Chubber

Hullo, I have tried to get 'old dog' head round the 'new tricks' of this thread, as I'm interested in cutting window frames and glazing bars for signal cabins and round or ornate windows etc. I already use A4 self adhesive paper label sheet to hand cut windows, but do so by sicking the printed paper onto the acrylic prior to just cutting through the paper, I can't imagine cutting the window frames from the SA paper and THEN trying to peel away the framework to stick it to the acrylic as it would tear/distort, Similarly, cutting out a thin card framework before gluing it to acrylic could be problematic [misplaced/smudged glue]. My question is 'How does one use a Silhouette cutter to produce glazed windows?' If this has already been discussed/explained, would you be kind enough to point me in the right direction? Doug PS My window frames here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/22368-a-welsh-warehouse/ were cut from matt photo paper then fixed to CD crystal case material using mekpak.

Aha! I do believe I can....... see the tree for the Wood... Sorry, fetching coat right now.... D

Am I alone in remembering 'ankle - breakers' across the sides of a crossing where the PW was not covered by the opened (to road traffic) gates? I refer to the triangular section obstacles sometimes referred to as 'cattle grids'. Was North Camp station thus equipped in the late 50s/early 60s? Doug

Currently on a £10/min camp site wifi, I have done a signalbox from ABM, excellent graphics, but much thinner card/paper. Think it got reviewed in Model Rail and here....? Clever design, slightly challenging, but made up into a nice model. I posted it here on a 'show us yer signal boxes' type thread about 12 mnth ago... I 'd happily build another if someone wanted me to. Doug

Would you tell him/her, or just wait and watch?????????????// Doug [in Wales?]

Kevin, with today's emphasis on H&S, responsible venue proprietors will a. Hire in, on a long term basis from professional suppliers, b. Be forced by insurance restrictions to maintain tables/trestles in good condition, c. Ensure tables/chairs/trestkes etc are of 'load tested' desgn, d. For other lucrative purposes [think banquetting ] they would positivley avoid 'lips' [fiddles] to break the smooth run of a display/table dressing. I am not suggesting that a 'Railmo' organiser would book a village Scout Hall with tables that last saw service at Victoria's Jubilee celebrations but would include this matter in the quest for a suitable venue. As for 'lips' [fiddles] they would not be popular in such businesses as they would rapidly become damged and displaced in setting up/storage. I see the 'legs' question as a very likely reason for the not-so-gifted not to take part, as a woodworker I understand the complexity of rigid stable legs which match other exhibitors offerings and if they are only to be built to a certain 'acceptable design standard' we are back to the question of proscription which clearly dissuades some here from getting involved. Andy wanted to know if ........could this approach work for modellers of British content? I thought 'No' because most of us are a bit precious about our personal railways, but would probably love to show our little world to our chums and .......Is there even a will to do it? I thought 'No',not thousands of willing disciples because not everyone would relish/be capable of making legs and end-plates, or in the interests of 'a good degree of 'homogeneity' have only a precribed palette of colours/textures/landscape to work from. As it has been suggested that Andy is away, this will be my last contribution until he returns, and chooses to pronounce other than to thank those who have troubled to post videos andoffer explanations based on experience. Doug

FOR CRYING OUT LOUD..... [colour and capitals merely to indicate something different and succinct, no intention to be rude] From the O/P.... The Freemo approach is so much more though and results in the formation of a large operational layout which exhibited a good degree of 'homogeneity' as Steve Williams accurately described it yesterday; boards from different builders physically fit together (by means of clamping rather than any fitting) and have an acceptable level of continuity of appearance and colouration. [my bold formatting] Question 1 So; could this approach work for modellers of British content? Question 2 Is there even a will to do it? Personally......... Answer 1 No Answer 2 No Until we have given Andy a brief, uncomplicated response to the above, we are trying to sew buttons onto farts, and falling out about what colour thread to use! More simple questions can come later, n'est-ce-pas? Doug

