hon30critter richhotrain What a magnetic drill bit holder does is to distribute the force of the repeated impact, significantly increasing the interval between replacement of drill bits. Hi Rich, I just ordered one. Unfortunately I couldn't find the exact one that you listed on Amazon or at Home Depot Canada so I chose a different Makita bit holder. It claims to have the same charactaristics for extending bit life. This is what I ordered: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00ECMC1F4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Dave
richhotrain What a magnetic drill bit holder does is to distribute the force of the repeated impact, significantly increasing the interval between replacement of drill bits.
Hi Rich,
I just ordered one. Unfortunately I couldn't find the exact one that you listed on Amazon or at Home Depot Canada so I chose a different Makita bit holder. It claims to have the same charactaristics for extending bit life.
This is what I ordered:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00ECMC1F4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Dave
Rich
Alton Junction
I like Bosch drills. I have a Bosch chipping hammer/demo drill, and a Bosch hammer drill.
I need to get one of those magnetic holders!
Mike.
My You Tube
I just gave the Bosch driver a quick test and I am quite happy so far. I drove some 3" deck screws into a 2x4. On the highest impact setting it didn'r actually use the impact function, but it drove the screws without hesitation. In fact, if I kept the trigger down, it would drive the heads deeply into the wood. Obviously there is no lack of torque.
One of the nice features is that the bits lock into the chuck. When I was replacing the fiberglass roof on our deck a few years ago (when I was still capable of such things) I had a problem with the chuck on my drill loosening up periodically so the bit would fall out. Very annoying!
What remains to be seen is how long the batteries will last and how long it takes to recharge one, but given my intended use I think the wee beastie will do just fine.
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
I decided to get myself a bit better organized with regard to the layout project, so I started writing down all the things I could be doing while waiting for the Covid-19 crisis to clear. I quickly realized that the Covid thing can probably go on for months (although I hope it won't) before I will run out of things to do.
The first step will be to build some storage units that we bought so we could tidy up the garage. I may need help from my son for that because they are really heavy. Once I have a couple of those built I can start transfering all of the locomotives and freight cars that are in boxes on my workbench to the storage units in the garage. That will give me a lot of free space on the workbench to start working on the structure kits that I already have like the City Classics downtown office buildings and the Atlas Middlesex Manufacturing kits. Both items will be kitbashed into larger structures. There are also several other structures that I already have on hand that can be built as well.
I will also be spending some time designing several structures which will be scratch built. I need half a dozen residential houses plus a two stall engine house. I have been inspired by Marc Magnus's recent postings of his scratch built industrial structures so I'm going to attempt to replicate some structures inspired by those that Bar Mills offers, hopefully for less than the kits cost. In fairness to Bar Mills, I do have a couple of their kits on order as well. I also need to make some signal heads. I just ordered a bunch of signal parts from Tomar and I just received the tri-colour LEDs for the signals.
I have at least several months worth of projects on hand so I'd better get started!
Organization is great - until it isn't. For my (apparantly last for a while) trip to Lowes, before I went, I made a list of exactly what I needed in my phone, AND even wrote down all the aisle and bay numbers and put it all in order - idea being I could walk in and run down the store from the entrance to the last thing (the 2x4s) and then check out at that end and be done. Quick in and out. 2 1/2 hours later..... First problem, place was packes so I had to go all the way down tot he wood end to get a wood cart. None out in the parking lot to grab. Second problem, it was packed and everyone is apparantly planning painting projects while stuck inside, so it took forever to get my turn to order my paint. I actually picked out the coolor I wanted in just a few minutes. So my quick, well organized trip turned into taking my almost right to closing time, meaning the line to check out was also long and slow.
I tried. And I did get everything I need, so I can keep busy - though I am actually still working since I work from home, so I really only have weekends.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
So, was everybody staying 6' apart?
I'm surprised that Menards still had their 11% thing going on last week. I was thinking they wouldn't so as not to attract a lot of people.
