DJM Dave

Hi everyone,

Just a short post but i have been busy 'behind the scenes' this last 12 days.

Here is the latest fruits of the labour that is the N gauge King.

Received today as a very nice 'kit of parts' which i am currently putting together ready for priming, and display at this weekends Fareham show. If your around, pop by and take a look.

I'll obviously post more pics of the 'finished' item on here when its done including the 1 hexagonal driving wheel. (something wrong with the data there i think as the other is round. lol

Cheers

Dave

Hi everyone,

please dont forget i'm away for week as from right now.

So forgive me if i dont reply to e-mails until i return.

heers

Dave

Hi chaps,

Like i've said, i'm not unduly worried as there is a pattern to this crowdfunding 'malarkey'  (i love that word) regarding consciousness in peoples thoughts.

I'll show the chassis mechanics on here in a bit, as it might please some of you. 

Cheers

Dave

Could I ask, without you having to reveal any sensitive information, how long this would be likely to take once tooling commences, as this would determine whether I might order one or several (I would like to save up and budget for them)

once metal cutting takes place, its about 6-8 weeks until first ep, then the same again for second ep, about a month for painted samples, 6 weeks for manufacture, 6-8 weeks for transport, and distribution and a bit of wriggle room.

Cheers

Dave

Hi Dave,

How far away is 168 from the "go" position from a few months back prior to PayPal refunds? What is the feeling on whether the missing will come back on board?

the project needed 300 product 'expressions' converted to orders.

like i said, i am confident this will happen, but may take time.

after all, the initial 'spurt' last time went quiet and then picked up....... almost 'ebbing and flowing' as it progressed, can usually account for this ebbing and flowing by holidays, christmas, job changes, other more important bills to pay etc.

I had hoped as I'm sure many others will have, that more deposits would have been paid by now.

 

I suppose the expression of interest scenario does get a number of people saying I'm interested, but when it comes to laying down hard cash some will always melt away.

 

I reckon if we can get this model over the line and it turns out a real show stopper, any future models would/will attract positive interest where deposits are forthcoming in abundance.

 

Thinking back to when this crowdfunding was announced the N gauge forum had a number of posters saying they were interested, but would not commit as they hadn't seen a model from DJM.  Many are likely holding back and letting others take the plunge. 

 

Well, I really do hope the King does come to fruition, and I dare say Dave Jones will remember those of us who have shown confidence in him and his business.

i dont think it wont reach the figures, and i'm sure that there are those out there (and we all know who they are), who will talk down anything, because its a) too expensive, b) not their thing, c) not the right colour, d) not the right manufacturer and so on, etc.

Negativity does seem prevelant on forums these days, which is ironic as i dont think we have ever had it so good as modellers,

but its ready, it will go to tooling, but it may take a little longer and it would be ashame to lose the tooling slot. but i can always get another one of those. lol

I would hope that the 'nay sayers' havnt put off the modellers that are quiet on here and more positive about things.

anyway, lets see what the next few months bring regarding sales etc with advertising and press releases.

Agreed,

i have just block booked 12 months of advertising, and will be pushing the king and the APT there, in press releases and on new show advertising / flyers up to Christmas.

I have no doubt this will get more orders and in fact the confirmation of those who had their refund, re-ordering, and those that originally 'expressed and interest' coming back with a firm order.

please note this is for N gauge expressions and also pertinent to the OO firm orders.

That's interesting to see that more people are interested in paying more for the full Monty and less people interested in paying less for the no frills version.

Have all 400 original "interested" expressed one way or the other why they have not expressed interest this time round?

To be honest mate, i have not kept their contact details after mailing them asking to transfer their 'expressions of interest' to the new site if they were interested in the no frills one. Basically with all this hoo ha about data protection i felt it was better to expunge those contact details from my system, and start afresh.

It is early days still, and as has been said elsewhere, christmas is coming.

I do have a database of names and preferences though, which i will compare in a couple of weeks once back from my jaunt east next week.

Hi everyone,

No need to reply to this posting, and i'll update it as and when i am away for a time which might affect my response times in replying to e-mails and questions here.

I am away on Business and a little bit of pleasure from Saturday the 22nd September until the 29th September as i will be in the far east for that time.

I will respond to all, when i'm back if i cannot while away. 

Cheers

Dave

Hi everyone,

A month in since the new e-commerce site went live, and a few figures for you.

We are currently at 168 deposit payments for the APT so i think thats quite good bearing in mind some haven't received e-mails or read social media that often, and as the info will be propagating through the media and more of the original expressions and refunded orders will be back on board.

As with the N gauge King, i cannot seem to get a 3D company to print the APT (4 cars) so if anyone knows someone who can print the APT from the STL files, then please PM me.

Cheers

Dave

Hi everyone,

Just a small update regarding the 'less frills' APT model in N gauge.

When the specification was changed the higher price and specification APT's had around 400 orders / expressions of interest.

As of 11.00am today the lower price and specification model is at 48 models!

Early days yet, but it's not looking too good.

cheers

Dave

Hi everyone,

Crowdfunding pre-orders have been open around a month on this project and at present we are at the following figures to share with you.

