edubs Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Hi Jerry. Great work, but what happened to the other S&DJR open? Also, is the MR open a 3D print or is that from the Association kit? Cheers, Eddie. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBS Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 IN addition to all those wagons Jerry has also done an excellent job of editing MRJ 244 a lot of content of interest to 2mm modellers. Don Jerry,MRJ 244 - lovely edition. Congratulations. John See you soon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold queensquare Posted January 22, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 22, 2016 Hi Jerry. Great work, but what happened to the other S&DJR open? Also, is the MR open a 3D print or is that from the Association kit? Cheers, Eddie. Hi Eddie, the other SDJR open was still in the stock box - I forgot it! The MR open is an Association kit. They are all weathered now so I'll do some more photos when I get a minute. Jerry, MRJ 244 - lovely edition. Congratulations. John See you soon Many thanks John, hopefully catch up next week, Jerry 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Higgs Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 Not 2mm, but I came across this whilst tidying my railway room today. I built it when I was still at school. Apperently I used to be able to solder whitemetal back then using just a 12V soldering iron connected to my H&M Duette. These days I cannot manage it even with fancy temperature controlled equipment. Chris 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Jim Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 My latest sheet of trial etches came from the etchers a few days ago and I've been building what is the second trial etch for a 20ft Stevens Caledonian signal (with CR spectacles). I was able to make a working signal from the first trial etch, but I wasn't happy with the way the post was formed, so redesigned it. It's not perfect by any means! The post is slightly distorted and there is a broken rung on the ladder, but it will pass the 2' test which I'll accept. I painted the arm before fitting it and intended to paint the post before too, but then realised that once I had fitted the ladder, I wouldn't be able to get at the back blinder to solder it onto the arm pivot. The finial is the second one I made, the first is currently residing either on the carpet or in some as yet unexplored corner of my desk! Before anyone comments, no, it's not illuminated and yes, I know the ball on the finial should be open!! Next challenge is to paint it without gumming the whole thing up, but before that I have a little related experimental etch to do. More of that later (if it works)! Jim 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Jim Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 Success! The experiment has worked! The issue I was trying to address is that of signals being vulnerable to damage either in transit or when cleaning track. The answer to this is to have them removable, but if you make them removable how do you avoid having to do a lot of fiddling about under the baseboard to disconnect and then re-connect the operating mechanism? The answer? Tiny magnets!! On the right is the operating crank which has a tiny 2mm dia x 1mm thick magnet fixed at the end. This slides against the outside of a square tube which will project up through the baseboard. The bottom of the signal post is an interfrence fit into this. Crimped on to the signal operating wire (which runs up the centre of the post) is a small piece of tinplate and glued to this is another magnet, arranged so that the two magnets will be aligned and face to face. This photo shows how the crank, signal and baseboard will relate to one another. A fair bit of over-movement seems to be needed, but there is also the advantage that there can be no damage to the signal from excess movement of the crank (the limits of movement of the arm are built into the signal). To remove the signal, all that needs to be done is to slide it out of the tube and it can equally easily be replaced. The interference fit of the post in the tube on the operating mech ensures that it will stay in place. The small magnets are available from www.first4magnets.com. 50 of them only cost me £5.70. They do a whole range of sizes, with the pull increasing with both diameter and thickness. These ones are 0.09kg. Usual disclaimer. Jim (feeling chuffed) 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted January 23, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 23, 2016 Very nice work Jim Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium CF MRC Posted January 24, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 24, 2016 Presidential motion support. I have been making the two brackets at the distal end of the slidebars. Our clever etching chaps would probably have had a few flicks of a mouse and hey presto all done! However, these ones were cut out of two sheets of 10 thou nickel silver well tinned together. The first photo shows the Macor blocks I use for holding items whilst soldering: they save the finger tips! The design for the brackets was sketched out in my notebook, as can be seen in the second photo. They are quite complicated and will need to look like a heavy casting when complete. The pair of brackets were fretted out with a piercing saw, as can be seen in the third photo, with bits to cut out marked by cross hatching. The two brackets can be seen in the fourth photo, ready for bending. The bending lines were pre grooved with a fine slotting file (some of the design bits proved to be superfluous). Once bent up into shape, the brackets were silver soldered on to the slide bars. They were spiked into a charcoal block and the slide bars rested against the end and then held down with some bent dress making pins shoved into the charcoal. The valve guide end was draped in wet tissue to prevent the soft soldered piston stuffing box from coming adrift. Very small pieces of solder and flux were placed on the ends of the bar and the whole lot heated to red heat, with the solder flashing nicely. This also served to stiffen up the bracket by filleting the corners. Final photo shows the two sub assemblies. They have now been roughly fitted to the engine and I'll show the mounting when complete. The beauty of using silver solder is that it is very strong and soft soldered details can be put on without everything falling apart. Tim 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham R Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 ... I've been building what is the second trial etch for a 20ft Stevens Caledonian signal (with CR spectacles) ... Jim, that signal really looks superb and just shouts "Caley". Great job. The operating mechanism looks very neat. Will you be releasing it (or the whole signal) through Buchanan Kits, and could you bring it along to the 2mmSA stand at Glasgow show next month so we can have a look? (May need to buy a pair of these "CR spectacles" you mention in order to see it properly ...) Graham Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crosland Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 I wonder if magnets could be used in a similar way for a TOU... Might cause problems with DG and similar couplings. