A Gentle Reminder

I think that every now and again we all experience a 'jolt' in our modelling. This post I suppose is one of frustration due to the atmospheric conditions this last week or so in Brisbane. The space I have to model in is in one corner of a double garage, except that the only solid wall is the one dividing the carport from the house.

The dust storms have forced me to really seriously look at the closing in of the garage. This idea is not a new one , for those who know me they'd realise the planning and pontificating that this sort of project presents for me. When I say me I really mean us as in myself and Helen.

The layer of dust is everywhere, to do the simplest thing requires a hell of a lot of work, something I am very definitely allergic to, dust that is!

So now the plan is to enclose and really finish off the area that I use for modelling in. I need to get the brick walls lined and the two outsides of the carport enclosed and lined instead of the open latticework that is currently there. There is an opening that I'll install a glass sliding door into so that there is some light and ventilation into the 'train room'. It will be interesting how long this actually takes, I hope it won't be too long of a distraction from actual modelling. I've known how I want to do it for a while, now it's crunch time as they say.

The BRC is still on the workbench, along with a couple of other projects. So the challenge is to maintain the workbench plan, and allow the 'jolt' to force me to make a concise and focused start on the job. Wish me luck!

SSC- module construction update

An interesting feeling came over me this week, one of a calm almost pleasant feeling about construction of the current module. This is the second time for the basic construction, with 70x19mm pine used instead of the twisting and flexing 19x42mm. Now with a 400mm distance betweeen uprights for the track supports. So why this strange feeling? Well I think it's brought about because things are working 'right'.

I mentioned in a previous post that I'd bought a Modratec non interlocked frame for the operation of the points and signals. I put it together on the weekend and the kit is a good one and goes together without any drama. Well almost, I did have an issue with the ball bearings being inserted into the levers. Not that it was an issue with the kit, really it was a combination of eagerness, poor choice of tools and a forty-one year olds eyesight! Yep almost every time the ball of steel decided that the sping was there to launch itself into the air... I waited with frustrated anger for the 'Tink' as it hit the floor. I really can't post the actual words spoken, but you get the idea. If I take out the ball bearing part of the constuction, it was probably about an easy hour to put it together.

The lever frame is now mounted on the module and the links to the points are currently being installed. The next step this weekend should see the backdrop go into place and all going well the holes put in for the light pelmet. That part I plan to put in place permanently when the trackwork and base scenic structure is in place. That should give me a bit more working space, and I won't need the lights untill the 'colouring' of the module.

So let's hope that my time planning works this weekend, have a good one, Geoff.