Cuttng flitches

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Re: Cuttng flitches

Post by GTB » Fri Jun 15, 2018 2:54 pm

ge_rik wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 8:09 am If real flitches are, say, 3 inches thick, then I need to somehow cut branches into 4mm thick strips lengthwise. Other than buying a miniature bench saw, I'm stumped ( ;) ). Anyone got any suggestions?
I'd cut them on my 6" bandsaw, same way I cut the firewood loads for my locos. Yes, I know that's not what you want to hear......

Woodworkers as a breed are much more common than railway modellers, so I'd think there would be at least one friendly one in your vicinity. Do you have anything in the UK like the Aust. 'Men's Shed' movement?

The only way I can think of making what you want is to cut strips from balsa sheet, which is easier to work by hand than harder woods like pine. Distress the edges a bit, run a bead of glue along the edge and dip it in suitably coloured scenery flock. It won't stand close scrutiny, but once stacked under a roof, it won't be that visible anyway. Also the 'bark' won't fall off over time the way real bark tends to do.

I know you'd prefer not to go that way, but given that the UK was importing 90% of it's timber before WW1, most sawmills would have been resawing baulks of imported softwoods rather than milling locally grown trees in the period you model. It would still need to be railed in and taken out the same way.

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Re: Cuttng flitches

Post by ge_rik » Fri Jun 15, 2018 4:51 pm

BorisSpencer wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 2:21 pm Rik,
How about a jigsaw, held upside down in a workmate? Most come with a small fence that needs to extended to be of any use.
Just don't let H&S see you!

What size 'logs' are you trying to represent? I have a lot of semi-seasoned pine and sycamore branches at the moment, and am willing to give it a go (I have a small band saw) and send you the results if successful.
Nice idea. I'm willing to give it a try. Not at home at the moment, so will have to wait until I'm back and can measure up. I think the 'logs' must be around 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter and around 9" long.

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Re: Cuttng flitches

Post by ge_rik » Fri Jun 15, 2018 5:01 pm

GTB wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 2:54 pm I'd cut them on my 6" bandsaw, same way I cut the firewood loads for my locos. Yes, I know that's not what you want to hear......

Woodworkers as a breed are much more common than railway modellers, so I'd think there would be at least one friendly one in your vicinity. Do you have anything in the UK like the Aust. 'Men's Shed' movement?
Unfortunately, not - at least as far as I know. I'll make a few enquiries, though. You never know.
GTB wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 2:54 pm The only way I can think of making what you want is to cut strips from balsa sheet, which is easier to work by hand than harder woods like pine. Distress the edges a bit, run a bead of glue along the edge and dip it in suitably coloured scenery flock. It won't stand close scrutiny, but once stacked under a roof, it won't be that visible anyway. Also the 'bark' won't fall off over time the way real bark tends to do.
I might give that a go. I'm wanting to make stacks outside the millmin the timber yard, but I wouldn't leave them out in all weathers.
GTB wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 2:54 pm I know you'd prefer not to go that way, but given that the UK was importing 90% of it's timber before WW1, most sawmills would have been resawing baulks of imported softwoods rather than milling locally grown trees in the period you model. It would still need to be railed in and taken out the same way.
Regards,
Graeme
I might do a combination. The actual landowner did turn over most of his estate to forestry in the given period and there really was a sawmill at Peckforton, but I doubt it would have had the turnover which needed the services of a light railway.

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Re: Cuttng flitches

Post by philipy » Fri Jun 15, 2018 8:38 pm

Rik,
I used a version of Boris's jigsaw suggestion about 45years ago to cut out the frames on a model yacht . I drilled a hole large enough of the jigsw blade to pass through, in an old Deal table ( which I still use as my workbench to this day) and then screwed the jigsaw upside down under the table top with the blade poking up through the hole. It was then fairly easy to guide the ply around and get the outlne to follow the saw blade around the frame rib shapes. For your purposes, a straight edge screwed to the table top to act as a fence at the thickness you want, would be simple. Wear goggles and watch your fingers though!

Graeme mentioned the "mens shed" movement. It does exist in the UK, I investigated about a year ago, but it is very patchy and not really in the same vein as he he Oz version as far as I can make out. https://menssheds.org.uk/
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Re: Cuttng flitches

Post by philipy » Sun Jun 24, 2018 5:19 pm

Rik, We had a few days in Cornwall last week and amongst other things, spent a day at The Lost Gardens of Heligan. Unfortunately the sawmill had just finished operations when we got to that, but I did see the pile of sawn timber and thought of you! Don't know if these are of any help?


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Re: Cuttng flitches

Post by ge_rik » Mon Jun 25, 2018 7:40 am

Thanks Philip. That's exactly what I had in mind.

