Any Question Answered

[queensquare]

I've never used chamfers in any of these situations. Far better to have an accurate means of alignment. The fact that a chamfer will introduce a section which is wide to gauge is likely to cause more problems than it's worth IMHO.

Jim

Agree completely with what Jim says. Make the rails align, don't try to compensate for bad alignment

 

Jerry

[Lacathedrale]

Hi all,

 

I'm struggling through my first tentative steps with kitbuilding in 2FS (and should have some photos for specific questions shortly), but generally how shall I deal with the carpet monster. For example, the fret of brake gear for a 16T mineral, one complete spring and axlebox assembly and several other things that aren't consumables (like wheelbearings). Is it just something I'll take for granted that i'll end up with spares for at some future date? Is there some specific methodological process I can use that I don't keep losing the blinking things? I don't even notice they ping away, they're just... not there anymore.

 

Best,

[Donw]

Then it is just a case of remembering to fix it ti catch the bits and to not jump up to answer the phone etc.

 

Don

 

incidentally it is not just 2mm modellers. I remember at a garden meet Tony Reymolds showing us some elaborate pipework he had made. Aster drinking tea it was missing and ound hanging from someone's jumper  lucky it hadn't dropped into the grass.

Edited February 15, 2018 by Donw

[Kylestrome]

When I'm working with really small parts I lay an old tea towel on the bench, and another one on my lap, then if you drop something it doesn't immediately bounce onto the floor.

 

You could go the whole hog and buy yourself a jeweller's apron, the bottom corners of which have holes that you put over hooks screwed into the bench. This is designed to catch wayward pieces before heading into oblivion.

 

David

[JohnBS]

When I'm working with really small parts I lay an old tea towel on the bench, and another one on my lap, then if you drop something it doesn't immediately bounce onto the floor.

 

You could go the whole hog and buy yourself a jeweller's apron, the bottom corners of which have holes that you put over hooks screwed into the bench. This is designed to catch wayward pieces before heading into oblivion.

 

David

Indeed, a jeweller's apron is the perfect answer (Google will find it) and often I wish that I had one.

John

[Lacathedrale]

I'll try tea towels first, thanks! And on models where I've already lost parts? Fabricate? I'm very grateful for all the help and advice here - while the two wagons I'm building now (Stephen Harris kits) are basically write-offs with all the parts I've bodged, bent, broken and lost - I do feel at least as though I'm getting the hang of what is expected off me. If I just had another few hands, I'm sure I'd be able to get the bloody wagon sides square.

Edited February 15, 2018 by Lacathedrale

[65179]

With lost parts it just depends what you've lost.  Axleboxes and springs can mostly be replaced by something identical or at least similar from shop 2.  If you're building a few wagons then you'll soon end up with spare stuff off the chassis etches where you've chosen one option out of several provided or mixed and matched to get what you want. 

 

If it's not an Association shop item then contacting the kit provider and asking nicely if they have any spares can be fruitful, with fabricating a replacement as the last option unless you just fancy the practice. 

 

My wife's fondness for exposed floorboards adds a certain jeopardy to my modelmaking!

 

Simon

Edited February 15, 2018 by 65179

[Caley Jim]

It's not just the bits that fall that are the issue, there's also the bits that ping out of your tweezers into the wide blue yonder!

When scratchbuilding I usually arrange to make around 25%-50% extra (depending on the number actually required) of small parts to allow for 'losses'.  With my etched kits I try to include extras of parts which are small or tricky to assemble, such as axleboxes, end stanchions or brake levers.

 

In short, you have to accept that the carpet monster must be satisfied (although he often spits things out shortly after you've fabricated and fitted a replacement!)

 

Jim

[Lacathedrale]

Excellent, a sacrifice must be made

 

I'm having real trouble sourcing track with the delays on Shop1, so I'm moving onto more scenic work. Following the Modbury thread around using printed textures rather than plasticard, I think since I'm still starting my first tentative steps this makes sense. I don't have a colour printer nor any access to photo quality paper, etc. and I'm going to need a fair bit for a brick viaduct. Is eBay the natural choice or is there a supplier or shop who's good to get it from? (yellow brick, asphalt, paving slabs, etc.)

 

All the very best,

[JohnBS]

Excellent, a sacrifice must be made

 

I'm having real trouble sourcing track with the delays on Shop1, so I'm moving onto more scenic work. Following the Modbury thread around using printed textures rather than plasticard, I think since I'm still starting my first tentative steps this makes sense. I don't have a colour printer nor any access to photo quality paper, etc. and I'm going to need a fair bit for a brick viaduct. Is eBay the natural choice or is there a supplier or shop who's good to get it from? (yellow brick, asphalt, paving slabs, etc.)

