Whats on your 2mm Work bench

[cornish trains jez]

Hi Tom,

 

The track weathering looks amazing! And as Jerry says in the post above, you wouldn't believe that this is a model.

 

Best regards,

 

Jeremy

[-missy-]

I have to agree, that trackwork Tom is amazing!

 

Now if I could produce some track with that quality finish I would be VERY happy.

 

Missy

[Alex Duckworth]

  Not too much to report, I'm afraid, I've been extremely lazy lately. I have, however, got this far with the Janus;

 

 

 

and finished my 2mm test track/photo plank;

 

 

also (many thanks to Julia) assembled all the parts that I need for my Q1 2mm conversion. I've also DCC'd my classes 24 and 37, just need to fit Extreme Etchings parts and weather them.

 

 

Alex.

[rope runner]

Hi Alex,

 

That Janus is looking very nice - I have one in 2mm still to attempt...and a completed 5 inch gauge one!

 

Are you going to fit both motors, as per the prototype (sort of)? 

 

Paul A. 

[StuartM]

While waiting for something to dry, I thought I'd try out an idea I had for nem DG couplings

I took a DG coupling, cut an eighth of an inch off the back and then 2mm in from the back, soldiered a length of .45 nickel silver rod, cut it to size and filed off the surplus solder.

I now have an nem DG coupling that 'pops' in and out of the nem fitting on the loco with a satisfying 'click'

It seemed to me a sensible way of adding a coupling in a non permanent way.

 

[queensquare]

While waiting for something to dry, I thought I'd try out an idea I had for nem DG couplings

I took a DG coupling, cut an eighth of an inch off the back and then 2mm in from the back, soldiered a length of .45 nickel silver rod, cut it to size and filed off the surplus solder.

I now have an nem DG coupling that 'pops' in and out of the nem fitting on the loco with a satisfying 'click'

It seemed to me a sensible way of adding a coupling in a non permanent way.

 

Nice idea. How does it come out in terms of height 

 

Jerry

[Alex Duckworth]

Hi Alex,

 

That Janus is looking very nice - I have one in 2mm still to attempt...and a completed 5 inch gauge one!

 

Are you going to fit both motors, as per the prototype (sort of)? 

 

Paul A. 

 

 Hello Paul,

 

                 yes, I'm planning to fit the two Lawton 6 X 12mm motors in the photo, both driving the central layshaft via 7 tooth pinions on to the  30 tooth gears visible, using a CT DCC chip.

 

Alex.

[StuartM]

Nice idea. How does it come out in terms of height 

 

Jerry

Perfect!

I've yet to add the loop, but buffer to buffer with one of my mineral wagons is spot on,

I'm rather happy with it

[Rabs]

Great idea. What stops it from pitching up and down about the axis of the rod?

Edited September 11, 2013 by Rabs

[StuartM]

Great idea. What's stops it from pitching up and down about the axis of the rod?

Photos not great but hopefully show the coupling in action

The width of the DG coupling is wider than the NEM socket, so the brass slides into the socket and has no vertical movement, the nickel rod pops into the indentations of the socket and holds the DG coupling in place

 

I like the fact that this is post no:24001, sad or what

[Nigelcliffe]

Neat idea Stuart,  but did you deliberately bend the DG upside down ?   Usually the etch fold lines go to the inside of a corner. 

 

If this works in a few more cases, then it suggests a revised etch should be put together, slightly shorter rear tongue, and some etched marks for aligning the cross-rod. 

 

 

- Nigel

[StuartM]

Neat idea Stuart,  but did you deliberately bend the DG upside down ?   Usually the etch fold lines go to the inside of a corner. 

 

If this works in a few more cases, then it suggests a revised etch should be put together, slightly shorter rear tongue, and some etched marks for aligning the cross-rod. 

 

 

- Nigel

Well spotted Wilson,

No, I folded the etch the wrong way round.

Having added the loop and latch, I've found the coupling hook on the loco impedes the latch rising enough to allow the loop to be released, so I simply removed the hook.

The other way to overcome this would be, not to shorten the DG coupling, either way would doubtless be unacceptable to some, personally I don't mind a hook free loco as long as the auto coupling works.

