The Potters Orchid Railway
- tom_tom_go
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway
What is the distance from point to lever out of interest?
Re: The Potters Orchid Railway
Phil,
This guy sells it by the metre :
http://vi.raptor.ebaydesc.com/ws/eBayIS ... 2000&ver=0
and this is for a full 50M roll:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shimano-OT-S ... SwBdRbYKDb
There are others just search on ebay for "shimano gear cable casing"
This guy sells it by the metre :
http://vi.raptor.ebaydesc.com/ws/eBayIS ... 2000&ver=0
and this is for a full 50M roll:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shimano-OT-S ... SwBdRbYKDb
There are others just search on ebay for "shimano gear cable casing"
Philip
Re: The Potters Orchid Railway
Excellently engineered solution. Do you find time to sleep and eat?
Ian
Ian
Ian
- Peter Butler
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway
I have had a cable system operating on my railway for over a year now and can confirm the system works well and hasn't suffered from weather related issues either.
There are no cranks involved as the wire works on a push-pull basis and is able to allow a loco to run through a point set against it even though one cable is three metres long and has various curves in its run......
There are no cranks involved as the wire works on a push-pull basis and is able to allow a loco to run through a point set against it even though one cable is three metres long and has various curves in its run......
The best things in life are free.... so why am I doing this?
- Hydrostatic Dazza
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway
4mm Shimano STI casing is available in a 50 meter shop box roll.pandsrowe wrote: ↑Sun Aug 05, 2018 7:50 am I do like this system of operating points, so neat and relatively unobtrusive. Do you know if the Shimano casing is available in long lengths? So far my internet trawl has not come up with anything over 2.1mtrs and I will need around 5mtrs for the longest run on my railway.
You would need to get a packet of casing caps, do not use the alloy ones, they oxidise in no time at all. The black plastic with the rubber grommet are super.
Perhaps the local bike shop has a shop roll and they can you off a 5m length for a tener ?
or a 6 pack of beer :-)
Last edited by Hydrostatic Dazza on Sun Aug 05, 2018 10:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Cheers from Dazza, The Hydrostatic Lubricator
The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. Douglas Adams
The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. Douglas Adams
- Hydrostatic Dazza
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway
The longest runs to points will be 3mtom_tom_go wrote: ↑Sun Aug 05, 2018 7:55 am What is the distance from point to lever out of interest?
The longest runs to signals will be 4m
Most are shorter.
I am using cable caps that have a rubber gromit in the end that helps reduce moisture and dirt entry.
Even though the casing has a Teflon liner tube, one smears a non petroleum type very thin grease on the wire at you thread it into the casing. "Slick Honey" is my favourite brew for bicycle cabling for many years and I will use it when I do the final installation on the POR.
Last edited by Hydrostatic Dazza on Sun Aug 05, 2018 11:26 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Cheers from Dazza, The Hydrostatic Lubricator
The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. Douglas Adams
The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. Douglas Adams
- Hydrostatic Dazza
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway
Peter's pictures were my inspiration for my system set up to the lever frame.Peter Butler wrote: ↑Sun Aug 05, 2018 9:59 am I have had a cable system operating on my railway for over a year now and can confirm the system works well and hasn't suffered from weather related issues either.
There are no cranks involved as the wire works on a push-pull basis and is able to allow a loco to run through a point set against it even though one cable is three metres long and has various curves in its run......
IMG_4634.JPG
IMG_4633.JPG
I am yet to prove it all works, but I am confident.
Cheers from Dazza, The Hydrostatic Lubricator
The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. Douglas Adams
The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. Douglas Adams
- Hydrostatic Dazza
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway
Do not watch TV is number one.
Just do stuff and enjoy it and the people around what you do. For example if I am to do the Saturday morning grocery shopping, I go at 7.30am when the shops are opening, get in and out, home and unpack and all is done by 8.30am, then the day is free to do the important stuff. We eat very good clean food. However I do not keep the vegie garden up to speed these days.
Beats me how people fluff about, dawdle down to the shops at 9- 10am, sit about drinking a coffee, then stroll around like it is entertainment and then do some of the shopping, get home at lunch time have lunch, their useful time begins at 1.00 pm. Life is too short for that nonsense. Social time with others is good, but fluff time is a waste.
I sleep 8 hours most nights, I am in bed by 9 or 10 each evening, up at 5 to 6 am when the first Magpie farts.
One secret we have is that Mary Ann (MAM) and I do not have any children due to the circumstances of our past. MAM does lots of stuff, she was away for two days at pottery workshop this weekend just gone. I am up at Gympie next weekend spending time around steam. Tomorrow I am have a day off and doing more railmotor training. I often work on public holidays and often our holidays are days off to do stuff. We like to go camping, simple camping, not the consumer type camping.
