Easton, Isle of Portland

[Stubby47]

Thanks Mick, it's certainly worth making the improvements to a standard point to improve the electrical continuity.

[Mick Bonwick]

About 10 years ago I started to assemble some trees. I had read Barry Norman's account of how he did it and decided to have a go. I had some bowden cable in the 'useful one day' pile and set to, ripping my fingers apart as I went.  During the years that have followed, I have tried several methods with differing materials, as you may have gathered from photographs in this topic.

 

Searching back through my folders for illustrations to include on here, I came across my record of trees and their scale heights. I don't claim them to be accurate models of any specific tree, or type of tree, but they show (I hope) how different you can make trees from each other, just to add a little variation.

 

Edited May 18, 2020 by Mick Bonwick

[Stubby47]

And how do they help with the Peco points ?

[Mick Bonwick]

29 minutes ago, Stubby47 said:

And how do they help with the Peco points ?

 

If you position them carefully, they hide the points so nobody asks awkward questions.

[Gilbert]

20 minutes ago, Mick Bonwick said:

 

If you position them carefully, they hide the points so nobody asks awkward questions.

Thats a bit optimistic for RMweb.....

[Stubby47]

Ignoring the (excellent) trees for a moment, how much movement is there on the wires connected to the blades - do they restrict the blades' movement / put more strain on the point motor / fracture in use due to constant movement ? 

 

Do you have to leave a hole around the wire in the ballast to allow movement ?

[Mick Bonwick]

33 minutes ago, Stubby47 said:

Ignoring the (excellent) trees for a moment, how much movement is there on the wires connected to the blades - do they restrict the blades' movement / put more strain on the point motor / fracture in use due to constant movement ? 

 

Do you have to leave a hole around the wire in the ballast to allow movement ?

 

The wires are at the 'hinge' end of the blade, so movement is less than 1mm, and there's sufficient gap around them in their hole (drilled 3mm) to prevent their movement being affected. The fiddle yard ones have been in place for 6 years and I've had no problems with them.

 

The installed fiddle yard points are installed with SEEP motors and no ballast. The thump of the solenoids has not yet caused any damage, but there's no ballast laid. The soldered join is under the rail so I don't expect to find a hole in the ballast to be problematic or visible. If that changes after ballasting you'll be sure to learn about it!

 

My ballast will be stuck down with Copydex, so any small areas that might need to be adjusted for problems such as the ones you envisage(!) will be easily resolved. He said, confidently.

 

[Mick Bonwick]

46 minutes ago, Stubby47 said:

Ignoring the (excellent) trees for a moment,

 

 

You're not ignoring them, though, are you? You just mentioned them!

[nickwood]

On 17/05/2020 at 12:33, Stubby47 said:

Thanks Mick, it's certainly worth making the improvements to a standard point to improve the electrical continuity.

makes you wonder why Peco don’t do it.

[Mick Bonwick]

Completely out of sequence with this long-winded story, I am rather chuffed that I have completed the construction of the lifting flap at the doorway. This has been a thorn in my side for some considerable time, and has been the subject of internal indecisiveness for many a long month. Last week I decided that it would have to be done or there would be no further construction progress for another 5 years.

 

Here is the end result. It may not look like much to you, but it's a big step forward for me. I'm going to open a bottle of wine tonight. I might drink some of it, too.

 

[Tony Teague]

No excuse now, for not making the connection!

I hope you enjoyed the tipple

[nickwood]

On 21 May 2020 at 17:14, Mick Bonwick said:

Completely out of sequence with this long-winded story, I am rather chuffed that I have completed the construction of the lifting flap at the doorway. This has been a thorn in my side for some considerable time, and has been the subject of internal indecisiveness for many a long month. Last week I decided that it would have to be done or there would be no further construction progress for another 5 years.

 

Here is the end result. It may not look like much to you, but it's a big step forward for me. I'm going to open a bottle of wine tonight. I might drink some of it, too.

 

 

In the hope of being labelled an awkward questioner, does it hit the ceiling when you lift it up?

[NHY 581]

8 minutes ago, nickwood said:

 

In the hope of being labelled an awkward questioner, does it hit the ceiling when you lift it up?

 

[Mick Bonwick]

49 minutes ago, nickwood said:

 

In the hope of being labelled an awkward questioner, does it hit the ceiling when you lift it up?

 

I'm dashing your hopes.

 

 

I did do a little bit of planning. With two 'n's.

[KNP]

9 hours ago, Mick Bonwick said:

 

I'm dashing your hopes.

