'O' gauge ? first tentative steps. Corrugated goods shed part 3: Painting and weathering

[David Siddall]

Now the reason I've only posted a pic' of my tie-bar components is that yesterday didn't turn out quite as planned... the morning involved work, and the afternoon the purchasing and erecting 20-odd foot of fencing panels to finally escape-proof the garden for the benefit of our latest canine arrival. To say it was a bit cold for mucking about in the garden was an understatement. The hoar frost on the trees should have been a bit of a clue and not a brass monkey to be seen anywhere - they'd obviously decided it was wiser to stay indoors!

 

Anyway, whilst waiting for feeling to return to various extremities over several cups of tea the conversation somehow got round to discussing the amount of space my modelling proposals would consume in the spare bedroom and whether or not they would leave sufficient room for Mrs S's yoga mat? The upshot? A bit of re-think and the consignment to a future layout of all those lovely curved B6s. Sad in some respects but maybe not entirely a unwise because at my current rate of progress it would probably have been next year before I had all the track built and in place.

 

So, I'm now looking at this ...one less turnout (probably a good thing as our tax return suggests that the goverment has us down to singlehandedly reduce the nation's fiscal deficit!), and I've managed to incorporate a hidden kick-back siding which means that locos entering the sector-plate at the head of their trains can be positioned for their return working without having to be manhandled. I know there's a bit of work to do to get the approach angles on sector-plate angles right but I'll leave that until I can mock things up on baseboards.

 

 

There are other very practical reasons for the revision too... mainly Mrs S's suggestion that 1) we really 'do' need to be able to get at the window; and 2) previous designs had the radiator underneath the baseboards (...now why didn't I think of that? ;-)

[David Siddall]

I'm sure you've said it already but what sort of tools did you need to put the point in a bag together...

 

Here you go Gary, photographic evidence proving a complete lack of engineering workshop facilities ;-)

 

The tools shown are all that I've needed to get me thus far (oh... apart from a paint brush for sloshing Butanone about). The screwdriver and tweezers are quite handy for prodding chairs into place, my track cutters have served for a least four layouts and I have a feeling that file came out of a DIY shop bargain bin more years ago than I care to recall! A fine permanent marker that'll work on non-absorbant surfaces comes in handy too ;-)

 

The only item not featured is a soldering iron which will be required to attempt the electrical bonds and (takes deep breath) the tie/stretcher-bars.

 

 

Your compliment, BTW, is much appreciated...

 

David

[David Siddall]

Two lightly singed fingers, one burned sleeper and a fair amount amount of cussing later the tie/stretcher bars are in place (they're a bit of a fiddle to say the least)... and yes, my soldering really is that awful!

 

 

D

[66C]

Hi David

 

Looks like a nice neat job to me!

 

Regards.

[Debs.]

Looks like a nice neat job to me!

 

......and me!

[Trainshed Terry]

Singed sleeper gives the point a touch of realism

 

Terry

[David Siddall]

Well thank you folks... but to see how it should be done (and how I'd like to be able to do it) you need to look at Richard's (Dikitriki's) photos.

 

I have to say Terry that thought (excuse) did cross my mind! Particularly now I've discovered that timber sleepers have a huge additional advantage over plastic - they don't melt at the slightest touch of a soldering iron :-)

 

Back to Richard's approach I do rather like his idea of using a single flat tie-bar in place of one of the Ambis jobbies. Three reasons: 1) I have a feeling that the vertical strips of copper-clad are going to be a bit of a pig to ballast around convincingly?; 2) I haven't been able to get them to sit high enough to restrain the blades - there's still a bit of vertical movement which could result in them setting higher than the adjacent stock rails; and 3) I'm also not terribly sure whether the minute (and rather fragile-looking) tags provided on the bracket etch will be man enough to take a point-motor drive?

 

D

[Webbo]

David,

When I mentioned using copperclad in conjunction with the tie bars, I was thinking solder the copperclad to the toes, as Richard has done (in a horizontal plane and tight to the underside of the stock rails, this stops the lifting of the toes), then the ties are soldered to the copperclad. As I said before it should give you both the strength and the prototypical look.

Having said that they do look nice and neat.

Alan

[dikitriki]

David

 

You've done a really neat job, and your point looks excellent.

 

You have touched on a really important function of the stretcher bar in model form - to stop the blades lifting above stock rail height. There should be virtually no vertical movement. If there is, you will have derailments, or bounce at the very least. My misgiving with the Ambis product is the constant flexing as there is no pivot. There is more movement than one would think, and when I experimented with them, I did have a soldered joint fail between bracket and blade. You will note that the copperclad main drive bar has pins through, and the pins are soldered to the blades. This means that there is no stress on the join, and I expect a long and productive life from them.

 

 

 

 

The wood is holding the stretcher bar hard up against the bottom of the blades, before soldering the end of the pin to the blade.

 

I know they don't look as good, but when painted they are pretty unobtrusive.

 

Richard

[dikitriki]

Hi folks

 

Whilst searching for something on RMweb, I realised that the archive stuff was back. That being the case, I can now link to my thread on point construction here

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=88&t=45544

 

Cheers

 

Richard

[David Siddall]

Richard you're archived turnout construction thread thread is a real tour de force...

 

...I think I'll have another go at my tie/stretcher bars (fortunately there are plenty of brackets on the Ambis etch) - a thinner vertical bar so I can ballast underneath it and a horizontal bar as per your illustrations to restrain the blades and give something a bit more solid to hook a drive to.

