Pencarrow: nothing to see, move along please.

[Simond]

Morning, Martyn,

 

Glad to hear about the mojo, though given the sunshine, it might be more of an outdoor day today, particularly given the forecast for the rest of the week! I’m going to support the Folkestone club at the show in Tenterden tomorrow, but I’ll get some vitamin D today.

 

Brakes? Yes, if you can see it on the real thing, then it should be there on the model. Preferably aligned with the wheel treads.

 

Pet hates? Billy Connell’s excellent 3-link and screw couplings fitted to otherwise beautifully built, painted & weathered stock, without being blacked first. Whoever heard of brass coupling hooks on the real thing?!??!

 

Best

Simon

(Fully paid-up member of the association of Grumpy Old Gits)

[3 link]

Morning, Martyn,

Glad to hear about the mojo, though given the sunshine, it might be more of an outdoor day today, particularly given the forecast for the rest of the week! I’m going to support the Folkestone club at the show in Tenterden tomorrow, but I’ll get some vitamin D today.

Brakes? Yes, if you can see it on the real thing, then it should be there on the model. Preferably aligned with the wheel treads.

Pet hates? Billy Connell’s excellent 3-link and screw couplings fitted to otherwise beautifully built, painted & weathered stock, without being blacked first. Whoever heard of brass coupling hooks on the real thing?!??!

Best

Simon

(Fully paid-up member of the association of Grumpy Old Gits)

Outdoor day, the dogs had already had their 2 mile walk along the beach before I wrote the first post this morning. : )

 

Martyn.

[2ManySpams]

Well, despite best intentions, I'm sat watching the ladies high speed floor sweeping (curling) bronze medal game. Just one more end...

[bgman]

Well, despite best intentions, I'm sat watching the ladies high speed floor sweeping (curling) bronze medal game. Just one more end...

 

Just get on with it man !        Those point stretchers won't make themselves 

 

Annoyed of Devon 

[bgman]

I would like to qualify the above by saying I am Annoyed of Devon following the "sad demise" of JLTRT this week, mainly because I wanted some stretcher bars !!!!

 

Double Annoyed (NOW) of Devon

Edited February 24, 2018 by bgman

[Siberian Snooper]

The observant will note that the Tortoise in the photo above doesn't have an external microswitch. No, I've not changed my mind about fitting them, that job is done.

rps20180223_220650.jpg

The Tortoise is driving the set of blades which are next to the red screwdriver. The frog for that turnout is on the next board. The turnout is one of a pair making up a crossing, therefore an extra microswitch will be fitted to the nearer Tortoise and that point motor will therefore switch both frogs in the crossing. Saves a wire having to cross the board joint.

Not wishing to teach granny to suck eggs, I hope you have realised that the 2 common crossings are opposite polarity.

[2ManySpams]

Not wishing to teach granny to suck eggs, I hope you have realised that the 2 common crossings are opposite polarity.

Yup, will be switched via separate microswitches (different sections) and wired to suit.

[2ManySpams]

Should have stayed watching the curling. 3hrs later and still trying to get the first turnout working correctly.

[Worsdell forever]

Should have stayed watching the curling. 3hrs later and still trying to get the first turnout working correctly.

And so you missed out on the chance to offer Eve a shoulder to cry on...

[2ManySpams]

And so you missed out on the chance to offer Eve a shoulder to cry on...

Yes, but I went down the pub instead (first time for weeks) and beat no1 son 5-0 at pool.

 

Prior to going down the pub I finally had some success. Lots if scrap bits on the workbench though from failed attempts.

 

So in place it look like this:

 

 

 

Prior to fitting it looks like this:

 

 

 

 

 

There's a NS wire dropper that goes down to the underboard mechanism, two cosmetic stretcher bar mounts and a bit of bar that comes out to hold the rail down.

[colin penfold]

very tidy mate

[2ManySpams]

very tidy mate

Thanks, you didn't see the previous fails.

 

Was trying to extend the dropper wire out 90deg to the side to firm the bit to stop the rail rising. Got one to work but couldn't repeat it, particularly when then fitting the cosmetic stretcher mounts when it all fell to pieces.

 

Eventually I fitted the cosmetic stretcher mounts first, cut a slot in one and inserted some scrap etch to make up the holding down bar. Final move was to fit the dropper last not first.

 

Oh, some coffee stirrers made into a jig helped...

 

[bgman]

Those are the C & L cast lumps I take it Chris.

 

G

[2ManySpams]

Those are the C & L cast lumps I take it Chris.

 

G

Yup, quite pleased with how they look.

[2ManySpams]

Now it's probably apparent that I do occasionally perhaps over complicate things... So on the point blades I did try going from the opposite direction, start simple.

 

First effort was a simple L of NS wire soldered to the underside of the rail. As suspected this worked great in the horizontal but the blade had a tendency to lift. No shock as Damian highlighted this issue on a couple of his DitD turnouts.

 

So next idea was to introduce a bit of an extra bit of wire which would go under the adjacent stock rail and hold the blade down at the right level. The picture below should show how this was arranged.

 

 

Worked well on one blade but could I get it to work on the opposite side. Either to tight or too loose. Afterwards I realised half the problem was that the blade was curved vertically. Doh.