 

 

I did do a little bit of planning. With two 'n's.

 

Yes...….very smart

but does the sander on the path indicate some remedial work was required beforehand or is that just a coincidence?

[Tony Teague]

Kevin

I think the next job is to sand the path down to a smooth finish, to be gentler on the chicken's feet!

Tony

[Mick Bonwick]

55 minutes ago, KNP said:

but does the sander on the path indicate some remedial work was required beforehand or is that just a coincidence?

 

That was used to round the narrow end of the flap and to create a slight angle on the vertical face of the mating edges. I don't believe in coincidences.

 

32 minutes ago, Tony Teague said:

 

I think the next job is to sand the path down to a smooth finish, to be gentler on the chicken's feet!

 

 

The chickens aren't allowed to use the path. Too messy.

It might help my feet, though . . . . . . .

[nickwood]

12 minutes ago, Mick Bonwick said:

 

The chickens aren't allowed to use the path. Too messy.

That suggests that the Chicken escape Committee has organised sorties before and may do so again. In which case you would be wise to keep the gate shut, unless of course or they adept at tunnelling.

 

As you now have a lifting flap I assume that you don’t have ducks.

[Mick Bonwick]

7 minutes ago, nickwood said:

As you now have a lifting flap I assume that you don’t have ducks.

 

The ducks are still there, and I have some skin free zones on my head.

[NHY 581]

Right. Rattled through the thread start to finish. Up to speed. 

 

What's next? 

 

Are we there yet? 

 

 

Rob. 

[Stubby47]

Two points if I may:

 

1. Raise the hinges by at least the height of the underlay + the height if the rail + 5mm. Otherwise the rail will catch as you raise the flap.

2. Replace the hinges with more robust ones - I've used fire door hinges on T-CATS ( less than £2.00 for the pair from Toolstation), they will give better and consistent alignment. 

 

If you do raise the hinges, check the ceiling height....

[Mick Bonwick]

1 hour ago, NHY 581 said:

Right. Rattled through the thread start to finish. Up to speed.

 

Perseverance pays.

 

1 hour ago, NHY 581 said:

 

What's next? 

 

 

Wait and see.

 

1 hour ago, NHY 581 said:

Are we there yet?

 

Nearly.

 

Are we there yet?

 

Nearly.

 

Are we there yet?

 

Yes.

 

Really?

 

No.

 

[Mick Bonwick]

1 hour ago, Stubby47 said:

Two points if I may:

 

As many as you like, dear boy, as many as you like.

 

1 hour ago, Stubby47 said:

1. Raise the hinges by at least the height of the underlay + the height if the rail + 5mm. Otherwise the rail will catch as you raise the flap.

 

Patience, young man. There's more to come.

 

1 hour ago, Stubby47 said:

2. Replace the hinges with more robust ones - I've used fire door hinges on T-CATS ( less than £2.00 for the pair from Toolstation), they will give better and consistent alignment.

 

That's something to bear in mind if these fail. Thank you, but why didn't you tell me that two days ago?

 

See the photograph (it's evidence) a couple of posts back about flaps and height.

Edited May 23, 2020 by Mick Bonwick

[Mick Bonwick]

The flap is down. Alignment has been established. Everything fits where it should. Spirit level bubble is in the right place everywhere it's positioned.

 

 

Positioning of rails at the two joining places will be achieved by soldering the rails to brass screw heads. This is a method I have used several times before for boards that are not permamanenently joined to each other. Electrical continuity at the right hand end of the flap is not wanted, because the power to the track is DCC and I don't want a complete circle. I only have to worry about the hinge end of the flap and that will be a simple trailing pair of wires with enough slack across the underside of the join. Each side will be terminated in a choc-block connector, so that replacement is easy in the event of a fractured wire or clumsy visitor.

 

The brass screws have to be placed close the the board edge, but not so close that the wood splits when they are screwed down. Pilot holes were drilled and the screws put in place, but not screwed right down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mick Bonwick]

On 13/05/2020 at 10:06, Mick Bonwick said:

When I started on this current (!) spate of layout building, I thought I'd get some more wire because some colours were almost used up. It appeared that I had a choice - pay extortionate sums of money or wait until August for delivery. I decided to wait.

 

This proved to be the right decision. I have had an e-mail from the supplier telling me that they have 're-branded' and the items I requested are now in stock and they will be despatched immediately. I suspect that that might mean they have gone to a different manufacturer for their supplies. Whatever the reason it seems that I can get on with wiring switches, LEDs and control panel from tomorrow. That is, once I have made the control panel.