I went, place was not crowded at all, easy to keep 6' away from each other, and enough registers open for an easy check out.
For the most part, but you can;t help it when passing someone in an aisle when the aisles are only about 6' wide.
Some people had masks, some had latex gloves.
It was super crowded because it was about 1 or 2pm when the governor announced everyone had to be in and stay in starting at 8pm. So last ditch grab something to do. Though I managed to snag a spot in the first row - but it seems like most people try to park close to the entrance. I try to park close to the exit - it's no big deal to walk over to the entrance empty handed, but coming out with a full load, much better to be close to my truck.
One of my planned scratchbuilds is a diner with an old dining car or trolley used as a seating area. I was searching eBay for a suitable shell or doner car when I came across this:
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/HO-Brass-Trolley-Birney-Kit-Japan-motor-runs-smooth-wooden-roof-2-poles/254551062789?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1431.l2649
I would feel guilty if I just used the shell for the diner so I am considering adding an auto reversing street car line down the middle of the main street. The trolley car doesn't fit my era so I would run it as a tourist attraction.
Here is the thread that I started to try and find some facts about the trolley:
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/281607.aspx
Here is the latest track plan for those of you who are interested. If the lettering is too small, let me know. If you click on it you should be able to get a larger image which you can then expand again:
The layout is 5' 4" x 12', accessible from all sides. There are still some open spaces to be decided upon.
Comments appreciated as usual.
I started cutting some of the City Classics downtown office building kits in order to make wider and taller models out of them. I was using a hobby saw but unfortunately it wasn't in the best condition. I had to sand some rust off of one side of the blade (strangely, the other side of the blade was completely rust free!). Even after doing that the blade was inclined to get stuck in the cut so it was rather frustrating.
I'm going to try to trim the walls using my radial arm saw with a hollow ground blade. If you are not familiar with a hollow ground blade, the blade does not have any set to the teeth. Instead, the sides of the blade are ground to create a very shallow 'V' profile towards the center of the blade. The result is that the blade makes incredibly smooth cuts.
I suspect that the biggest challenge will be to prevent the blade from melting the plastic. I'll let you know how it works out.
Cheers!!
hon30critterusing my radial arm saw with a hollow ground blade.
I've been trying to find a hollow ground 8" blade for my table saw. Not much luck in all of the hardware stores that I have access to. Only the older guys that work there know what I'm talking about.
Anxious to hear how it works, Dave.
mbinsewiI've been trying to find a hollow ground 8" blade for my table saw. Not much luck in all of the hardware stores that I have access to. Only the older guys that work there know what I'm talking about. Anxious to hear how it works, Dave. Mike.
Hi Mike,
I just made a couple of sample cuts with the RAS and the hollow ground blade. The cut was smooth and clean but unfortunately it was not quite straight. The two halves of my test sample did not mate perfectly. The variation is tiny but it is just enough to show where the two halves are glued together. I suspect that the reason for the variance is due to the plastic melting.
All of the joints that I have to make run parallel to the brick lines so I'm hoping they won't be too obvious. After I dress them with sandpaper I am going to use plenty of liquid cement and put some pressure on the joints so that the still molten plastic can be pushed tighter together.
I just made a half dozen cuts on the full wall sections. These cuts were about three times longer than the test cuts, and melting was a bit more of an issue but nothing serious. The cuts appear to be straight but I will have to dress them before I know for sure. I won't be able to do that for a couple of days because I don't have any sheets of sandpaper large enough to do the job. Thank goodness for Amazon!
I just realized that the sandpaper I ordered to square up the walls on the City Classics structures won't be here for a month! I just ordered another package and paid $3.99 for next day shipping so I can get on with assembling the building. I don't understand how they can deliver for so little money but I'm not arguing.
I have a board with 2 different grades of sandpaper glued to it, using spray adhesive, and a "fence", using a piece of 2x4, to keep things square.
Keeping the wall section tight to the fence, I slide the wall back and forth over the sandpaper board.