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 2mmMark Posted January 24, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 24, 2016 I wonder if magnets could be used in a similar way for a TOU... Might cause problems with DG and similar couplings. I think they probably could. From practical experience with the uncouplers on British Oak (featured in the Beginners Guide), all you need to do to avoid upsetting DG couplings is displace the magnets away from the track by about 1/2", assuming they are under a 1/4" thick track bed. Displacing theTOU activation in the same way should do the trick. Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Jim Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 Jim, that signal really looks superb and just shouts "Caley". Great job. Thanks, Graham. The operating mechanism looks very neat. Will you be releasing it (or the whole signal) through Buchanan Kits, and could you bring it along to the 2mmSA stand at Glasgow show next month so we can have a look? (May need to buy a pair of these "CR spectacles" you mention in order to see it properly ...) That is a possibility. I designed the etch with an assortment of arms on it. The builder would have to provide their own finials and lamps, though, unless demand was enough to justify getting castings done. I will bring it to Model Rail and by that time i will hopefully also have the 40' one with co-acting arms for Sauchenford built! Jim 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium CF MRC Posted January 24, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 24, 2016 I have fitted the motion support brackets for 2003. These are soldered onto two brass bars that are, in turn, bolted through the PCB frame spacer. I also soldered on a small web around the edge of the casting: this is quite conspicuous on the real thing and makes the whole assembly look businesslike. Don't know why, but the cylinder looks a little whimsical / sad in the first photo. Second photo shows the bracket sitting under the running plate. The width has come out about right as can be seen with the body in place. This will need some insulating tape or fag paper and Araldite on it to maintain insulation. Need to finish off the pattern for the backhead (it was started at the MEE at Ally Pally) & then the crossheads and pistons. Tim 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Jim Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 ..........This will need some insulating tape or fag paper and Araldite on it to maintain insulation. Cover it in onion skin paper (you know where to get that if you didn't lay in a stock of before you gave up the day job), soak that in superglue and when that has fully hardened, cut away the excess. That's how I insulate bodies and chassis. Jim (who did lay in a stock of said paper) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Jim Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 I've now got the signal painted. Although the post should be white, it's doubtful they stayed like that very long, so I only gave it one coat. I tried glazing the red spectacle by mixing some red paint into some Clearfix, but that came out a little too opaque, so for the green spectacle (the Caley used green instead of the blue used by most companies) I glazed it with Clearfix and them gave it a thin wash of green. This gave a much better result. I've tried to upload photos, but am getting 'This upload failed' messages. Will try again tomorrow. Jim 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 I wonder if magnets could be used in a similar way for a TOU... Just curious and confused - but why would you want to? Jim's magnetic system is to allow easy removal of the signals for transit. Why would you need a similar arrangement for a turnout? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted January 25, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 25, 2016 Just curious and confused - but why would you want to? Jim's magnetic system is to allow easy removal of the signals for transit. Why would you need a similar arrangement for a turnout? If you had a servo which was connected to the turnout by a magnet, it could allow easy removal of the servo for replacement. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crosland Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 If you had a servo which was connected to the turnout by a magnet, it could allow easy removal of the servo for replacement. Don Easy alignment (no physical connection between the TOU and the tiebar to adjust) and protection against twitching servos. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pod909 Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 Might lessen the impact on the points from overthow by the servo as well? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Jim Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 (edited) I've tried to upload photos, but am getting 'This upload failed' messages. Will try again tomorrow. Success tonight! here are the two photos of the painted signal. Someone on the CRA forum has suggested that some spots of black paint on the finial might create the illusion of it being open. I'm about to give that a try! Edited January 25, 2016 by Caley Jim 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Jim Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 Might lessen the impact on the points from overthow by the servo as well? If anyone feels inclined to adapt or develop the idea for TOU's, feel free. Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pod909 Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 My version of a TOU would involve the embeded wifi chips and layout control over the interweb cloud! Not exactly in keeping with the minimalist 2FS vibe and many other newer (to me) rabbit holes to explore first. At the moment im finding the prospect of tracing the stone patten on a prototype for 3d print deeply exciting. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pod909 Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 Success tonight! here are the two photos of the painted signal. 20ft signal painted front.jpg 20ft signal painted rear.jpg Someone on the CRA forum has suggested that some spots of black paint on the finial might create the illusion of it being open. I'm about to give that a try! what would happen in the real world? An old barrel to give a leg up until the rung is fixed? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Jim Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 what would happen in the real world? An old barrel to give a leg up until the rung is fixed? Nah! Nae 'elf an' softly in thae days! Cope with it! Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Jim Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 Someone on the CRA forum has suggested that some spots of black paint on the finial might create the illusion of it being open. I'm about to give that a try! Here's the result. Phone camera hasn't focused very well on the finial, I'm afraid! Certainly takes the 'solid' look off it. This photo also shows up the rather too opaque red spectacle, but the green one looks OK. Jim 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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