Long Line Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Just found your 'any question answered' thread which brought a wry smile to myself... many years back a certain resin cast trader had upon his stand a sign denoting 'ask any question' to which a non modelling friend of mine approached and said quite sincerely... how do submarines work, you fill em up with water and they sink so how do they come back up?.... the traders look was priceless.. acceptably not a 2 mill' issue I know mark 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted February 8, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 8, 2012 Although I've been a member of the 2mm Fine Scale Association for only an year I am definitely a beginner in building tracks and turnouts. I've tried the Easitrac system and rail soldered directly to the PCB timbers onlybut I'd like to try Versaline sometimes. I can say that I found the PCB turnout construction easier than Easitrac and much enjoyable; and, for a shunting yard, I'd say it isn't so important to have that prototypical daylight given by raising the rail on the timbers. What I still need to experiment in track building? TOUs. The tiebar from a PCB slipper looks like is the easiest to build. I tried the fuse wire coiled on a PCB slipper in vertical plan and it looks better and maybe, reliable. My problem is to find an easy to build Turnout Operation Unit (what's underneath the baseboard) - I'm still studying... @Jerry: a few photos of your tie-bars / TOU assembly would help a lot. Anyway, thank you for the description. For my TOU's I am simply using the sleeper method with a hole drilled in it to accept the wire from a slow motion motor. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbrummitt Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 how do submarines work, you fill em up with water and they sink so how do they come back up? It's easiest just to leave them there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixie Posted February 8, 2012 Author Share Posted February 8, 2012 (edited) how do submarines work, you fill em up with water and they sink so how do they come back up? I seem to recall there is tanks of compressed air on board, so when they want to resurface the compressed air is pumped into the flooded chamber to force the water out. Bouyancy then rises, so up comes the sub. When it's at the top the air tanks refil and the same happens again. Not sure what happens if the air tanks fail and I'm sure that my scribblings are incredibly basic. But y'now, we aim to please. Now, can anyone let me know the meaning of life at all? Or why Nestle stopped making the awesome Secret Chocolate bars? Or why I'm not snuggled up to Lily Allen each night? Pix Edited February 8, 2012 by Pixie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold queensquare Posted February 8, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 8, 2012 Now, can anyone let me know the meaning of life at all? Its 42, I thought everybody new that!! Jerry 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixie Posted February 8, 2012 Author Share Posted February 8, 2012 Again I was told by a number of people that a moving sleeper was unsightly and unreliable, I have found it to be niether. Some of the tiebars I have seen described look very elegant but look a fiendish fiddle to make and I have my doubts about their robustness. Hi Jerry, Thanks for this - most usefel! Certainly the tie bars on Highbury are far from noticable and if they're as strong as you say then they must be a good solution. I think the main concern is the PCB delaminating, but I really think the forces involved in 2mm pointwork wouldn't be able to do this, unless the joint had been over heated on solder. The Tucking Mill idea is a good one - I'll give a whirl! Cheers, Pix Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixie Posted February 8, 2012 Author Share Posted February 8, 2012 Its 42, I thought everybody new that!! So that's the meaning of life taken care of and apparently Secret's cost too much to make. Just the Lily Allen conundrum to solve now! Pix Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
2mm Andy Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 I thought it was Katy Perry?! Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixie Posted February 8, 2012 Author Share Posted February 8, 2012 I thought it was Katy Perry?! Either would do! Pixie Lott can be quite foxy, but the whole name thing could cause issues so best not.... ...err... anyway, better steer back to something a bit more on topic. The Sterotype Police will say we're starting to move away from our adenoidal image. Pix Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Natalie Graham Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Or why Nestle stopped making the awesome Secret Chocolate bars? They still do, but just aren't allowed to tell anyone about them. They are kept in the national reserve of red cast iron platform vending machines in the tunnel under Box Hill. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan76 Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 I feel almost guilty returning this thread to boring sensibleness, but on the subject of tiebars, Keith Armes does a rather clever one, using a PCB sleeper on its end with wire wrapped around and soldered to the blades. Rugged bit of kit with only the edge of the PCB sleeper on show. You do have to cut a groove for it in your baseboard top, but that's a minor issue. I'd also echo Jerry's comments about moving sleepers. In 2FS you need to look hard to spot what's going on. Alan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Stubbs Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Sticking with the subject of tie-bars, and using sleepers for that purpose, I have successfully used tiebars sleepers made from filed down fibreglass strip. Into these I drill a pair of holes and I insert a pair of 4mm turned coach door handles (I kid you not), retained by 12ba washers soldered on underneath. The fibreglass is very strong, and the inserted door handle 'flats' are spaced so that the inside edge of the point blade solders to them. They are low and flat-sided tiny rectangles, so a good strong solder joint is acheived, and they rotate as the sleeper moves so that no strain is put on the solder joint, and the wheel flanges pass well above the minimal solder meniscus so no bumping over solder blobs. I operate them with wire-in-tube, operated by a sliding switch which switches the polarity of the crossing as well as moving the point blades. If anyone is interested I can stick a couple of photos up. For what it is worth, I tried thin pcb strips of sleepers end on with wire twisted round for the pivots, but found them prone to breaking and quite hard to set up. I also tried inserting lace pins into them, bent over and found them even harder to make reliably. You pays your money and takes your choice ........ 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valentin Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Sticking with the subject of tie-bars, and using sleepers for that purpose, I have successfully used tiebars sleepers made from filed down fibreglass strip. Into these I drill a pair of holes and I insert a pair of 4mm turned coach door handles (I kid you not), retained by 12ba washers soldered on underneath. The fibreglass is very strong, and the inserted door handle 'flats' are spaced so that the inside edge of the point blade solders to them. They are low and flat-sided tiny rectangles, so a good strong solder joint is acheived, and they rotate as the sleeper moves so that no strain is put on the solder joint, and the wheel flanges pass well above the minimal solder meniscus so no bumping over solder blobs. I operate them with wire-in-tube, operated by a sliding switch which switches the polarity of the crossing as well as moving the point blades. If anyone is interested I can stick a couple of photos up. ... I am interested in your TOU and I think some photos will help a lot. Thank you, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