I seen this on a video put out by DPM Buildings. It works great.
I have a box of sandpaper. It seems every time I need sandpaper, I go buy it, and what I don't use, gets thrown in the box.
mbinsewiI have a board with 2 different grades of sandpaper glued to it, using spray adhesive, and a "fence", using a piece of 2x4, to keep things square. Keeping the wall section tight to the fence, I slide the wall back and forth over the sandpaper board.
Thanks for the reminder about using a fence.
I am becoming more and more intrigued by the possibility of having an operating trolley on the layout. Tonight I spent some time seeing if I could create a trolley loop instead of just having the trolley run back and forth down the main street. I discovered that, if I use a 6" radius at the ends of the loop, it will actually fit into my existing street plan. Six inches is a bit tight, but the brass trolley I won on eBay only has two axles so theoretically it should work.
The challenge would be hand laying the track. I couldn't find any commercial 6" radius street car road sections. Proto 87 makes them in 8" radii but that totally distrupts my street plan so I'm not going there for the sake of a trolley loop. Just out of curiousity, does anyone know of a manufacturer who makes 6" radius streetcar street sections?
Thanks,
EDIT:
Don't waste your time doing an intensive internet search. I'm just speculating at this point.
I just spent about an hour squaring up the sides of my City Classics Baum Blvd structure before assembly. It was much easier than I thought it would be. The 150 grit sandpaper worked much quicker than I had expected it to.
I am using four kits to make a single building - two kits wide and two high. It doesn't quite work out to twice the height of the basic kit because some bits like the entry doors and the top cornice are lost from one of the kits when combining the buildings, but it does add four storys to the height. I'm planning on installing floors at each level and printed interior details as well as random interior lighting, so the project has a way to go. I am a little bit daunted by the prospect of painting the exterior colours but I figure that masking tape will be my friend. Painting all the different exterior details with a brush is a no go. My hands shake too much. I will post pictures once I start to assemble the walls.
So here are a couple of pictures of the City Classic expanded kit going together.
Two front walls trimmed and glued together:
Four front wall sections assembled. There are a couple of tiny gaps in the joints but I will fill them before painting:
The back wall assembled. The black lines are marker lines, not gaps:
I have run out of flat spaces to let the glue cure so the side walls will have to wait.
Dave, that is looking real good. You probably already mentioned this, but what type of glue are you using?
richhotrainDave, that is looking real good. You probably already mentioned this, but what type of glue are you using?
I am using Tamiya's Extra Thin liquid styrene cement. It flows into the joints thoroughly, and a little goes a long way. It leaves almost no residue. I don't use the brush that comes in the bottle cap for larger joints. Instead I use a small paint brush.
https://www.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?I=TAMR8738&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=towerhobbies&utm_content=80882863074083&utm_campaign=B_DSA_NB_Desktop&utm_id=bi_cmp-329510800_adg-1294125302030127_ad-80882863074083_dat-2332682637821408:loc-32_dev-c_ext-_prd-&msclkid=5812c6e401541937e775986effd20550
I get mine from Hobby Wholesale in Edmonton, Alberta. Shipping the stuff across the border is not allowed.
hon30critter I am a little bit daunted by the prospect of painting the exterior colours but I figure that masking tape will be my friend. Painting all the different exterior details with a brush is a no go. My hands shake too much.
I am a little bit daunted by the prospect of painting the exterior colours but I figure that masking tape will be my friend. Painting all the different exterior details with a brush is a no go. My hands shake too much.
