TimberSurf's Workbench

Discussion in 'Workshop Benches' started by Timbersurf, Aug 15, 2018.

  1. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    As my layout is relatively static in terms of build rate, most effort is currently going into developing idea's and pre-builds for the future layout.
    I have churned out quite a few buildings/projects recently and have a constant flow and huge backlog of developments and a large diorama (not complete).
    I will wet your appetite with what is currently on the bench, then will catch up with the completed stuff in subsequent posts.
    I will title each project so they don't all meld into each other.

    Cement mixer

    I purchased a slightly American looking 1:87 truck at a recent exhibition. It's a toy, but not badly detailed. The intent is to motorise it. (Lumsdonia Animotion). A quick strip down, clean up and respray determined that a motor and planetary gearbox would fit. I set too with the Dremel and hacked out some bits that were in the way of the motor, drilled a hole through the back of the cab and glued a shaft into the drum. The driver, seat and glazing would not fit as well as the motor, so I just reglazed the cab and glued it in with "Glue n Glaze". Some more hacking allows the wires out the bottom and tapping the base to M2 allows reassembly with set screws. It runs great, but is way too fast. So tonight I wrote the code in Arduino and checked it out on my simulator. So I can now drive it with PWM and control the speed and have ramp up and ramp down, stop and start. I also have two speeds and have realised I need an H bridge or DPCO relay to change direction. Thus I can have it idling at a low speed then a short fast speed after (in the opposite direction) to simulate reverse direction when unloading. I still need to add a hopper, chute and a water tank, then I will share the pics. When the H bridge turns up from China, I can build the electrics and then I can video it.
     
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  2. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    Sounds interesting. I'll look forward to seeing this in action. :thumbs:
     
  3. ianvolvo46

    ianvolvo46 Staff Member Moderator

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    really looking forward to seeing it in action :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

    ian vt
     
  4. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    Cement mixer
    So I do not have any suitable transistors to make a H bridge, so I will wait for one from China. Started the hopper and chute, so here it is in its new paint scheme, fully assembled.


    Twin Towers
    The other project that is current, is a pair of Outland office towers. Supposedly HO/OO scale but more like N! They will be a "backscene " in perspective, probably in a corner.
    I soldered micro wire to SMD LED's, then glued them to the ceiling of each floor (I had to make my own, as only 3 are supplied in the kit)


    The windows were air brush painted, then the blue internal and a rough coat of grey on the outside by brush, then glazing was added.


    I then made up harness's with a 0.1pitch 10 way IDC connector and attached resistors.


    Once the floors were installed and side walls added, I pulled the wires through the back and soldered to the harness, a three sided "lift shaft" was made and glued at the back to cover the gubbins.


    This will be powered by an Arduino, to give random floors lighting over time and turning off at the end of the Lumsdonia Compressed light cycle day

    I believe in writing up the blunders of development as well as the successes, if nothing else as a warning for others not to make the same mistakes.

    On that note, I should have taken my own advice from my Soldering Guide and used a smaller iron tip, as I blew up about 5 LED's just in the process of soldering the wires on!
    The lesson here is to buy bigger LED's than the (100) 0603! :hammer: Else change the tip to a smaller one and get my eyes fixed with laser treatment! :rolleyes:
     
  5. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    Building/Chimney Alternate Smoke Generation

    Everyone knows about Seuthe smoke machines, but they are not cheap, don't produce copious amounts of smoke and the oil is expensive too! So I thought I would have a play with An E-Cigarette (vaping) mechanism as an alternative. It consists of the element mounted in a chamber, a small air pump (fish tank type) and a suitable power supply.
    Version 1 was constructed and worked, but quickly melted itself into oblivion! Dumbley, I had assemble it with hot melt glue! :hammer:. I never thought it would get HOT!
    In practice, smokers use them for a few seconds, then it remains off for a few minutes. Using it continuously means it cannot dissipate the heat fast enough.
    Version 2 was duly constructed with araldite and was much more tolerant to the heat. As I was using the same supply for both the element and pump, the relationship is not adjustable. Although I could adjust the voltage, the pump was just too powerful, reducing the pump rate would then stop the smoke from the element.


