Garden Railway Forum

I think window frames would be an excellent starting point. I reckon most people buy frames when making their models and sometimes compromises need to be made to make the model fit the frames available. Also, quite a few techniques can be demonstrated with a even a simple window frame. I was about to produce a blog post showing how I drew the frames using TinkerCAD, so they would complement each other nicely.

Rik

ge_rik wrote: ↑Sat Aug 08, 2020 4:02 pm Update on today's progress

Actually, I'm quite looking forward to it as this building has an interesting variation on English bond brickwork. Instead of alternating rows of stretchers and headers, it has three rows of stretcher bond followed by one row of headers - and then, of course, there are the arches over the upper windows.

As they say, variety is the spice of life!

Rik

Another interesting build Rik, and the wi(n)dows look great . Just fyi, the brickwork is English garden wall bond! So perhaps you may think a strange choice for a building. However, it uses fewer facing bricks and gives a good spread of lateral load. Who knew my building construction and fire engineering studies would be of use 40 years later!

Lonsdaler wrote: ↑Fri Aug 14, 2020 12:07 pm Just fyi, the brickwork is English garden wall bond! So perhaps you may think a strange choice for a building. However, it uses fewer facing bricks and gives a good spread of lateral load. Who knew my building construction and fire engineering studies would be of use 40 years later!

Thanks Phil
I suspected there would be a name for it, but hadn't expected an industrial building like this would have such a rural-sounding connection.

Rik

Incidentally, I have created a little tutorial on my blog showing how TinkerCAD can be used to produce bespoke window frames. Hopefully, I've included sufficient info for people to be able to transfer the techniques to drawing other items.
https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2020/0 ... ercad.html

Rik

Update
I've finished scribing/impressing the brickwork into the walls and am now in the process of tiling the roofs. It's nearly 1m long and so should look quite impressive once it is installed. .
Meanwhile, the printer has been churning out the 60 odd parts for the beam engine. I calculated they have taken 47 hours 1 minute of actual printing time - but that of course doesn't count setting the printer up for each print. I am impressed by the attention to detail the chap who has made the files has gone into. .
I just hope I do it justice when I put it together.

Rik

ge_rik wrote: ↑Wed Aug 19, 2020 10:34 am
I am impressed by the attention to detail the chap who has made the files has gone into.

I just hope I do it justice when I put it together.

It does look most impressive drawing.

I have absolutely no doubt that you will, Rik.

All that brickwork will look magnificent, well worth the time and effort. Also, the huge window will allow a perfect view of the beam engine at work.

Thanks chaps
I've had to send off for more foamboard - as you can see, at present there is no back or floors to the building. This has taken more than I anticipated (3 x A2 sheets so far) and I've not made the engine room chimney or the furnace tower.

Just out of interest - what do you folk generally use for window 'glass'? I've just realised I've run out of clear acrylic sheet and need to order some more. Just wondered what you use and where you get it. I got my last batch from the Llanfair Show but, of course, that won't be running this year.

Rik

Clear acrylic sheet from modeller's suppliers seems to be overpriced so I shop in 'Picture framing suppliers' (or similar) on eBay. You might need to search for the optimum thickness and sheet size but there is a great variety available.

ge_rik wrote: ↑Wed Aug 19, 2020 3:22 pm

Just out of interest - what do you folk generally use for window 'glass'? I've just realised I've run out of clear acrylic sheet and need to order some more. Just wondered what you use and where you get it. I got my last batch from the Llanfair Show but, of course, that won't be running this year.

I have a collection of thin walled plastic boxes, mostly Ferrero Rocher, which are useful. I've also bought 2mm acrylic sheet from ebay. When I was doing Bench Hall I slightly screwed up on the frame clearance behind the front windows and had to resort to 0.5mm thick material
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Thin-Plastic ... 2749.l2649
which despite the title is actually PetG and which was dead easy to cut and glue.

The PLR seems to be a bit like Mary Poppins bag which can hold infinitely much. You seem to be able to conjure another metre of space out of nothing!
Brilliant modelling as usual.
What wagons will haul bones into it?

gregh wrote: ↑Thu Aug 20, 2020 4:07 am The PLR seems to be a bit like Mary Poppins bag which can hold infinitely much. You seem to be able to conjure another metre of space out of nothing!

