Bath Spa - High tech modelling: Bringing 1947 into the 21st century. 3d printed scenery, cnc milled track, laser cut baseboards and computer control

[Rabs]

I should have mentioned that, thanks for the reminder: the ink is official HP ink (dye, not pigment - there is no pigment option for my old printer) on official HP satin inkjet photo paper.  I thought I'd give it the best possible chance of working!

[iamjamie]

For a more accurate approach why don't you consider getting the layout laser etched into the surface of the ply as well? (If you have any more to do). I get my baseboards laser cut, and I thought I might as well get the design etched at the same time as a bit of a bonus.

 

Because the laser etching is only marking the surface it's actually quite quick and doesn't add too much to the cost. If you do the etch deep enough it can also take a bit of light sanding without the design disappearing.

 

With help from my wife and despite 'help' from the cats today I got the first scenic modules mapped out.  This involved setting up a digital projector with the sketchup plan projected onto the boards at the other end of the room.  We then traced the outlines for the buildings and the roads.

IMAG0498.jpg

IMAG0500.jpg

 

To be honest this might not have been all that useful because it took a while to set up and the transcribing probably wasn't that accurate.  Also the plan isn't all that detailed yet so what we have drawn might not even be all that accurate. It was fun but I think I'll stick to printing and gluing plans for the other boards.

[Rabs]

Yep, good idea - I'd already planned to do this for the track bed for the other boards but you're right, there is no reason not to mark out the buildings, roads and so on as well.

The reason I didn't do it on these ones is that I built the first two modules before I had finalised the layout.  They started off as test modules but when they worked I decided to convert them into the real thing.

[raymw]

HP inks were probably the worst for fading - Epson inks are much better - it's a different ink jet process compared to all other printers. Modern dyes are pretty good, pigments are better. Anyway, backgrounds should be faded and blurred - else you look at the picture, and not the models. It would  help to get a proper uv varnish for your ink jet prints. These folk are excellent - http://www.fotospeed.com/Fotospeed-Print-Protect/products/57/ 

 

If you have a local 'copy shop' that does coloured laser copies, then that may be the easiest local solution - They can copy your prints. Laser ink has a far better lifespan - it goes on as 'solid lumps'. They may be able to print from your usb drive.

 

Best wishes,

Ray.

Edited November 6, 2013 by raymw

[Rabs]

HP inks were probably the worst for fading - Epson inks are much better - it's a different ink jet process compared to all other printers. Modern dyes are pretty good, pigments are better. Anyway, backgrounds should be faded and blurred - else you look at the picture, and not the models. It would  help to get a proper uv varnish for your ink jet prints. These folk are excellent - http://www.fotospeed.com/Fotospeed-Print-Protect/products/57/ 

 

If you have a local 'copy shop' that does coloured laser copies, then that may be the easiest local solution - They can copy your prints. Laser ink has a far better lifespan - it goes on as 'solid lumps'. They may be able to print from your usb drive.

 

Best wishes,

Ray.

 

All very true.  Unfortunately I have an HP printer and I'm not going to get a different one just for this.  Ordering them as photo prints from Photobox is definitely going to be easier and cheaper than finding a shop to do it I think.  And for the price of one bottle of that UV varnish I can have over 6 square meters of photos professionally printed (and that's before we account for the fact that the first 100 or so prints are free if you pick the right offer to pounce on).

[raymw]

I thought in your modelling, money was no object

[Rabs]

Not sure why you think that! While I do have some fancy tools, I have them mainly for work. Actually, being able to make almost everything myself means that I spend relatively little because raw materials are pretty cheap.

[Indomitable026]

Thanks.  I wasn't going to, no.  I spent a while reading up about people's experiences and the conclusion seemed to be that if you use decent quality ply and don't incorporate any softwood into the design then moisture shouldn't be an issue.  Do you agree?

 

No, I don't agree.

 

I'm concerned that even a little bit of damp would cause movement and something will not fit. - Particularly those drop-in fiddle cassettes.... 

 

Personally I'd give it a coat of something. - just my view...

[artizen]

All wood products absorb moisture. It's the nature of the material (get it - nature?).   However, living in a damp but warm climate here would be same as living in a damp but cooler climate (over there). The result is the same - warping and mould. I have to paint everything. Something cheap is enough - it just has to act as a barrier across all surfaces. I also have to cover everything with a lid and preferably walls to keep the dust, cockroaches, skinks, spiders, ants and other crawlies off my work of art!!!!!

