Boomers Wood

[Steve Cook]

Just quick drying polyfilla Neil. It seems to have stuck to the plasticard OK after a bit of surface keying, hopefully building up in thin layers will have helped.
The car body stuff is much better than the pollyfilla for sanding back (harder work, but a good surface finish with fine grade papers), does the stuff you use generate heat whilst it sets?

 

[Neil]

.... does the stuff you use generate heat whilst it sets?

To be honest I'm not sure Steve. I'll have to check on Tuesday when I next play with the big trains. I could see that 'heat generation' and 'plasticard' might not be a happy combination.

 

[Simon Dunkley]

After a prolonged period away from modelling due to working abroad, its time to get back on with the layout I've only got five weeks until its shown at Shepshed so its going to be a bit of a rush job..

Wasn't that the original intention, though - a "quickie"?
Edit: back to the first post:

I'm hoping it will be a bit of fun, quick and I'll find out whether a simple track plan is enough, or whether I'll want something more complicated when I build something proper.

So, no problems, no pressure, then?

 

[Steve Cook]

Good to be back

 

[Simon Dunkley]

Friends may come and friends may go,
And some may never care.
But you can always rely on me,
Just call and I'll be there.

With an insult.

Welcome back to the land of the not as free as they think.

 

[Steve Cook]

Slow progress on the point rodding front, its all quite fiddly I've chosen a slightly convoluted run for the rodding, largely because its been a bit more intersting to work out and build. Using Peco track has meant there wasn't quite enough room to have squeezed both rod runs and a signal cable straight between the sleepers with the ground frame inline, thus I've offset the ground frame and have used the extra space to group the rods closer together under the track and wider apart at the GF to suit the lever spacing.



All of the stools have been soldered to copperclad to keep them inline and make the assembly a bit stronger when glued in place - the areas between the stools are being filed to make the copperclad strip thinner and easier to hide under the ballast. The rodding run to the first point (shown above) just fits within the 10 yard length so hasn't required any compensators for expansion - the longer run to the second point has had a compensator fitted, making sure there is the same amount of pushing rodding as there is pulling rodding (well, would be if it all worked!). The cranks and signal pulleys have been set at different heights on more copperclad, these will be painted to represent sleepers after gluing in place.



I need to build up the ground disc tomorrow, then I can finalise the location of the pully used to reverse the wire run for that. The station platform has had a first coat of paint and mortar on the bricks (as has the retaining wall off the platform end) and the platform surface has been given a splash of grey. The removeable sections have had an earth colour slapped on in preparation for turfing tomorrow whilst the masking tape ground forms on the fiddleyard board have been coated in PVA ready for plastering. There is a bit of mucking around on the ground behind the platform to do to make an station entrance, that seems a better location than what I had originally planned.

 

[Captain Kernow]

Welcome back matey, hope you had a satisfactory trip! Looking forward to seeing some lightning-rapid progress on this splendid project now. I do like your idea for the point rodding, very clever mounting it on copper clad - a lot quicker than my hair shirt method...

 

[Steve Cook]

Cheers Capt'n, was a good trip indeed Straight rodding run see, seemed easier to solder it all in a straight line than try and make a 'hair shirt' jig type thing like your goodself

 

[Phill Dyson]

I have become of the opinion that distraction is good for the soul, dabbling = enthusiasm. I have an n gauge Hymek above the bench..... and mustnt forget the various AFV's

Proper 2mm Western on the way too & MK11's to go with the MK1's..............I keep having recurring thoughts of a 'Holiday Haunts' Dawlish sea wall type set up that I will never have the room for in 7mm ................dream.........dream

 

[Simon]

Welcome back matey, hope you had a satisfactory trip! Looking forward to seeing some lightning-rapid progress on this splendid project now. I do like your idea for the point rodding, very clever mounting it on copper clad - a lot quicker than my hair shirt method...

Hair shirt? I had you clearly marked own as a bright yellow t shirt and "kiss me quick" merchant myself

Helpfully yours, as ever.....

That point rodding looks very good Steve - feel free to blow it and install it in my garden any time you like

Simon

 

[Steve Cook]

This post has just made me realise why point rodding is missing from so many layouts.........

