marc smith Posted May 22, 2013 Share Posted May 22, 2013 You may be aware, but it's possible to buy "bendy" mdf which has grooves machined on one side to allow curves to be made. I haven't tried any myself but it looks like it may be suitable for curved backscenes etc. Alan. Yes, Chris Nevard uses this for his backscenes... I've looked at it in the big Orange DIY shop, but I usually try to keep weight to a minimum... The bendy MDF I've seen is fairly thick, and quite heavy... If you're considering using it, bear in mind that if the layout is very lightweight, it may be all too easily tipped backwards...... I often use hardboard for backscenes... Although not to everyones liking, I've picked up off-cuts very cheaply, and tend to hang on to any left-over pieces I have... It's pretty light, fairly easy to cut, and once you've bent it to shape you can clamp it in position, and add a strengthening strip.... Just a thought..... Let us know how your experiments go... Marc Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alant Posted May 22, 2013 Share Posted May 22, 2013 Yes, Chris Nevard uses this for his backscenes... I've looked at it in the big Orange DIY shop, but I usually try to keep weight to a minimum... The bendy MDF I've seen is fairly thick, and quite heavy... If you're considering using it, bear in mind that if the layout is very lightweight, it may be all too easily tipped backwards...... I often use hardboard for backscenes... Although not to everyones liking, I've picked up off-cuts very cheaply, and tend to hang on to any left-over pieces I have... It's pretty light, fairly easy to cut, and once you've bent it to shape you can clamp it in position, and add a strengthening strip.... Just a thought..... Let us know how your experiments go... Marc Hi Marc, Do you have any problems with hardboard bowing, or do you also add lightweight bracing? Alan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc smith Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 Hi Marc, Do you have any problems with hardboard bowing, or do you also add lightweight bracing? Alan. Hi Alan, I tend to add a further thin strip to the back, usually along the top edge... This is PVA glued into place, and clamped in position, until dry The "Clamping" is often just simply done with clothes pegs Unless a very tight curve is required... Even in such a case, it's usually quite easy to bend the hardboard It may depend on how thick the hardboard is - I find it's generally thinnner these days.... On my recent "Cashmores" layout It's a fairly gentle curve, across the whole backscene I curved it using some pieces of string which were looped around the hardboard, lengthways and tightened up in a sort of tourniquet fashion, until the desired curvature was achieved.... I added a thin strengthening piece along the top edge, and it has dried and "set" just as I wanted They were off-cuts of hardboard, bought for 50p each And I reckon it has made a fairly tough backscene and is definately a tad lighter than the bendy MDF Everyone will have their preferrences, and the MDF is probably easier to use, and more rigid still But I wanted to keep weight down, and build the layout whilst saving money The off-cuts were there, they were cheap and so I used them So far Cashmores has been mostly re-used, donated or recycled components appart from 1 pack of Wills Stone retaining arches and a 3-way point, built for a very reasonable cost, by an rmweb member..... Cheers again Marc 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcf Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 Hi Guys I have used 2mm mdf for my curved backscenes. I score the back at about 1cm intervals over the area that needs to be curved and then very carefully bend it to the size I want. Its quite light and has worked well so far. I did try bending it without scoring the back and that definitely doesn't work! Rob 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc smith Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 Hi Guys I have used 2mm mdf for my curved backscenes. I score the back at about 1cm intervals over the area that needs to be curved and then very carefully bend it to the size I want. Its quite light and has worked well so far. I did try bending it without scoring the back and that definitely doesn't work! Rob Hi Rob, A useful technique that 2mm MDF would definately be preferable to the Bendy type MDF my local DIY shop sells.... I think that's at least 4 and maybe even 6mm thickness which is far too hefty for my needs... I'll give that a go sometime Thanks for sharing Marc PS. Appologies Mark - your superb "Juniper Hill" thread has turned into a woodworking forum 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 46444 Posted May 23, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 23, 2013 (edited) H i Marc, PS. Appologies Mark - your superb "Juniper Hill" thread has turned into a woodworking forum No worries because I'm benefitting too from these ideas too. I've not tried bending any Dalerboard yet. Must have a go later. Need to get on with it otherwise I'll get distracted by other things. If the mount board doesn't work I'll need to look at one of the options above but like you say Marc, it's also about weight and cost too. Now where did I put my book on cabinet making? Cheers, Mark Edited May 23, 2013 by 46444 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
