Weekend Photo Fun 10/9 - 10/11

[G Paine]

Packers#1

After all the feeders are wired I'll insulate them with electrical tape.

Electrical tape will dry out and start to fall off after a time; look in the hardware store or bigbox like Lowes for liquid electrical tape. It's a liquid plastic that you paint over bare wires to make insulation that stays put. It may take a coat ot three to cover the high spots and wire ends.

[Phoebe Vet]

Packers:

I suggest you choose 1 of the following 3 options.

1   Use terminal strips.

2   Use Suitcase connectors.

3   Make sure your fire insurance is paid up.

[Dave Vollmer]

dbradley

Dave youv'e created a train nuts dream house.

Den.

There are tons of houses lining the old PRR Middle Division in nearly every town it ran through. Marysville, Duncannon, Newport, Mifflin, Lewistown, McVeytown, etc., etc., all have houses right next to these busy tracks.

I'd love to have one some day as long as gainful employment is available nearby.

[Packers#1]

trollw

Sawyer (Packers#1)

I know you didn't ask for comments, but I would like to give you a couple of my thoughts on your soldering.First, you did right in making sure that the wires are twisted around the attaching wire before you soldered. Always make a mechanical connection first - the solder should NEVER be what is holding the wires together. However, You are not getting the wire joints hot enough to make a good solder joint. The solder should never be a blob on the wires but should like like you painted it on. The black wire that is coming in from the top of the first picture is much closer to what a good solder joint looks like. I would recommend that you go back and re-heat all the other joints so that the solder flows 'into' the wires and joints. Granted, they may work with nary a problem, but the probability is very high that at some point in time, you will start to see some power losses across those joints as the impedance starts to build up across the joint. Also, a grainy texture to the solder joint is another indication of a cold solder joint.

If you have any questions about soldering that you think I could help with, plaease PM me. 

 

 John

 

 

Thanks John. I'm using a puny 25-watt iron from radioshack, might need to get something a bit more powerful, idk. Also, I did manage to have it fall to the floor, so right now it's got a lot of burnt carpet on it (which does stink). This is the first time I've soldered wire to wire, so I'll be the first to admit they aren't the best. thanks for the tips, I'll put them to practice!

Lee, I've tried those kits before, but in car form. The only use I find for them is the sprues I get off of them, and also, they make EXCELLENT targets for a BB gun   I'lls tick to the 1:160 puny little trains (which I can do better work on than a car kit, lol). Your son did a great job on that P51 though.

[Milepost 266.2]

Phoebe Vet

Den:

Nah.  A train nut's dream house would have a G scale RR that ran between the kitchen and that screened in porch so that she could SEND you the sandwich and diet coke.

 

 Well, a sandwich and something, anyhow.

[trollw]

Sawyer (Packers#1)

I know you didn't ask for comments, but I would like to give you a couple of my thoughts on your soldering.First, you did right in making sure that the wires are twisted around the attaching wire before you soldered. Always make a mechanical connection first - the solder should NEVER be what is holding the wires together. However, You are not getting the wire joints hot enough to make a good solder joint. The solder should never be a blob on the wires but should like like you painted it on. The black wire that is coming in from the top of the first picture is much closer to what a good solder joint looks like. I would recommend that you go back and re-heat all the other joints so that the solder flows 'into' the wires and joints. Granted, they may work with nary a problem, but the probability is very high that at some point in time, you will start to see some power losses across those joints as the impedance starts to build up across the joint. Also, a grainy texture to the solder joint is another indication of a cold solder joint.

If you have any questions about soldering that you think I could help with, plaease PM me. 

 

 John

 

[Geared Steam]

Driline

After some time my little brother would convince me to blow some of my models up with firecrackers. If you need any let me know.

 

LOL, firecrackers or models?

Black Cats were "the bomb" back in the day.

[dbradley]

Hmmmmm! Point well taken Phoebe Vet, more to dream about. (Imagine the bargins you'd have make with the wife on that one, ooh that's gonna cost.)

