Semaphore Signals - 4mm Scale (Mainly)

[HAB]

What's taking so long.........?

 

....just to paint a few signal arms!

 

 

Perhaps I could suggest some alternative approaches with might be a bit quicker?

Here are a couple of mine:-

 

 

 

The arms were done using self-adhesive vinyls as sold for model aircraft (sounds dreadful but works a treat) - not my idea - Mick Nicholson suggested it and kindly supplied the materials. The spectacles were done by filling the "eyes" with PVA glue then, when it has dried clear, painting them with transparent "Glass" paint. (sold by Tamiya and others) This is the quickest and neatest way I have found.

 

It works for the dummies as well - though they have to be painted the hard way - spraying and differential masking (red first, then white)

 

Hope that helps - keep up the excellent work Steve, and thanks for posting it all here.

 

Best wishes,

 

 

Howard

[St Enodoc]

Perhaps I could suggest some alternative approaches with might be a bit quicker?

Here are a couple of mine:-

 

2 6 Off small.jpg

 

Jan 16 snooze 6 small.jpg

 

The arms were done using self-adhesive vinyls as sold for model aircraft (sounds dreadful but works a treat) - not my idea - Mick Nicholson suggested it and kindly supplied the materials. The spectacles were done by filling the "eyes" with PVA glue then, when it has dried clear, painting them with transparent "Glass" paint. (sold by Tamiya and others) This is the quickest and neatest way I have found.

 

It works for the dummies as well - though they have to be painted the hard way - spraying and differential masking (red first, then white)

 

Dummies 3 small.jpg

Hope that helps - keep up the excellent work Steve, and thanks for posting it all here.

 

Best wishes,

 

 

Howard

Looks good Howard. Like Steve, I've started using Chiltern transfers,which make distants in particular a lot easier, but before that I painted the base colours on the arms and used strips of coloured transfer cut from a Modelmaster sheet for the stripes. I still do that for discs.

[HAB]

I did get hold of the Chiltern transfers, but found the printing a bit fuzzy looking.  That said, they look fine on Steve's signals.

 

With the vinyls, a "mass production" method is also needed - a long strip of white on red, another of black on white, then sliced off accurately to width - though one batch did all I need - not the case for Steve I think!!

 

Best wishes,

[Steve Hewitt]

Perhaps I could suggest some alternative approaches with might be a bit quicker?

Here are a couple of mine:-

 

2 6 Off small.jpg

 

Jan 16 snooze 6 small.jpg

 

The arms were done using self-adhesive vinyls as sold for model aircraft (sounds dreadful but works a treat) - not my idea - Mick Nicholson suggested it and kindly supplied the materials. The spectacles were done by filling the "eyes" with PVA glue then, when it has dried clear, painting them with transparent "Glass" paint. (sold by Tamiya and others) This is the quickest and neatest way I have found.

 

It works for the dummies as well - though they have to be painted the hard way - spraying and differential masking (red first, then white)

 

Dummies 3 small.jpg

Hope that helps - keep up the excellent work Steve, and thanks for posting it all here.

 

Best wishes,

 

 

Howard

Hi Howard,

 

Thanks very much for your very helpful advice.

I'll certainly be giving your techniques a try.

 

You signals look quite stunning.

I particularly like the small "yokes" you've used to attach the "cables" to the cranks.

 

Steve.

Edited April 21, 2017 by Steve Hewitt

[HAB]

 

You signals look quite stunning.

I particularly like the small "yokes" you've used to attach the "cables" to the cranks.

 

Steve.

 

Many thanks for the kind words Steve, and yes they are small!

 

The kind of nonsense I get up to is fine when you only have a few to do and would not be appropriate for your situation, but if you are interested in trying any of my etches, just drop me a PM - I think it fair to say they are a lot better than the "commercial stuff"!

 

 

Best wishes and keep up the good work!

[Jon Fitness]

Many thanks for the kind words Steve, and yes they are small!

 

The kind of nonsense I get up to is fine when you only have a few to do and would not be appropriate for your situation, but if you are interested in trying any of my etches, just drop me a PM - I think it fair to say they are a lot better than the "commercial stuff"!

