RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted March 24, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 24, 2018 Some good progress today. I found two extra slide switches in the electrics box, plus some Mercontrol wire and tube. The tubes I've recently bought were either to large internally ( the wire could bend inside losing the pushing motion) or two narrow and soft ( the wire wouldn't go in. So the remainder of the Mercontrol tube was used for the first two points. The wires were fitted to the remaining points, with provision for the tubes to be added afterwards. Some of the track was sprayed grey, but it was probably too cold for a decent coat, so this will be done again. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mikkel Posted March 24, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 24, 2018 Nice to see the Mercontrol system illustrated like that, thanks for that. I have to say those capstans look a bit wonky Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted March 24, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 24, 2018 The tubes will be passed through the holes and into a choc block; which will be used to grip the ends of the tube and allow for adjustment. The wires will then be passed through the sides of the slide switches, which, with the choc block, will be mounted on a small frame on the side of the layout. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted March 26, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 26, 2018 Having browsed the internet for some suitable plastic angle cranks, and not found any, thoughts are turning to home-made items from coffee stirrers. These will be connected via nylon fishing line to coffee-stirrer levers, and will be used to raise the treadles for uncoupling. The return springs may well be small pieces of foam sponge. Some sketches later... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted March 26, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 26, 2018 Why not just cut some triangles of plasticard, laminate 2 or 3 together and drill a few holes for the cable and pivot? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted March 26, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 26, 2018 Why not just cut some triangles of plasticard, laminate 2 or 3 together and drill a few holes for the cable and pivot? Yes, that would be simpler... and I could use similar for the frames too. Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold NHY 581 Posted March 26, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 26, 2018 What about servo arms from R/C cars? R 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted March 26, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 26, 2018 What about servo arms from R/C cars? R That's what I was looking for (or planes/ helicopters), but couldn't find any. Lots of straight ones, but no cranked ones (unless they were several pounds each and aluminium). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted March 26, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 26, 2018 Yes, that would be simpler... and I could use similar for the frames too. Thanks. But you'd miss out on the coffee... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted March 26, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 26, 2018 Luckily, I'm not a drinker of coffee, though I did buy a 1,000 pack of stirrers from a local wholesaler. Should be enough for this lifetime. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted March 26, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 26, 2018 Luckily, I'm not a drinker of coffee, though I did buy a 1,000 pack of stirrers from a local wholesaler. Should be enough for this lifetime. There's enough stirrers round here to last a lifetime... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted March 27, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 27, 2018 (edited) The siding at the back right is just long enough for a small goods shed. Taking inspiration from Tackeroo, I've made this out of plasticard to represent planked wood. The roof will be more corrugated iron, and will stretch over the loading platform. Legs will be brick pillars. Note the angled flooring (see, I do take notes). Edit, sorry about the poor quality pictures. Edited March 27, 2018 by Stubby47 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted March 28, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 28, 2018 (edited) More progress on the goods shed today. A window and door have been added (the door frame needs adding), and the platform has been edged. Edited March 28, 2018 by Stubby47 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted March 29, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 29, 2018 Quite a frustrating evening. The problem. There is too much lateral movement in the joint between the two wires extending to the far point, plus the thin wire is moving around in the large tie-bar hole. But as ever, I have a solution... servos. Yes, I know I've come round this way before, but rejected them as the frog polarity switching was going to need micro switches. However, in a moment of sanity, I realised the DPDT slide switch could still be used, to both operate the servo and switch the frog. So another order will be on it's way to Merg. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted March 29, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 29, 2018 Sanity? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted March 29, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 29, 2018 Sanity? Everybody knows there ain't no sanity clause. G. Marx. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted March 29, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 29, 2018 "So another order will be on it's way to Merg". They're shut !! Until April 7th, so I should have enough time to order, make & install a second servo control board (I have one made up already, so I can at least get the servos installed & aligned). Still not panicking, no, really I'm not - it's only toy trains.... Meanwhile, I've made a main roof and platform roof for the goods shed, it's almost ready for the primer paint (then glaze, stick the roofs on and top-coat.) Thinking about the under support, I'll use some bass wood strips to make up the wooden framework, which will then sit on the brick pillars. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted March 30, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 30, 2018 The glaziers are on site... 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgman Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 The glaziers are on site... 20180330_140244.jpg 20180330_140258.jpg Would his name be Peter ? Its looking like a right little Cracker Jack ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted March 30, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 30, 2018 Peter and Don ( with the clean teeth) have also been working in the office. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted March 30, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 30, 2018 On the other side of the Munition compound, the painters have found a spare can or two of battleship grey, and have covered everything... 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted March 30, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 30, 2018 The glaziers are on site... 20180330_140244.jpg 20180330_140258.jpg Nice grass. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted March 30, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 30, 2018 And after a touch of colouring, the walls are more drab and the asbestos sheet roof is a shade or two lighter. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted April 2, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted April 2, 2018 (edited) Starting to make the control panel. 5 slide switches fixed into a ply frame, the centre contacts of one pole wired for the 5 frogs, and the outer contacts linked with copper earth wire. Elsewhere, the annoyingly loose wire in the tiebar has been tamed with a short length of plastic rod, plus the wire connectors have been re-joined and are now performing satisfactorily. Edited April 2, 2018 by Stubby47 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted April 3, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted April 3, 2018 Just a few finishing touches needed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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