Dave Hunt

Good morning Everyone, A bright and calm outlook from Chez Dave this morning and except for a scattering of tree detritus and the odd recycling box, little evidence of Freya's passing. Today my Dad is returning home after spending the last six weeks living with us following his hospitalisation as a result of falling and breaking his femur in early December. He only lives half a mile away so we can easily keep an eye on him and since the house already has a stairlift fitted mobility isn't an issue but I'm currently looking at personal alarm systems for him to be on the safe side. Once I've finished communing with Mug O'Coffee No. 2 I'll get on with rehoming the startling amount of stuff that has migrated from his house to ours over the weeks. SWMBO is taking him shopping later to replenish his food stocks as although he normally has most of his main meals with us we will be away from Wednesday to Friday inclusive; I'm taking her to Portmeirion for a couple of nights as a birthday treat, the day in question being Thursday. Apart from that, there is a slim chance that some quality workshop time may be available later today. Have a good day one and all. Dave

I'm not surprised that the 4F has suffered if it's been dragging that mess van around with its leading wheels in the ballast for very long Dave

Of course, Johnson's bogie engines had 'jiggled' front frames, i. e. the front frames were separate pieces bolted on inside the main frames to give more lateral clearance for the bogies but you are right in stating that we expect much more from our models. In reality trying to get an S7 Compound round anything tighter than 7ft is pushing it, even dead slow; I'm not sure what the finescale equivalent would be but it's surely not very much under 5ft 6in I wouldn't imagine. Dave

Compound bogies can be the very devil when it comes to clearances on curves. My S7 original Johnson example will quite happily go round something like a 5 ft radius without the bodywork on but once it's all together it sulks on anything under about 7 ft and, like Jamie's, I had to do a fair bit of insulating work before it gave up the odd hesitation over pointwork. Dave

Morning All, Having not attended this thread for a couple of days I was quite surprised by the number of posts that awaited inspection this morning. Maybe the suggestion that the traffic was diminishing was illusory and just a hiccup? Apart from repeating the various congratulatory and well-wishing messages that others have left, I must say that It has now been brought to my attention that as a Leicester Tigers fan I am in illustrious company here on ERs. As as far as dogs and alcohol is concerned, when I was doing my flying training at Leeming, one of my instructors had a Labrador that was a bit of a p***head. At Friday evening happy hours it used to go around scrounging beer and chaps would pour some into ashtrays (and there's a sign of the times) which it would gratefully lap up. By the time dog and owner left the former would be happily sloshed and would weave its way down the path occasionally pid*ling and hiccuping. The last time I saw the dog it was in a ripe old age but still indulging. That's not to say that alcohol is a good idea for dogs, just that like most things there are some that tolerate it better than others. A good day at Kettering yesterday that seemed well attended. By ten minutes after opening time the car park and overflow were both full and we had to use the school car park a bit away with the excellent courtesy bus laid on by the organisers to take us to the show. The only thing that didn't enjoy the day was my credit card but as I told SWMBO it was all in a good cause. I am reliably informed that after church it is curtain rail fettling day today and that I am a participant. Whether that will leave any time for some of the important things like solder and paint manipulation remains to be seen. So far it is quite calm here in North Hippoland but according to the met office this is just the calm before the mayhem. Have a good day everyone and thoughts and prayers for the more unfortunate. Dave

Some of those shots are really atmospheric Jamie. Dave

Well, another day gone but at least it was one without any SIDs* or other catastrophes, mainly because apart from dealing with some niffnaff and trivia, basically I spent most of it schlepping about and achieving the square root of b***er all. Mind you, the lurgy has gone away apart from a cough, my root canal job has stopped bothering me and I'm looking forward to visiting the far-flung reaches of Kettering in the morning so it's more like happy bunny time than of late. Nihjt night everyone. Dave * Self Inflcted Damage, AKA a GDB

Presumably having not met a Scouser who tried to persuade her to, "Prestatyn der gerl." Coat? Dave

I'm glad it's not still yesterday because yesterday was c**p. I had a long session in the morning at the dentist having a root canal job and once the anaesthetic wore off her warning that it, "May be a bit uncomfortable for a while," proved to be quite prophetic for a given definition of 'uncomfortable'. As a bonus for the day I found that the speed of rotation of my semi-invalid casting machine isn't sufficient for the big mould I had made so it's back to the drawing board and a collection of smaller mounds in the hope that they will prove more amenable to the lower fling factor. Then there was the discovery that I hadn't soldered the beading across the back of the cab before painting the model......... At least I didn't injure myself any more. Hey, ho, tomorrow is another day. Well, actually it is already tomorrow, sort of. Once the paracetamol take effect I'll (hopefully) get some sleep and wake up bright eyed, bushy tailed and ready for a successful day. Well, you have to dream don't you? Goodnight everyone. Dave

