RMweb Premium nick_bastable Posted February 13, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 13, 2012 Stuart leave it and return Ive been tweeking a crossover for the last couple of hours which is better but far from perfect so I will leave it now for a couple of day and then see Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartM Posted February 13, 2012 Author Share Posted February 13, 2012 Cheers boys, as someone who taught me a long time ago used to tell me " A man who never makes mistake never makes nothing" Even the great IKB made a few clangers in his time, like you say walk away and come back to it in a few weeks time. Good luck with the crossover Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted February 14, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 14, 2012 Sometimes tweaking something to get it right you learn what was wrong in the first place whch is useful. Other times you feel like scraping something and starting over which is fine as long as you don't get the same problem. I have driven brass pins in and soldered rail to them to get it into the right spot when having trouble. Ballast and some black paint can hide a few sins. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartM Posted April 10, 2012 Author Share Posted April 10, 2012 It's been a while since my last post, but now I'm back with the mkII version. I hope to take all the things I learned making the first version and transfer them into this one, minus the mistakes For a start this version is being built on a baseboard of 3mm aluminum sheet so hopefully no warping or uneven spots this time. The sleepers have all been glued into place and the slots cut for the turnout mechanisms, all that remains now is to cut the isolating sections into the sleepers, drill the holes for the droppers and solder on the chairs, then the track laying can commence. This time round I'm not going to faff around with easitrack chairs, instead I'll just solder the rails to the chairs; there are some very fine 2mm layouts that use this technique and unless you look closely you don't really notice. It will probably be awhile now until my next post Rgds, Stuart Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 Hi Stuart Watch for shorts from droppers and Turnout operating wires etc. Have you used baseboards of this construction before? There are things I would want to know first before doing any complicated track work. We know that wood contracts and metal expands in heat. How would this affect the structure of the board? Will it have no effect? Will it twist or will the wooden frame fail as some point? We usually lay track allowing for expansion. Will the aluminium expand more that the track? Should you allow for contraction of the track instead? Just a few thoughts Cheers Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold martin_wynne Posted April 10, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 10, 2012 Hi Stuart, You have the check rails missing from the template along the outer slip road rails. regards, Martin. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted April 10, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 10, 2012 Very neatly timbered Stuart. As you say soldered track can look pretty good. I do think the chairplates make quite a difference. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartM Posted April 11, 2012 Author Share Posted April 11, 2012 Thanks Jim your comments are appreciated Heat expansion is not something I have considered if I'm being honest. I don't know what the expansion property's of Aluminum are but the sheet is approx 6x18" and is 3mm thick so I would imagine any expansion will be minimal but perhaps I could slot the screw holes attaching the metal to the wood supports to allow for any diametrically opposed forces. As for the droppers I always use insulated wires so no problem there and the turnout operating wires are fully isolated from each other so again no problem that I can see, although I have an idea regarding the turnout mechanism which I intend to try out when I get there, so watch this space on that one. Thanks Martin, Although I can now create your standard double slip in Templot, something as complex as the outside slip is still beyond me so the template that I created is more of a guide than an absolute. I was aware of the missing check rails I just didn't know how to add them in Templot, but it's genuinely nice to know that someone of your experience and knowledge is keeping an eye on me and pointing me in the right direction from time to time. Thanks Don Easitrack is brilliant but I agree chairplates and solder can look good as well. Rgds all, Stuart Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyvern Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 I would probably advise making your baseboard from good quality plywood (6mm birch ply) I found softwood too likely to warp. Is it possible to save the track from the previous board ? Either way track is clearly your thing, its quite amazing to look at such intricate trackwork formations. Cheers Guy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartM Posted May 26, 2012 Author Share Posted May 26, 2012 I've been busy with real life so progress has been slow, However here are a couple of photos showing the current state of play. The first set of trackwork was made up as I went along using a 12" rule to try and get everything straight but this didn't work very well. But now I've got a template to work from and I know what I'm doing I've used a 36" steel rule to try and create as straight a length of rail through the entire trackwork as possible and now I've got one side finished I can use that straight edge to build the remaining rails off off, so hopefully this piece of trackwork will provide much smoother running. Also by this time the original wooden board had warped but this metal one has remained dead flat Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted May 26, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 26, 2012 Nice to see your trackwork featured in the 2mm Mag. I find thin battens very usefull as they will form a very nice curve. In full size there are often curves its wiggles that you have to avoid. Mind you whoever laid this could have done with your straight edge and probably a better baseboard. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_nicole Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 I wish I had found this thread before I re-drew your track plan for the 2mm mag. I hope that it bears some resemblance to your intentions ! Very impressive work. Regards, Chris Nicole Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartM Posted June 1, 2012 Author Share Posted June 1, 2012 I wish I had found this thread before I re-drew your track plan for the 2mm mag. I hope that it bears some resemblance to your intentions ! Very impressive work. Regards, Chris Nicole Thanks Chris, your drawing was far better than the one I submitted with the article. The intention "at the moment" is to keep the track plan as per the diagram and I have a very definate picture in my head as to how I want this small layout to look; we all have our own distinctive styles of modelling so I guess for an idea of how this "might" look , take a look at my scissorslips project that morphed into a 2mm service point in the 2011 diorama competition. Meanwhile back at the work bench; I have a tenancy to dip in and out of projects as the mood takes me and having sorted out some of the running issues I'm currently reworking the Mk1 version of the double slip, hopefully transferring it to a slightly larger board and adding some additional track and pointwork to create a totally different layout more to follow if it works out. Glad you liked the article Pete More to follow as and when Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartM Posted June 3, 2012 Author Share Posted June 3, 2012 The mk1 slip has now been moved to it's new baseboard, I still have to fit the turnout operating mechs and then see if it all still works and to help me do that I've knocked up a very Heath Roberson transparent track test truck which allows me to actually see what's happening to the wheels as they pass over the rails. (If anyone from the 2mm assoc or ngauge committees is reading this how about making a production model) I've also included a photo of a syringe that I cobbled together from two different sources that I use to apply solder paste to the chair/rail join. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Stuart I like the test truck, being a 6 wheeler are there any problems with the center wheels being fixed? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartM Posted June 3, 2012 Author Share Posted June 3, 2012 Stuart I like the test truck, being a 6 wheeler are there any problems with the center wheels being fixed? I purposely used 6 wheels as the slip has been built for use by a class 04 and the curves are very tight, so I need to know that the shunters 6 fixed wheels will traverse the curves, if you read back through some of the earlier posts this is explained in more detail. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbrummitt Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 I like the transparent 'loco', what livery will it be finished in? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 I like the transparent 'loco', what livery will it be finished in? It's already finished correctly as "Emperor" from the Danish HCA line. - Nigel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartM Posted June 10, 2012 Author Share Posted June 10, 2012 I've decided to run with the MK1 version for a while but with a slightly altered track layout creating a small diorama of a station throat. Sleepers have been laid, and a length of enamelled wire used as horizontal plumb line to provide me with a straight line to work too. Some chairs have been soldered in place and a small section of new rail added. The MK2 will still be finished to the original track plan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartM Posted June 23, 2012 Author Share Posted June 23, 2012 Still working on the Mk1 version but in the process my point mechanisms have evolved once more. Originally I followed the prescribed method of making up small brass lugs that had to be soldered to the brass tubes and then drill holes in the lugs for adjustment and fixing, but to be honest this is very long winded and boring process and is fraught failure in my experience, so I gave the matter some thought and came up with the simple improvement of taking some 3.5 x 3mm plastic rod and drilling 2 x 1mm holes 8.5mm apart through the longer side of the rod using a bench drill and then friction fitting the brass tubes through the holes. This works much better for me for the following reasons.... 1. Much easier and quicker to construct 2. Much easier to get the brass tubes right up to the bottom of the rail as the tubes can be pushed up to fit 3. The plastic rod through which the tubes are fitted acts as a stop bar to limit the movement of the slide bar. 4. The brass tubes can be adjusted (bent) with long nose pliers if need be. The whole assembly is screwed to the underside of the board using M2 screws You'll notice in the forth photo a straight comparison between this mech and one using the brass lug method You'll also notice one of the 0.33mm droppers from the rail is bent over at the end of one of the brass tubes, this is because the rail was sitting slightly higher than the stock rail and by bending the dropper over slightly this lowers the switch blade to the correct profile The last photo shows the result from the track side Time will tell if this is a reliable method but for now I'm very pleased with the results Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium nick_bastable Posted June 23, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 23, 2012 I use a similar method as original advocated by Geoff Jones but mount the tube on right angle brass held to the sliding rod with a nut and bolt one right angle is slotted to allow some adjustment to the throw gauge Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartM Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 The Mk I version with the revised track plan is coming along nicely Not perfect, lots of flaws and mistakes etc but I learn something new with each turnout built and each new turnout is better than the one before I finally feel like I'm getting the hang of this track building malarkey. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Stuart I am very impressed with the method you are using building these turnouts. I have built many turnouts myself including a couple of outside slips. I take an easier route (well easier for me that is ) building my turnout complexes, but stand back in admiration of the build from the view of the first photo, especially as its in 2mm scale Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartM Posted July 6, 2012 Author Share Posted July 6, 2012 My transparent truck is proving very useful when trying to find where those annoying tight spots are, especially through frogs Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartM Posted July 6, 2012 Author Share Posted July 6, 2012 The trackwork is coming along nicely, I'm quite pleased with the diamond crossing through the top of the tandem turnout Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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