[Rabs]

Ok, thanks for the advice.  It's not much work to do and better safe than sorry.  I'll grab some polyurethane varnish next time I'm in town.  The only tricky bit will be getting a brush into the far end of the boxes that I've already built - my arms aren't quite long enough!

[Tim V]

One thing I regret not doing (and would on the next one) is paint the underside white. Makes for a smart underneath, seals the surface, and makes it easier to find things (like broken wires)!

[Killybegs]

One thing I regret not doing (and would on the next one) is paint the underside white. Makes for a smart underneath, seals the surface, and makes it easier to find things (like broken wires)!

Goodness me Tim, I couldn't agree more! It also means you can 'label' tou's, connections, etc. with a marker pen.

 

John

[Rabs]

Good suggestion Tim, thanks.  I've got some gloss white from recent DIY, so that should do it nicely on the underside.  Just in time to do that before I go any further with fitting the droppers.

 

I finally managed to get my hands on a decent resolution signal box diagram for Bath, courtesy of the Cambridge University Library.  It clears up a couple of points that my guess had been wrong for on details like facing point locks, ground signals and trap points.  Hopefully I'll get the varnishing and painting done this week and can get back onto the interesting bits.

 

I've been doing the detail planning of the structures, working from period photos and projecting them onto the CAD.  I've had to shuffle and scale some of the buildings to get them to fit.  For example, the convent school on the right here has been truncated so that I don't have to break it at the board edge.  This image is the outline, looking south along the Pulteney road:

 

[Tim V]

Very modern car for 1947. I wonder if the public toilet was on that corner then?

[Rabs]

Yes, it was just the first one I came to on the 3d warehouse and I wanted to check the rough scale.  It won't be making an appearance on the layout!  There's a lovely old jaguar on the other side of the bridge.

[Rabs]

I'm glad you all encouraged me to varnish the layout - aside from the protection it makes it look much better.  Here is one module part way through a first coat with a walnut combined stain/varnish.

 

 

Getting down into the bottom of the boxes was a pain, I had to use a brush lashed to a broomhandle.  I'll know to varnish before assembly for the other modules.

 

A sand down and another coat on the bits that will be visible and this job will be done.

Edited November 26, 2013 by Rabs

[Rabs]

Wiring begins with attaching the control modules:

 

I've got an 8 core cable joining the modules.  This will carry DCC+,DCC-,CBUS+,CBUS-,GND,5V,12V and a spare.

[Paul-2mm]

In post number 134 I'm curious about the top picture, is that some sort of milling attachment mounted on the cross slide?

 

I tried clicking "reply quoting this post" but your post never appeared in the reply.

Edited December 4, 2013 by Paul-2mm

[Rabs]

This one?

 

That's a proxxon multitool (http://www.proxxon.com/en/micromot/28485.php) held in a modified toolholder in the boring position of my quick change tool post. I use this as a poor man's live tooling in my lathe for slitting, circular drilling and (in the other position on the toolpost) keyway cutting and cross drilling.  It isn't very stiff so it wouldn't be any good for steel but it's adequate for non-ferrous.   It doesn't have active height control yet so I can't use it for general light milling and grinding but I am planning to add that soon.  Then I will be able to use it for milling spokes and turning wheels without re-chucking the workpiece.

Edited December 4, 2013 by Rabs

[Paul-2mm]

Thanks for the response Rabs, I own a Taig (Peatol) lathe and this seems like a similar and popular modification for it too.

 

I'll get around to it one day!

[sean hpw]

I had to put a cussion under the jaw reading this, I love it, and all on 2MM scale, my hands are OK for RTR and kit bashing in 2MM, but track building is a little beyond them, but this really is amazing Rabs...  please do keep the pics flowing!

 

Sean

[Tim V]

Just scanned this picture of Penny Bridge.

I didn't remember those buildings at the bottom of the slope to the water tower being there so late.

[Rabs]

Oh, very interesting.  I've not seen any photos from that sort of angle before so that's a huge help.  Thank you.

If you have any others then I'd be enormously grateful.

 

Can I offer you something 3d printed for your layout in return for all the help you've been giving me on the research for this one?

[Tim V]

The other pictures from the same date taken on the station don't look much different to today, or have the canopies changed?

 

Gosh, that's a very generous offer, I'll have a word with my software mad mates to see what they've got up their sleeves.

 

Edit to include:

Another picture of the old canal pumping station is at http://www.flickr.com/photos/olympus_yashica/5334276730/

station in background.

Edited December 9, 2013 by Tim V

[gismorail]

OMG just picked up this thread think am going to get a clock work train set and just model classic trains having seen this as I do well to work out how to use RM web forums

It is all a bit awesome though