Great stuff as usual Jamie. One of these days I'd love to see it in the flesh as the only times I've ever seen it for real were at Warley when it was in part finished form. From the sound of it you have quite a group of ex-pat modellers there to join in the action. Dave

Good morning from an overcast and noticeably chillier (although to Ian it would seem tropical) Salop borderland. My plans for today? Going to the dentist in just over an hour for root canal treatment - and that's as far as the planning goes as I'm far from looking forward to the event, having had such before. A bright spot - going to the GOG show at Kettering on Saturday. Hope everyone has a good day and the usual thoughts at this time for the truly unfortunate members. Dave

Well, today I definitely joined the GDB club with two qualifying acts. First was when I put the Swann Morton knife I was using down on the rather cluttered bench and it slid off the edge. My reflex was to catch it, which I did whilst failing to note that one of the defining features of Swann Morton craft knives is that at one end there is a very sharp bit; that was the end with which I caught it. A while later, with a dressing on my left thumb, I was doing some work on the Unimat when I went to remove some shavings from the workpiece without turning the motor off. My right forefinger became acquainted with a 1,500 rpm 3-jaw chuck and that too now features one of SWMBO's nursing skills (my finger - not the chuck). B***er! Can I get the T-shirt in XL please Bob? I'm now debating whether to clean the workbench or just paint the rest of it red. Apart from that, went to the market, checked out my Dad on his first attempt at driving since breaking his femur, cooked dinner, watched some recorded stuff on TV (nothing worth watching live) and did a bit of la**ut planning. And so to bed. Goodnight awl. Dave

I' m with several of you on the notifications thing. Additionally, the items followed list, which for a short while actually did display items I followed, has now returned to showing quite randomly things I've never visited or even been aware of. A mixed day today. Jill's hospital visit resulted in an appointment for an MRI scan for further analysis so still a bit in limbo land there. Then when I tried to use my centrifugal casting machine the bl**dy thing wouldn't run properly and I spent two hours trying to sort it out. The fault seems to be with a careworn potentiometer on the speed control knob, which I kind of fiddled with until it actually runs but with a fixed speed of about 60% or so - I'll have to see if that is sufficient over the next few days and am keeping fingers crossed as the alternative is liable to be a drag and I need to get some castings done. But it then came some good bits - the lurgy seems to have gone into retreat, I can clear my ears, breathe through my nose and go for several minutes without coughing my guts up, although walking up a flight of stairs is still knackering. But best of all, I spray painted a small replica of a transportation device without producing runs or orange peeling and ended up with a half decent finish!!! And that was before I'd read all the good advice people have given here, so I must have been lucky and guessed about right on the mix. Grrrrrreat! But thanks for the advice one and all, even though I'll have to spend a fortune on various types of milk to be sure to get the right one. Tomorrow I've got to take my Dad's car to Crewe for servicing, as he still isn't up to driving after his hip operation, and go to a charity committee meeting so potential workshop time is limited. However, if the ebb tide of lurgydom continues I'll be a fairly happy bunny, casting machine permitting of course. Night night everyone. Dave

Thanks Richard - and for the PM. Dave

Pete, no I don't have DCC, it's just that I've never wired a 3-way before and was having difficulty getting my head round it. RE6/6, many thanks for the diagram. I've had two others via PMs that are closely similar so even an electrical numpty like me should be able to sort it out now! Isn' t RMW a great place for getting instant help? Cheers Dave

That's my real problem - getting the viscosity right. I sometimes end up either with runs or 'orange peel' despite having used the thing for years. Maybe it's because I don't use it that often to be able to judge the mix properly every time (or maybe I'm just a numpty). Thanks for the tea strainer tip though; the paint I'll be using is quite old so the lump issue may need attention. Dave

Can anyone give me guidance on wiring a 3-way turnout for DC? I'm hoping to start a 7mm layout based loosely on Hellifield loco shed using Tortoise point motors and am struggling to work out how to wire the two 3-ways it requires. Thanks Dave