south_tyne Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 Mark, I'll be interested to see how you get on with the curved backscene... I may just follow suit if it is successful! (i.e. Steal your idea!) David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold bcnPete Posted May 23, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 23, 2013 (edited) Just to get it back from MDF to cardboard ...nowt wrong with using cardboard...scored on the back and gently folded allowed me to do this corner... Go on Mark...give cardboard a try...cheaper than MDF so if it goes wrong then so what.... Edited May 23, 2013 by bcnPete 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 46444 Posted May 23, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 23, 2013 (edited) Evening Pete, Just to get it back from MDF to cardboard ...nowt wrong with using cardboard...scored on the back and gently folded allowed me to do this corner...image.jpgGo on Mark...give cardboard a try...cheaper than MDF so if it goes wrong then so what.... Blimey! Now we're talking That sounds rather good actually and I think you've hit the nail on the head. Scoring from behind sounds like the answer I was looking for. Tomorrow I'm enthused to have a try at this because once this is done a major headache is solved. Also it gives me a chance to use a piece of the 'mother of all' Dalerboard sheets I brought a couple of days ago. Kind of a Eureka! moment, Thanks Pete, Bombay Saphire all round I say (Other brands are available) Cheers, Mark Nice pic of CJM-Talking of which....... Edited May 24, 2013 by 46444 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc smith Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 (edited) Nice work there Pete In fact, it has got me thinking.....I'd always assumed that cardboard wouldn't be quite strong or durable enough but scoring it on the back, as Pete suggests and then maybe laminating it with strips / off-cuts on the rear.... also scored, of courseMight just make it that bit stronger and it would still be lightweight and cheap.....hmmm........... Oh, and if laminating layers of cardboard - I think it may be best practice to make a total of 3 layersEven if the last layer is very thin - I believe you need this type of "sandwich" constructionto stop warping.... At least, that's what Gordon & Maggie Gravett told me.... Edited May 24, 2013 by marc smith 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 46444 Posted May 24, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 24, 2013 (edited) Morning Marc, Nice to see we've moved to origami as opposed to woodwork this morning, Hopefully Pete's idea will work? In the true sense of the build of JH it's all about saving money, using what you've got and ensuring the layout remains portable as well as easy to set up. As you've probably guessed this was a bit of a conundrum as to how to curve the card. I had thought about forming the curve around a broom handle but didn't experiment with the idea-hence the lack of updates really. The present backscene is laminated at the top with an additional layer of card. This does add strenghth especially in conjunction with Duck Tape and holds the lighting gantry steady. No Cross Roads set building here! This morning I'll take a few photos of JH and start working on the back scene using Pete's scoring from behind method. Hopefully an update later. If it is successful then I'll airbrush the backscene as per the current one. Thanks Marc/Pete and others for all your input into sorting out the backscene. Cheers, Mark Edited May 24, 2013 by 46444 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 46444 Posted May 24, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 24, 2013 (edited) This morning I've been taking photos of JH. Not sure where renowned photographer JC had got to though? Here we see 'Cranford' bringing a couple of ex-private owner iron ore hoppers up from the quarry prior to taking them back for loading. The hopper wagons are ex-Mainline/early Bachmann examples running on a Ratio chassis with Gibson wheels. I've pre-shaded them using my usual selection of acrylics. To finish I've used a mixture of CCT/Fox decals followed by a coat of Klear and finished with Valejo matt varnish. Later on in the day there is a special move planned on JH requiring some special traction. Enough of photos and waffling-I've a backscene to curve. Cheers, Mark Edited May 24, 2013 by 46444 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osgood Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 Thanks for this and for the links. I've just found a cracking photo of Manning Wardle 'No. 14' out of use at the recently closed Irchester