[Phoebe Vet]

Den:

Nah.  A train nut's dream house would have a G scale RR that ran between the kitchen and that screened in porch so that she could SEND you the sandwich and diet coke.

[dbradley]

Dave, who needs a garage?

Top floor, front room for the layout, screen in the porch, add a couple rockers, Dave youv'e created a train nuts dream house. "Honey will you bring me a sandwich and a diet soda please". Better than Cresson.

And I say good job everyone, I really enjoy your work. I really want to contribute myself one of these weekends when I get a little more going, or is it I get going a little more?

Den.

[Driline]

wm3798

Anyway, not to be outdone, we finally found an airplane for Andy to build, a Revell kit of a P-51 (under $15 at Michaels, for those of you taking notes...)

 

Great job on the airplane. When I was a kid I built many of those as well. After some time my little brother would convince me to blow some of my models up with firecrackers. If you need any let me know.

[wm3798]

Dave, I'm almost ashamed to post these, given the level of quality you can achieve in just a few square feet...  but alas...

Well, this week was wall to wall school work for my wife Laura, so I did my best to cope by holing up in the man cave, and doing my best to keep the children busy.  Here's the results thus far...

On Friday, 11 year old Julie insisted that there must be a project she could help me with.  After ruling out decoder installation, benchwork, and climbing out on the roof to paint the attic dormer, we settled on mixing up some Sculptamold and seeing what little odd jobs we could take care of.

First, we tackled a bit of landscaping that's been needed at North Junction for some time.

No longer will a blob of blue foam dominate this scene!

Next, we took our bucket over to Williamsport Junction to do some road work.

Motorists can now confidently cruise down US 219 toward Meyersdale, without fear of dropping down a shear cliff into the busy railroad tracks.


Well, a little more confidently...

Finally, the last bit of mud was used to finish out an area that has plum evaded me for some time.  Due to the cuts and scraps of homasote I used to build my yard, once considered temporary but now pretty permanent, there was a low spot about 3" wide and a foot long behind the car shops.  We decided that this would be a good place for a drainage ditch with some junk in it.


Julie was the art director on this section, too.  She placed most of the plants and junk.  Here she is plotting her next move.


And here's where the project stands at the moment...

Trees were added to camouflage a hole in the side of the car shop building, various debris items more properly weathered, and clear acrylic gloss applied (still wet) in the ditch.  She said she felt a little guilty making such a filthy scene, but she still thought it was pretty fun!

When we ran out of Sculptamold, Julie decided she wanted to "build something"... (abrubt transition to sidebar story)
While running errands on Saturday, we found ourselves in Hobby Stop in Seaford, DE.  Not a bad little shop, mostly heavy into R/C boats and cars, but also a massive section for wood boat modelers, lots of Lionel, and a good selection of model airplanes and military craft of various stripes.  The trip was partly to see if we could score a little kit for Julie build, ideally one of those Model Power houses, or something along those lines.  We were also looking for a Messershmidt, since Andy had been glued to the Military Channel all week watching WW2 documentaries...  Well, we found a Messerschmidt kit, for $40!!!.  Ridiculous!  This for a 1:48 scale kit.  I'm thinking that unless this baby has the ability to actually fly over France and wreak havoc, that's a bit much for a small boy's first effort.  So we gave up on that part of the mission.  Next to the N scale rack.  Fairly sparse to someone who's used to the likes of MB Klein, but still some promise.  Until I realized that just about everything on the rack was pre-built, and again, ridiculously priced.  (Said Model Power House, in built up form, for $25 smackeroos...)

I asked the clerk if there's anything in the way of a kit for a child to build, and he points desperately to the bottom shelf...  Mmmm.  Steel mill for $100, and a couple of other industrial type kits, well beyond Julie's expectations, and certainly not suited for my budget.  He did have the Walther's Merchant's Row kit, which is three store fronts for $28, but I've got enough DPM storefronts to choke a horse, so again, I took a pass.  Usually when I stop in a hobby store, I'll do my best to pick up at least a magazine or a stalk of track or something just to support the cause, but this time I just walked out the door and moved on to the next thing.  Now, back to our story...

