Any Question Answered

[2mm Andy]

On 09/03/2021 at 18:39, Nick Mitchell said:

 

There's a nice photo of Edwards Sissling's converted Farish Crab on the back cover of the December 2009 2mm Magazine. It has the original valve gear with finescale wheels - could they be Ballantine wheels?

 

I suspect they probably are Ballantine wheels, so not an option unless you can find someone with a spare set for sale. I seem to recall Edward telling me that he'd replaced the Farish tender with one built from a BH Enterprises whitemetal kit. 

 

I wish Bachmann would do an updated version of the Crab (although it probably wouldn't be particularly easy to convert to 2FS if it followed the same mechanical design of recent steam loco releases).

 

Andy

[A. Bastow]

On 09/03/2021 at 18:39, Nick Mitchell said:

 

There's a nice photo of Edwards Sissling's converted Farish Crab on the back cover of the December 2009 2mm Magazine. It has the original valve gear with finescale wheels - could they be Ballantine wheels?

Thanks for pointing me to that image Nick. I have no idea what Ballantine wheels are, I would assume a manufacturer that no longer exists? 

 

Thanks for the pointer to BH Enterprises as well Andy, I didn't realise they did just separate tender kits. 

I might have to think about this one some more before committing to it! I should really finish the other projects that I have before moving on. 

 

[2mm Andy]

8 minutes ago, A. Bastow said:

Thanks for pointing me to that image Nick. I have no idea what Ballantine wheels are, I would assume a manufacturer that no longer exists? 

 

Thanks for the pointer to BH Enterprises as well Andy, I didn't realise they did just separate tender kits. 

I might have to think about this one some more before committing to it! I should really finish the other projects that I have before moving on. 

 

Neil Ballantine was a longstanding 2mm Scale Association member who produced a range of plastic-centred conversion wheels for the old design of Farish locos (when they were made in Dorset prior to the Bachmann takeover). Sadly Neil died a few years ago (he ceased production of the wheels long before then) but the Grampian and Forth & Clyde area groups are working to complete his 'Dunallander' layout;

 

https://2mmgrampianareagroup.blogspot.com/

 

Andy

 

[Caley Jim]

The Grampian group may have some of Neil's wheels that were among his effects.  I will email them and find out.

 

Jim

[Nick Mitchell]

4 hours ago, 2mm Andy said:

I wish Bachmann would do an updated version of the Crab (although it probably wouldn't be particularly easy to convert to 2FS if it followed the same mechanical design of recent steam loco releases).

I'd much prefer it if Nigel Hunt could be persuaded to do a proper 2mm kit for a crab. So far my persuasive powers have failed. Maybe I should lobby the Association products officer to commission a kit from him...

[A. Bastow]

1 hour ago, Nick Mitchell said:

I'd much prefer it if Nigel Hunt could be persuaded to do a proper 2mm kit for a crab. So far my persuasive powers have failed. Maybe I should lobby the Association products officer to commission a kit from him...

I have yet to put my Radial Tank together and I already have my eye on the Fowler Tank that he does, as well as the L&Y 0-8-0. A Crab would go down very well! 
 

The list of things to do grows ever longer!

Edited March 11, 2021 by A. Bastow

[Caley Jim]

I've been it touch with Roy and there are some suitable wheels still available.  I've PM'd @A. Bastowand , with Roy's permission, passed on Roy's email address.

 

Jim

[Nig H]

13 hours ago, Nick Mitchell said:

I'd much prefer it if Nigel Hunt could be persuaded to do a proper 2mm kit for a crab. So far my persuasive powers have failed. Maybe I should lobby the Association products officer to commission a kit from him...

Hello Nick,

 

I'd much prefer it if someone else would do an etch! Full kits take a long time to develop and I'd rather spend my time on other projects. I did look  at the Wild Swan book on the Crabs, and it struck me that the footplate might be difficult to design because the valance is so shallow. I suppose some sort of cradle below the valance  to retain its shape until the footplate was attached might work - who knows?

 

Nigel Hunt

[A. Bastow]

4 hours ago, Nig H said:

Hello Nick,

 

I'd much prefer it if someone else would do an etch! Full kits take a long time to develop and I'd rather spend my time on other projects. I did look  at the Wild Swan book on the Crabs, and it struck me that the footplate might be difficult to design because the valance is so shallow. I suppose some sort of cradle below the valance  to retain its shape until the footplate was attached might work - who knows?

 

Nigel Hunt

 

When I get my head around how to draw etches and have them successfully made then maybe I'll have a look at trying to do another simpler loco etch first and then I might attempt a Crab. Don't hold your breath though, it'll be years before it appears, if at all!