2mm Andy Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Sticking with the subject of tie-bars, and using sleepers for that purpose, I have successfully used tiebars sleepers made from filed down fibreglass strip. Into these I drill a pair of holes and I insert a pair of 4mm turned coach door handles (I kid you not), retained by 12ba washers soldered on underneath. The fibreglass is very strong, and the inserted door handle 'flats' are spaced so that the inside edge of the point blade solders to them. They are low and flat-sided tiny rectangles, so a good strong solder joint is acheived, and they rotate as the sleeper moves so that no strain is put on the solder joint, and the wheel flanges pass well above the minimal solder meniscus so no bumping over solder blobs. I operate them with wire-in-tube, operated by a sliding switch which switches the polarity of the crossing as well as moving the point blades. If anyone is interested I can stick a couple of photos up. Steve, I remember you mentioning this on the 2mm VAG some time ago and was thinking about your method when reading some of the posts above. Some photos of the arrangement would be very useful. thanks, Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbrummitt Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 ... the inserted door handle 'flats' are spaced so that the inside edge of the point blade solders to them. What distance do you use between the points of the blades? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted February 9, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 9, 2012 I have found that moving sleeper tie bars with a hole drilled through the middle tend to break either side of the hole even in 0 gauge. I had one break at an exhibition and managed to loop a piece of cotton round the joints to the blades and hold the assembly together. End of exhibition layout packed away. Next exhibition my co-operator commented there's a piece of cotton caught round the tie-bar. The cotton lasted the whole two days with my co-operator muttering 'What are you like' from time to time. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold queensquare Posted February 9, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 9, 2012 I have found that moving sleeper tie bars with a hole drilled through the middle tend to break either side of the hole even in 0 gauge. On Tucking Mill I have added a small washer to beef up the hole but Highbury is just a small hole in the middle of the sleeper. I must have been lucky as in almost thirteen years I haven't had one break yet. Jerry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
millerhillboy Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 If an interloper can be allowed from the uncouth world of N, can I possibly ask what does the 2mm world favour for the use of locomotive lamps? In particular BR era. I've used the Springside lamps on a few loco's and whilst they are OK I do tend to feel that there must be something better available from the 2mm world. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Natalie Graham Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 If an interloper can be allowed from the uncouth world of N, can I possibly ask what does the 2mm world favour for the use of locomotive lamps? In particular BR era. I've used the Springside lamps on a few loco's and whilst they are OK I do tend to feel that there must be something better available from the 2mm world. We all scratchbuild them, although getting the wicks trimmed to scale length to get them to light properly can be a real pain. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
millerhillboy Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 We all scratchbuild them, although getting the wicks trimmed to scale length to get them to light properly can be a real pain. Well I knew you 2mm guys were good, but that does impress me ...... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbrummitt Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 There is/was an article in the magazine (later reprinted as part of a book and now available on the magazine archives DVD) about scratch building lamps. It didn't detail how to make the wick though. I can't think of another readily available source of lamps, other than springside. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armchair Modeller Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 I am thinking about having a go at a modern image 2mm layout. What do 2mm modellers do about converting the wheels for 2nd generation Farish and Dapol DMUs though? I see this note on the products page "NB. Class 150/x requires slightly different pin-point axle length, this is under development." and I assume the older 158 and 170 DMUs are covered OK. Generally, 2mm scale doesn't seem to cater much for modellers of the 1990s and beyond, apart from plain Easitrac with concrete sleepers. Would I be better to stick to N gauge, with handbuilt points? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted February 12, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 12, 2012 The 158 / 170 are listed as being replacable. For a 150 at the moment I would just send the wheel sets off to turned down. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted February 12, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 12, 2012 Generally, 2mm scale doesn't seem to cater much for modellers of the 1990s and beyond, apart from plain Easitrac with concrete sleepers. Would I be better to stick to N gauge, with handbuilt points? It may be easier to stick with N but the track and wheels will not be as good and may start to bother you. All the N gauge models can be converted and I expect more mdoern stuff will be produced from the 2mmSA if the members want it. With the ease of converting modern stock to 2mm I image the number of members modelling the modern scene will grow. However the choice is yours. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armchair Modeller Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Thanks for your views gentlemen. I suppose I should not have expected anyone in this section of RMWeb to say do it in N! For the 150s, does the wheel turning service include adjusting the pinpoint axles to the correct setting, or would I have to do that myself? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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