Whats on your 2mm Work bench

[mikes rail]

cutting a hedge for a customer in the north of the island one day and was introduced to a friend of theirs who was quite surprised that I had travelled up to do the job and would return home to the south of the island in one day  

[pod909]

Is it true that the isle of man has the highest density of massonic lodges found any where in the world?

[CF MRC]

Making Lord President's combination levers has been a bit frustrating, with the first one going into deep space. This bit of valve gear needs to have holes for the valve spindle and radius rod at the top and union link at the bottom. I decided to make it out of stainless so that the forked joints won't solder up too readily. It can be toned down by heating in a flame. One way to make small components is to make them with a handle which is then cut off, when no longer needed. The second photo shows the combination link being tried in on the LH cylinder using the handle to steady it. The link will have a joggle in it so will come up shorter, when completed.

 

Tim

[RichardW1]

Right index finger shows a nice evidential "v" cut.

Have you found out the hard way that scalpels are sharp! One might ask why you use a finger as a cutting mat?

[CF MRC]

Just as well you're not a surgeon, (or maybe you should have gone to Specsavers) as I'm not sure how that can be the right index finger. It's all part of the toughening up procedures for soldering.

 

Tim

Edited February 7, 2016 by CF MRC

[RichardW1]

You solder your fingers??!, well, perhaps "Lord President" will be rechristened "Silver Flux".

[nick_bastable]

Further to my question on any question answered and helpful replies I have been constructing this 

 

 

 

 

much to my surprise it turns and lines up pretty well given my limited woodworking skills  

 

next to add the tracks and feeder rails to this little APA box based project

 

 

 

which to my surprise is working pretty well  points and uncouplers Ardunio controlled servos , frogs switched via relays.  Have tested last few weeks with most of my working locomotives so its seen  everything from a  green CEP to a KESR railcar  and numerous things in between, I was shocked how well some of the Locos ran when back on DCC  ( knew there was a reason I went DCC).   Its meant to be a quick test bed as progress on my main layout has stalled ( probably to ambitious ) besides the main layout is totally unsuitable for my Stephen's light railway stuff.

 

The plan is the coach will run in (self powered  DCC consist broken ) as per Wingham after the engine gains a siding.

 

And the little figure is  the MODELU inspector  ( as featured in the latest 2mm magazine  ) who bares a passing resemblance to a certain Colonel

Edited December 23, 2019 by nick_bastable

[CF MRC]

If you are making fully working Walschaerts valve gear then the valve spindle needs to function as a moving pivot for the radius rod, running in the valve spindle guide. The distance between the two sides of the guide is 0.6 mm on the engine so I needed a very narrow pivot for this component. The most space-economic way of achieving this was to wrap a length of steel strip 0.3 x 0.4 mm in section through the pivot hole and then close it round and soft solder where the two arms meet. The first photo shows the fire-stained combination lever with the steel strip on it's first bend. This was then annealed by heating again in the flame and the bend completed. The area to be soft soldered was cleaned up with a file to allow good penetration of flux and the soft solder. Second photo shows the finished article: the solder could not stick to the stainless steel combination lever, so keeping the pivot free.

 

The lever can be seen in-situ in the side view. The union link (yet to be made) should be horizontal when the piston is in mid-stroke. In the top view the pivot and valve spindle is just visible in the valve guide and the joggle in the combination lever is also very obvious in this view. The union link will be filed up out of a small lump of steel In order to make the forked joints.

 

Tim

 

P.S. For Richard's piece of mind, no fingers were damaged in the making of these components.

[Caley Jim]

Right index finger shows a nice evidential "v" cut.

Have you found out the hard way that scalpels are sharp! One might ask why you use a finger as a cutting mat?

In fact a really sharp (i.e. new) scalpel or craft knife blade will often cut you without you being aware of it.  First thing you know is a spot of blood on the workbench or something you've just been holding with the damaged digit!  How do I know....?  Many a time and oft!

 

Jim

[StuartM]

I was having a clear out a short while ago when I came across this piece of half finished trackwork which I'd started not long after joining the association when I was into track building big time. I put it back in the draw and forgot all about it, until recently when I reached a low point with Greenwood cutting, so I thought a change is as good as a rest and decided to completed the exercise.

As I recall, the idea was to build it using the Easitrack chairs, with brass chairs where required for strength and electrical connectivity.

These days I tend to just solder rail directly to the sleepers as it saves so much time and still looks good.

I've still got some cosmetic chairs to add and the isolation cuts to make, and then I have to think what to do with it?

 

The last photo demonstrates how well my transparent test truck shows the wheel to rail interface, which comes in handy when fettling for smooth running

 

[CF MRC]

"Within every block of wood and stone, there dwells a spirit, waiting to be released.”

— Hap Hagood

 

So this piece of steel is waiting for the spirit of two union links to be released.. Four holes have been drilled already.

Tonight's competition is to identify what this bit of steel came from in my junk box.

 

Tim

[queensquare]

"Within every block of wood and stone, there dwells a spirit, waiting to be released.”

— Hap Hagood

 

So this piece of steel is waiting for the spirit of two union links to be released.. Four holes have been drilled already.

Tonight's competition is to identify what this bit of steel came from in my junk box.

 

Tim

 

 

Its the the piece cut out when making wheels. Wheel blank turned, centre removed leaving just two spokes, remainder of spokes added, waste thrown in junk box for later use making union links. Is there a prize?:-))

 

jerry

[CF MRC]

Too easy Jerry. You have a picture of me holding the bit that the semi circle came from, the N gauge driving wheel of the Johnson 7' 9" single - nearly forty years ago!