[Geordie Exile]

Not specifically a 2mm question, but here goes.  Is there such a thing as the electrical equivalent of a dead man's handle (a plug adaptor would be ideal) so if I go to bed and forget to switch my soldering iron off...  I know some irons come with this feature, but I don't want to buy a new one.  Yet.

[Jan W]

I solved this by powering all equipment on my workbench (lathe, mill, soldering iron, lamp, micro drill) from one switched socket block.

I always leave the lamp switch on, I only use the switch on the socket block. 

Impossible to forget to switch off power because the lamp will stay on then.

 

Jan

[dseagull]

1 hour ago, Geordie Exile said:

Not specifically a 2mm question, but here goes.  Is there such a thing as the electrical equivalent of a dead man's handle (a plug adaptor would be ideal) so if I go to bed and forget to switch my soldering iron off...  I know some irons come with this feature, but I don't want to buy a new one.  Yet.

 

Not tried it, but this ought to do the job...

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Energy-countdown-rundown-conserve-electricity/dp/B00U0AAM7Q/

[Nigelcliffe]

1 hour ago, Geordie Exile said:

Not specifically a 2mm question, but here goes.  Is there such a thing as the electrical equivalent of a dead man's handle (a plug adaptor would be ideal) so if I go to bed and forget to switch my soldering iron off...  I know some irons come with this feature, but I don't want to buy a new one.  Yet.

 

A timer plug would do it.  Just set it to run for 1hr, then off.    Cheap and readily available.  

[Donw]

I am with Jan on this one everything on one switch, doesn't have to be a light, works well if you have a radio plugged in. You can hear that outside the room.

My friend Frank had a railway room installed at the top of his house By the door was a big red switch turned off all power into the room.  As you left the room you just threw the switch and soldering irons electromagnets transformer all went off. He also had the stairlift extended up to the railway room.

 

Mind you since buying a quality (Hakko FX888D) soldering station it heats up so quick I just turn it off when I stop soldering.

 

Don

[Valentin]

On 14/03/2021 at 23:32, Donw said:

[...]

Mind you since buying a quality (Hakko FX888D) soldering station it heats up so quick I just turn it off when I stop soldering.

 

Don

Best soldering tool I have ever had - and I begun using a soldering iron when I was 8. Being able to set the tip temperature to as low as 50 ºC is priceless!

Edited March 16, 2021 by Valentin

[Geordie Exile]

1 hour ago, Valentin said:

Best soldering tool I have ever had - and I begun using a soldering iron when I was 8. Being able to set the tip temperature to as low as 50 ºC is priceless!

Hmm. It's my birthday this month...

[65179]

2 hours ago, Geordie Exile said:

Hmm. It's my birthday this month...

 

If you get one of these beware the fakes. I got one a few years ago for my birthday and what turned up looked right, but didn't have the quoted temperature range.  The replacement real item has served me very well.

 

Simon 

[Ian Morgan]

I was very lucky to pick one up in Maplins closing down sale, about half price

 

A full set of bits for it from Japan was almost the same price though.

 

[MrSimon]

Morning all,

 

Yesterday I finished my first point, it’s better than I thought it would be but I do have questions about the blades.  I used the versaline system with bullhead rail and solder blobs.

 

The Easytrac sleepers are after the end of the Versaline/PCB sleepers.  First question: The instructions said the blades should be upto the third sleeper, have I gone too far having them reach the toe end of the sleeper?

Second question: do I need to thin the curved blade more? I can get rolling stock through fine (including my Southern BV) but my L&Y 060 chassis sticks at the 6th sleeper - is this because the gauge is a little tight or because it’s an A5 and the track book was right about 6-coupled engines not being able to pass through?

 

Thanks in advance

Simon

[richbrummitt]

1 hour ago, MrSimon said:

Morning all,

 

Yesterday I finished my first point, it’s better than I thought it would be but I do have questions about the blades.  I used the versaline system with bullhead rail and solder blobs.

 

The Easytrac sleepers are after the end of the Versaline/PCB sleepers.  First question: The instructions said the blades should be upto the third sleeper, have I gone too far having them reach the toe end of the sleeper?

Second question: do I need to thin the curved blade more? I can get rolling stock through fine (including my Southern BV) but my L&Y 060 chassis sticks at the 6th sleeper - is this because the gauge is a little tight or because it’s an A5 and the track book was right about 6-coupled engines not being able to pass through?

 

Thanks in advance

Simon

 

First off: Well done!

 

First question: The position of the toe of the switch blades (for length) looks almost spot on to me. They should be just behind the edge of the timber according to prototype.

