mudmagnet

Been busy 3D printing some more stock items and a load of chimney pots for Mr Spams! No car loading until the morning, just a few plastic boxes to load into the car. I will bring my laptop so can go through some 3D CAD modelling for those interested.

I will be at the RMWeb day at Taunton tomorrow and have been replenishing some of my stock levels, but with a large product range now, may not have everything with me. Most of the range can be seen on the website. I will have a new range of chimney pots, still in pre-production phase with me as well.

Orchard Road has now been sold to a guy near Cheltenham and he plans to continue with a few shows. Sold with a few of my locos, so he is well on the way. Consequently, opens up some space in the garage for a new project .....

Orchard Road - 47 in the refuel road.

Looks smart James!

I've very easily set up an online store using 'Sumup' from whom I purchased a card reader to take along to a couple of exhibitions and they provide a straightforward / simple website template onto which my products are populated. This works fine a limited range of products, but as my product range now reaches over a hundred 3D printed items, this does get more difficult to manage. Then do I look at a more bespoke platform, such some of the other small traders utilise. This of course comes at a higher cost both in financial times and also time to firstly populate and then manage. My website takes card payments, for which I pay a small commission, then need to process the order. All works quite smoothly. However, there are quite a few small traders who may well have been trading for years and attending exhibitions, where perhaps their sales at these have been good, yet do not have the time / expertise / interest in setting up an online presence. I too am reluctant to purchase without an online / card payment / PayPal payment method now, unless I've previously seen the products or previously dealt with said supplier. Plus, the other issue is making potential clients aware of your products. Online search engines are pretty useless to be honest, their algorithms dependant on volume traffic, so no often found. Advertising on such platforms as Facebook is hit and miss, so reliant on other means. Ebay is awash with suppliers, but their fees are quite high. Sadly, more and more exhibitions feature less and less small traders, in part due to the costs and also the time. I, like many others, work full time, so attending too many exhibitions presents other issues. In summary though, I would agree with the original question / comment though.

I've added the 7mm scale / 0 gauge versions of the GWR station barrows to my sales page, along with a set of luggage / suitcases.

Any Heavy Metal ..... no need to worry about the mayonaise though @2ManySpams as son now moved into his own house!

@john new and others, I have a card reader for card payments, but folding payment accepted!

That looks really good Nick. Certainly looks like 'metal' sides - I think that the patina / colouration looks spot on.

Thanks Rob, I tend to keep a stock of most items at all times, but easy enough to print anything that I don't have in stock.

I've been a bit quiet recently with new product development, but have finished a few new products now added to my sales page. First up are some GWR platform barrows, two types and secondly the first set of luggage - with more to be added later. These are currently only in 4mm scale / 00 but will be available in 7mm scale / 0 gauge soon. As usual supplied unpainted, but I have painted these parts using Games Workshop / Warhammer paints.

Thanks Rob. I'm working on lots of new projects, some will be ready soon and then more ready for SWAG. Always a very enjoyable day.

Looking great James!

Nick, Can you remember which ballast you used? many thanks

Just a typo then!

That's forward planning, two for 2923!

They look very nice.

Hi Rob 7mm modelling has always been on my radar, having spend many years modelling 0-16.5 narrow gauge. I'm not deserting 4mm modelling, but for exhibitions (hopefully) will be 0 gauge.

I had an opportunity this morning to erect Orchard Road, where I has some space to work round. I wanted to take some new photos using my new camera (Sony A7iii with 16-35mm lens, then focus stacked). I'm working through these and the first shown below. Also of note is my own 3D printed re-fueling rig and shelter which I am selling through my website.

I have a couple alternative refueling rigs in both 4mm and 7mm available via my Sumup page.

As a number of the older photos have disappeared, I've re-added a few here.

I will be selling the complete layout, ready to exhibit with the NCE PowerCab and power supply for the points (DCC operated), lighting rig, front display boards and curtains. I will also include the 5 TTA tank wagons, along with my two Heljan Class 33 and Bachmann Class 47 - all sound fitted. Collection only from North Devon. Packs into a compact unit and fits the back of most medium sized cars. Please message me for more details etc. The layout has long been featured on RMWeb, attending three or four RMWeb events over the years. Also exhibited at York, Stafford and Warley over the years and several exhibitions here in the south west and along the south coast of the UK. Also featured in two magazines many years ago. I will be setting the layout up next weekend with the intention of re-photographing partly for prosperity and partly for future magazine article - if BRM want it of course! I literally have hundreds of other photos if anyone is interested. Payment by cash upon collection or bank transfer Total £2100, but will consider sensible offers.

As mentioned the other day, I have been considering selling Orchard Road and have now come to a decision to sell on. In part to fund a new project - 0 gauge layout and a couple of other hobbies. I will be selling the complete layout, ready to exhibit with the NCE PowerCab and power supply for the points (DCC operated), lighting rig, front display boards and curtains. I will also include the 5 TTA tank wagons, along with my two Heljan Class 33 and Bachmann Class 47 - all sound fitted. Collection only from North Devon. Packs into a compact unit and fits the back of most medium sized cars. Please message me for more details etc.

Yes, that will happen ....