 

First off I think a new and slightly less cumbersome soldering iron is required for precision jobs like this. Eileen's Emporium on-line here I come :-)

 

D

[Debs.]

Richard you're archived turnout construction thread thread is a real tour de force...

 

Total agreement here..........I`m re-reading it (for the third time now!); it`s wonderfully informative!

[Fay Singpoint]

and yes, my soldering really is that awful!

Possibly but it looks okay from here, you improve with practice and you have to start somewhere as I have found with my kit building exploits. My track building comes next..

 

I have a feeling that the vertical strips of copper-clad are going to be a bit of a pig to ballast around convincingly?

In real life the sleeper beds that have stretcher bars you are modelling were only ballasted to the bottom of the timbers to avoid the ploughing effect which often made it difficult to get the switches to close up properly. These empty beds were well loved by the p'way dept because any packing chippings would soon work their way out from under the timber.

 

You have touched on a really important function of the stretcher bar in model form - to stop the blades lifting above stock rail height.

True but this only applies to drive stretchers which have the extension pieces. Non-driven stretchers do not extend under the stock rail.

 

An inspirational thread. Should be interesting when I eventually start posting my track building attempts..

[alant]

David,

 

After corresponding in the autocoupling thread, I must write to say your first effort at the C&L turnout construction looks good to me. I have built a couple of Marcway points in the past but have taken the easy route mainly and used out of the box Peco!

 

I must endeavour to try C&L for a future layout I think.

 

Alan.

[3 link]

David,

 

After corresponding in the autocoupling thread, I must write to say your first effort at the C&L turnout construction looks good to me. I have built a couple of Marcway points in the past but have taken the easy route mainly and used out of the box Peco!

 

I must endeavour to try C&L for a future layout I think.

 

Alan.

 

You will find them very addictive .

 

ATB, Martyn.

[alant]

You will find them very addictive .

 

ATB, Martyn.

 

That's what I'm afraid of!

 

Alan.

[David Siddall]

Interesting use of the word 'addictive' there Martyn...

 

...at the moment it feels a bit like when I changed to ale after a lifetime of drinking lager. Everyone's telling you that what you're changing to is going to be better than anything you've experienced before but you're... not ...quite ...shure! Perhaps I need to try a few more to 'get the habit' ...turnouts that is, when it comes to pints (which is, after all, 'points' but for a missing 'o') persistance resulted an irreversible conversion ;-)

 

D

[3 link]

That's what I'm afraid of!

 

Alan.

 

Ahhh but it's a very enjoyable slippery slope .

 

David,

 

At the time of writing "addictive" was for want of a better word , being that I have packed up the roll ups some years ago and now I find myself on a diet. What more is there to look forward to now . Ahhh I know the Bristol show .

 

ATB, Martyn.

[alant]

Martyn,

 

I've not yet been to a Bristol show, done Guildex a few times, Kettering and Reading in the past. I'm considering visiting Sunday though, is it usually a good show, looks a good mix of layouts and traders as far as I can see?

 

Alan.

[3 link]

Hi Alan,

 

This will be my first time at Bristol as well so I cannot help you there, like yourself I am a regular at Reading and Telford but from what I have heard it is not to be missed. Also it will be a bit closer for me than the trudge up to Guildex .

 

ATB, Martyn.

[two tone green]

Great exhibition with lots of space to stand and chat if you want supported by good layouts and traders. The bacon rolls are ok as well.

 

You wont be disappointed.

[David Siddall]

My first visit too and the venue's just the other side of the bridge (half an hour tops from here!). Deliberately haven't told our offspring (three of whom live in/near Bristol) I'll be crossing the water so there's no chance of being distracted as in '...Dad, if you're over could you just fix my car / the leak in the utility room roof / my laptop / install a cat-flap in the back door, etc, etc' ;-)

 

D

 

PS: Is there anything you can't buy on Amazon? Thought I'd just check and found the new soldering iron I wanted on there at a whopping discount. Ordered Tuesday lunchtime, arrived Wednesday morning (even at standard P&P) - how good is that? Now all I need is to find some time before Sunday day out to try to improve my turnout's tie/stretcher bars!

[two tone green]

Would be good to catch up with you David. We could do with a meeting point and time.

[David Siddall]

Would be good to catch up with you David. We could do with a meeting point and time.

Would be delighted... sounds like you know the venue so would you like to suggest the meeting point? As for a time how about 12.30 or 1pm to give anyone who wants to meet to have a look around and do the trade stands before anything they're after goes? I'm planning to arrive as soon after the show opens as I can but have been asked by a mate from Crickowell if we can car share so may not get there 'till about 11am.

 

D

[Warspite]

Would be delighted to meet at the Bristol exhibition... sounds like you know the venue so would you like to suggest where? As for a time how about lunchtime (ish) to give a chance for anyone who wants to meet to get round the trade stands and grab anything they want before it goes? I'm planning to arrive as soon after the show opens as I can but have been asked by a mate from Crockowell if we can car share so may not get there 'till about 11am.

 

D

 

We're also hoping to get to Bristol - never done the Bristol show although we've done Telford a couple of times.

 

Perhaps we could have a RMWeb 'get-together', but how do we recognise each other? Perhaps, we should all wear red carnations, carry copies of The Times and meet under the station clock. Or should that be copies of Model Rail!

 

Mrs Warspite wants to meet this elusive R.M.Webb she keeps hearing about! She wants to know if there is a Mrs R.M.Webb she can have a coffee with while the men are playing trains!

 

Stephen