John McAleely wrote:In general, for the benefit of future readers, the best way to start an area in 'on my workbench' is to start a thread in the on my workbench forum, and then ask for it to be moved to a new sub-forum that the admin team can create.
'My workbench' haha - currently my caravan parked for a few weeks in the Highlands at Killin!
Kyle MPD is being constructed, later I'll put in links to specific parts of the build already on the Forum.....Here are the main threads; there may be other small ones that I'll add as I recall them
Track layout at Kyle
viewtopic.php?t=7017
Signalling
viewtopic.php?t=7603
Turntable
viewtopic.php?t=8755
Baseboards construction
viewtopic.php?t=8165
Tortoise point motors wiring
viewtopic.php?t=8567
First I must thank people who've given me much advice and encouragement. Dave B who has written countless emails on the specifics over the last couple of years. Allan Goodwillie for unfailing encouragement and help over many years and fellow members of his "Starters Group". John Stocks of Kettlewell fame and fellow members of the WS4G, Mark Tatlow, Fergus Duncan, Keith Norgrove and many others including people on this Forum who I've not physically met. Particularly Martin Wynne for Templot and who actually designed three bits of the track plan, Tony Wilkins and Will Litchfield.
The layout has 9 signals so will be as much about signalling (of which I knew fairly little) as trains and track.
Plunging in straight away on the latest construction - a Society Mk 2 lever frame. I haven't seen an enormous amount about putting it together on the Forum, so here goes with some very elementary basics.
A few thoughts as a novice lever frame maker, of 5 days experience and 5 levers made.
First of all, huge thanks to Howard for this great kit.
The frame went together no problem except as I later discovered, I made a mistake with the rubbing strips. They need to have their end tabs bent as in the instructions photo, at say 90 deg. If the angle is greater, the lever catch is fouled and it won't engage in the slot to lock. The instructions warn of this problem but it's difficult to know exactly what to do. This is an instance of where it is best to make a trial run with one lever and one slot to see how it all works; but I understand the frame is not quite rigid till the strips are fitted. As it is, having filed two strips ends, I have to correct 7 more strips (at each end!) - luckily I have a nice file just the right size. (Actually I quite enjoy this sort of zero brain work, thinking how nice it is to be retired, listening to the radio at the same time, it's a kind of karma perhaps.) The 10th strip was lost to the GCG but one side of the etch borders will do, cut to length.
The first lever was put together easily. I overlooked the instruction that the layer with the hook goes in the middle but fortunately there is no resulting problem, not having any intention to use the turned handles.
It was at the catch where ... there was a catch. I couldn't see which way round and which way up the rod should attach to the handle. The relevant photo is two pages later showing its orientation, though I wasn't certain which way up the photo showed. In fact, I later found, it doesn't much matter. The hook will be twisted 90 deg in any case. Having made handles with it both ways round, I think one gives a slightly snappier feeling to the release, but that's the only difference as far as I can see.
I must say I think the way of attaching the 0.6mm axle rod to the catch rod is quite brilliant.
Having made 5 levers now I did the following to avoid the problem of soldering the moving parts up solid, plus further thoughts to get the best result. I use a felt tip permanent marker pen as a solder mask. The more layers of marker pen, with time to dry, the better it works, but it's not totally reliable and I use a drop of oil too - the problem being that oil can run and stop the flux working where you DO want to solder...As an aside I find it's incredibly easy to get things the wrong way round when making the catch handle and catchbox.
Before soldering the 3 laminations of the levers together note where the catchbox attaches and avoid soldering in this area. Similarly don't solder where the catch lever fixes, though you won't want to do that in any case while it's on the jig.
When it's cleaned up, spoil it by again masking the catchbox area up to the hole and lightly tinning beyond it.
Discovering I had a new sharp 0.7mm drill I drilled all 0.6 holes to 0.7 to quickly get easy clearance for the 0.6 rod.
I tinned and permanent marked all items as shown. The catchboxes are masked from centre to the hole, then tinned from there to the edge. The tinning is done the same on the reverse side.
After tinning the "ears" of the catchlever handle I broached the 1.2 holes here (and on the lever itelf) to the actual size of the nominally 1.2mm rod.
Dress the doubled back catch handle before going to the next stage. It's easy next to fold the ears the wrong way . (Note to self read the instructions - again ) - there is a reminder in the instructions at this stage, as well as a general instruction at the beginning, that all folds are with the half etch inside!
The 0.6 rod will need to revolve in the two holes so the masking could extend to there.
I was uncertain in what orientation the catch rod fixed to the handle as the relevant photo is not immediately adjacent in the instructions. The direction of the hook at the other end doesn't matter as it will be twisted 90 deg. Which way round the fold is doesn't seem to matter either but I think there is a slightly more positive feel to the action with the folded over stub against the handle, just visible below -
It's easier to get the rod and axle perpendicular cutting the 0.6mm wire after the joining operation
Folding the second ear of the handle to contain the rod (the correct way round) is the trickiest part of the assembly. In addition to following the instructions I countersink 1.5mm the second ear's 0.7mm hole. This gives a slope or landing zone as politicians currently say. Cut the entering 0.6mm rod as short as possible, judged by placing the rod through the hole and cutting it flush before this operation.
In comparison the catchbox is pretty easy. Mask that area of the catchrod too.
Oil the 0.6 rod mechanism of the catch handle just to be sure before soldering up the other 1.2 end. A drop of oil between the "ears" then deftly solder the 1.2 rod to each 'ear'. (Carefully - the 1.2 rod revolves in the lever.) With both "ears" soldered to this axle rod there was no need to be a brave soul at the earlier stage by soldering the 2nd ear.
Finished.
I must say I found the whole thing quite delicious and I'm very pleased with the eventual article; it feels a really high quality item. So nice working with big chunky bits of NS that fit absolutely perfectly together to a superb design. The instructions are super and the above is written in the first place for me to remember how I did those additional nerdy fussy procedures when I next make the time for putting together the other 3 frames eventually needed, and in case anyone finds it useful.
Update August 2023
Making the further 15 levers required, a few further resulting thoughts:
One lever I managed to solder the catchbox assembly with rod and handle the wrong way round (upside down) onto the lever. Very fortunately it unsoldered probably thanks to all the masking procedures. It was the 10th one of the day!
I didn't mention the other thing I found difficult - the curving of the quadrant plate. Today I spent about 2 hours trying to curve it as per instructions and in that time managed to curve it about half the required amount. Throwing caution to the winds I wrapped it with my hand around a cylindrical object almost exactly the right dimension - a "doof doof box" as we call speakers that can pump out that sort of music. It curved beautifully but of course sprang back to its previous radius on releasing my grip. I then did the same, carefully this time, round a glass jar that had contained (nowadays ridiculously expensive) John West anchovies that was about half the required radius. The plate then sprang back to almost exactly the right curve.
Not perfect, there's a bit of a step where the slots widen out, but having soldered it down carefully to the sides and rubbed it with emery paper for about 15 minutes I think it's OK. The rubbing strips will disguise the issue further.
Also worth mentioning is that the pivot plate fits equally well back to front, so note the orientation as in the photo above and as per instructions.