    Video Link >
    Smoke test 2, version 2

    So a smaller pump and independently controlled voltage supplies were constructed with a bigger reservoir for the element. This allows complete control and setting to desirable smoke flow.


    Video Link >
    Smoke test 3, Version 3

    It was also noted that the consumption of juice is very high (hence the enlarged tank), so investigation of a formula of make my own vape liquid, brings the price down from £1 per 10ml to £1 per 125ml (probably 10-30 mins worth)

    Now on a back burner, I will probably have a distributed pipe system to several buildings, thus reducing the flow to each, but have small chambers for each that can be controlled independently.
     
  6. ianvolvo46

    ianvolvo46 Staff Member Moderator

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    Hi Timbersurf great thinking out of the box there :thumbup: but just in case Noch do a chimney sweep in HO

    download.jpg
     
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  7. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    :avatar::avatar::avatar::avatar:
     
  8. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    If I sent the sweep down, he would drown in the sticky residue left by the vapour!
    Next idea is to replicate this cheaper than Viessmann :scratchchin:
     
  9. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    Couldn't do this on my Cement works chimney, 'cos I'd end up setting off the smoke detector on the ceiling above! Done it a couple of times already when soldering.:giggle:

    Keith.
     
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  10. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    Background Sound

    Although sound from locos is now readily available, the rest of the world's noise is not! There are a few off the shelf solutions, but they are very limited.
    Investigation showed that china can supply some really cheap options. One that could work well is a bluetooth speaker for phones (can also work independently with a SD card). But it will just play the same "background sound" repetitively. What is needed is a controlled source that can be synchronised with actions or a timetable.
    To this end, I purchased a few circuits and did some tests, the "Speaking Birthday card" minute chips are rubbish, very tinny and extremely low quality noise. Next I tried some (similar) high bit rate recording ones that have multi memory area's you can select independently and determined they were better but still low quality and also low power so, need a separate amplifier. Neither have the breadth of storage or the quality required. Next were Mono and Stereo MP3 players, they are full blown HiFi quality and push out 2.5W of power, more than enough, . Testing proved it to be fantastic! Full flexibility to have your own sound, select tracks, control volume, even have full stereo! Total cost <£10.


    I thought I had the solution in the bag. But then I got into Arduino's recently and have bought a MP3 player that integrates with it. Yet to be tested, but I guess it will lend itself very well to the interactive type sound and I will probably use the stand alones for more general background ambiance.

    Some subjects that could be applied:-

    Station Announcements
    Pneumatic drill
    JCB movement
    Lightning crash/thunder storm
    Emergency sirens
    Disk Grinder
    Kiddies
    Engine shed/Workshop
    Church Bells/wedding/funeral
    Guard whistle
    Grass Mower
    Turntable
    Animals

    If you have any other idea's let me know
     
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  11. jakesdad13

    jakesdad13 Staff Member Moderator

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    Really like this project. I have a layout in progress (stalled a bit at the moment) of an industrial/steelworks. A while ago I read somewhere of a chap building something similar and he had recorded the noise inside Firth Brown steelworks in Sheffield for his layout, what became of it I don't know but it must have sounded well with all the banging and crashing of presses and big (even for Toto) hammers. I would love to have this on mine.

    Cheer's, Pete.
     
  12. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    I completely forgot I had started this thread! I think the xmas comp overtook a lot of things! So I will continue on here with my projects and don't have to break my (only one thread) rule by much!

    Lumsdonia experimental jet powered train

    The library of Lumsdonia anecdotes is building, it will certainly be documented at one point on the website.

