Jon Fitness Posted September 26, 2016 Author Share Posted September 26, 2016 Jon, Have you tried Halford's Ford signal yellow? I don't know what it's like nowadays or if the shade has changed but I used some years ago for a ground disc (12":1ft scale) and nobody could tell the difference from Reading's original colour. Not sure it's still available "off the shelf" but I'll re-check again next time I'm in there. I have used their paint mixing service but it seems a bit hit and miss and I think the tins/nozzles/chemistry are all slightly different when the they fill them up. JF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jintyman Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 A couple of GWR straight post tubies to do then I think it's time for Talyllyn Jc's signals... JF Talking of GWR Bracket signals.............. Can't wait!!! Love the ground signals Jon, I believe I'll need some of those too at some point, I think there is a double/triple too!! Jinty 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signaller69 Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 Super thread you have John, very impressive detail. Also like the way you have stacked those servos, something I'm going to have to tackle with my 4mm efforts. . . Regards, Martyn Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted September 27, 2016 Author Share Posted September 27, 2016 Talking of GWR Bracket signals.............. Can't wait!!! Love the ground signals Jon, I believe I'll need some of those too at some point, I think there is a double/triple too!! Jinty Ooh, I'd better stock up on some more bits then! Found another nice pic of the Jc signal iin October Steam World too.. JF 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted September 27, 2016 Author Share Posted September 27, 2016 Super thread you have John, very impressive detail. Also like the way you have stacked those servos, something I'm going to have to tackle with my 4mm efforts. . . Regards, Martyn Thanks Martyn! I expect it would work just as well in 4mm but You may need to stack them vertically to reduce the size of the baseplate. Alternatively you could use the submicro servos I use for the ground signals. They are smaller than a postage stamp ! JF 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted October 7, 2016 Author Share Posted October 7, 2016 I have another 3 signals on the go now (all of which will have received the first 2 coats of white by now!) There's a couple of GW stop signals and an LMS 2 arm shunt signal. Here they are waiting to be scrubbed up for painting and fitting with servos. The GW ones will be the first I have fitted with the Modelu 3D printed finials. They are excellent but have a flat base which makes them a little vulnerable if they are simply glued on to the top of a post. They are wide enough at the base to be (carefully) drilled so that they correctly cap the post. and drilled out Just tried in position, they will be epoxied on once the main signal structure has been washed and dried ready for painting. More soon Off to the Worth Valley for the steam gala and a 7mm scale exhibition at Keighley MRC's clubroom on Sunday JF 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signaller69 Posted October 7, 2016 Share Posted October 7, 2016 Thanks Martyn! I expect it would work just as well in 4mm but You may need to stack them vertically to reduce the size of the baseplate. Alternatively you could use the submicro servos I use for the ground signals. They are smaller than a postage stamp !JF Thanks Jon, had a play around with the servos at Club the other night but have a slight issue in that they are digital so may need a more specific controller (think I may have killed one when testing with a 4.8v DC supply) so they have been put aside for now. Instead I am going to try some simple Hattons solenoid point motors (which have an actuating arm attachment) as my signals have cranks fitted so need a horizontal input. No slow action of course but should be easy enough to fit, I hope! Enjoy the K&WVR weekend. Martyn. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted October 8, 2016 Author Share Posted October 8, 2016 Thanks Jon, had a play around with the servos at Club the other night but have a slight issue in that they are digital so may need a more specific controller (think I may have killed one when testing with a 4.8v DC supply) so they have been put aside for now. Instead I am going to try some simple Hattons solenoid point motors (which have an actuating arm attachment) as my signals have cranks fitted so need a horizontal input. No slow action of course but should be easy enough to fit, I hope! Enjoy the K&WVR weekend. Martyn. Ooh, testing with a 4.8v supply ? Only thing you can safely test a servo with is a proper servo tester or a driver board ! They can't be moved just by applying volts as they operate by a series of carefully applied pulses provided by a driver board. Careful using solenoids with your signal too as they're a bit violent!Cheers JF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signaller69 Posted October 8, 2016 Share Posted October 8, 2016 Ooh, testing with a 4.8v supply ? Only thing you can safely test a servo with is a proper servo tester or a driver board ! They can't be moved just by applying volts as they operate by a series of carefully applied pulses provided by a driver board. Careful using solenoids with your signal too as they're a bit violent! Cheers JF Yes, from the sparking which occurred you'd think I hooked it up direct to the mains! Traditional model railway wiring I can do, and even understand, so I will stick with that! I usually use Fulgurex/Lemaco slow action motors for signals but space precludes them for this job. The cranks fitted to the base of the signal allow for a much greater input movement than signal movement so hopefully all will be well. . . ! Cheers, Martyn Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted October 11, 2016 Author Share Posted October 11, 2016 Yes, from the sparking which occurred you'd think I hooked it up direct to the mains! Traditional model railway wiring I can do, and even understand, so I will stick with that! I usually use Fulgurex/Lemaco slow action motors for signals but space precludes them for this job. The cranks fitted to the base of the signal allow for a much greater input movement than signal movement so hopefully all will be well. . . ! Cheers, Martyn Stick with the servos Martyn, there's plenty of options for driver boards and they're fairly easy to set up. Servos are much smaller than slow action point motors and more controllable. They are quieter too! As you can see, I fit the servos to the base of the signals which means there's no need to grub about under the baseboard trying to couple up linkages to the signals when you install them. You can also do all the setting up and testing on the bench before installation. Should you need to remove the signal from the layout for transport/maintenance or repairs?...simples. JF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signaller69 Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Stick with the servos Martyn, there's plenty of options for driver boards and they're fairly easy to set up. Servos are much smaller than slow action point motors and more controllable. They are quieter too! As you can see, I fit the servos to the base of the signals which means there's no need to grub about under the baseboard trying to couple up linkages to the signals when you install them. You can also do all the setting up and testing on the bench before installation. Should you need to remove the signal from the layout for transport/maintenance or repairs?...simples. JF Thanks Jon, it is something I will look into for future efforts, can I ask where you get yours and which servos and driver boards you recommend? As this is one aspect I am a complete novice at. Cheers, Martyn. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted October 12, 2016 Author Share Posted October 12, 2016 (edited) Thanks Jon, it is something I will look into for future efforts, can I ask where you get yours and which servos and driver boards you recommend? As this is one aspect I am a complete novice at. Cheers, Martyn. Hi Martyn, I now get my servos from Hobbyking and they are:- Normal cheapy servos here Super small servos here If you really need one, a servo tester here and the driver boards from Megapoints here A quick note about Hobbyking! Make sure you're ordering from their UK Warehouse site, not the International site or they may send stuff from USA which will incur extra fees (guess how this numpty found out! ) JF Edited October 12, 2016 by Jon Fitness Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Freeman Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 Hi Martyn, I now get my servos from Hobbyking and they are:- Normal cheapy servos here Super small servos here If you really need one, a servo tester here and the driver boards from Megapoints here A quick note about Hobbyking! Make sure you're ordering from their UK Warehouse site, not the International site or they may send stuff from USA which will incur extra fees (guess how this numpty found out! ) JF Sometimes, nay quite often the UK warehouse can be out of stock, whereas I can usually get what I need from the European one (at the moment), which from memory is in the Netherlands, takes longer to arrive. Mind you even, the UK ones are priced in US dollars when you check out (despite what is shown on the website) so will currently be costing more due to the drop in value of the pound. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 And a word for Arduinos. They can be programmed to do almost anything, including signal operation by servo, the downside being that they have to be programmed, and if you're not experienced, or at least that way inclined, this aspect will need some effort. They are, however, very much cheaper than other forms of servo controller. Best Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signaller69 Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 (edited) Hi Martyn, I now get my servos from Hobbyking and they are:- Normal cheapy servos here Super small servos here If you really need one, a servo tester here and the driver boards from Megapoints here A quick note about Hobbyking! Make sure you're ordering from their UK Warehouse site, not the International site or they may send stuff from USA which will incur extra fees (guess how this numpty found out! ) JF Thanks Jon (& Stephen & Simon), I am familiar with Hobbyking and their different warehouses, having had people say much the same as you Jon! In reference to servo set up programming & driver boards, does this require DCC? As I have no intention (ie can't afford/justify) to move away from analogue control? Martyn. Edited October 12, 2016 by Signaller69 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted October 12, 2016 Author Share Posted October 12, 2016 Thanks Jon (& Stephen & Simon), I am familiar with Hobbyking and their different warehouses, having had people say much the same as you Jon! In reference to servo set up programming & driver boards, does this require DCC? As I have no intention (ie can't afford/justify) to move away from analogue control? Martyn. No DCC required for the Megapoints board as once set up (a lot of button pressing on the board itself!) each servo is activated by a simple on/off switch. HTH JF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 (edited) ditto - no DCC required for the MERG board, and an Arduino based approach. (and I guess, though I have no experience, for Raspberry Pi and PIC based microcontrollers too) Both the MERG and Arduino approaches can be made to work with DCC if required. best Simon Edited October 12, 2016 by Simond Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Freeman Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 Hi, I think any of the currently available servo control boards can be made to work with DCC if you really wanted to, after all in analogue mode all they need is a simple switch which can easily be replicated with an appropriate DCC accessory decoder board. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted October 28, 2016 Author Share Posted October 28, 2016 A few more signals now ticked off the construction list.... Now it's time to make a start on a couple for certain RMWeb'ers layout... The arms prepared for the bracket and the starter signal They are all the early GW type with the distants being fixed well below the home signals, one on a gallows type arrangement. The 2 stop arms on the bracket have wooden blades but the platform starter has a pressed steel blade. I have represented this by soldering 0.4mm wire along the edges. One of the arms on the bracket signal has a slightly different spectacle plate. I'm not sure if this is due to damage to the casting or if it's an earlier pattern than the other. Either way it involved a bit of careful filing! I've also made a start on the actual brackets, these being much modified Scale Signal Supply etches. There's still a few bits to solder on to them and yes, my riveting could have been a bit neater! More soon JF 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fay Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 More superb work Jon, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fay Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 (edited) Hopefully get an order in for this one in the new year and finallise the Aberpandy signals Edited October 28, 2016 by steve fay 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted October 28, 2016 Author Share Posted October 28, 2016 Hopefully get an order in for this one in the new year and finallise the Aberpandy signalsIMG_0421.PNG Cheers Steve! Where's that one then? JF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fay Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 Severn Tunnel West!!!! Oh my!! Oh my. I'm going to see a room within a premises on Monday with the aim of setting up an O gauge group. A meeting spot to run trains. With if all goes to plan Severn tunnel East & West being the scenic section. Early days yet, still all the ins and outs to agree but they are willing to allow me to use it. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted October 28, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 28, 2016 Severn Tunnel West!!!! Oh my!! Oh my. I'm going to see a room within a premises on Monday with the aim of setting up an O gauge group. A meeting spot to run trains. With if all goes to plan Severn tunnel East & West being the scenic section. Early days yet, still all the ins and outs to agree but they are willing to allow me to use it. The interesting question with that one must be where the ATC ramp was sited as the scissors crossover was (as can be seen immediately in advance) of the signal so i wonder if the ramp was in advance of it or in the middle of the crossover? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fay Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 I have one picture that looks to show the ATC ramp just after the crossing and before the sand drag that's the other side of the Caldicot road bridge. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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