I have to say the latch is the worst part of the whole coupling system, as it is a right pain to fit and set up, I might have a think about how the latch could be replaced, if anyone else has any ideas, jump in

[StuartM]

I'm away from the workbench for a week or so after tomorrow, so don't have the time to try this out right now,

but I think the etch could be improved by adding an additional set of wings with holes that fold down, and instead of the slot for the latch going across the width of the coupling, it will go along the length of the coupling. The latch is to be made out of 0.45 nickel silver rod in two parts, The horizontal part fits through the holes in the new wings and the vertical part (the latch part) fits through the slot in the top of the coupling and is soldered to the horizontal part.

The slot acts as a stop, so the vertical latch can't go beyond 90 degrees upright, and the whole latch assembly can be offset from centre slightly, so as to miss any buffer beam detail such as hooks etc.

The idea being that the latch would be a whole lot simpler to install and set up

That's the plan anyway.

If anyone wants to have a go while I'm away, please feel free and share your results on here

Rgds,

Stuart

 

PS: the red bar is the additional 0.45 nickel silver rod used fit the coupling to an NEM socket

[-missy-]

Hi

 

I think Im loosing the plot a little here...

 

 

The scary thing is I have a feeling Im not even half way through them (plus I can see some in that pic that need 'tweeking')

 

M

[queensquare]

Just bonkers Julia, but brilliant

 

Jerry

[-missy-]

Well....

1. You dont know until you try
2. There are things called magnifying glasses which make small things bigger (if needed)
3. My eyes are nothing special, in fact they are probably not that good, I am not a 'superwoman', I dont have special powers that means I can do things like this.
4. If you approach something with a negative mental attitude then the chances are you will follow that attitude to the end (or give up)

Thats my thoughts, plus its what I usually say to people when Im doing demos at shows

 

M

[Donw]

Well....

1. You dont know until you try
2. There are things called magnifying glasses which make small things bigger (if needed)
3. My eyes are nothing special, in fact they are probably not that good, I am not a 'superwoman', I dont have special powers that means I can do things like this.
4. If you approach something with a negative mental attitude then the chances are you will follow that attitude to the end (or give up)

Thats my thoughts, plus its what I usually say to people when Im doing demos at shows

 

M

Well said Missy.

[Rabs]

Would you like to send me an STL?  I think that I could knock out a bunch of those for you - they're small enough to just scatter a few in the gaps between the other prints that I'm doing.

The result wouldn't be as strong as brass but it's easy to print more so it wouldn't really matter if one or two got broken during installation.

[StuartM]

Forgive my ignorance, but are the items your making?

[-missy-]

I think you may be wrong on the latter part of point # 3!

 

Whats wrong with it?

 

I know my limits, and I think its a good thing to be in awe of people that can do things I know that i can't manage - the craftsmanship of 2mmFS being one of them, at least for now...

 

Do you really know your limits though? or is it you know your comfort zone? Have you tried 2mmFS?

 

M

[-missy-]

Forgive my ignorance, but are the items your making?

 

Sorry Stuart, I missed your post.

 

Im making a rather poor example of some point rodding.

 

 

Its been a total pain and the reason why Highclere is taking so long to complete at the moment.

 

M

[nick_bastable]

I think you may be wrong on the latter part of point # 3!

 

I know my limits, and I think its a good thing to be in awe of people that can do things I know that i can't manage - the craftsmanship of 2mmFS being one of them, at least for now...

 

 

limits are things told by others by others to restrict people until they believe they are true

 

The 2mm people are very supportive and helpful yo beginners and experts alike  

 

my own 2mm modelling is not  of a standard of a good N gauge modeler but I have fun as well as tears trying 

 

Nick

[Branwell]

I'd echo what Nick said ... and if you don't have a go, you'll never know!

 

Worth getting involved with a local area group if you have one as well - I went to the last Pennine group meeting and it's re-enthused me!!

[MinerChris]

There's several ongoing projects on the workbenches, in preparation to take St Ruth down South again, one of which is a County Rolling Stock, or "N'Tastic" GWR Gas Cordon.

 

The progress so far compared to a spare test print shell that I picked up from Richard at TINGS.

 

 

Whilst photographing out in the Garden, I stumbled across a PW gang member doing some work, Definitely not on the workbench...

 

 

Best Regards,

 

Miner Chris.

Edited September 29, 2013 by MinerChris

[StuartM]

Sorry Stuart, I missed your post.

 

Im making a rather poor example of some point rodding.

 

29-09-13.jpg

 

Its been a total pain and the reason why Highclere is taking so long to complete at the moment.

 

M

Might be taking a long time to make, but then things of beauty usually do, inspirational stuff