    So to cover your curiosity, here is an extract

    "The king of Lumsdonia was an astute businessman and pushed technologies in the Kingdom to the fore, having the resources of grain, livestock, coal and some rare metal ore quarries within the borders, he fostered the use of modern methodologies and advanced mechanisms and used the railway as the main transport infrastructure to great effect. As the Kingdom prospered, the King indulged his not insignificant financial power to investigate every possible emerging technology. He had an insatiable thirst for gadgets and new innovation, a passion that had forged the Kingdoms industries into large profitable organisations. That's not to say that there were not failures across the plethora of investigated projects. Some of his idea's were, well lets say misguided! Others were simply barmy!
    One of his personal ambitions was to beat British Rail. He simply detested the whole principle of a State run railway. (Not that he counted himself in the same category, even though LR was state owned?)

    Ruing the day, when the big four were amalgamated, he swore that the fifth (LR - his words not mine) would outshine the BR conglomeration.
    Thus in 1962, the Jet Star PPT project was born. A full 8 years before the APT-E, the design was to use jet propulsion turbines to create electricity on board an electric train rather than to pick it up from a catenary. (the concept of tilting was never mentioned)
    Designed and built entirely of Aircraft grade aluminium, two super modern carriages were built and two power loco's fitted, one at each end (sound familiar?)
    Each engine would have a 2 one Mega watt gas turbine/alternator and generate 25KV, to be delivered to every axle.
    The prototype was built and tested extensively, but a number of problems including noise abatement, engine fires (read meltdown) and four major crashes (non fatal, miraculously) all attributed to it's final demise just four years later, at which point it was scrapped. It was purported (unofficially) to have hit 132MPH, but that was the same day it crashed for the fourth time, hurling itself off a bend and 200ft into a field. The wreckage was retrieved, but never repaired and the project and train were scrapped a few months later. The King always muttered to himself about it later, that the APT-E had learned from the Kingdoms mistakes and introduced tilting for faster cornering."


    "The SandyCombe Gazette questioned the official sources as to the reasons for the project abandonment and reported a quote from the Kings Press office to be
    ' If Lumsdonia owned a longer, straighter section of track, the Jet Star may well have achieved it full design speed of 450MPH'.
    Upon questioning British rail about the project, BR were quoted as saying ' We cannot comment about projects that we have no involvement in, but the possibility of attaining speeds in excess of 300MPH on standard gauge track is simply preposterous!'


    I need to clear the decks of several ongoing projects on my workbench, before starting the Jet Star, I now have most of the shells and will need to work on streamlining design and sourcing some motive power before the build starts.
     
  13. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    Lumsdonia experimental jet powered train

    I could not find any aeroplane jets that matched my imagined ones! So I turned a piece of plastic in my drill (I would love one, but don't own a lathe), bored out and made a mould of it, so I could cast two identical ones in resin. I had bought a HST body only at a fair, so cut off the driver end, sliced the end off as a template for were to join it back onto the body again and chopped out the lights for incorporation at the front. Piece by piece, small squares/triangles of plasticard were glued together to form the rough shape (held in my mind).
    The somewhat angular profile was rounded by adding Milliput and a lot of filling and sanding ensued to make a more aerodynamic shape.

    Jet Star BIW 02.jpg

    Jet Star BIW 01.jpg
     
  14. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    Lumsdonia experimental jet powered train
    More body filler daubed on, the other half of the air intakes added, more filler, more sanding, more filler, more sanding.
    The middle coaches have had pickups added to the bogies. Homegrown from stripboard and brass rod.
    Still testing paint strippers, but the Dettol may be a winner!