 

All the very best,

Hi,

I agree; in 2mm scale, printed papers are my first choice, except for some rough stone structures (bridge abutments, etc) where texture is important.

I have used ScaleScenes (no connection) with success. They have a wide range of printed papers which are downloadable and you can print as many copies as you like on paper of your choice. For this, I use a local print shop which has a colour laser printer. This avoids problems which would arise if you used an inkjet printer combined with a water-based adhesive and also avoids decimating your printer cartridges!

Best wishes,

John

[Caley Jim]

There are also those from Smart Models which I have used on Kirkallanmuir.  He does a range of road marking, and other things apart from brick and stone.

 

Jim

[Donw]

Then it is just a case of remembering to fix it ti catch the bits and to not jump up to answer the phone etc.

 

Don

 

incidentally it is not just 2mm modellers. I remember at a garden meet Tony Reymolds showing us some elaborate pipework he had made. Aster drinking tea it was missing and ound hanging from someone's jumper  lucky it hadn't dropped into the grass.

 

Somehow the line about using a carpenters apron with velcro along the bottom and fixed to the underside of the bench disappeared as I posted. Incidentally I haven't bothered with the velcro on mine but it does capture a fair few in my lap provided I look for them before standing up..

 

Don

Edited February 17, 2018 by Donw

[Lacathedrale]

Thanks for the tips on structures. I'm aware that the shopkeepers are volunteers and this absolutely not meant to disparage the efforts by everyone, but is anyone else having trouble with getting hold of track? I sent an email to Gareth in December and only heard back at the end of January with unfortunately the wrong invoice, I sent another email at the start of this week and have yet to hear back at all. I really am not looking to complain, but it's making it hard to keep the fire burning brightly when after 2.5mo I still can't lay a single piece of my own track.

Edited February 17, 2018 by Lacathedrale

[Steven Draper]

Hi,

I'm seriously looking at a 2mm project but just wondering if there is a relatively straight forward way to convert the new Graham Farish Castle to 2mm ?

On a variation, have any layouts been built that have both 2mm and N gauge running lines ( obviously not connected !) so that non converted stock has somewhere to play as well ?

Many Thanks,

Edited February 18, 2018 by Steven Draper

[Lacathedrale]

Hi Steven,

 

I'm absolutely not anywhere near an authority on this - please take what I say with a massive grain of salt.

 

The 2mm shop will lists wheels that are in stock in the Shop2 product section, and if not then the association has a member who turns down wheels for a nominal fee. As the face-to-face values never change the valve gear can remain the same although some people choose to make it thinner by sanding it down.

 

Justin1985 advised me that 2FS locos often work fine on plain N gauge track (although he kindly let me just use his 2FS layout for running my Class 37) but obviously it's the turnouts that would cause a problem! 

 

There's an intermediate "standard" of sorts which involves hand laying track to NEM (?) standards i.e. finer than Peco Code 55 but otherwise compatible with commercial wheelsets. See "Ropley" by Tom E of this parish. AFAIK there is literally zero commercial support other than one vendor who provides turnout kits however, not even roller gauges! 

[justin1985]

Justin1985 advised me that 2FS locos often work fine on plain N gauge track (although he kindly let me just use his 2FS layout for running my Class 37) but obviously it's the turnouts that would cause a problem!

 

Sorry for any confusion - but this is much more true the other way around. N Gauge (9mm) stock usually runs quite happily on 2FS plain track (9.42) as the wider wheel treads take up the difference. It is, in my experience, just about possible to test a 2FS loco on N gauge plain track, but it will wobble about a lot. Turnouts are a different question both ways around!

 

The shunting plank we tested the 37 on still has 2FS track, although I am planning to reuse that board for a Finetrax/TomE style 2mm turnouts with N flange ways test project now I've abandoned "Snape".

 

There have been several layouts with both N gauge and 2FS lines - including Copenhagen Fields predecessor, Chiltern Green, I believe.

 

J

[CF MRC]

Correct Justin. In fact, Copenhagen Fields was capable of running N gauge stock on one line until about five years ago. We found that the modern N gauge wheel standards didn’t like the brass track much (if fractionally wide to gauge), whereas the old steam rollers were more forgiving.

 

Tim

[Lacathedrale]

I stand corrected, best stay as a lurker in this thread I think!!

[2mm Andy]

Thanks for the tips on structures. I'm aware that the shopkeepers are volunteers and this absolutely not meant to disparage the efforts by everyone, but is anyone else having trouble with getting hold of track? I sent an email to Gareth in December and only heard back at the end of January with unfortunately the wrong invoice, I sent another email at the start of this week and have yet to hear back at all. I really am not looking to complain, but it's making it hard to keep the fire burning brightly when after 2.5mo I still can't lay a single piece of my own track.