We visited there 3 years ago but I didn't see the sawmill. Ah, I remember now, I went off to visit a ng railway when the missus and our friends did the garden - http://ngruk.blogspot.com/2015/11/lappa ... ilway.html

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Re: Cuttng flitches

Post by philipy » Mon Jun 25, 2018 8:22 am

Interesting. I visited the Lappa Valley back in the mid-70's when it was virtually brand new, with a single out and back line to the old mine and nothing else. My wife actually suggested we go there this time but having looked at their website etc it looked to be totally children oriented now and we decided against it.

The Heligan sawmill is simply a modern-(ish) diesel powered saw just visible on the RHS of my pics, and of no real interest in itself.
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Re: Cuttng flitches

Post by jim@NAL » Mon Jun 25, 2018 10:43 pm

How wide do you need them .a band saw would cut them perfect. Or as suggested a jigsaw would work held upside down. I will have a go tomorrow evening for you .iv got a festool saw that works on a rail I think I could cut some on that .

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Re: Cuttng flitches

Post by ge_rik » Tue Jun 26, 2018 7:28 am

jim@NAL wrote: Mon Jun 25, 2018 10:43 pm How wide do you need them .a band saw would cut them perfect. Or as suggested a jigsaw would work held upside down. I will have a go tomorrow evening for you .iv got a festool saw that works on a rail I think I could cut some on that .
I reckon 4mm wide would look ok. That would represent 3" planks. Good luck. I suggest you count your fingers before and after....... :shock:

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Re: Cuttng flitches

Post by jim@NAL » Wed Jun 27, 2018 8:59 pm

managed to cut some thin wood .I tried cutting branches but didn't have much success's .these are the thinnest I could cut without them going curved .the bits iv cut could be cut down the length to make different sized placks .with a Stanley knife you could cut the edges off at an angle and if you burnt them a bit I think it might work .if this helps I can send them to you
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Re: Cuttng flitches

Post by ge_rik » Wed Jun 27, 2018 10:01 pm

That's brilliant, Jim, thanks. As you say, I can chamfer the edges and stain them.
I'll send you a PM with my contact details.

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Re: Cuttng flitches

Post by ge_rik » Mon Jul 02, 2018 6:45 pm

Many thanks, Jim
The flitches arrived on Saturday. They are great, just what I need. I've not had a chance to shape and stain them yet - other jobs keep getting in the way (eg drove 125 miles today to pick up some second hand track).

I've been trying to send you a PM to say thanks, but my PMs to you keep sitting in my Outbox without going. Hopefully, Tom will sort it out........

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Re: Cuttng flitches

Post by ge_rik » Tue Jul 24, 2018 12:51 pm

Been trying to sort out the flitches. Painting to simulate bark isn't as easy as you might think ..... :shock: Contrary to popular belief, bark isn't often brown.
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Re: Cuttng flitches

Post by tom_tom_go » Tue Jul 24, 2018 12:54 pm

This is why I like using real world materials!

But I think you have done a good job there.

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Re: Cuttng flitches

Post by philipy » Tue Jul 24, 2018 1:13 pm

They look pretty good to me Rik and with a bit of natural weathering they will soon tone down.
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Re: Cuttng flitches

Post by ge_rik » Tue Jul 24, 2018 6:37 pm

tom_tom_go wrote: Tue Jul 24, 2018 12:54 pm This is why I like using real world materials!
Me too, Tom, but I can't find a way to cut real branches into flitches, so this is my only option.

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Re: Cuttng flitches

Post by Big Jim » Tue Jul 24, 2018 7:14 pm

Splendid job and a joint effort
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Re: Cuttng flitches

Post by Peter Butler » Tue Jul 24, 2018 10:16 pm

Stacked to dry with the spacers between them looks very convincing. You are certainly right about the difficulty in creating the correct colour of bark, most of my trees are definitely green.
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Re: Cuttng flitches

Post by ge_rik » Wed Jul 25, 2018 6:27 am

Peter Butler wrote: Tue Jul 24, 2018 10:16 pm Stacked to dry with the spacers between them looks very convincing. You are certainly right about the difficulty in creating the correct colour of bark, most of my trees are definitely green.
I honestly once knew a girl called Theresa Green ...... and went out with a girl called Honor Kermode. I assume that their parents either had a sense of humour or lacked insight.

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Re: Cuttng flitches

Post by philipy » Wed Jul 25, 2018 9:25 am

:lol: :lol: :lol:
ge_rik wrote: Wed Jul 25, 2018 6:27 am a girl called Honor Kermode

There ought to be the name of a shop or business in there somewhere? Honor Kermode - Purveyor of Toilet Requisites to the Gentry perhaps?
Philip

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