 

Starters close up small.jpg

 

Best wishes and keep up the good work!

Wow! is this 4 or 7mm scale? Stunning either way!!

JF

[HAB]

Wow! is this 4 or 7mm scale? Stunning either way!!

JF

 

Definitely On-Topic! - 4mm

 

Thanks for the kind words.

 

Edit - and good luck with the upcoming retirement!

Edited April 21, 2017 by HAB

[LNERGE]

Many thanks for the kind words Steve, and yes they are small!

 

The kind of nonsense I get up to is fine when you only have a few to do and would not be appropriate for your situation, but if you are interested in trying any of my etches, just drop me a PM - I think it fair to say they are a lot better than the "commercial stuff"!

 

Starters close up small.jpg

 

Best wishes and keep up the good work!

Super signal. The block post simulator needs a bit more 'hardware' <G>

[Steve Hewitt]

Back to the Keswick Bracket.....

 

I've now fitted all the moving parts - its the bit I enjoy the most, when the signal comes to life.

 

 

Remembering that these two arms are slotted between both signal boxes, we have two weight bars, with weights to the rear of the post, and the drop-off weight for the arm itself to the front, repeated for each arm.

Not sure of the prototype, but I've fitted them to opposite sides of the post. (Gets very chunky if both are on one side).

 

 

Here we see one arm cleared:

 

The right hand operating wire is connected directly to the Platform 1 Home arm:

 

Platform 3 Home arm utilises the Rocking Shaft to transfer the motion across the Trimmers:

 

 

 

Once it was all working smoothly, I added the wooden planking and tried out the Lamps:

 

Finally, The servos (and their connected arms) were parked in the "Safe" or mid-throw position using the feature on the GF Controllers I am using. They are now ready for transport.

 

 

Along with Signal 1-1,14 which I made previously:

 

 

I've taken some video and will edit it together asap.

 

Steve.

 

edited for about 30 miles error.

Edited April 22, 2017 by Steve Hewitt

[Enterprisingwestern]

Hi Jon,

 

Sorry for the delay in coming back to this.

No photos as such, but what I've learnt so far:

 

• The Grit Blaster isn't much good for serious "de-soldering". Files and scrapers etc, still in use!
• It is excellent at removing a "thin Tinning".
• It is good on stains and old paint etc.
• It can remove excess glue from a surface.

 

My compressor will give a max. pressure of 4bar, at which point it shuts off the motor.

It re-starts the motor when the tank pressure drops to 3bar.

 

The blaster seems to work quite well down to about 2bar, but is best at the higher pressures, which you might expect.

With a larger compressor you could probably keep going continuously, but I tend to keep stopping frequently on the models I make anyway.

I've not had to pause for the compressor just to "catch up".

 

I have no idea how long the Gun will last before it wears itself out with the Aluminium Oxide eroding its innards.

 

All the best,

Steve.

 

p.s. Going to Stafford? I'll be there on Saturday.

 

Have you considered using these instead of aluminium oxide?, less corrosive for your nozzle!

 

http://www.walnutshellpowder.com/walnut_shell/product_Walnut_Shell_Blasting.html

 

Mike.

[beast66606]

Back to the Kendal Bracket.....

 

 

You been eating too much Keswick Mint Cake Steve ?

[Steve Hewitt]

You been eating too much Keswick Mint Cake Steve ?

More likely to be Famous Grouse

[Steve Hewitt]

Have you considered using these instead of aluminium oxide?, less corrosive for your nozzle!

 

http://www.walnutshellpowder.com/walnut_shell/product_Walnut_Shell_Blasting.html

 

Mike.

Hi Mike,

 

Thanks for the link.

I've ordered a "Sample" - rather than 25kg!

 

I'll let you know how I get on with it.

 

Steve.

[Steve Hewitt]

Here's the video:

 

 

Steve.

[Steve Hewitt]

Making a start on the Fixed Distant......

 

I've collected together most of the parts needed to make this simplest of signals:

 

 

The ladder is a Masokits etch, strengthened with 0.4mm N/S wire.

The Post sub-assembly consists of 2mm and 2.4mm dia Brass Tubes, with a 0.8 mm thick slice of 3.5mm  square section brass fitted near the top, with short lengths of brass strip added as the ladder top-fixing.