We also do our best to not let the media tell me how to spend our money and our time. They are even using marketing terms now like "Binge watch now the new TV series, down load etc" "Binge" is now a common and general marketing term WTF !! We have a very nice house but we drive second hand cars because that allows us to spend our hard earned gold coin on travel, doing our hobbies, doing stuff. Driving around in a brand new shiny bucket of nuts and bolts for the 2 week long new car feeling is such a waste of ones's income. My old station wagon is 13 years old (bought second hand), in good working order and I spend $ to keep it in good working order but bits of plastic are falling off. (sigh) Bumps and scratches. It is our ute, camping car and my run around if needed. MAM has a little Toyota that was 4 years old, cost $10,000 , not $24,000. Our neighbours are renting, but have two new cars, and a power boat and trailer !
Another thing is I listen to ABC Radio National for most of my working day, that is my brain food as I work. No need or desire to watch the TV news, internet news or Newspapers. ABC Jazz while I am in the Red Room. Nick Cave when I do the house cleaning.
Cheers from Dazza, The Hydrostatic Lubricator
The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. Douglas Adams
The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. Douglas Adams
Re: The Potters Orchid Railway
Thank you all for the various suggestions as to where long lengths of Shimano cabling can be obtained. Obviously my internet search engine was having an off day as none of those appeared when I tried, I must get some orders in soon as I can't believe how quickly the year is going and before we know it winter will be setting in and it will be too late to do anything outside.
Phil
Re: The Potters Orchid Railway
I agree with you about listening to talk radio while pottering about. I have Radio 4 on almost continuously. Keeps me up to date, entertained, amused and curious.
The programme on R4 at the moment is all about fostering children's creativity, for example. Fascinating stuff.
Rik
The programme on R4 at the moment is all about fostering children's creativity, for example. Fascinating stuff.
Rik
- BorisSpencer
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway
Another option is to visit your local (independent) bike shop. They will usually have cable on drums and I'm sure will be happy to supply lengths to your requirements.pandsrowe wrote: ↑Mon Aug 06, 2018 8:23 am Thank you all for the various suggestions as to where long lengths of Shimano cabling can be obtained. Obviously my internet search engine was having an off day as none of those appeared when I tried, I must get some orders in soon as I can't believe how quickly the year is going and before we know it winter will be setting in and it will be too late to do anything outside.
Re: The Potters Orchid Railway
Or have a son-in-law who is a cycle mechanic, I have……
ROD
Life is so easy when I run my trains.
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11364
https://www.youtube.com/@fairywoodlightrailway
Life is so easy when I run my trains.
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11364
https://www.youtube.com/@fairywoodlightrailway
- Hydrostatic Dazza
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway
The Tunneling contractors commenced work today. More reports on this in the weeks to come.
The ST contractors were completing the boxing for the Orchid Loop lever frame base.
MAM stuffing clay into the corners.
Mixed and poured the slab
The ST contractors were completing the boxing for the Orchid Loop lever frame base.
MAM stuffing clay into the corners.
Mixed and poured the slab
Cheers from Dazza, The Hydrostatic Lubricator
The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. Douglas Adams
The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. Douglas Adams
- Peter Butler
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway
That looks familiar...
The best things in life are free.... so why am I doing this?
- Hydrostatic Dazza
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway
Does it ?
We had to hang the frame base off the wall to get it all to fit, box it down the block wall. A Pendle Valley Goods Shed will cover the lever frame and battery box for the lights. The faux but realistic /smaller box will be in the Y of the Loop Junction.
Cheers from Dazza, The Hydrostatic Lubricator
The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. Douglas Adams
The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. Douglas Adams
Re: The Potters Orchid Railway
Some real serious construction work being done there….
ROD
Life is so easy when I run my trains.
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11364
https://www.youtube.com/@fairywoodlightrailway
Life is so easy when I run my trains.
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11364
https://www.youtube.com/@fairywoodlightrailway
- Hydrostatic Dazza
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway
We have fierce storms here in Summer, down pours, then heat and humidity, and the bush turkeys will scratch and tear up every thing so the Lever Frame needed a secure fixing base with a good weather proof cover for the frames. Every spider and mud wasp known to man kind along with cane toads will also move in. There is 12 cables emanating from the frame, we had the timber for boxing squirreled away in corners of the workshops and we had two bags of premix left over from the track bed laying so away we went on a Sunny Queensland Winter Morning. It was nice to use up materials laying about. We may also be able to use the boxing again for the Potters Junction Lever frame base but that will be later this year or next year, so I will prise it off carefully.