quarry in 1969 ("Railway Bylines" July 2012 page 359) and it's a dead ringer for the Ixion Manning Wardle. The author states that it arrived at Irchester in 1957 and, after leaving Irchester, started a new life in preservation. Stephen In which case - have you stumbled across this site yet? http://www.manning-wardle.moonfruit.com/#/irchester-bw/4548355436 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 46444 Posted May 24, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 24, 2013 Thanks for posting that link Osgood. Really great to see one of the Irchester locos being preserved. The colour photos from the website are brilliant. These really capture the lines in the countryside as well as the quarry. The second photo in the link I've posted below is great-including a Heath Robinson style water tank. http://www.manning-wardle.moonfruit.com/#/irchester-in-colour-1/4550037355 Thanks once again. Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungus the Fogeyman Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 Must admit Mark the 2nd pic reminds me of JH- couple of wagons and sidings in the middle of nowhere.... looks like you're onto something mate!! Disgusting of Market Harborough PS Good links 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 46444 Posted May 24, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 24, 2013 (edited) In a blog entry I posted earlier in the year I relayed the story of a L&Y Pug loco that was sent to Wellingborough from Derby to retrieve a piece of equipment from one of the nearby quarries. This story was told to me by a good friend who was once a fireman at Wellingborough shed. Unbelievably, Paul (Halfwit) was able to come up with the details of the Pug. Here's what he said: 'The pug was 51235 and was sent to Finedon in 1954 to move a rather large 680 ton Ransomes and Rapier stripping shovel, which had been stripped down into managable parts (the jib itself was 104' long!), to BR's exchange sidings near Wellingborough station. The shovel was destined for Blisworth. Source - Industrial Railway Record 142.' Paul. I'd just like to thank Paul once again for that information. So with reference to this tale and to see a bit of different motive power, this morning I took some photos of 51218 which I realise isn't a Derby allocated loco. Here she is coming up to the water tank to replenish her supplies prior to taking the load down to the exchange sidings. The brake van is the excellent Parkside LMS brake minus duckets. Later on the she is seen at rest with a Lowmac whilst the equipment is loaded in the quarry. The Lowmac is the trusty Airfix RTR version detailed and resprayed to represent a similiar more common diagram of Lowmac. Cheers, Mark Edited May 24, 2013 by 46444 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold bcnPete Posted May 25, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 25, 2013 (edited) No Cross Roads set building here! You'll have Miss Diane after you... Edited May 25, 2013 by bcnPete Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 46444 Posted May 25, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 25, 2013 You'll have Miss Diane after you... Who? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 46444 Posted May 25, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 25, 2013 (edited) Morning, Bit of a update re: my backscene bending corners exploits from yesterday. I tried Pete's method scoring the Dalerboard at 1cm intervals and even 0.5cm to assist curvature. Unfortunately, owing to the tightness of the curve required this method does not work in this instance. The card started to buckle. I even tried using a rolling pin as a former but the same applied. I think all of the materials listed above (MDF/Ply) would not be suitable for forming the curve. This Dalerboard method does work though on gentler curves as Pete has demonstrated on CJM above and I shall certainly use it on my next project. Other than leaving the backscene alone or trying to lighten the corners to reduce the shadow effect the only other thing I can think of is some very thin card that would sit nicely in front of the existing backscene. I'll check at my local art shop as to the availability of some card about 120cm long. Other than that I may leave well alone and put it down as part of the learning curve (Forgiving the pun ) Cheers, Mark Edited May 25, 2013 by 46444 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Young Posted May 28, 2013 Share Posted May 28, 2013 In a blog entry I posted earlier in the year I relayed the story of a L&Y Pug loco that was sent to Wellingborough from Derby to retrieve a piece of equipment from one of the nearby quarries. This story was told to me by a good friend who was once a fireman at Wellingborough shed. Unbelievably, Paul (Halfwit) was able to come up with the details of the Pug. Here's what he said: 'The pug was 51235 and was sent to Finedon in 1954 to move a rather large 680 ton Ransomes and Rapier stripping shovel, which had been stripped down into managable