 

I had a chat with Gareth last weekend when he was stewarding at the BRM Doncaster exhibition. He moved house recently and had to put most of his things (including Shop 1) into storage for a while. Unfortunately this all happened rather too quickly to get a note put into the last newsletter.

 

He mentioned that he wasn't back home until Thursday (ie. 3 days ago) so is probably still catching-up with things.

 

Andy

[Llangerisech]

Hi,

 

I'm seriously looking at a 2mm project but just wondering if there is a relatively straight forward way to convert the new Graham Farish Castle to 2mm ?

 

On a variation, have any layouts been built that have both 2mm and N gauge running lines ( obviously not connected !) so that non converted stock has somewhere to play as well ?

 

Many Thanks,

Hi Stephen

 

This is on our To Do list. A set of rods and a replacement front bogie is a straightforward etch option. We still have some challenges with tender wheel replacements due to the pin points, but getting the tender wheels turned is still an option. I have a Castle ready to act as Guinea pig. The hornblocks and gear would be the same as the Jinty items already in stock in the shops, so just regular wheels would make up a reversible conversion kit for the loco itself.

 

regards

Nigel (Products Officer)

[Donw]

I had a chat with Gareth last weekend when he was stewarding at the BRM Doncaster exhibition. He moved house recently and had to put most of his things (including Shop 1) into storage for a while. Unfortunately this all happened rather too quickly to get a note put into the last newsletter.

 

He mentioned that he wasn't back home until Thursday (ie. 3 days ago) so is probably still catching-up with things.

 

Andy

 

Andy just a suggestion it would be helpful if the Products page on the website could be updated with a note whenever there are unexpected problems.

[2mm Andy]

Andy just a suggestion it would be helpful if the Products page on the website could be updated with a note whenever there are unexpected problems.

 

Don,

 

Yes, I agree that it would have been helpful, and it has been done in the past. Not sure why the shop news didn't get updated this time, but we have a committee meeting next Saturday, so I'll ask our Sales Officer then.

 

Andy

[Lacathedrale]

Shop1/Gareth got back to me yesterday night so I'm as happy as a clam.

 

Speaking of card modelling, I've got the texture packs and card to build a viaduct, but to be clear, I should be using a ply/foamcore base for the surface on which I'll be affixing the track, right? I can't imagine that 2mm card would appreciate being soaked in PVA for ballasting, etc.

[Izzy]

I don't know what size/type of viaduct you intend making but all my recent layouts (1x4mm/P4 & 3x2mm/2FS )have been card based from the baseboards up, and after trying foamcore are now made from layers of mountboard, indeed the latest 2FS one, a single board 60"x10" and with a folding sector plate type fiddle yard, is currently under construction, the pcb timbers being laid before adding the Versaline chairplates. The Templot template - inkjet A4 sheets from a generated PDF file joined and laid onto 1200m lining paper, will be discarded once the track is built and ready to lay. The cork hasn't been laid/glued down onto the baseboard or sector plate yet.

 

 

A layer of cork (1/16" or 1/32") is always laid down under the track using pva - I usually just cover the whole baseboard surface - with the track stuck down onto it via d/s tape. After wiring up and proving it all works okay ballasting is done using Woodland Scenics extra fine ballast sprinkled on (you only need very small amounts I find) and fixed using WS S191 scenic glue dispensed via a Revell paint syringe. This is very watery, matt, and doesn't penetrate down far into the cork where there is no d/s tape. It's just enough to hold the ballast in place, aided by any paint wash you may colour the ballast with. Generally I airbrush on weak shades of Rowney poster paint to taste.

 

If you should choose to use mountboard as the base material I would suggest the trackbed needs at least 2x mountboard thickness (a layer is about 1.2mm), while of course 3 or 4 is even better. My baseboards use 4 as a minimum, about the same general thickness as 6mm ply - give or take the odd mm, but with mostly under half the weight. My current 7' long P4 layout is under 4Kg.

 

Anyway, hope this gives you some ideas.

 

Izzy

[Caley Jim]

The main line tracks on Kirkallanmuir are laid on 1mm card (the backing from the envelopes MRJ comes in).  It was glued down to the 6mm ply baseboards with pva, then given a good coat of pva as a seal before the Templot track plan was glued on top.  Yard areas were just laid directly on the baseboard.  Ballasting was with a sand/Cascamite/plaster mix, coloured with powder paints, spread dry and then fixed by flooding it with water, applied from an eye dropper, which had a little pva and washing-up liquid added.   I've had no problems with the card base distorting through absorbing water.

 

I would be wary of laying track on anything, such as foamboard, which is likely to deform permanently if pressure is applied to it, resulting in a dip in one or both rails.  That can happen accidentally, no matter how careful you are, as we learned on Sauchenford where thick balsa was used as the track bed.

 

Jim