Scalefour Forum

Initially this microswitch ( farnell ) had a straight lever to the roller , this meant the roller contacted the lever near the tip,of the lever , this caused issues with the switch point as the throw was too much imho , so I bent the roller lever so that the roller contacted closer to the pivot of ...

Hello Dave, As promised I have had a quick look at how to achieve what you seem to be after. Of course, this is nothing more than a sketch and I suspect that there are better ways of doing it, but it would work. As you can see, I am suggesting attaching a simple cam (made from a bit of fret waste - ...

Hello Howard, Now, if the locking frame is bolted on from behind, does that mean that the lever frame has to be removed from where it is installed in order to gain access to the bolt heads? Hello Colin, I think it should be not too difficult to fit the locking with the frame in place - I was quite ...

Thanks Howard , I would appreciate a sketch , I was just pondering using the etches remaining to achieve dual switching , Ps , my selected switching position and moving the roller arm closer to the pivot was to increase the hysteresis, personally I would prefer 60 /40 over 80% Hi Dave, Give me a da...

The issue is I would really like a longer travel between switching , ... so that I could get more then 10% travel between switching Its not a show stopper , I can move the microswitches so that I get your 60% 40& (or close enough ) , dave Hello Dave, Ah - Keith's post has helped me to understan...

What I am finding , and for me these frames are electric only , is that the microswitch switches in a very short range typically 5-8mm of the lever travel , i.e. at around 60%,40% , depending on where I position the micro switch frame I can move that 5-8mm anywhere , but I cant arrange a situation ...

I noted that the rear holes on the main frames are tapping size for 8BA, whilst those on the front (i.e. the locking frame fixing points) are clearance for 8BA. The reason for this surely become clear later on in the build. Hello Colin, I just had a re-read of the instruction and realise that they ...

Apart from heat expansion angst, there have been other things going on. 8BA nuts have been added in all positions that could require them. I opted not to rely on tapping the etched holes in the frame and it looked far easier to add a few extra nuts now rather than solder on any lacking nuts later. ...

Hello Dave,

Glad to hear that you are now sorted. There is no problem to substitute M2.5 nuts and bolts - though the brass ones are not massively cheaper.
I will see if an addition to the notes would help people to spot this.

Best Wishes,

This has made me realise that unless a rail joint has to be insulated, such as crossings to closure rails, having functional fishplates, with the gap between the rails effectively filled with a plastic web, are not a good idea at all: what looks like a healthy gap is not anything of the sort. Ah, w...

Just perhaps a couple of quick thoughts. Tim:- to answer your question about effects over time... generally speaking things very quickly settled down fine from the start and not got worse. SO FAR... However, I did have a number of chairs come un-stuck at Scale forum (which caused Colin's 4 SUB to de...

Or alternatively ... is the plywood actually stable as I assumed and there is perhaps another reason for the gauge narrowing experienced ? :? In my experience, ply is anything but stable - I have several propeller shaped bits of furniture-grade birch ply to prove it. To build a successful structure...

Just received my 11 kits . Suggestion : It should be mentioned in the shop that you need a number of items in order to complete the kit like various tubes and wire, Now I have to order those, I dont like " serial discovery !" :D Did you not download and read the "instructions first? :D

I hope you don't expect us to put a working model of this into Alpha Mill Howard! That is some machine there, I need to get over to Masson Mill one weekend, never been there but passed a few times. Will be in the area again next month so need to make a plan! Ralph Well, maybe not working, but ... B...

Excellent work Ralph, and looking forward to seeing further progress. I feel your pain knowing how much work there is in there - laser or not!

Thanks for the tip on poplar ply - not heard of that, but poplar is well know as a non-flammable wood!

Best wishes,

A short video of the new trackwork being tested, with the Class 73 going rather quickly over the crossover to begin with. . Looking great Colin! Everything is very smooth and reliable - very well done, and great example to anyone who says that P4 does not work - especially as it is (for those who m...

I have happily been using a 1/2 lb reel of unmarked lead solder for the past ten years without making much of an impression on it! ... that will soon change when you start soldering levers together. That said, I have only just started my second 500g reel after about 110 levers (and a few building /...

PS: can the catch handles be electrically detected ? Hi Dave, There is no provision in the kit for doing this (needless to say!), however, I did have a look at it, and the easiest way is to mount a microswitch on the lever itself and connect it via extra flexible instrument wire. To do that would r...

This is a question directed at Howard: knowing your preference for 179 degree silver bearing solder, can you advise us of a UK stockist for this grade of solder? Does this type of solder also work with piano wire/steel (i.e. for the drive pins)? Colin As Nigel says, there are other "hobby"...

Howard, can the frame be fitted into a panel, or just it have to be supported from the base , mine will only have microswitches Hi Dave, It needs a base only in the sense that the brackets for the microswitches are not attached to the frame except by some kind of common base - but if you are not us...

I wonder if Howard's next project will be that other Victorian life-saver, continuous brakes? Ian :o I am with Staats Forbes Chairman of the Chatham, who realised that Sykes Lock and Block kept the trains apart reliably enough to avoid the cost of continuous brakes, and was a much cheaper investmen...

Sorry, JFS, but ... No need for apology Ian - there are always more solutions than problems and it will be a poor day when there are not! And - perhaps like yourself - I was admiring Peter Denny's solutions 50 years ago, when most of the world had no idea why anyone would want signals on their layo...

Hello Colin, Just to say that if you don't need to disconnect things very often, it makes a big difference. The simplest method - if you don't need removal to be a frequent nor quick occurrence, is just too split the rodding behind the baseboard fascia, then re-join them using the metal bits out of ...

Hello Howard, Having studied the drawing in your above post, could I ask what (minimum) width of timber section would you advise for fitting to the side of a base board? Also, I am hoping to devise a way of making the frame detachable from the drive rods - if that is feasible. Hello Colin, Last que...

Seriously nice there Howard, I have been working on a Mk1 frame of 10 levers (which probabaly will end up needing to be longer), which is almost finished. Having tried to finish my levers after having been started years and years ago I can see how long this will have taken you! :thumb Thank you Dou...