Having attempted it and seen not a lot of progress today, I realise why point rodding is missing from so many layouts too Heyside would have me crying and gibbering in the corner

That point rodding looks very good Steve - feel free to blow it and install it in my garden any time you like

Cheers Simon Having done barely more than a foot, I hope you'll understand if I decline

 

[Steve Cook]

Think I'm still in pottering mode, rather than grafting, don't feel I've achieved much today despite spending all afternoon / evening on the layout. The Ground Frame has had a wooden surround made for it so it can be removed for transit, the surround will eventually be stuck to the layout with the ground forms around it. The front most plank will need to be stuck to the GF itself, I'm not quite sure what I'll do with the foot board to go on the rear, probably something similar. It'll get a bit of staining tomorrow once the glue has dried completely.



The ground disc has been built from a MSE kit but seems to have aquired a slightly forward lean when soldering to the base plate. Ah well I've built up a signal wire carrying post as well, although its highly unlikely there will actually be a signal wire, it just adds another little bit of interest. All of the bases have been cut down to size and glued into place, the rodding runs and ground disc gaining some small pins so I could apply Tim's hairshirt method of fixing in place.



And last of all, the turf got slung down on the removeable sections and the platform gained a stripe.



Tomorrow will bring more painting, maybe a bit of grass, some ground forms and if I can face it, I'll build all the point rodding so its a job off the list, they'll be fixed into place after painting and ballasting.

Steve

 

[Dikitriki]

Heyside would have me crying and gibbering in the corner

Me too

 

[Steve Cook]

Me too

I have to say Richard, that if it turns out like the rest of the layout it will be well worth it - its an absolutely stunning piece of work I'll have a beer and spare a thought for you

 

[Steve Cook]

What's the turf, Steve? It's appeared so quickly I assume it's a mat product of some sort, but it looks to be of a higher quality than is usually seen... good colouring and texture, by the look of it...

Hi Jordan
The turf is Woodland Scenics Fine Turf (Earth). Its just a thick coat sprinkled on to a coating of pva and then tamped down by hand, the loose stuff is shaken off straightaway. It will get a coating of diluted pva over the top when the static grass is applied whic helps to seal the turf in position.
Steve

 

[Simon Dunkley]

Tomorrow will bring ... maybe a bit of grass

Not planning on getting much modelling done, then - just chillin' out?

 

[Steve Cook]

Not planning on getting much modelling done, then - just chillin' out?

Would have been a good day for it if one was so inclined
Instead I threw the old girl outside for spot of open air modelling I'm quite sure there is a right order in which to do things, I'm also quite sure that the way I'm doing it isn't! Still, a morning session saw a bit of rough hacking of balsa wood to create some ground level changes around the ground frame and a bit of fettling of the polystyrene behind the platform - the gronk occasionally got up close and personal with the platform edge so its been moved back a smidgen. There are a couple of gaps to fill behind the platform but I've run out of polystyrene, I think a Blue Peter style construction will be in order
Various bits of the layout were masked up and a shot of primer applied. Whilst this was drying I mixed up a couple of batches of paint and put the new airbrush compressor together. Typically, the sun went in just as I went out to paint, but it didn't rain so the track has had two coats - one of sleeper grime and one of frame dirt - think I was bit heavy on the frame dirt as I can't see any sleeper grime colour





All the rail tops have been cleaned and the point contacts sorted, I'll wait for it to dry overnight before having a test session. Time for a spot of dinner and some static grass.

Steve

 

[John D]

Looking great matey...... 4 weeks to go 'til Shepshed....no pressure

 

[Steve Cook]

[puts fingers in ears, closes eyes] La la la [/puts fingers in ears, closes eyes]

I'm quite sure it will be a close run thing...

 

[Simon Dunkley]

All the rail tops have been cleaned and the point contacts sorted, I'll wait for it to dry overnight before having a test session. Time for a spot of dinner and some static grass.

Have you cleaned the upper inside edges, i.e. the inner face of the rail head, where the flanges can rub? It is usually worth doing this extra bit.