Scalefour Forum

Here you are. Mine is the Unimat 3. IMG_0474.JPG My original motor packed up with worn brushes, so I bought a new motor for it (seen on the lathe). Then I made an extra pole to support the old motor - by now fitted with new brushes (from a Hoover of some description) to create the precision vertical...

No one has mentioned the Unimat, which covers all the bases - precision vertical drill, small milling machine and lathe.

I've had mine about 30 years - a very good investment.

As I pointed out in the other thread, it isn't the baseboards that are noisy, it is poorly engineered stuff running on top of it. Look there first - remove those XO4s (and the like), fit properly engineered bearings, decent gearboxes, decent motors. Plus controllers that don't make the motors buzz w...

But it's surely better to get it right first time.

So many modellers give up because they can't get it right. A great pity.

We should be pressing for decent wheels that don't need drilling. Wheels that are round and square to the axles. Wheels that self-quarter.

Oh well we can all dream ...

Illustrative purposes only!

Agree with you Phillip about the need for a precision vertical drill. If there is any doubt about one's ability to drill a vertical hole through the wheel - don't do it. All this talk of worrying that the hole 'might' not be vertical. If that is the case, clearly something is wrong, you need to exam...

Actually no.

My workbench thread covers the jig I made viewtopic.php?f=105&t=913&start=175

I think I covered this in my workshop thread, but I consider that it's important to drill from the back of the wheel - thus ignoring the countersink. That way the drill will follow the direction you intend, rather than what it wants to do! But surely if you drill from the back and the drill does wa...

When I built mine (many years ago ...) I cut out the glazing to fit in the holes, then held them in with varnish (I think). Idea from MRJ 7/8.

I think I covered this in my workshop thread, but I consider that it's important to drill from the back of the wheel - thus ignoring the countersink. That way the drill will follow the direction you intend, rather than what it wants to do!

Have you looked in 'Model railway Layout Design' (WSP 19990) by Iain Rice at his 'Jigsaw' layout? Track on one board, scenery on others.

Hi I have been looking at the GW advertisement in MRJ. I see he does a wheel puller. Is this something that I need/would be useful? Best wishes Useful, but only if you intend pulling wheels off! Better plan is to put the wheels on once, and put them on right. This should be the last stage of constr...

Andrew That soldering iron is awfully close to that curtain. The only specialist tools I've found to be really useful: the GW wheel press, and the EMGS or Comet (I think do them) frame spacer jigs. I couldn't get on with the Panavice, but do have a Burgeon clone vice. However, any vice can do, but c...

I have one, like Rod I used carefully selected wheels.

If they are not quite round, you do get used to the wheel wobble, but it is what else the wagon detects you are interested in.

Here is a drawing of the L girder principle. Note that the trackbed does not float on the supports, but is screwed to every support, thus providing rigidity. Homasote (Sundeala in this country) is laid on top of the roadbed, for the track to be pinned to.

So, it was 4' long, screwed down at the ends only.

I'm not surprised it bowed.

Even more reasons not to have missed the show!

For those who missed it - a cracking show.

The only 00 representative was the Thomas layout.

At five P4 and two EM layouts, this show certainly flew the finescale flag. 7mm and N gauge layouts as well.

Next year's date 21 November.

I should be there as well, an excellent show, the only one day show I ever took Clutton to, and I was very pleased to be invited.

Getting back to the ply problem. The principle of the open-top system in my understanding is that any horizontal plane is stiffened by a vertical one either below or above it. In other words, a strip of ply forming a base for the track should have at least one corresponding strip glued and pinned, ...

One of those little pleasures I get is when I am blocking at Pendre (Talyllyn Railway) seeing the engines shunting around silently . Steam engines (on their own) can move around virtually noiselessly. Hence blowing the whistle before any movement, to attract attention. Diesels, on the other hand ......

I didn't have a noise problem on Clutton.

Baseboards were 4mm ply, in box sections. Track was glued to 1/8" cork, with stone ballast.

But my locos were built to be quiet, most noise came from the rolling stock!

Thanks for the replies. Tim - I use L-girder construction as per American practice; cross beams and risers to support the trackbed are at about 300mm centres. My model is set around Buxton in the Peak District - all cuttings, embankments, and flying junctions so a traditional British flat top baseb...

I agree with Terry, MDF is not suitable for baseboard use, it is heavy, delaminates easily. Might be OK for kitchen units (just), but not for our purposes.

You say you cut the track bed, is it attached to any framing?

Will L wrote:Pendantic of Cheshir

I've never heard of that county