luxury on forums like this. 

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As I said, I have a Hobby Holidays jig which I bought second hand otherwise I would never have considered the cost worth while. However in two cases I have found it invaluable and so glad I bought it.

 

Like wise I bought a temperature controlled soldering iron, super bit of kit

 

as for the I*T*H*N

 

I   very much so

T  again quite a lot

H  hard to establish

N  not as important as I&T

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2 hours ago, Rhb Simon said:

I've used both the hobby holidays & avonside for both 4 & 7mm buildings they are both exceptional pieces of kit. 

When I gave up building for people I sold the hobby holiday 7mm jig on & kept my avonside for my 4mm builds. I still use it to this day having built well over 200 locos on my trusty jig. It's well worth the investment & would reccomend it highly. 

I've never like the idea of wood for a chassis jig as the thought was that holes will loosen in soft material etc.

 

Depends on how many locos you are building & how much you can afford. I went with the buy the best tool for the job you can, I've invested heavily in tools but I was a full time model maker.

 

Wouldn't disagree with any of that.  But I'm unlikely to build much more than a dozen loco chasses at most... if I get that far... and early results with the Poppy jig have been encouraging.

 

Alasdair

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold
19 minutes ago, 26power said:

Am I right in recalling a write up of the Hobby Holidays chassis jig in MRJ?  If so is anybody easily able to advise what issue it is was in, before I start ploughing through back numbers?

 

https://www.modelrailwayjournal.com/index.php?o=title&s=&t=All&g=0&x=45&y=14

 

Mike.

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Two on eBay at the moment 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HOLIDAY-HOBBIES-CHASSIS-MASTER-FOR-KIT-BUILDING/254745956612?hash=item3b500ad104:g:wrEAAOSwRKRfg2ec

 

Quite a saving on the RRP

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hobby-Holidays-7mm-O-Gauge-Master-Chassis-3-Axle-Jig-Without-Rolling-Road-Units/303708088455?hash=item46b669a887:g:ANIAAOSwx~dfNwl7

 

No rolling road and 7 mm scale  BUT spares can be bought from Phil to convert to 4mm scale.  The axles are quite cheap and do you need another rolling road, or can be added if required

 

OK it might in the short term mean missing out on one loco kit, but these are very useful for building etched chassis. I paid just over half of these prices for mine (which is a 5 axle version) bought 7 mm axles quite cheaply and nice to know if I ever tire of it I can recoup my outlay

Edited by hayfield
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  • RMweb Gold

This is a little outside of the OP, but relative none the less. I have just signed up for the Missenden Modellers virtual event happening this weekend. One of the events being offered is a Kit Building Q&A session . Well worth signing up for as questions/advice on chassis construction/use of jigs is likely to be high on the agenda.

 

Registration closes tomorrow!

 

https://www.missendenrailwaymodellers.org.uk/index.php/autumn-weekend-2020-online-event/

 

Ian

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  • 3 years later...
  • RMweb Gold
3 hours ago, EHertsGER said:

With the demise of Eileen’s Emporium, who is picking up the business of supporting the Avonside jig with spares, such as the axle rods?

 

I think only Derek could answer that, it was his project.

 

Mike.

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4 hours ago, EHertsGER said:

With the demise of Eileen’s Emporium, who is picking up the business of supporting the Avonside jig with spares, such as the axle rods?

 

I would imagine its down to the individuals who own them, I would try the local engineering societies

 

I have a Mk 3 Scalefour timber punching and press machine. I brought it second hand and the punch head was bent, in trying to straighten it the punch pin snapped off. Several years later I found a machinist via a friend who very kindly turned me up another

 

Or find a local machine shop and order some (you would have to give them the specifications).  

 

 

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