 

Next was to go back to the simple L dropper and add a separate pad of brass or NS scrap etch to hold the rail down. Worked OK but looked a bit naff. I decided the strip had to be attached on edge like the ends of the stretcher bar on a real turnout.

 

Whilst I thought how to do this I thought I'd better see if the cosmetic stretcher mounts would look OK. Having fitted these I realised that a saw cut in the bottom of the casting down to rail level would provide a perfect seat for the holding down strip - it would also look like the end of the stretcher bar.

 

So that's where I got to yesterday.

 

 

Thoughts happened whilst in the pub, some related to trains. The outcome will be trialled today.

Edited February 25, 2018 by 2ManySpams

[Indomitable026]

Now it's probably apparent that I do occasionally perhaps over complicate things... So on the point blades I did try going from the opposite direction, start simple.

First effort was a simple L of NS wire soldered to the underside of the rail. As suspected this worked great in the horizontal but the blade had a tendency to lift. No shock as Damian highlighted this issue on a couple of his DitD turnouts.

So next idea was to introduce a bit of an extra bit of wire which would go under the adjacent stock rail and hold the blade down at the right level. The picture below should show how this was arranged.

rps20180225_105121.jpg

Worked well on one blade but could I get it to work on the opposite side. Either to tight or too loose. Afterwards I realised half the problem was that the blade was curved vertically. Doh.

Next was to go back to the simple L dropper and add a separate pad of brass or NS scrap etch to hold the rail down. Worked OK but looked a bit naff. I decided the strip had to be attached on edge like the ends of the stretcher bar on a real turnout.

Whilst I thought how to do this I thought I'd better see if the cosmetic stretcher mounts would look OK. Having fitted these I realised that a saw cut in the bottom of the casting down to rail level would provide a perfect seat for the holding down strip - it would also look like the end of the stretcher bar.

So that's where I got to yesterday.

rps20180224_155903.jpg

Thoughts happened whilst in the pub, some related to trains. The outcome will be trialled today.

What does your dropper go into under the board?

 

If it went all the way through and out the other side you could clamp something on it to stop the dropper rising?

[2ManySpams]

What does your dropper go into under the board?

If it went all the way through and out the other side you could clamp something on it to stop the dropper rising?

Goes into a tube inserted into the underboard tie-bar which the Tortoise is sat on:

 

 

You'll have to imagine there's a baseboard between the point blades and tortoise stuff.

[3 link]

Hi Chris,

 

I take my hat off to you, those C&L stretcher bar brackets and the Ambis versions are far to fiddly for my sausage fingers, so what material are you using for the actual bar? Thin strip of copper paxolin?

 

Cheers,

 

Martyn.

[Indomitable026]

Goes into a tube inserted into the underboard tie-bar which the Tortoise is sat on:

rps20180225_121016.jpg

You'll have to imagine there's a baseboard between the point blades and tortoise stuff.

So can you drill through that plastic tie bar ?

 

So the dropper goes all the way through?

[2ManySpams]

Hi Chris,

I take my hat off to you, those C&L stretcher bar brackets and the Ambis versions are far to fiddly for my sausage fingers, so what material are you using for the actual bar? Thin strip of copper paxolin?

Cheers,

Martyn.

I gave up with the Ambis units. Eventually made one but couldn't get the second to look anything like the first. I also thought they looked too big.

 

The C&L ones are quite good. Just cut off the sprue, file the rear and solder on. Might be a bit tricky to do if the point blades is already insitu but I deliberately left mine loose until I knew how to do this bit.

 

Takes a bit of patience and the highly crafted(?) jigs help too.

[2ManySpams]

So can you drill through that plastic tie bar ?

So the dropper goes all the way through?

Possibly but if the dropper passes all the way through the tube there's a greater chance of it binding if the two aren't perfectly aligned. You have to remember bodgit and scarper soldering are doing this!

 

I've had success with the mk74 version though:

 

 

 

 

The dropper is held in two planes - horizontally to the rail and vertically to the stretcher bar stub. A bit of a stronger joint then before.

[Indomitable026]

Possibly but if the dropper passes all the way through the tube there's a greater chance of it binding if the two aren't perfectly aligned. You have to remember bodgit and scarper soldering are doing this!

I've had success with the mk74 version though:

rps20180225_122449.jpg

rps20180225_122508.jpg

rps20180225_122528.jpg

The dropper is held in two planes - horizontally to the rail and vertically to the stretcher bar stub. A bit if a stronger joint then before.

All I’m thinking is if you get the dropper all the way through you’d be able to bend it over - stopping the dropper rising and ultimately the switchblade.

[2ManySpams]

Sorry Martyn, I didn't answer your question on the stretcher bar material. At the moment I'm thinking of using either a little strip of thin double sided copper clad* (which I have already) or just some plasticard. In either case I'm going to attach them to the mounts with just a drop of glue, something flexible like evostik.


Edit * suitably gapped of course to prevent shorts.

[2ManySpams]

All I’m thinking is if you get the dropper all the way through you’d be able to bend it over - stopping the dropper rising and ultimately the switchblade.

You're assuming there I can get the bend in the right place!

[2ManySpams]

What I am going to change though is to not use the thin wall brass tube recommended in the C&L mounting plate instructions - too bendy. Mark gave me some syringe needles a while back. Will be a s0d to cut but better.