johnsmithuk Posted October 19, 2020 Author Share Posted October 19, 2020 The postman was early today, but he had a nice parcel for me. Point motors and a CDU. I'm not yet at the point of installing them, but it is great they have arrived. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmithuk Posted October 19, 2020 Author Share Posted October 19, 2020 (edited) Today is the last day before my work cycle starts for four shifts. Making the most of the weather being dry, I made a start on the box for the control panel. It still needs a 'light' sanding and some paint. Edited October 19, 2020 by johnsmithuk Add photo 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmithuk Posted October 22, 2020 Author Share Posted October 22, 2020 Small update, with a picture. The postman has been playing Santa again and dropped of the Metcalfe two road shed I ordered, along with some rolling roads. Kadee conversion. After checking the height roughly earlier, some epoxy has been acquired and used to fill the old hole in the wagon, to allow a new one to be drilled. A small sticker is across the bottom, and air bubbles have been expelled, I'll see how it has set tomorrow morning after my nightshift. Small picture below. Thanks for reading. John 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmithuk Posted October 23, 2020 Author Share Posted October 23, 2020 Dare I celebtrate a small success? The epoxy set nicely, and a 1.5mm hole was drilled in it. One screw later and my first ever Kadee is fitted!!!!! Pictures below, feel free to pull apart my working as this is a learning exercise. John 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmithuk Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 Experimentation has shown the No. 5's are too short for the wagons, so a longer version is on order. The cork is laid out and weighted down to try and flatten it a bit before glueing down as they were rolled tight. More epoxy has been poured in readiness for the new couplings arriving. The plan for tomorrow is to glue the SMS boards together aswell as using the bolts provided, and then complete the sides and back top rails of the exoskeleton on the baseboards. At this point the cork can be glued down and then final track placement can commence. 1mm copper rod has arrived for passing power from the bus to the rails. I am hoping this can simplify and help create a stable platform for the electrics. The plan at the moment is to the feed into terminal block before joining to the bus, allowing for easier removal if needed. Thanks for reading my inane ramblings. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmithuk Posted October 26, 2020 Author Share Posted October 26, 2020 More slight movement forwards. The SMS sections are now glued, and the cork has been cut and glued down too. The surface is lovely and smooth. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmithuk Posted October 27, 2020 Author Share Posted October 27, 2020 I had a thought this morning, (dangerous, I know), I'm intending putting in a few point motors, and I have never used a point motor in my life. I decided some practice was in order. Using my beyond basic joinery skills I put together a tiny baseboard to run a test layout on bodged together some offcuts to make a test piece. Picture below for you to mock. I have drilled out a hole for the bar for the point actuator, and a few holes for droppers, not all will be used. As well as practising the fitting of the motors, it will allow me to practice ballasting away from the main board too. Track placement on the layout itself has been tested and checked for clearence of the exoskeleton, as the intention is to run stock off the board to a fiddle casette at some point. A road bridge will act as a scenic break. Thanks for looking. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmithuk Posted October 28, 2020 Author Share Posted October 28, 2020 (edited) Today I decided to start practicing my card construction techniques. Before commencing on the Metcalfe two road shed, I built the workman's hut that is included. This was my first ever card building, and it went together reasonably smoothly, and took about an hour to complete. I did not glue the roof, based on using it to practice lighting a building. I intend to practice detailing and weathering on this building too. Edited October 28, 2020 by johnsmithuk 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve1 Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 Not a criticism, but I was thinking your support structure and 'picture frame' timber looks a bit on the substantial side and, I suspect, weighty. Maybe a bit of over engineering? Your layout, Rule 1 etc, obviously but just an observation. Looking good though. steve 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmithuk Posted October 28, 2020 Author Share Posted October 28, 2020 2 hours ago, steve1 said: Not a criticism, but I was thinking your support structure and 'picture frame' timber looks a bit on the substantial side and, I suspect, weighty. Maybe a bit of over engineering? Your layout, Rule 1 etc, obviously but just an observation. Looking good though. steve You are more than likely correct. I just prefer to go over the top on some things. Should I need to move the layout, I'm sure I can find some helping hands. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmithuk Posted October 28, 2020 Author Share Posted October 28, 2020 Very quick update, the walls of the two road shed are complete and drying. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmithuk Posted October 29, 2020 Author Share Posted October 29, 2020 That was a morning well spent. The roof isn't glued down, as the plan is for lighting to be added, and I'd like to see the planned detailing inside. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmithuk Posted November 5, 2020 Author Share Posted November 5, 2020 Work has continued on the test track. Soldering is being practiced, and apart from a slighty melted sleeper, it seems to have gone ok. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AireValley1962 Posted November 9, 2020 Share Posted November 9, 2020 On 05/11/2020 at 09:53, johnsmithuk said: Work has continued on the test track. Soldering is being practiced, and apart from a slighty melted sleeper, it seems to have gone ok. A trick I tried on my layout when soldering droppers to the track was to cut away one or two sleepers, solder the wire in the empty space, and then insert two new sleepers with the chairs cut off flush with the top of the sleeper. Then you don't have to worry about melted sleepers and can make sure the iron is nice and hot for a quick, solid joint of wire and rail. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmithuk Posted November 11, 2020 Author Share Posted November 11, 2020 On 09/11/2020 at 00:31, AireValley1962 said: A trick I tried on my layout when soldering droppers to the track was to cut away one or two sleepers, solder the wire in the empty space, and then insert two new sleepers with the chairs cut off flush with the top of the sleeper. Then you don't have to worry about melted sleepers and can make sure the iron is nice and hot for a quick, solid joint of wire and rail. That is so simple, it is amazing. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmithuk Posted November 15, 2020 Author Share Posted November 15, 2020 Wall building has gone well. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmithuk Posted November 16, 2020 Author Share Posted November 16, 2020 Everything built in it's temporary homes. A second pack of retaining wall is on its way to me, depending on how the bridge scenic break ends up, a third may be required. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmithuk Posted November 16, 2020 Author Share Posted November 16, 2020 A first idea for the exit of the works. The wood on the track represents buffers where old track was lifted and removed, leaving a stub for the works. A girder sided bridge will go over, concealing the exit to a fiddle yard/stick. Fencing would go behind the buffers, with a gate across the track to feed onto the network rails. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmithuk Posted November 24, 2020 Author Share Posted November 24, 2020 A little more card/MDF construction has happened. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmithuk Posted November 25, 2020 Author Share Posted November 25, 2020 Today has been a coupling day. The new longer couplings arrived weeks ago, and today I decided to try and fit them. After some small amount of course language, they line up with the guide, and each other!!!! Pics below. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmithuk Posted December 5, 2020 Author Share Posted December 5, 2020 After a work and birthday enforced break, modelling has resumed. The third set of retaining walls arrived and have been put together. Soldering practice has continued, slowly getting better. All the tests have been tested electrically and the current flows nicely through the joints. I think this clears the last mental barrier before laying track. So, next step is soldering for real, and getting track fixed down. Some pictures of my attempts are below. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougidle Posted December 6, 2020 Share Posted December 6, 2020 Hi John - I'm enjoying watching your build which is progressing a lot quicker than mine! I was curious how you're getting on with the couplings as I'm thinking of trying them out too. Do they just clip into pockets to replace the stock ones or did you have to do anything special to fit them? Thanks, Doug 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmithuk Posted December 6, 2020 Author Share Posted December 6, 2020 3 hours ago, dougidle said: Hi John - I'm enjoying watching your build which is progressing a lot quicker than mine! I was curious how you're getting on with the couplings as I'm thinking of trying them out too. Do they just clip into pockets to replace the stock ones or did you have to do anything special to fit them? Thanks, Doug All of my stock is quite old/ebay bargains so I am having to customise as I go along. The kits I buy have draft boxes that hold the coupling via a screw. Some surgery is required, and liberal use of epoxy to create somewhere to mount the boxes. Anything I buy from now I will ensure has NEM pockets, but that is an aspiration at present. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmithuk Posted December 7, 2020 Author Share Posted December 7, 2020 More soldering testing today. For a change from rails, I decided to have a go at setting up a test for the point motors. After as carefully as possible getting wires attached to a switch and point motor, the CDU, a power supply, some termial block and bits of wire were all combined. Power was switched on. No sparks or explosion. The switch was moved. The point rod/arm moved!!!!!! Success!!!!! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmithuk Posted December 8, 2020 Author Share Posted December 8, 2020 Last day before my next work cycle, and decided to try a little scenic scratch building for the first time ever. I wanted a gantry type crane over the loading bay and part of the track to unload deliveries and create some scenic interest. The crane will be non-working, but the idea is to be able to pose it so that it looks well used, but not so much nowadays. I ordered some I-beam plasticard a few weeks ago, and today set about it with a stanley knife and Mek Pak. I'm not sure it is 100% prototypical, more something built on site locally. The rise of HIAB trucks has removed most of its uses, so it will be a bit dilapidated. Paint, weathering and some form of block and tackle are still to add, but I am happy so far. Pictures below. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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