Focalplane's Workbench (mostly 7mm)

[Simond]

It’s certainly possible to do directional lighting. Dead easy on DC, of course, more expensive on DCC, as you’ll need a decoder, and wiring between the coaches, or a decoder per coach. This can also turn on the interior lights, if you want. I believe there are lighting only decoders now available.

 

My feeling at present is that it’s not worth the effort & expense on my kit built stock. I have fitted interior lights (see my toplights around pg 10 of the PD thread) and these stay on permanently (and don’t flicker!), but they are dim enough not to look daft in daylight. It’s a compromise...

 

I’ve taken the same view about loco headlights. Unlit ones are fine. When Elon Musk makes rechargeable, battery powered, 7mm scale, GWR pattern loco lamps, in red, put me down for a set.

 

Best

Simon

[Focalplane]

I haven't visited this thread for a couple of months during the "layout hiatus" between house moves, etc.  But that is not to say I have not being doing anything.  At least I did have a very vivid dream the other night, the subject being an O Gauge brass kit of a Southern Pacific GS4 4-8-4!  My subconscious was no doubt triggered by two recent events - one, Lee Marsh has announced a 1:48 scale model of the famous Daylight locomotive, the other, while I was sorting out my stash of HO I decided to take my most treasured models to France as static models.  One of these is a Broadways Limited GS4 with DCC sound.

 

Building the brass kit progressed quite a long way in my dream, in fact I think I woke up at one point and decided to go back to the workbench (in my dream) to continue working on the body shell!

 

Having not been in the UK very long we have booked passage back to France later this month and one of two priorities on arriving (the other is decorating) will be to start construction of the L-Girder framework for Penmaenpool.  The first stage will be the lifting section in the doorway which will be at "Datum 0".  Progress will be recorded on the Penmaenpool thread.

 

Paul

[Focalplane]

This thread has been idle for the past few weeks because I haven't done any workbench modelling at all.  The first priority was to get the workbench in the garage up and running, along with the purchase of some key pieces of machinery to install a decent woodwork shop, roughly in a 100 square foot space with one side open to the garage for working with larger projects (this side now has curtains to keep the dust away from the car, etc.)

 

The second priority is ongoing - installing the L-Girder framework to take the various levels of trackwork that will make up Penmaenpool (see link below).  The hidden tracks have to be installed first before any scenic work can be started.  Hence no Modelling Workbench entries.

 

I am sometimes tempted to pick up the MOK 74XX kit but actually this will slow down the baseboard construction.

 

Paul

[Focalplane]

Again, no recent entries as all my efforts seem to directed towards building the framework for Penmaenpool.  I am hoping this will change a bit during the summer months.  The "hidden" tracks at Penmaenpool have mostly been laid but not wired up so the first priority will be to complete the wiring and rig up a temporary control panel so that the track can be fully tested before it is covered up (a.k.a. playing trains!)

 

But I am looking forward to getting back to building locos, stock and more buildings.  To this end I have made the decision to expand my modelling workshop capability and am now the owner of a Proxxon PD 250/E lathe and plan to acquire the Proxxon FF 230 milling machine soon.  This will be a separate item, not an add on to the lathe, for several people have recommended not to get the less expensive add on as it will consume time changing over from lathe to mill and back again.  That could get frustrating!

 

I am thinking of establishing the model engineering shop within the railway room once all the woodworking is completed but in the meantime it can be temporarily set up in the garage.  There will be plenty of space for a modelling "bench" once all the plywood has been used up.

 

This thread will therefore resume later this summer and will run in parallel again to the layout thread.

 

Meantime I am lining up more projects:

• Complete the MOK 74XX
• Start on the Warren Shephard 43XX Mogul
• Purchase the David Andrews' Dukedog 4-4-0 (should be ready by the end of July?)

There are also coaches to build and wagons and vans to weather!

 

Paul

Edited July 4, 2018 by Focalplane

[coachmann]

You have got yourself a busy summer/autumn ahead. Also two box-openings tomorrow (Thursday) before 1pm! 

[Focalplane]

After decorating part of the house I have decided to go back to the railway room, but actually not work on the layout.

 

This is what I have been doing:

 

 

The Proxxon lathe and milling machine (yes, I bought it last week) have their own stand up bench in front of the running in test track.  There will be a shelf below for all those nice (and sometimes quite expensive) wooden boxes but I forgot to buy the piece of wood for it.

 

The machines are bolted down and the wiring goes through a gap and on to a power strip with on/off switch (most important!)  I experimented with various work heights and this seems to work well.  I am not very good at sitting down and I believe it is not considered to be good practice anyway. Other safety equipment is yet to be installed.  The lighting is good but I will probably buy a gooseneck lamp to provide close up lighting - I also have a head lamp which can be very useful.

 

SimonD has been very helpful in recommending suppliers of brass and plastic stock and there is a large parcel waiting for me to collect when next in England.  Only then will I begin to use this set up.

 

Next, I will be working on the wiring for Penmaenpool.  Right now I am hungry!

 

Paul

[Andrew P]

Very nice Paul, I miss my days in the Engineering Shop as an Apprentice Mechanic.

[Simond]

I do like the miller, had I not already got a Dore Westbury out in the garage, I’d perhaps have been tempted...

 

Enjoy!

 

Simon

[Focalplane]

I should add that building the workbench was made a lot easier by having the very stable L-Girder framework to extend from.  Another advantage of the concept I had not realized.  Everything is rock solid.

 

Paul

[Focalplane]

Today I have spent some time on wiring the hidden tracks on the Barmouth end of the layout.  I can't say it's a job I enjoy very much, particularly with all the bending up and down and occasionally managing to hit one of the timber supports with my head or shoulder.  Well, it has to be done if trains are to run.

 

One good reason for not spending too much time in the railway room was to watch the 15th stage of the Tour de France which gets as near to my home as it will this year - Carcassonne being today's destination before the cyclists tackle the Pyrenees.  Part of the attraction of watching Le Tour is the fact that the helicopter shots are superb and there are good descriptions of the scenery for which France is justifiably proud.  I think they also explained that the famous Cité de Carcassonne was rebuilt by someone who decided all the towers should have conical roofs.  This is totally incorrect as all such roofs in southern France were simple "pent" roofs, a bit like the typical garden shed!  Given that some heritage sites (such as the Fort at Galle in Sri Lanka) could lose their status (unless the new cricket pavilion is removed in the case of Galle), perhaps all those roofs should be rebuilt?

 

That's the trouble with being a true to prototype modeller!

 

Paul

[Hal Nail]

Where the bright yellow circles daubed all over it there originally?!

[Focalplane]

Where the bright yellow circles daubed all over it there originally?!

Nope! And they probably aren’t there today!