Does that mean it takes a long time for you to get p***ed on it Jamie? Dave

Despite still being more lurgy-stricken yesterday than I thought I was early in the AM, I actually got a bit of workshop time in and got the first steps done in making a silicon rubber mould for the Centricast white metal casting machine so that I can make some loco spring and other castings. Today is starting more promisingly as my inner workings, whilst not yet what you might call cheery, are a bit closer to the bright, sunny and spring-like outside world that greets the Salopian eye than of late and the light at the end of the tunnel probably isn't the 7.45 down coming the other way. First event of the day is that Jill has a hospital appointment for an ENT related issue then with luck some more workshop time will follow and the mould making will progress along with the job I dread more than anything to do with modelmaking - painting. I have a DeVilbiss airbrush that my parents bought for me years ago but despite long practice I still can't guarantee to get a good finish with it first go and it is far from unknown fora model to spend the night in a bucket of Nitromors following one of my efforts. Ah, well, we shall see. I'm also aiming to do a bit more Templot wrestling some time today and trying to apply some of Martin's guidance, although the Hippo is fixing up a teaching session for me with someone who knows what he is doing. The downside to that, as will now be common knowledge via this thread, is that my allegiance to a certain international rugby team who play in white shirts will cost me considerably. Anyone who attends model railway shows wearing a Wales shirt is not likely to let a chance like that pass by. Mention of Templot brings another thought to mind - anyone know how to wire a 3-way for DC? Have a good day everyone and have a thought for the afflicted. Keep smiling. Dave

Hippo, I'm afraid that my avatar isn't a Welsh dragon, it's actually a wyvern (if you look closely you'll see that it hasn't got any legs) and was copied from the Midland house flag used on its ships; so I'll be sure to practice my 'not bovvered' face before we meet. TTFN Dave

Welll, the one good thing about yesterday's disaster is that whilst watching the game my lurgy symptoms seemed to recede a bit. I suppose that the same thing happened to people on the Titanic. However, this morning, which is fisty and moggy here in top end Salopshire, the lurgyitis seems a little less debilitating and since SWMBO is off to Derbyshire with a friend to visit No. 1 son and offspring for the day I may even get in some workshop time. Once I've had got a couple of sudafed inside me to dull the headache a bit and spent some time with Mug O'Coffee that is. Of course, if I admit to feeling a bit better there is the distinct possibility that some domestic duties may be found to occupy my time but since the hacking cough is still apparent I may get away with it. Of course, I still have the gloating of Welsh friends to look forward to...... Cheers everyone and have a good day. Dave

I too am a member of the bionic meccano man brigade, in my case the left foot that was heavily rebuilt about four years ago. The surgeon said that I could have the screws and bits taken out eventually if I wanted but there was so much stuff in there that it would be quite a prolonged procedure and unless it was really bugging me he recommended leaving well alone. When I went for a check-up last year the x-rays showed that one of the screws had come loose but he said that it wouldn't cause any trouble so we've left it alone. The only downside is that my feet are now of different widths so buying shoes is a pain in the butt, or, rather, foot if I get it wrong. Since I also have two false knees and a replacement hip (my eldest son says that if any more bits are replaced I'll qualify as the first independent android) getting through airport security can involve setting out the day before the flight departs to leave enough time for the scanning process. Dave

Anyway Bob, the chap concerned wasn't even scratched so it couldn't have been you . Dave

Thanks Martin. I've actually got to grips with some of the basics and managed to produce the start of a track plan but I don't think I'm going about things the best way as although the tracks and turnouts actually line up it takes me a lot of fiddling to achieve it and the timbering is a mess. Anyway, I'll persevere and once I've read the link you sent I'll see if I can do some more somewhat less laboriously and with better results. Regards Dave

Greetings ERs from a bright and breezy N Salop. Unfortunately I'm not in the same category as the lurgy is still doing its thing albeit having moved on somewhat with less dribbling but now painful inner ears to go with the sore throat, headache and hacking cough. For a bit of light relief yesterday I tried to get to grips with Templot and to start designing my layout but I seem to be a complete numpty and even with the guides written by various people to say it's slow going would be an understatement. Is it just me, an age thing or has anyone else struggled to reach Templot nirvana? Anyway, before it made my headache a lot worse I'd sort of done some constructive work but the end result would, I'm sure, be laughed at by anyone competent. The main event today will, of course, be England v Wales; the outcome too close to call but it should be an exciting game. I just hope that the excitement doesn't make my cough worse. Hope that those who are fit and well have a good day and that the lurgied ones get better. And prayers for the more unfortunate. Dave