Original Crowdfunder sign ups / 'expressions of interest' = 706

Current Crowdfunder deposits paid                                  = 264

Now on paper, as you read this, it seems a problem. But what needs to be remembered is that the crowdfunding was open many many months to get to the 706 figure, as information takes time to 'propagate' through the press, internet, clubs etc and reach the consciousness of the modeller who still might want a King but didn't, express, and those that did but as yet dont realise the deposit payments are now open. so please spread the word if your able.

Things are progressing though , and i have paid a deposit to China against the tooling, and am still trying to get a 3D company to print the models for display at upcoming shows. I'm surprised at the amount of professional companies that don't want the business and say its too difficult. so the search continues.

More updates when i have them

cheers

Dave

So, my first, and only, J94 has released realistic smoke about 3 minutes after coming out of the box.

 

Stalled on a bit of track, wouldn't move and a nice little smoke ring came out of the top. Wasn't even running fast. Just a length of flexi to test it moved before running in. Turned the power off and it sat there steaming away.

 

 

Dave - I assume a standard DC Gaugemaster Combi unit is fine for these models?

 

 

Not sure what to do now, don't know if any of the circuitry is damaged as I've not yet chipped it. It still moves - so it's not like I can exactly return it as 'non-working'.

Hi,

Sorry to hear your having problems. Which J94 was it and from whom?

As for the controller. As long as you used a controller that throws out straight power to the track with feedback or and electrical gimmickry, and your not using an electronic track cleaner then you should have been fine.

If it's still running, then it might be anything really, from pcb to plug in 'blanking plug' but unless it stops dead, as a complete failure it might be worth taking the smokebox door off, pulling out the pcb board and running it, looking closely at the board to see if it is overheating at all.

Cheers

Dave

Dennis Lovett  = good guy! 

from his playful elbow in my ribs for answering modellers questions on here at 3.am in the morning, to great chat, and laughter.

​Yup, a good all round egg, and i hope we still get to see him at shows occasionally.

Hello Dave

I have a question for you (Not about arrival dates of the next batch of engines)

Have you put any thought into doing a few more Military liveried J94's? (LMR/WD)

Or a photographic Grey WD one?

Thats lovely isnt it?

i have a list of around 100 liveries that i really want to do, but more keep coming in, such as this one.

i'll add it to the list, and thanks

cheers

Dave

My comment on test track was a little tongue in cheek. Can you imagine 100 adults, queuing up with a big 14 car box waiting to test the entire train (open the box, assembling the cars) on a test track one after the other?

I'd just get 10 boxes of flexi and fishplates and let you get on with it as i sat in the signal box with a bottle of something very strong and watched you all try and decide on the track plan. lol 

agreed, i thought of maybe a brief summary, but i like a mini booklet instead.

Now it comes to the crunch I'm agonising over whether to have one in British Railways blue or lined green.  I'd like a G *crest* W one as well but honestly can't push the budget to three kings.

ah but you know that 3 kings coming up to Christmas is very relevant!

and they come from the orient!

Many thanks Dave so fourth radius should be fine?

Matt

oh i'd have said so, the bogie swing has been catered for with cut away cylinders. and buffer lock shouldnt be an issue either.

However if your after a 'running upside down round 1st radius curves and set track points using an original H&M controller and electronic track cleaner at a scale 250mph' loco then i am afrain i'm going to dissapoint you. ;-)

cheers

Dave

Sorry Dave I may have missed this but radius are you expecting the front bogie without the coupling to run through? Sorry for the blonde question, c'mon ladies and gents let's get this project closer to the finishing line

 

All the best

Matt

Hi Matt,

At present the same as the Farish Castle if that helps?

cheers

Dave

No update as yet.

Will post when i know something.

cheers

Dave

no promises, but i do like the idea if i can sort something.

Ill keep pushing this end, and i have mailed all who expressed an interest.

I dont think there are any 'game players' on the list, as i think the request for 'conversion' from expressions to deposits has come at the wrong time for many.

Holidays, kids at home, payday etc......can all limit our spending should something you want come along unexpectedly.

It wont happen overnight, but i think providing the magazines publish the press releases (and some may not and have not for whatever reason) then , to use a train word, 'traction' to get this project over the line (sorry) should come.

cheers

Dave

If you sign up for a full price version, do you pay now or later when its released please?

Full price customers will pay when the models arrive in country.

i wonder how many of you would like to pick up your sets in person at a special open day at Crewe if i can arrange one?

Just gauging interest.

cheers

Dave

Just to clarify, you have paid for APT cad/cam design to be completed? So we are now waiting for the project to be funded again, albeit with a headstart in that it will be able to go to tooling with the design complete once the money rolls in?

How far off the APT are we Dave in terms of funding required?

Hi,

from the first deposits there a portion that will go to tooling, to supplement the 2nd deposit when asked for.

yes the cad/cam has been paid for in full now, and tomorrow i shall pay the remainder of the laser scanning costs.

This is exactly where we need to be albeit a little short in sign ups (or should that be 're-depositors'.

unfortunately due to various comments here, quite a few (and i wont give a number) of 'expressions', didnt convert to deposit paids, but conversely as the time goes on, more people sign up for the full price version.

as per the first announcement, this took time for money to come in, and i do, unfortunately, expect it to be the same this time round.

the big difference is that the project has things to show and milestones reached now, which always helps projects go forward and grow.

cheers

Dave