Introducing me and my workbench

peterbkloss
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Introducing me and my workbench

Postby peterbkloss » Sun Jun 26, 2022 4:41 pm

Hello everyone, fellow modellers ...

I am now apporaching 70, and on the ground do not seem to have achieved very much, my 'big' layout having been in gestation for more than 30 years hampered by lack of time and several house moves (I'm sure the experience of many). I have been a very long term EMGS member, joining in 1975 as I finished University, back then it seemed the pinnacle of modelling standards. I decided then to switch from 00, but my move to EM stalled through the late 70s and suddenly, come the early 80s P4 had emerged and I decided to 'jump' EM and 'go P4'. However, I balked at joining another society, as the EMGS accommodated P4/S4 modellers. But then in 2019 I visited the autumn Aylesbury Scaleforum and suddenly a light came on - convinced by the quality of shared information on practical modelling topics which is on another level to that experienced before, I signed up to the Scalefour society, so here I am.

As for starting a sub-forum here, I had for many years had a blog on RmWeb called 'turning the clock back' featuring my attempts to model BR Western region and the S&DJR system around 1961, with the option to flash back to 1925-30. This was going well until the disaster on the site that saw the images uploaded in the last year or so vanish. Seeing the quality of comments, suggestions and constructive criticsm in the Scalefour Society forums I thought a move to writing here showing my efforts would be worthwhile and helpful to get my modelling on a better footing and working better.

Having now settled in South-West Norway (!) and having the garage loft in the new house converted into a railway room, another room is substituting as a workshop and accommodating my 'workbench' until I can set up there. Currently I am rehabilitating the partly working (!) locos that I have brought with me and refurbishing and testing sections of my dismantled model railway in preparation for re-assembly.

Terry Bendall
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Re: Introducing me and my workbench

Postby Terry Bendall » Mon Jun 27, 2022 8:06 am

Wecome Peter. I looked at your location which said New Milton, Hampshire so i thought you would be close to some active area groups but then read your post again and saw you are based in Norway which is a bit far away from the nearest area group. :) It is good to read that you "saw the light" at Scaleforum in 2019. There are others that have had similar experiences and it makes the effort of organising the event worthwhile. We have quite a few people on here who are interested in the same location and period as yourself so I am sure you will get help when you ask for it.

Terry Bendall

peterbkloss
Posts: 139
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Re: Introducing me and my workbench

Postby peterbkloss » Mon Jun 27, 2022 3:22 pm

Dear Terry

sorry about the location information confusion - I was in New Milton for 4 1/2 years but somehow didn't manage to get to any of the local group meetings, I never seemed to be around on the right night of the week to make it over to Southampton. I only discovered and met up with the local South coast club a few weeks before leaving for Norway. :-( ... Anyway I look forward to virtual contact with the forum members and really hope I can be back in the UK visiting at Scaleforum time sometime soon ....

Steve Carter
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Re: Introducing me and my workbench

Postby Steve Carter » Mon Jun 27, 2022 3:50 pm

Hi Peter, perhaps you might consider the Virtual Group -https://www.scalefour.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=161&t=8000
Steve Carter

peterbkloss
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Re: Introducing me and my workbench

Postby peterbkloss » Mon Jul 25, 2022 9:00 pm

Steve - thanks for the invite to the virtual group, I'll give it a try

For fun, I though tI'd post a photo of my rather messy workbench - temporary in a cellar room while I wait for my garage loft railway room to be built, now delayed till mid to late August at the earliest. My bench has a selection of locos and bodies, at the front my 'MRJ No.1 challenge' 14XX being worked on, behind my first ever 'proper' P4 loco, a Jinty surrounded by spare bodies, including a GWR Pannier awaiting a brand new chassis to be built.

Behind are my test tracks, 00 in front with some wagons awaiting conversion, and behind the S4 test track with converted wagons (thanks Tim Maddocks for your article in magazine 221 that encouraged me) ...

workbench-2.jpg
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Winander
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Re: Introducing me and my workbench

Postby Winander » Mon Jul 25, 2022 10:04 pm

peterbkloss wrote:Steve - thanks for the invite to the virtual group, I'll give it a try

You are more than welcome Peter. The details for the meeting this Wednesday are here viewtopic.php?f=3&t=7633 (they will not change).