I have just read Willem's post above [492] and I am grateful for his explanation of what happens at a typical FREMO meeting. Surely this sort of intimate inter-reaction depends on a settled group of regular attendees, whereas [correct me if I'm wrong] what Herr Andymeister is suggesting is a scheme by which disparate enthusiasts can by arrangement meet at one location, introduce themselves to the oragnisers and fellow modulators... Me 'Hullo, I'm Doug, I've brought a two-foot long tunnel with a windmill on top....' Organiser 'That's great ...[subdued snigger...]...we can put it beside Ebenezer's rhubarb farm...' During, after, henceforth and later, alliances could be forged, obvious problems solved and hopefully, drink would be taken. Ebenezer may not make another get together for 12 months as travelling from the wilds of Ongar is fraught, and Doug won't visit U.K. again until the next occasion his bank manager summons him, but they have been and done it. Some other participants may be entirely underwhelmed by Doug's and Ebenezer's cheerful pragmatic if somewhat beery approach and chose to join Willem's Freemo'ers. After all, thousands of cyclists are nowhere near the standard of Bradley Wiggins but derive immense pleasure from their hobby by just ridin' round on a bike. Doug Doug

Damn, this bloke seems to have appropriated more than his fair share of common sense.....I wonder if he like pilchard and blue cheese sandwiches [i do...]?

End PLates? Why? Why? I didn't see a single end-plate to end-plate gubbins at Carn Brae [i know, I've only seen one such set-up, it's getting repetitious, but I'd rather talk from the viewpoint of what I KNOW works rather than drip feed various 'what-if's']. Gravity did a pretty good job of holding modules down [it's freely available and non-gauge specific...] and the little 4" 'connectors' worked just fine. 'Stubby' of this parish did, however, lose a lot of weight running up and down alongside an electric train thingy until all the wedges, etc were in place, then two days of very happy playing by the 'modulators'. A lot of RMWeb members are very modelling savvy and I am often in awe of the standards they reach, but this idea of Andy's ain't about perfection. Quote Kenton I suggest we should be starting local and aiming for national. Forget international as we are trying to fly before we can even crawl. That is not saying I think the simple basic standards should be local - I am not - just that the standards should be SIMPLE, ESSENTIAL and most important MINIMAL. Or this whole laudable effort in bringing folk together for what is supposed to fun is simply going to fail with just the usual suspects participating. As Kenton has said, keep it simple to start with, we need 'local' [in the terms of a forum with thousands of members] before we can contemplate 'national'. By way of illustration I enclose a copy of an early version of leonard Da Vinci's 'Mona Lisa', it did get better, apparently.

Wedges, bitsa wood, mini adjustable legs, large books, lumps of coal........it worked at Carn Brae with modules coming from as far apart as Switzerland, Australia, France and Spain. If you want to, you CAN! Doug

My font re-formatting, and I believe the above is nearer to the ethos needed. Namely decide Height to rail top Distance from 'front' An agreed rail profile for the 'joiny' bits An agreed loading gauge No legs A red electricity wire at each end A black electricity wire at each end If you want 'deep valleys', join the 'Deep Valley' Society. If you want to run pantograph-powered 7mm NG with sound, whistles and bells, or circus trains with giraffes poking their heads out, join the relevant society. If you want to have a 'very first try' at something new with 'yer Smokey Joe, get onboard, Andy and his chums will help and assist, I'm sure. Doug

Thinking....why legs? Given the number of venues that now cater for table-top sales, craft shows, cake and things shows," lotsa 'fings on table shows" etc etc, why not do as YMR did at Cran Brae in 2010 and build individual modules that rest on a common series of tables, the only defining dimensions being the height of the principal rail above the table top and a max/min distance from the 'front' of the face side. K.I.S.S., if someone wants to bring a 3ft long by 21" wide by 27 1/2" deep 'board' along, that's fine as long as it has one straight through route say 10" from the front and say 4" to the top of the rail. Define the same values for a double track module and stick 'em all at one end of the line, provide some 'corners' Robert is your mother's brother, n'est-ce-pas? D.C./D.C.C.? Who cares? Stick a chocolate block on leads at each end of your empire and let the techies sort out the red electricity and the black electricity, they love doing it... You don't even have to bring a locomotive or stock......or have I just said something rude.....? I love the idea, a chance to show off a Pasty mine or a Thrupple-nut factory, or maybe just a landscaped tunnel the whole length of the module, or, or......Nurse, quickly, one of my green pills.... Chubber the Simpleton Forgive me if this has already been said, I confess I became bored with spurious arguments about page 6....it's supposed to be fun.