Anyway, Julie pointed out that the 1:160 citizens of my little world would benefit from a little spiritual uplift.  So we planned to build a nice little country church.  I pulled out my Fireballs and Black Diamonds book and showed her the picture of the little frame church that's hard by the tracks down on one of the remote WM lines out of Elkins, and the die was cast.  Our church wouldn't be quite so austere, since of course, it would have to be a Catholic Church, complete with golden candlesticks, Marian statues and a nice grisly crucifix on the wall... The big box of Evergreen stock came out, as did the drawer of window and door details, and we went to work on St. Julia's Parish.


Julie helped construct the basic building, and installed the windows.  After I finished the bell tower and the addition on the back, she took care of the basic painting.  Here's the progress so far, pending a few more details and some touch ups.


Considering most of the supplies for this project have been amortized for years, the only cost on this project was the gas to go to the hobby store to find out they didn't have any kits.

While I was working on the tricky parts, Julie took a break and messed around with switching the paper mill.  Brian might need to apply for his old job...  Anyway, not to be outdone, we finally found an airplane for Andy to build, a Revell kit of a P-51 (under $15 at Michaels, for those of you taking notes...)

Here he is hunched over his project, putting the finishing touches on the fuselage.


And here's the results of all that concentration:


His detail painting is exemplary, considering that this is his first ever airplane model...


So, yeah.  It was a busy weekend!

Lee

[selector]

Thanks very much, John....very helpful!  I'll think seriously about building one of those.  Very slick.

-Crandell

-Crandell

[jwhitten]

selector

 

Ken, thanks for your kindness.  I am toying with the idea of doing another video.  Did you notice that there are three posted at my album page?  You may have to click on "more videos by..."

The camera is a Canon Powershot A710is, with the "is" meaning image stablization.  However, not available in "movie mode", which is what permits the shooting of videos.  I had to resort to using a "boom", meaning a 3' length of lath with the camera fastened close to one end with rubber bands.  I found that if I held the camera, the shaking was worse, but I figured a boom might help to remove some of the shaking.  With some practise, standing feet apart and trying to relax the shoulders, I swept the camera along near the engine, and it seems to have helped...quite a bit.

Here is a link to a video which you may recall my having posted back in the spring.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT5CmDDZRQw&feature=channel

-Crandell

 

 

Hi Crandell,

It sounds like you could use a steadicam type rig to help support and stabilize your camera while filming. Here are a couple of do-it-yourself 'poor man' steadicam rigs that a mere mortal can afford.

http://steadycam.org/

http://www.yb2normal.com/DIYsteadicam.html

And a Google Search with a range or results:

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=hp&q=diy+steadicam&aq=0&aqi=g10&oq=diy+stead&fp=2cca7b2e99206b9c

Hope this helps!

John

[blownout cylinder]

Dave Vollmer

Bill, I may eventually add a garage, but some of the houses along there don't have any: http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=qqg5p58kp7q6&style=b&lvl=1&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&scene=22796805&encType=1

There are a few places up this way that are the same way. In some places in fact, the back alleyways are not even with garages---and that even goes for 1940's era developments. I think some of that may be due to lot sizes somewhat---and the current bylaws

Dave--I like the way you developed that corner scene. Makes me think of the way that some roads are worked on up this way---mmm

[Dave Vollmer]

Bill, I may eventually add a garage, but some of the houses along there don't have any: http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=qqg5p58kp7q6&style=b&lvl=1&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&scene=22796805&encType=1

[reklein]

Dave ,does that guy in the gray house have his layout in the basement or the attic? I see he doesn't have garage or shop.BILL

[Packers#1]

 Dave, love that corner scene!