The Finial is a turning from Alan Gibson.

The Lamp, Bracket and Arm Bearing is one of the 3D prints from Les Green.

Half inch dia brass Foundation Tube is for mounting the signal in the baseboard.

The Baseplate is cut from 0.45mm N/S sheet.

The brass turning will ensure the Post fits squarely in the baseplate.

The Distant Arm is from the batch I made previously.

 

Starting on the signals foundations, I soldered together the turning, baseplate and foundation tube.

No moving parts, so no guide tubes on this signal:

 

 

More soon,

Steve.

 

 

[LNERGE]

Here's one i decommissioned earlier..

 

 

The arm is covered pending removal. There is a tube in place of the off buffer to make the arm truly fixed. Although this is an Eastern Region signal a similar thing could be done to an LMR one.

[Roger Sunderland]

Steve

 

I'm not sure if this has been covered previously, but are the 3D prints and bracket etches available to purchase from Les Green. If so how?

[Steve Hewitt]

Steve

 

I'm not sure if this has been covered previously, but are the 3D prints and bracket etches available to purchase from Les Green. If so how?

Not at present is all I can say.

I'll have a chat with Les shortly, and see what he says.

 

Steve.

[Roger Sunderland]

Not at present is all I can say.

I'll have a chat with Les shortly, and see what he says.

 

Steve.

Thanks Steve. I've a few signals to build for a new layout, it would make life a lot easier.

[Steve Hewitt]

Another small step.......

 

The Keswick No 1 box Loop Starter is a "standard" Round Post single arm signal with the same basic construction as the Fixed Distant, so I decided to build them both together:

 

The Loop signal has working parts of course:

 

Here's the bearing for the Weight Bar.

 

The guide tube which will help keep the operating wire running true and free.

 

Protected by the foundation tube which will locate the signal on the layout and ensure alignment of the Servo at a later stage.

 

Here are the two signals ready for a god scrub and clean before painting:

 

On this occasion, I've left the Arm Bearing etc. off until after painting.

I think it will be easier to paint the 3D printed item separately and attach it just before assembling the arm etc.

 

More soon....

Steve.

 

 

[Jon Fitness]

 

Here are the two signals ready for a god scrub and clean before painting:

 

Do you clean them religiously Steve?  

They do say cleanliness is next to godliness.....  

 

JF

 

(sorry!)

[Steve Hewitt]

Back from the Paintshop......

 

Here's the Fixed Distant:

 

The layout owner was concerned about the "Yellow" colour of the MSE glazing which I have used previously, and I tried something different on this signal:

 

Here the lenses have been glazed with "Clear Fix", and once dry they were painted with transparent Glass Paint.

Two coats have given a much deeper Amber colour which I think is a closer match to the prototype samples I've been shown.

 

More soon....

Steve.

 

[Jon Fitness]

Back from the Paintshop......

 

Here's the Fixed Distant:

RIMG1319.JPG

 

The layout owner was concerned about the "Yellow" colour of the MSE glazing which I have used previously, and I tried something different on this signal:

RIMG1320.JPG

 

Here the lenses have been glazed with "Clear Fix", and once dry they were painted with transparent Glass Paint.

Two coats have given a much deeper Amber colour which I think is a closer match to the prototype samples I've been shown.

 

More soon....

Steve.

Looks the biz Steve. I've started supplementing the reds on mine by over coating the coloured lens with a clear red enamel. Looks like the yellows will be next!

JF

[Roger Sunderland]

Very nice Steve. There appears to be a lot of glass paints on the market, any particular make/type?

Edited May 20, 2017 by Roger Sunderland

[Steve Hewitt]

Very nice Steve. There appears to be a lot of glass paints on the market, any particular make/type?

Hi Roger,

 

Sorry for the delay in answering your query.

 

The paints I've used are:

 

Red:  Marabu Number 125 "cherry"

Blue: Marabu  Number  092  "petrol"

Yellow:  Pebeo Vitrea 160  "Safron Yellow"  

 

I picked them up "on spec" from a local craft/art store several years ago but they might still be available.

 

Steve.