Physical help with fault finding.

[DCB]

Reading this column and being recently redundant I am planning to start a help service for modelers who run into problems on their layouts which they cannot take back to the dealer.  My plan is to attend owners layouts and deal with electrical  faults such as short circuits, or faulty electric points, electric signals semaphore and Colour light, LEDs etc.

I am based near Cirencester so North Cotswolds and Swindon, Cheltenham, Gloucester and Stroud are well in my reach,

I have many years experience as a railway modeler and I can provide excellent references.

I formerly worked in the Motor Trade on car electrics, wiring, fault finding, before taking up office based employment and am still available for classic car wiring projects. 

Is there a demand for this paid service for modelers do you think?  

Have Multimeter will travel?

David Broad  01285 720313

[SHMD]

Good luck David.

(But I think you will find modellers are the tightest bunch of skinflints on this side of the Milky Way!)

 

 

Kev.

[Brian]

I have been offering 100% free advice to modellers for far too many years now than I like to recall.

A very few of those who requested help have actually asked if I could attend their home and look at the problem, it's an extreamily small number of the total, probably not more than 1% of all assistance requests of which there have been hundreds. Hence why I run a dedicated web site and wrote a book!

I always offer email and very occasionally telephone advice which usually allows the layout owner themselves to work through the problem following a logical testing and checking process, this allows them to resolve their own issues, which they appreciate as they are learning.

I doubt if you will get many requests for hands on help, and as had been stated, most modellers work on very tight budgets!

 

But good luck to you if it gets going.

[APOLLO]

As others point out, your workload on Model Railways only may be small. There is however an ever growing need for reliable honest skilled people (like yourself) in the many areas of the home & automotive electronics field.  Autos and appliances etc are getting more complicated, difficult to diagnose faults / source spares / repair etc.

 

A local guy, well known and reliable, who could perform electrical fault finding / repairs etc on a wide variety of items would be worth his weight in gold. These guys don't exist where I live - and we all could use one from time to time.

 

Good luck with your venture,

 

Brit15

[28XX]

With your skill set, you won't be idle for long.  The computer-game generation can't fix stuff cos they never tinkered with anything in their teens.  I was made redundant in 2013 and I have to decline work because I need the time to care for ancient relatives.

 

An electrician I work for 2 days a week is crying out for a full-time experienced employee and has also recently had to sack his apprentice.

 

Good luck with whatever you turn your hand to.

[14Steve14]

A few people I know and deal with, have set up to specifically fault find DCC equipment. If you know about this type of thing, then there may be a call. As an ex vehicle mechanic ywho loved to work on classsic car wiring I also made and designed many kitcar wiring looms. Great fun, but basic wiring. Personally I see more money in the old car wiring.

 

Railway models are so basic, that I dont think I know anyone who would pay to have a small fault fixed. Most modellers would not pay, as its more fun for them to try and sort it themselves. Just search these forums to find idiotic posts about people wiring in open cased mains transformers and you will realise what sort of people you are dealing with. No experience, but over willing to give it a go, regardless how dangerous it may be.

 

Now if you could write a good book about model railway wiring and fault finding than you could make a few sales. Whilst people love to find things on the internet, they like to look at pictures where they want to see them, which is usually where they are modelling.

[Kenton]

Good luck! But don't forget to ask them for a wiring diagram first - especially before getting under that baseboard.

 

As for books on the subject along with answers on the subject of wiring on forums like this one, there are plenty self-help guides available, it is not rocket science but just like most things, most offers of help are ignored or immediately contradicted by another expert in the field.