I am wondering if you can make a template to cover the window frames so that only the walls are exposed for spraying or hand painting. For example, an 8-window frame template could be built and used in 4 phases to complete the front walls. Just a thought.
richhotrainI am wondering if you can make a template to cover the window frames so that only the walls are exposed for spraying or hand painting. For example, an 8-window frame template could be built and used in 4 phases to complete the front walls. Just a thought. Rich
Hi again Rich,
I plan on using copious quantities of masking tape. Doctorwayne has shown how he does this in the past. It requires a lot of patience to cut and fit the tape, and you have to use multiple very light coatings of paint so that nothing bleeds under the tape, but his results are quite impressive. I hope that I can do half as well!
hon30critter richhotrain I am wondering if you can make a template to cover the window frames so that only the walls are exposed for spraying or hand painting. For example, an 8-window frame template could be built and used in 4 phases to complete the front walls. Just a thought. Rich Hi again Rich, I plan on using copious quantities of masking tape. Doctorwayne has shown how he does this in the past. It requires a lot of patience and very light coatings of paint so that nothing bleeds under the tape, but his results are quite impressive. I hope that I can do half as well! Dave
richhotrain I am wondering if you can make a template to cover the window frames so that only the walls are exposed for spraying or hand painting. For example, an 8-window frame template could be built and used in 4 phases to complete the front walls. Just a thought. Rich
I plan on using copious quantities of masking tape. Doctorwayne has shown how he does this in the past. It requires a lot of patience and very light coatings of paint so that nothing bleeds under the tape, but his results are quite impressive. I hope that I can do half as well!
richhotrainOr, just ship those walls over to Wayne for painting. That guy has time on his hands.
I wouldn't presume to ask doctorwayne to waste his time working on my mediocre modelling attempts. Besides, it will be fun to give him a run for his money. Just don't bet on me!
hon30critter richhotrain Or, just ship those walls over to Wayne for painting. That guy has time on his hands. I wouldn't presume to ask doctorwayne to waste his time working on my mediocre modelling attempts. Besides, it will be fun to give him a run for his money. Just don't bet on me! Dave
richhotrain Or, just ship those walls over to Wayne for painting. That guy has time on his hands.
richhotrainFrom what I've seen of your work so far, Dave, it will be fairly easy to overtake Wayne.
NOT!
This will be my first attempt at doing such detailed masking and painting. The nice thing about painting is that if you mess it up you can just start over again!
That City Classics structure that you are building reminds me of the Bachmann City Scenes buildings that I have built as well as the DPM buildings where the window frames are molded into the walls. It is a lot easier when the window frames are separate from the walls out of the box.
I have kitbashed one of the City Classics buildings, the Smallman Street Warehouse, but I was fortunate in that the window frames were separate at the outset, making painting a much less daunting task.
Whenever I have painted buildings with the window frames molded into the walls, I paint the entire wall first, then go back and paint the window frames, using an Optivisor for a real close up look.
Good luck!
richhotrainWhenever I have painted buildings with the window frames molded into the walls, I paint the entire wall first, then go back and paint the window frames, using an Optivisor for a real close up look.
That is what I am planning on doing. I just have to decide on the colours. However, as I have said, brush painting the details isn't an option. I have an Optivisor which I use almost all the time when I am at my workbench, but unfortunately it won't help to steady my hands. All it will do if I try to brush paint the details is give me a closer view of how messy the paint lines are!
Masking I think I can do. It boils down to simply being able to cut a straight line in the tape and hopefully applying the tape in a straight line too. If the tape doesn't go down in the right place the first time all I have to do is lift it and try again. If I mess up with a paint brush correcting the mistake is more problematic, and there is no guarrantee that I will get it right the second time, or the third, or the ..... I hate wobbly paint lines. They just look so amaturish to me. Masking it is!
I just noticed a strange thing regarding the window placements between the front wall and the back wall of the City Classics Baum Blvd building. They don't match! All of the windows in the front wall are equally spaced from top to bottom as are the windows in the back wall. However, the space between the windows in the rear wall is different.
There is also a second problem which is my fault because I didn't get the distance between the windows correct when I trimmed the two back wall sections to make the horizontal joint.
I'm not sure what to do. Getting all of the back wall windows to match the front wall would seem to require a lot of cutting and splicing. The difference between each floor of windows would need to be changed. That would be a lot of work!
What do you think I should do? Ignore the whole issue and hope that nobody will notice?