I've often thought along those lines myself!

gregh wrote: ↑Thu Aug 20, 2020 4:07 am You seem to be able to conjure another metre of space out of nothing!
Brilliant modelling as usual.

Would have to second that sentiment. Very impressive build, already.

This may not be relevant in Britain, where the sun's UV radiation isn't nearly as harsh as here in Oz, but; I've taken to cutting down panes from picture frames bought at op-shops (charity shops) for a couple of dollars. A cheap carbide scribe from evilbay allows me to cut pieces accurately enough to fit Jackson's Miniatures windows, with ease. Glass doesn't fog or craze in the sun, and it holds a realistic shine that plastic soon loses to surface oxidation. The downside of course, is that it adds a fair bit of weight to a foamboard structure.
Just a thought,
Aaron

gregh wrote: ↑Thu Aug 20, 2020 4:07 am What wagons will haul bones into it?

Tarp covered open wagons.

There are some fascinating first hand historical accounts of local residents and snippets from the local newspapers about the real boneworks on the local history website for Tattenhall. Apparently, horse drawn wagons loaded with carcases used to pass through the village from the local railway station to the boneworks and the populace complained about the smell (and presumably also the sight). The carrier's solution was to cover the wagons with tarpaulins, which presumably improved the sight but I'm not sure it would do much to mask the smell. I borrowed the idea of the tarps and applied it to the railway wagons.

Rik

Old Man Aaron wrote: ↑Thu Aug 20, 2020 7:12 am This may not be relevant in Britain, where the sun's UV radiation isn't nearly as harsh as here in Oz, but; I've taken to cutting down panes from picture frames bought at op-shops (charity shops) for a couple of dollars. A cheap carbide scribe from evilbay allows me to cut pieces accurately enough to fit Jackson's Miniatures windows, with ease. Glass doesn't fog or craze in the sun, and it holds a realistic shine that plastic soon loses to surface oxidation. The downside of course, is that it adds a fair bit of weight to a foamboard structure.
Just a thought,
Aaron
IMG_6470.JPG

Clever idea, Aaron, thanks.
I've just sent off for some acrylic sheet but will bear your suggestion in mind for the next build.

Rik

I was reluctant to mention the use of glass as it is not the easiest material to cut accurately. Being a picture framer (retired) I have been cutting glass for years and there is a skill involved to get clean edges and precise measurements, certainly not a simple as cutting styrene.
A handy trick to know is to use White Spirit (Turps) on your cutting tool to ensure a good lubrication of the wheel. Also, NEVER go over the same cut twice, this will damage the wheel beyond use.

Peter Butler wrote: ↑Thu Aug 20, 2020 10:08 am I was reluctant to mention the use of glass as it is not the easiest material to cut accurately. Being a picture framer (retired) I have been cutting glass for years and there is a skill involved to get clean edges and precise measurements, certainly not a simple as cutting styrene.
A handy trick to know is to use White Spirit (Turps) on your cutting tool to ensure a good lubrication of the wheel. Also, NEVER go over the same cut twice, this will damage the wheel beyond use.

That's useful info, thanks Peter.
One of my holiday jobs many (many) years ago was in a builders' merchants. I was taught how to cut large sheets of glass on a flat table. We placed a couple of matches under the scored cut line and applied gentle pressure either side.

I must admit that cutting glass was probably my least favourite job, closely followed by unloading paving slabs by hand from the delivery lorry.

Rik

Still working on the roof of the Boneworks but, while waiting for the ridge tiles to print out, I put together the beam engine. . . .
I haven't bothered too much with the finish as it will be located inside the engine house and so only partially visible. Of course it still needs painting but I wanted to see how it worked with a motor. It's still a bit too fast, so I'm going to investigate slowing it down. I have one of those miniature geared motors so might remodel the motor housing to take it instead of the bog standard 3v motor.

.
Rik

Thats good Rik.
As you say, a bit fast, at that speed it lacks the 'majesty' of the real thing. If you are using a 3v motor, what is it like at 1.5v?

philipy wrote: ↑Tue Aug 25, 2020 6:20 pm Thats good Rik.
As you say, a bit fast, at that speed it lacks the 'majesty' of the real thing. If you are using a 3v motor, what is it like at 1.5v?

Hi Philip
I'm powering the 3v motor from a single 1.2v rechargeable cell ..... so not got much leeway left.

Rik