    As for donor chassis.......hmmm, there lies a story!
    On asking opinions elsewhere and decided not to go for Lima. Hornby was the preferred model. I bought two bodies only, from a show for a few pounds. this enabled the cut and shut to start.
    Looking on Ebay, they go for approx £25 a set. Of 2 dozen in my watch list, I was outbid on several that wound up as £40, I missed bidding on a few that went circa £19 and ended up offering £19 for a set from Rails of S as they looked rough but were a runner. Duly delivered, I was sold a pup! The dummy is Lima and the Power is Hornby! They had weird wires poking out of the body (Ariels?) and the cogs keep coming out of mesh!
    After a full strip down and service, changing the back to back seems to have resolved the cog issue. Motor runs fine, but the dummy is wrong make! So started looking for a dummy Hornby (they go for £7-15) but in the process, accidentally :giggle: won another Hornby pair for £28, its a Virgin that I have seen regularly go for £35 plus!
    I hope the Virgin will have a better motor, in which case I will sell on the older Hornby power and Lima Dummy {separately!}
     
  15. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    Lumsdonia experimental jet powered train
    After stripping the new HST and servicing both motors (now I have the right lubes in stock), they run well. The undercarriages have been sprayed and detail painted. Lighthouse LED's have been purchased and a lighting board made up ready for the new front end. Not sure about what to do with the trailer end, how do you sense direction on DCC without having a second decoder? I don't think you can! May just wire up with red working and add a decoder later.

    I need to take a mould of the front end, so I can cast two with resin for the final model (I don't fancy replicating the master a second time by hand), as I have had great success at making moulds for plaster with household silicon cartridges, I thought I could do the same with the front end 3D, however, the silicon keeps sticking to the master, then takes hours to scrape it all off, strangely even release agent is not working! I am trying other makes of silicon to see if that's the problem.

    Experiments with paint stripper have been semi successful, all but the yellow bottom has come off, it defeats every thing that has been suggested! It's not a problem however, as I have sanded it down and no-one will know its under the new base coat.
    A big hole has been ripped in the top of both engines and the jet exhaust nozzles have been constructed and fitted, some pre assembly of a jet exhaust lighting board has proven the principle will work and has yet to be fitted. DCC decoder and socket harness are now in stock, but may yet change to a PCB so I can make electrical connectors for all the lighting.
     
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2019
  16. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    Lumsdonia experimental jet powered train

    With liberal use of release agent, I think the silicon will come off the master :redface:, so now comes the slow process of building up layers of silicon to make a rigid thick mould.
    Here is the master
    Jet Star BIW 03.jpg

    The exhaust nozzles exiting through the roof are coming on well, I bought a Zen DCC decoder with stay alive, but with 4 circuits for lights, I have bought a DCC NEM socket and will mount it on a stripboard and have connectors for ease of disconnection of all the lighting attached to the body.
     
  17. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    Lumsdonia experimental jet powered train

    The stripboard Decoder socket is made and fitted and wired.
    Further layers of silicon have been applied to the master.
    The lighting rig for the exhaust is complete and tested with 12v, as is the front lights, a light in the cab is needed, but until the castings are done, it will have to wait.
    The roof exhaust vents are finished, once the whole body is sprayed, I will glue in a sheet of grease proof paper as a diffuser for the LED's and fit the lights.

    Jet Star BIW 04.jpg
     
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  18. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    I finally managed to get the master out of the mould! It still stuck, removal has broken several bits off and caused damage to the silicon. Neither are an issue, as any bad casting can be cleaned up with the dremel and some hand sanding, I only need two after all. So now filled with resin and hand roto moulded. Tomorrow will see if it is a total disaster.

    Jet Star BIW 05.jpg

    Jet Star BIW 06jpg.jpg
     
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  19. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    If Steve B ever reads this thread, I bet he will have difficulty getting up off the floor due to ROFLAO
     
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  20. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    And here is the proof, all you expert resin casters, can all p~$$ yourself laughing!

    Jet Star BIW 07.jpg

    Yep, misalignment, bits missing, bubbles, chips missing, lumps sticking out, seams jutting out, intake vent ends missing, light cluster half missing, generally a hopeless mess!
    It will take a lot of filling, drilling, sanding, grinding, patience and effort to bring them up to a point that I can paint them, but it will be done! I have invested too much time in these blasted things to right them off now. :headbanger:
    Suffice it to say, I will never use gun silicon again for 3D moulding again :hammer:
    I may now have to invest in some 2 part RTV silicon or some Vinamold :(
     
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