 

Second question: The gauge might be a bit tight. Looking at the image it seems to me more likely that there is not enough space for the flange between the switch/closure rail and the stock rail. Fortunately both these things are easy to measure at the point where you are finding the issue with the track building tools you have. Assuming it is one of these problems then easing the stock rail out should fix it regardless of which problem it actually is. 

 

 

[Caley Jim]

Well done @MrSimon! As @richbrummittas said, slight adjustment's of the gauge can make all the  difference and that's an advantage of soldered construction that you can do that. To my mind it's more important that things run through smoothly than having the tips of the blades in precisely the right place. I position the tip of the first switch I fit such that it is not tight to gauge against the opposite stock rail using a button gauge, irrespective of where it comes relative to sleepers, but then I'm not trying to reproduce the prototype in every precise detail.

 

Jim

Edited March 18, 2021 by Caley Jim
Typo

[Donw]

I would agree with what Rich and Jim as said. Looking at the photo is is unclear to me whether the curved blade has been filed with a straight taper. This can be very difficult to do.

Before fitting a blade I would check the a blade has an even taper  with a straight edge. The planed (i.e filed) bit of the blade should fit snuggly against the stock rail for the whole scale length of the taper. With Straight Switches and Semi curved switches (A, B,C etc. ) the running surface of the blade should be straight over the tapered section.  If you go for Curved Switches as used by the GWR  mainly post grouping these have the running surface curving tight to the tip. To make the tapered side straight against the rail it is planed so it is effectivley concave when planed but with the curve presents a straight edge to the stock rail.

A very slight gap is visible at the blade tip which suggests the blade may not be filed sufficient in the middle.  normally this does not cause a big problem but if the gauge is tight or the wheelset has a BtotB on the high side it could bind.

 

Don

 

ps is there a set in the curved stock rail?

 

Edited March 18, 2021 by Donw
adding post script

[MrSimon]

Thanks all,

 

Yeah there’s a slight gap right at the end of the blade - I wasn’t sure if this would right itself (or be righted) when I fit the tie bar.  Looking at the blade it could be thinner, especially in comparison to the straight blade.  I’m not sure what a set is?

 

I guess the question is now: so I take the blade off, thin the taper more and re-fit it, or most the stock rail slightly to get the tank engine into that siding and make sure I do the blades better on the next point? 

 

Also, @richbrummitt is that the straight stock rail or the curved?

 

Many thanks again

Simon

[richbrummitt]

39 minutes ago, MrSimon said:

Also, @richbrummitt is that the straight stock rail or the curved?

 

That depends on where you need the additional clearance. Does it run through on the main? If yes then leave the straight stock rail alone. I believe we are only discussing the curved route: If the problem only exists on the siding road then the curved stock rail might be adjusted. On the image it looks like you have slightly less clearance around timber 6 (counting all PCB timbers from the bottom of the image) between the switch/closure rail and the curved stock rail. It could be an optical illusion/camera distortion either. It is easy to check the gap because it should be at least 0.5mm and that happens to also be the width of our BH rail. If you look at the trackwork on Ogbourne (see the thread linked in my signature at least a few pages in) you will probably not notice immediately but I gauge widen through the switch to get the loose heels in at correct scale length. It is not possible to create the clearance at the end of the switch for the wheel to pass the switch/closure rail and stock rail opening (it's tighter than check gauge) and I open it up along the switch to about 0.2mm on both sides. What I am essentially suggesting is that you employ a similar trick, even though you are using flexible switches. Use your gauges to find out where the rail is not where it should be and move it. 

 

If the gauge and clearance is not the problem then there is another possible issue that comes to mind: If your engine fixed wheelbase has insufficient side-play to go around the tightest radius then you will require to gauge widen the whole of the tight part, or increase the avaiable side-side movement in the chassis.

 

A set is where a deliberate bend is put into the diverging stock rail, matching the planing of the straight line switch rail, at the toe of the switch and creating space for it. I don't think you have done this. 

[Donw]

Simon

 The reason I looked at the seating of the blade was that when I first started building pointwork I had problems with this until I learnt more about how real turnouts were made. The set matches the planing angle of the blade.  The rail is straight then for the length of the planing before curving away. 

A blades are at 1:24   planing lengths or 2mm rail     12mm

B blades are at 1:32                                                         16mm

C blades are at 1:40                                                          20mm

The set makes a good mating between the curved stock rail and the blade and helps avoid the end of the blade being hit by a wheel.  A google may be used in the straight stock rail to allow the blade tip to tuck behing the joggle.

 

For a first turnout you have done a good job. It is not uncommon to make two or three before you get one that works properly. If you follow Rich's suggestions you will have one that works. 

 

Don