[Dave Vollmer]

Okay, finished up the corner scene on my Enola Yard extension of the Juniata Division. Lotsa pics. That cinder lot is presumably from a business next door to the house. The glue is still very wet in these scenes, so the haze & sheen is wet matte medium. You can see PennDot has been trying to fix potholes on US 11/15.

[Grampys Trains]

 OK, Ken, I'll put another one on. E8 No.5766 with a local along Roaring Creek.

 

 

[Packers#1]

 They ain't pretty, but they work. Soldered my feeder wires to homemade terminal strips from 14-gauge wire. After all the feeders are wired I'll insulate them with electrical tape. I've got a couple videos, they're uploading to youtube now. anyway, here's a couple pics:

 

EDIT: vid links:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkR3KUeNekg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78RRY_2FB8U

[Dave Vollmer]

Just picked up Athearn's new bay window caboose in N. I haven't detailed or weathered it yet, but from the box it's a very nice model. Freestanding grabs are great even in N.

[cudaken]

 Far as you and MR B, just odd that neither seems to have the same Keywords.

 Your K4 sure sounds like my M1 A, all so a PRR.

 I will do another search on your camera.

 Thanks for the answers Crandell.

 Sure hope some new pictures show up!

          Ken

 

[selector]

Ken, the camera is now three years old and only cost CDN$300 at the time.  I haven't kept up with similar newer replacement models, but you can get a full Digital SLR for CDN$600 at London Drugs in town.  So, something's not right...you must have the wrong model.  This one has 6X optical and a further 6X digital zoom, plus image stabilization.  But, it is the Powershot model, so it's a basic (these days) point-and-shoot.

cudaken

 I did watch your other videos, is that a BLI M1-a dragging the passenger trains?

That is the BLI Platinum metal diecast K4s Pacific model of the still famous, and still broke, Pennsy #1361.  http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/prr/prr-s1362bgs.jpg

cudaken

 And how the heck did your and Mister Beasley videos show up with each other? Been enjoying the A Train To Harlem, Big Band rocks (sounds odd) with steam engine running in the back ground.

I think you mean that Mr. B's video is listed in examples in the right hand column on the webpage?  The server finds similar videos for your convenience, and Mr. B's must be one of the ones to which if found a good match.  Just guessing, but otherwise I have no idea.

-Crandell

[cudaken]

 I just did a search on your camera Crandell, I must have remember wrong I thought you said cheap? $600.00 is way more than I have to spare at this time. But, I all so see why you post such great pictures.

 I did watch your other videos, is that a BLI M1-a dragging the passenger trains?

 Now that I see it again, I do remember your Y6-b video. I should, it got me of my butt to fix mine.

 And how the heck did your and Mister Beasley videos show up with each other? Been enjoying the A Train To Harlem, Big Band rocks (sounds odd) with steam engine running in the back ground.

 

           Ken

[selector]

 

Ken, thanks for your kindness.  I am toying with the idea of doing another video.  Did you notice that there are three posted at my album page?  You may have to click on "more videos by..."

The camera is a Canon Powershot A710is, with the "is" meaning image stablization.  However, not available in "movie mode", which is what permits the shooting of videos.  I had to resort to using a "boom", meaning a 3' length of lath with the camera fastened close to one end with rubber bands.  I found that if I held the camera, the shaking was worse, but I figured a boom might help to remove some of the shaking.  With some practise, standing feet apart and trying to relax the shoulders, I swept the camera along near the engine, and it seems to have helped...quite a bit.

Here is a link to a video which you may recall my having posted back in the spring.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT5CmDDZRQw&feature=channel

-Crandell

[cudaken]

 Crandell, are you going to post anymore videos? Love to see some more from you, I am a big fan of your layout. You stated it was a cheap camera, who is it by, specks, model number and apx cost us. Your video look pretty good to me.

(was in another posting not WPF)

                Ken

[D&HRR]

Very, very nice!

[wedudler]

 One picture and video :

            Grain

Wolfgang