Yup, it's the Small Ermine moth. The White Ermine is bigger and fatter, with a fluffy plain white bolero. You might find it's chums nearby as it is a communal moff. Doug

The top one is a Garden Tiger Moth, you might find the kapterpillas on your strwberries, very hairy! The other could be one of several, I'll have to look in my books... Bsy, bacsn (Winnie the Pooh did text speak decades ago...) Doug

Have I posted this one I took in Florida in 2011.... I mean, always consult an expert!

To add to PP's excellent work, just to prove there is more than one way to skin a cat.... https://www.model-railways-live.co.uk/Articles/274/Painting_Dapol_Figures_by_Doug_Dickson/ I hope this helps, too. Doug

In designing this little square I considered size, in light of the fact that I have one of these http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/handtools/measures-levels-detectors/squares/B-and-Q-150mm-Combination-Square-11247669?noCookies=false and one of these http://www.aderbyshire.co.uk/1.aspx?p=Joseph_Marples_3%22_Rosewood_Try_Square&NSearchMode=S&NSearchStr=3144 together with a 4" mitre square. They all suffer from the same problem in use, i.e. they require to be used on or over an edge at least 1/4" deep to bear adequately on the material being cut/marked. This is clearly not 'cutting mat friendly', you have to slide your mat to the edge of the bench to use them, then I find that lining up the edge of the mat, the edge of the bench and the work piece awkward, not mention the annoyance when that 10mm length of 1mm x 1mm cut-off piece ends up on the floor. The Debsquare as designed is meant to be used like this for very thin card/paper/plastic strip or like this for larger stock, in each case centrally on the work top and scaled not to overwhelm 1mm square stuff. The rectangular portion is of such a size as to be comfortable to press with a Chubber thumb. I find that one/two of these, http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/handtools/measures-levels-detectors/squares/-brand-B%5Cu0026Q/B-and-Q-Pivotal-Rafter-Square-11247674 which are about 8" along the hypotenuse are very useful for 'construction' work and heavy enough to hold large card walls upright, or to assemble walls squarely around. Hope that helps, Doug

....then this will give them kittens! The blade is a single edged razor-blade, the thicker 'spine' merely pulls off to give a nice flat blade, mounted as shown. The hardest part is shaping the handle, all the rest came from the 'extra spare bits' tray at Ikea apart from the strip of aluminium channel which I found in a skip together with the off-cut of MDF. I counter-bored the screw heads to let it all lie flat, the perspex is perfect, and the bit of post-it notepaper is changed regularly as that enables the blade to go right through the balsa, card or plastic strip without leaving a tiny whisker of material still joined to the stock. In practice the various angle guides are held quite adequately by blue tack and angles are easily reproduced. Note the adjustable plastic 'stop' in Picture 2, fixed were needed by a captive nut, filed to slide in the channel strip, a scrap from a draught exluder. Hope it inspires someone, Doug

Did I show you this one? It's an earth pin from a UK 3-pin plug cut with a fine saw blade so as to hold a scalpel or snap-off knife blade....So? I use it to make precise, constant depth cuts, for example in foam board to make neat overlaps, to cut rebates in the edge of 2mm grey board, and it will even follow a moderately curved card template. Make sure the screw head is nice and smooth so that it doesn't 'snag' the guide rule etc. Doug

Further to my last, the pipes I referred to were delivered, as I said, in a triangular stack, on a long pallet sepated by shaped wooden spacers. I think there were about 6 on the bottom layer going up to 3 or 4 across. No straw as I recall but as a child I do remember glazed sanitary ware pipes padded with straw, in a deep glossy brown. My stepfather was in the Royal Engineers and latterly a Clerk of Works so I used to see a deal of building and ground works. I think the colour is good, those remaining in the ground were black, with a complete absence of paint. Doug

Hullo! Back in the dim and distant past I was involved in some work involving the replacement of drains in a farm in Devon, the replacements being genuine cast iron, and I recall they were a deep orange red rust colour. They arrived strapped down in a triangle shaped pile on a flat bed lorry, stacked alternately fat end to thin end. They were jointed using some packing and poured lead! It was part of a restoration job partly sponsored by the County Council. [For what it's worth...] Doug

Poop-Poop! Doug

Mike, I understand now...Much the same way I wouldn't be without my two 2" squares of 10mm MDF. Doug

My home made one with an mdf blade has lasted well so far. If I use my small snap off knife with about 1 inch of blade out it curves nicely against the guiding edge. Doug