Snitzl's Scratchbuilt Fun Town.

[snitzl]

Here is a short video taken during the development of the animated figure for the 'Ice Cream Wagon MKII'.

 

I will now continue with the main body and roof.

 

Thanks for Looking.

Edited April 2, 2022 by snitzl
Youtube Link not working

[snitzl]

Made a little progress with 'Ice Cream Wagon MKII', here's a few images :

Added the additional gear mechanism for the transverse cylinders and a retaining plate secured by the motor mount 12BA screws.

Here's the roof assembly complete with an extremely slow rotating LED light.

The body now has window panels and bars bent from 0,5mm dia brass wire.

Thanks for looking.

[snitzl]

Here's a couple of images of the 'Ice Cream Wagon Stall' , which is now complete.

The model is now fitted with a Gaugemaster DCC decoder and the animated bell ringer works in both forward and reverse direction. There are two LED's inside the cab and the rotating light on the roof, these are toggled ON/OFF as direction is selected on the controller.

Sprayed with enamels and then given a few dabs with weathering powders.

Thanks for Looking ..............

Edited June 16, 2022 by snitzl

[snitzl]

Taking a short break from the 'Ice Cream' wagon saga, in fact the third wagon might become something else : maybe a fast food wagon serving tea / coffee. The next project has been on my todo list for years, it's an open circular tower with plenty of open stairs, iron railings and a central DCC operated lift. I've made the initial design in CAD, and modelled a few of the components, but things will change along the way and additional complexities will be added to make the structure more interesting. 

Starting off with just four levels.

Here's a closer look at one level, some of the vertical posts will be altered to a more realistic profile.

Machining the railings on the BCA rotary table ( 144 x 0.5mm diameter holes ).

Two drills were broken while machining the four circular railings, not by drilling, but by wiping swarf away with a small brush : Material used was 10 thou brass sheet.

The 'Base Plates' are machined from 1.0mm thick, double sided PCB.

10 thou brass sheet is used for the 'Steps'.

 

Regards Snitzl

 

[MikeOxon]

On 16/06/2022 at 10:17, snitzl said:

Here's a couple of images of the 'Ice Cream Wagon Stall'

I've been otherwise occupied for a while, so I had missed this.  Wonderful engineering as always but it's the large dose of imagination that makes your models really special :)  Fun Town is beginning to look like one of those amazing automata that fascinated earlier generations.

[MikeOxon]

On 04/07/2022 at 10:41, snitzl said:

it's an open circular tower with plenty of open stairs

You could fit in a double staircase so that people could descend on one side while others are climbing on the other.

[TT-Pete]

47 minutes ago, MikeOxon said:

You could fit in a double staircase so that people could descend on one side while others are climbing on the other.

 

Super! DNA double helix springs to mind...

[snitzl]

On 12/07/2022 at 18:05, MikeOxon said:

Fun Town is beginning to look like one of those amazing automata that fascinated earlier generations.

Thanks Mike, You hit the nail on the head with your comment, I have just a couple of more projects before I put much more time into gettiing everything up and running.

[snitzl]

On 12/07/2022 at 18:09, MikeOxon said:

You could fit in a double staircase so that people could descend on one side while others are climbing on the other.

This tower will give 'Fun Town' residents one way access to the overhead monorail, there's quite a bit more designing to do and the tower needs to look complicated.  Residents will then depart the monorail via the stairway on 'Vernes Tower'. Even so, the double Helix staircase is a nice feature and I will fit one in, somewhere..

[snitzl]

Progress seems a little slow, here;s a couple of images...

The 0.5mm and 1.0mm diameter brass rod is manufactured by 'Albion Alloys Ltd and purchased from the Bay.

That's three railing's complete, just about to start the fourth.

 

Snitzl

[Camperdown]

On 12/07/2022 at 18:09, MikeOxon said:

You could fit in a double staircase so that people could descend on one side while others are climbing on the other.

Better still, a double helix spiral escalator.  Or is that too ambitious?

[snitzl]

1 hour ago, Camperdown said:

Better still, a double helix spiral escalator.  Or is that too ambitious?

Can't think how to acheive that mechanically, but I will think on it.

[Dave John]

Excellent craftsmanship as ever. 

 

 

[Camperdown]

1 hour ago, snitzl said:

Can't think how to acheive that mechanically, but I will think on it.

The one that was installed at Holloway Road tube station seems to have been a spiral moving walkway (no steps).   Google will find you some images.  There is a Japanese company that currently makes spiral (helical) escalators.  I realise it's probably too much of a stretch to make one in 4mm scale though.  The steps seem enough of a challenge.

Edited July 14, 2022 by Camperdown

[MikeOxon]

2 hours ago, snitzl said:

Can't think how to acheive that mechanically, but I will think on it.

Plenty of food for thought at https://www.londonreconnections.com/2021/a-deeper-look-at-the-tubes-spiral-escalator/

[snitzl]

Here's an update on the 'Tower' project.

Lower / narrower section at the base will fit inside a ventilation shaft  and will be partially hidden.

Started adding steps with two levels now complete.

Another view on the steps.

This new platform will replace the top platform and will give access to the 'Mono Rail' boarding platform.

Monorail boarding platform in the design stage.

 

Thanks for looking.

[snitzl]

Here's a few images illustrating progress made........

Here's the platform section for the 'Monorail'.

Had alot of hassle with assembly , very fiddley, need to rethink and alter some area's of the design so that it can be taken apart for detailing and painting.

Four stair sections are now complete.

Thanks for Looking......

Snitzl

[Dave John]

That really is an essay in precision brassmanship. 

[CameronL]

1 hour ago, Dave John said:

That really is an essay in precision "brassmanship". 

If that's not a real word it should be. Developments on this layout as jaw-dropping as ever.

[Mikkel]

This is going to be quite something.

 

Snitzl, I assume you're aware of the petition by Funtown's citizens demanding a lift in the middle? 😉

 

[snitzl]

1 hour ago, Mikkel said:

Snitzl, I assume you're aware of the petition by Funtown's citizens demanding a lift in the middle? 😉

 

Hi Mikkel, The citizens have demanded a central lift and a double helix stairway, but there's another idea I'm pondering to do with a mechanism and magnet for a moving 'Wheeled Cart' and perhaps also a way to access 'Vernes Flying Machine'.

[MikeOxon]

24 minutes ago, snitzl said:

Hi Mikkel, The citizens have demanded a central lift and a double helix stairway, but there's another idea I'm pondering to do with a mechanism and magnet for a moving 'Wheeled Cart' and perhaps also a way to access 'Vernes Flying Machine'.

Whatever you do, I'm sure it will be fascinating - the citizens are very fortunate to have such an inspired 'town planner' 😀

[Barclay]

I always enjoyed this thread a great deal - I am awed by both the workmanship and the imagination displayed, but @snitzl doesn't seem to have logged on for over a year. Anyone know anything?

[Mikkel]

I very much hope we will see more of Funtown. There is nothing in the world quite like it.

 

Meanwhile there's more of it here: 

 

 

Edited November 10, 2023 by Mikkel