 

Tim

Edited February 8, 2016 by CF MRC

[queensquare]

Too easy Jerry. You have a picture of me holding the bit that the semi circle came from, the N gauge driving wheel of the Johnson 7' 9" single - nearly forty years ago!

Tim

Ah that's what you are holding, I must get round to posting that picture!

 

Jerry

[Izzy]

I was having a clear out a short while ago when I came across this piece of half finished trackwork which I'd started not long after joining the association when I was into track building big time. I put it back in the draw and forgot all about it, until recently when I reached a low point with Greenwood cutting, so I thought a change is as good as a rest and decided to completed the exercise.

As I recall, the idea was to build it using the Easitrack chairs, with brass chairs where required for strength and electrical connectivity.

These days I tend to just solder rail directly to the sleepers as it saves so much time and still looks good.

I've still got some cosmetic chairs to add and the isolation cuts to make, and then I have to think what to do with it?

 

The last photo demonstrates how well my transparent test truck shows the wheel to rail interface, which comes in handy when fettling for smooth running

 

I would have thought it could be the centrepiece of a small, simple, Minories type double track approach/island platform layout similar in nature to the latest ones from Ian Futers.

 

Izzy

[StuartM]

I would have thought it could be the centrepiece of a small, simple, Minories type double track approach/island platform layout similar in nature to the latest ones from Ian Futers.

 

Izzy

That had crossed my mind, as had Dundee and a hump shunting layout similar to Rangierbahnhof im Zeitraffer, then I gave myself a good slap and put the piece back in the draw and continue to not finish Greenwood cutting

 

[RichardW1]

Its the the piece cut out when making wheels. Wheel blank turned, centre removed leaving just two spokes, remainder of spokes added, waste thrown in junk box for later use making union links. Is there a prize?:-))

 

jerry

I was puzzling over the clapboard background to the picture, then realised that it is the rulings in your notebook. good God, a new obsession--------------------- cutting mat spotting!

[nick_bastable]

 

That had crossed my mind, as had Dundee and a hump shunting layout similar to Rangierbahnhof im Zeitraffer, then I gave myself a good slap and put the piece back in the draw and continue to not finish Greenwood cutting

 

 

did it hurt ? 

[StuartM]

did it hurt ? 

Not being able to complete a model to ones satisfaction always hurts

[nick_bastable]

Not being able to complete a model to ones satisfaction always hurts

ah that explains the constant ache in my back

 

thank you Doctor  

[CF MRC]

The block of steel did indeed release the spirit of a union link. It was filed roughly to shape at one end and slotted with a piercing saw.

 

After a bit more shaping the embryonic union link budded off the lump of steel and the other end was then slotted. The link could be held for filing by using pivot steel (or similar) through the holes and then mounted in the vice. As an aside, none of this work would be possible without a top quality Swiss watchmaker's vice and Swiss Vallorbe needle files.

 

The link can be seen near to completion in the fourth photo. Unfortunately there was then a union dispute, but this was settled with silver (solder). Not quite as good as I would like, but it moves freely, stays more or less horizontal throughout it's movement and is good enough for government work.

 

The copper wire visible in the assembled photos through the crosshead link is temporary: it will be replaced with a steel pin when appropriate.

 

Tim

Edited February 9, 2016 by CF MRC

[Chris Higgs]

The block of steel did indeed release the spirit of a union link. It was filed roughly to shape at one end and slotted with a piercing saw.

 

After a bit more shaping the embryonic union link budded off the lump of steel and the other end was then slotted. The link could be held for filing by using pivot steel (or similar) through the holes and then mounted in the vice. As an aside, none of this work would be possible without a top quality Swiss watchmaker's vice and Swiss Vallorbe needle files.

 

The link can be seen near to completion in the fourth photo. Unfortunately there was then a union dispute, but this was settled with silver (solder). Not quite as good as I would like, but it moves freely, stays more or less horizontal throughout it's movement and is good enough for government work.

 

The copper wire visible in the assembled photos through the crosshead link is temporary: it will be replaced with a steel pin when appropriate.

 

Tim

 

I think I know why I etch stuff now.

 

Chris

[CF MRC]

I can see your point Chris, but it would probably take me longer to draw it than make it - and I like the challenge. No pain, no gain as they say.

 

Tim

[D869]

After a long pause, some further progress on the branch home signal for St Ruth - this time on the mechanical side. Servo mount built and signal wires hooked up to the arms and tested.

 

I did attempt to design a new servo drive arrangement this time around but it just wasn't working out so I decided to stick with the existing design. It has too many parts to make, looks like it was designed by Heath Robinson but it (mostly) works.

 

A good deal of fettling was required to get the arms to move without snagging - there seems to be no end of ways for two arms and two wires to do the wrong thing.

 

A lot of the metalwork still needs to be trimmed to size. The extra has been kept in place for now in case any further soldering is needed. The brackety thing will carry the electrical route indicator. The big lump of extra etch on the left will be cut away.

 

 

 

[Caley Jim]

Some more products from my sheet of trial etches, both still to be painted.  First up a CR Dia 24 8T open, the same vehicle for which i made a kit in self curing acrylic resin many years ago.

 

 

Secondly, the last and largest version of the CR 7T mineral 'bogie' in its offset door form.  This etch has a number of flaws, not least that the W-hangers are a wee bit too narrow and the door is in slightly the wrong place, resulting in interference between the bottom of some of the vertical frame members and the tops of the W-hangers, something i should have checked at the design stage!      This has been corrected on the artwork!

 

 

Painting will have to wait until I get more of the trial etches built.

 

Question for Richard.....identify the 'cutting mat' in the last photo!

 

Jim