parts (the jib itself was 104' long!), to BR's exchange sidings near Wellingborough station. The shovel was destined for Blisworth. Source - Industrial Railway Record 142.' Paul. I'd just like to thank Paul once again for that information. So with reference to this tale and to see a bit of different motive power, this morning I took some photos of 51218 which I realise isn't a Derby allocated loco. Here she is coming up to the water tank to replenish her supplies prior to taking the load down to the exchange sidings. The brake van is the excellent Parkside LMS brake minus duckets. JH240513 008rmweb.jpg Cheers, Mark Very atmospheric! Did you know that the tale is also told in 'The Ironstone Quarries of the Midlands Part 4' by Eric Tonks? Including a photo of the Jib on the wagons in the sidings at Wellingborough. Whilst Part 1 of the series includes a photo of 51235 and the train in the quarry. Part 4 also says that sister loco 51217 was hired by the quarry in the early fifties too when clearing the calcined ore after their own locos had been disposed off. So only one digit out number wise from your loco :-) Cheers, Andrew Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 46444 Posted May 28, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 28, 2013 Hi Andrew, Firstly welcome to RMweb by the looks of things. Very atmospheric! Did you know that the tale is also told in 'The Ironstone Quarries of the Midlands Part 4' by Eric Tonks? Including a photo of the Jib on the wagons in the sidings at Wellingborough. Whilst Part 1 of the series includes a photo of 51235 and the train in the quarry. Part 4 also says that sister loco 51217 was hired by the quarry in the early fifties too when clearing the calcined ore after their own locos had been disposed off. So only one digit out number wise from your loco :-) Cheers, Andrew Secondly thankyou for those kind words and also further details of the move involving 51235. I really should get another copy of the Tonks book. I lost my copy sadly. That's an interesting tale re: 51217 though which means I'll be able to operate 51218 plausably. Funnily enough I renumbered a Pug for a friend as 51217 a few years ago. This has come back to me for repair and it is now 51232. Thanks once again. Cheers, Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 46444 Posted May 28, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 28, 2013 (edited) I went in to my local art shop this pm looking for a large piece of card. Unfortunatey A1 was the biggest size available. Having explained the purpose of the card the assistant suggested wall paper. Another Eureka moment. Infact I thought lining paper would be suitable. A trip to my local Homebase came up with the acquisition of a free sample (Cleared with an assistant) long enough for JH. This lining paper has a nice eggshell finish to the facing side so will hopefully take airbrushed acrylics nicely. Hopefully I can make it so it just slips in front of the exisiting back scene and I can fix it with velcro pads at the top. Update in the next few days, Cheers, Mark Edited May 28, 2013 by 46444 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold gwrrob Posted May 28, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 28, 2013 I've just dumped a load of lining paper Mark left over from wallpapering the kitchen.I like the sound of an eggshell finish as mine was plain white.The assistant didn't give you a strange look then. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Young Posted May 28, 2013 Share Posted May 28, 2013 Hi Andrew, Firstly welcome to RMweb by the looks of things. Secondly thankyou for those kind words and also further details of the move involving 51235. I really should get another copy of the Tonks book. I lost my copy sadly. That's an interesting tale re: 51217 though which means I'll be able to operate 51218 plausably. Funnily enough I renumbered a Pug for a friend as 51217 a few years ago. This has come back to me for repair and it is now 51232. Thanks once again. Cheers, Mark Thanks Mark, I've been lurking on RMWeb for a while, but my modelling having been 7mm narrow gauge I've been more active on the narrow gauge NGRM forum. Though purchase of an Ixion Hudswell Clarke has started to broaden my horizons a little! The original Tonks book has been considerably expanded into a nine part series! See http://booklaw.co.uk/eshop/index.php?cPath=21_286 Finding these at the sale price resulted in me picking up a couple, shortly followed by the rest and I'm now reading them through which is quite a marathon, but giving plenty of inspiration. Cheers, Andrew 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 46444 Posted May 28, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 28, 2013 ...........The assistant didn't give you a strange look then. I told him I had some really uneven walls and wanted to test how effective the lining paper was. He said it was fine! Cheers, Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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