I am dreading making up the production line of signal assembly. Errrrrr Yukkkkkk.I best chase these up, the kits were held up waiting for their wooden posts.
When the signals and light wire runs are in place then MAM and I can start the process of Terra Forming with advice from Slartibartfast , that will be fun. MAM is itching to start planting but that is still a long way away at our current rate of progress.
Cheers from Dazza, The Hydrostatic Lubricator
The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. Douglas Adams
The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. Douglas Adams
Re: The Potters Orchid Railway
Anne is the same as MAM. She wants to plant more stuff and get her little Slate Mine built, but at the moment, we are having some seriously heavy rain…So that is on the back burner. Seems like you are both in the Tropics with all that wildlife. But I suppose some parts of Australia is classed has being Tropical.
ROD
Life is so easy when I run my trains.
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11364
https://www.youtube.com/@fairywoodlightrailway
Life is so easy when I run my trains.
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11364
https://www.youtube.com/@fairywoodlightrailway
- Hydrostatic Dazza
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway
This weekend the S & T contractors have been on the job at the POR.
The head foredog and leading sheephand are contemplating installation of the Modratec frame.
The old base for a jig that was used to make time trial handle bars for the Australian Cycling team some 18 years ago was chopped up and re-purposed for the base for the lever frame.
A few holes here, a few threads here, a stainless steel screw here and there and some brass in there and over there.
Then the contractors left the workshop for the on site work this lovely winter's day in Queensland. The wind is blowing and branchs are falling all about but the mob presses on. A few 6mm Dyno bolts and the frame and base is in.
Connecting up begins. First the points. All works as sweet as can be expected. No problem.
Then the signal with the longest wire run (3.5m ) to the frame was next, I only have one prototype signal at this time. (Pendle Valley Kit). I had to muck about with the crank dimensions to take up the lost motion. One wants too much travel and then it is easier to elongate the crank holes the wire and or rod hooks into. In the end we have a win. Now to take some final dimensions and tweak the pencil drawings before committing all to CAD drawings.
What the driver and fireman will see when they leaving the cutting and about to cross the MVR under arch bridge, the distant for the Orchid Loop points. There will be a short tunnel behind # 1 Distant.
The day will come when all the signals are in place (the signals are only in place for running days), the light wires laid and then the terra forming begins, followed by the paths and picnic table bench etc. Maybe by summer 2019/2020 most will be in place. Till then it looks like a building site but there is a tidy vision there.
The head foredog and leading sheephand are contemplating installation of the Modratec frame.
The old base for a jig that was used to make time trial handle bars for the Australian Cycling team some 18 years ago was chopped up and re-purposed for the base for the lever frame.
A few holes here, a few threads here, a stainless steel screw here and there and some brass in there and over there.
Then the contractors left the workshop for the on site work this lovely winter's day in Queensland. The wind is blowing and branchs are falling all about but the mob presses on. A few 6mm Dyno bolts and the frame and base is in.
Connecting up begins. First the points. All works as sweet as can be expected. No problem.
Then the signal with the longest wire run (3.5m ) to the frame was next, I only have one prototype signal at this time. (Pendle Valley Kit). I had to muck about with the crank dimensions to take up the lost motion. One wants too much travel and then it is easier to elongate the crank holes the wire and or rod hooks into. In the end we have a win. Now to take some final dimensions and tweak the pencil drawings before committing all to CAD drawings.
What the driver and fireman will see when they leaving the cutting and about to cross the MVR under arch bridge, the distant for the Orchid Loop points. There will be a short tunnel behind # 1 Distant.
The day will come when all the signals are in place (the signals are only in place for running days), the light wires laid and then the terra forming begins, followed by the paths and picnic table bench etc. Maybe by summer 2019/2020 most will be in place. Till then it looks like a building site but there is a tidy vision there.
Cheers from Dazza, The Hydrostatic Lubricator
The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. Douglas Adams
The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. Douglas Adams
Re: The Potters Orchid Railway
Dazza, lots of progress there I do wonder sometimes how many hours there are in a day in Australia, clearly more than the UK!
I have now managed to buy a roll of gear casing so hopefully I will be remotely operating my points in the near future. One question, when looking for suppliers of 1.2mm stainless wire I see the majority are selling it anealled, presumably so it can be rolled up easily for posting. Do you think that this may cause a problem as opposed to using hard wire?
I have now managed to buy a roll of gear casing so hopefully I will be remotely operating my points in the near future. One question, when looking for suppliers of 1.2mm stainless wire I see the majority are selling it anealled, presumably so it can be rolled up easily for posting. Do you think that this may cause a problem as opposed to using hard wire?
Phil
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