We start at 19:00 BST, I think you are an hour ahead of us. We are a very informal group, so pop in any time you are ready.
Richard Hodgson
Organiser Scalefour Virtual Group. Our meeting invitation is here.

peterbkloss
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Re: Introducing me and my workbench -virtual group

Postby peterbkloss » Tue Jul 26, 2022 8:01 pm

Aaah - sadly it will be a fewweeks till I will be able to join, holidays intervene but I will try when I'm back, I've checked the link, thanks

peterbkloss
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Re: Introducing me and my workbench

Postby peterbkloss » Sat Sep 03, 2022 8:41 pm

Well dear friends a lot has happened since my last post and at last my railway room in the new house (well new of a year ago!!) is ready to go. Been very busy putting in the support framework for my 'Weston Super Mare S&D' layout that has been in wraps from the move for a year or so, plus moving the work bench. A photo showing how it looks.

Room size is 6.4 metres long (effectively 5.7 due to a stair well) by 3.5 metres wide at 80cm (eaves height). The layout will be a little narrower allowing about 30cm vertical background on the scenic parts.

As you can see from the photo, the support framework is about 1/3 done with the fiddle yard (2.4 metre long slidy thing) on legs not adjusted or attached yet. more to follow .....

workbench-3.jpg
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Terry Bendall
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Re: Introducing me and my workbench

Postby Terry Bendall » Sun Sep 04, 2022 8:46 am

Looks very smart Peter. A very pleasent place to work.

Terry Bendall

petermeyer
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Re: Introducing me and my workbench

Postby petermeyer » Sun Sep 04, 2022 11:48 am

That looks like an impressive traverser in the foreground. Will it be used with cassettes?

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Suffolk Dave
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Re: Introducing me and my workbench

Postby Suffolk Dave » Sun Sep 04, 2022 3:17 pm

Very nice! And no carpet to swallow up all those tiny things that are destined to reach the floor.
Check out my modelling activity here: https://www.instagram.com/4mm_dave/

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Paul Townsend
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Re: Introducing me and my workbench

Postby Paul Townsend » Sun Sep 04, 2022 4:16 pm

Suffolk Dave wrote:Very nice! And no carpet to swallow up all those tiny things that are destined to reach the floor.


Ah but they bounce better and travel further !

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Will L
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Re: Introducing me and my workbench

Postby Will L » Sun Sep 04, 2022 6:30 pm

Paul Townsend wrote:
Suffolk Dave wrote:Very nice! And no carpet to swallow up all those tiny things that are destined to reach the floor.


Ah but they bounce better and travel further !

Yes I'm afraid the Great Carpet God (GCG) is always happy to extend his influence to new areas and has been known to accept sacrificial offerings on most floor surfaces.

peterbkloss
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Re: Introducing me and my workbench

Postby peterbkloss » Tue Sep 06, 2022 8:59 am

Thank you for your kind comments. The hard floor (recycled from refurbishing the house) I hope will make rediscovering small bittys easier.

As for the traverser, it is based on a 2.4 metre long by 30cm wide piece of 20mm thick blockboard that is 40 years old and has stayed flat all that time! I bought it long ago to be a fiddle yard base, actually putting it on a sliding frame using recycled ball bearing sliders didn't happen until about five years ago!!!! Only one end is functional as yet, I haven't yet decided how to do the end nearest the camera, I just have a 1.2 m long piece of 18mm ply for the adjoining track bed and I think I want to put as much fixed siding space on it as possible. I have mused about having a cassette docking area but not sure about that.I'll write up its construction in a future post

Kind regards to all, Peter

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Ian@Exton
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Re: Introducing me and my workbench

Postby Ian@Exton » Tue Sep 06, 2022 5:55 pm

Hi Peter,

Your floor will undoubtedly have less of an "appetite" for small parts than a carpet, but don't think for a minute that you will be able to avoid getting down on hands and knees, or getting out the dustpan and brush.

My railway room floor looks just like yours - it is surprising just how far bits travel (and in unexpected directions). And some disappear completely - don't understand how, but it happens! Also, it can be quite hard to spot small brass items on the floor.

Your room looks like a great space - enjoy!

Kind regards
Ian


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