simond
Western Thunderer
This sounds curiously like cricket. When you’re in, you’re out, and vice versa.
Breaking Ground - Finescale - of a sort
- Thread starter Richard Insole
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- peter insole
Osgood
Western Thunderer
There may be some manufacturers who are careful about grain orientation, but for most (the one below is from Wicks) I suspect it all depends on what way up the board is when it goes through the mill. 
And I was too lazy to even cut the planks so we just have to live with the undulations!
(They'd been air-dried for 20 odd years so they wont move any more)
And I was too lazy to even cut the planks so we just have to live with the undulations!
(They'd been air-dried for 20 odd years so they wont move any more)
Eastsidepilot
Western Thunderer
Are you sure you don't mean upside down
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
That is a lovely top Tony, and yes SimonD, the problem did have me stumped for a while! Nah, there were no upsides Col, but let's face it, there is always a downside!
I was enjoying that opportunity for a bit of silliness last night and read my reply out to the dear lady wife. She looked blankly at me for a moment and then said: "I don't understand... won't they look odd up the other way?"
Ah bless!
Seriously though Susie, your suggestion is a sound one - and most appreciated too - although in this case there are nineteen of the little blighters to straighten out! I hate waste of any kind, particularly when it comes to precious timber and the environment effects of using it, but this time I had decided to bite the bullet and recklessly buy some more!
So far, the latter pack seems to be behaving itself - unlike me of course!
Pete.
I was enjoying that opportunity for a bit of silliness last night and read my reply out to the dear lady wife. She looked blankly at me for a moment and then said: "I don't understand... won't they look odd up the other way?"
Ah bless!
Seriously though Susie, your suggestion is a sound one - and most appreciated too - although in this case there are nineteen of the little blighters to straighten out! I hate waste of any kind, particularly when it comes to precious timber and the environment effects of using it, but this time I had decided to bite the bullet and recklessly buy some more!
So far, the latter pack seems to be behaving itself - unlike me of course!
Pete.
MarkR
Western Thunderer
Reminds me of Herbert Pontings poem, "The Sleeping Bag", "On the outside grows the fur side, and on the inside grows the skin side............etc."!
Sorry!
Mark
Tom Insole
Western Thunderer
So this reminds me of the chap who had too much to drink at a pub called “the outside inn”.
Nobody could find him inside the outside inn because he was outside bringing up his insides outside the outside inn….
I’ll get my coat!
Tom
Nobody could find him inside the outside inn because he was outside bringing up his insides outside the outside inn….
I’ll get my coat!
Tom
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
With so little space available indoors it is going to be a nightmare, but I am really keen to pre-paint the completed dags - at least to the undercoat stage anyway.
I have already selected some paint swatches that are an absolutely perfect match (compared with genuine paint chips) for BR Eastern region "Green" and "Light Stone". I even enjoy a discount at my local DIY store, so that should be a no-brainer?!
Rather worryingly though, (guess what?) the only paint range available is Valspar - and that appears to have generated the worst, and most scathing reviews of any similar product, anywhere! The only other stores I could find in the district that provide a colour matching service tend to use "Weathershield" - something that I have already determined to avoid at all costs!
Keeping the primer, undercoat and top coatings related by brand seems to be a sensible approach, so that leaves me with a bit of a dilemma..!
Pete.
I have already selected some paint swatches that are an absolutely perfect match (compared with genuine paint chips) for BR Eastern region "Green" and "Light Stone". I even enjoy a discount at my local DIY store, so that should be a no-brainer?!
Rather worryingly though, (guess what?) the only paint range available is Valspar - and that appears to have generated the worst, and most scathing reviews of any similar product, anywhere! The only other stores I could find in the district that provide a colour matching service tend to use "Weathershield" - something that I have already determined to avoid at all costs!
Keeping the primer, undercoat and top coatings related by brand seems to be a sensible approach, so that leaves me with a bit of a dilemma..!
Pete.
Tom Insole
Western Thunderer
I think I can see how this drying process is going to go…..
A rather quick sketch….
A rather quick sketch….
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
Ah well, after extensive searching it would appear that paint reviews are all just repeated copies taken from the same dreadful script!
Why do I suspect that most of the regularly reported problems stem from new VOC legislation requirements on the manufacturers - although naturally of course nobody will admit there is anything wrong with their resulting products!
Oh dear, it was so much easier painting little models with Humbrol - what seems like a hundred years ago now!
Pete.
Why do I suspect that most of the regularly reported problems stem from new VOC legislation requirements on the manufacturers - although naturally of course nobody will admit there is anything wrong with their resulting products!
Oh dear, it was so much easier painting little models with Humbrol - what seems like a hundred years ago now!
Pete.
michael mott
Western Thunderer
Pete, I think that because "everybody and his/her dog" now has access to more information that can possibly digested in one lifetime let alone a project of such a great magnitude of a Ticket booth "aka Garden shed" it is probably wise to just go with your gut instinct and buy a paint that you like and "git 'er don' 
Michael
Michael
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
Thank you Michael, you are absolutely right! I really should stop worrying and just chance my arm on the Valspar stuff.
At least the colours should be spot on, and I am so much looking forward to seeing again a building (albeit slightly scaled down to garden shed size) presented in the familiar shades of a mis-spent youth!!
The kidlets (and some grownups) will hopefully love it whatever, anyway?!
Pete.
At least the colours should be spot on, and I am so much looking forward to seeing again a building (albeit slightly scaled down to garden shed size) presented in the familiar shades of a mis-spent youth!!
The kidlets (and some grownups) will hopefully love it whatever, anyway?!
Pete.
Pete. If you have a local Car paint factor near you it may be worth enquiring if they can help. Most of them can supply industrial paints which have different VOC rules. My local one has been super helpful to me over the years, supplying very superior products at sensible prices. The colours are very likely British standard colours.
The real Railway would have been supplied by a paint factor, not a DIY outlet.
I don't know about anyone else, but I'm looking forward to seeing it finished!!
cheers
The real Railway would have been supplied by a paint factor, not a DIY outlet.
I don't know about anyone else, but I'm looking forward to seeing it finished!!
cheers
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
Ah yes Tony! Is that where various comedic incidents happened?!
By the way, although one of the classic comments was made many years ago in a fictitious context, it reappeared much later in real life. Back in the early eighties, I was tape recording the old 501 electrics at a rather desolate Broad Street station at dusk one evening. After the peak, several trains were stabled in the platforms, as was the custom, and as I preferred long run-in and run-out times when recording, (allowing for later editing) I was happily monitoring the general ambient sound while a cleaner was moving towards me along an empty train, opening doors and sweeping out the compartments. Two ladies approached and one enquired of the chap;
"Excuse me, do you know which train is the next one out?"
"Er..., I will find out" the gentleman replied, and continued with his task. He then paused, briefly looked up and added:
"The train on platform two is gone mam... but meanwhile you can get in and wait inside!"
I had to quickly bite my tongue to stop myself exploding!
Thank you too Class27, I must admit that the thought of priming with cellulose had briefly crossed my mind, but I had dismissed it with some doubts as being perhaps a little too unconventional!
Moons ago, when doing some work on our bathroom window, I discovered that at some time previously a carpenter had replaced the sill and quite expertly scarfed new sections of timber into the frames either side of it. Presumably facing some time pressure, he had primed it all by spraying with fast drying, grey celly! What is more, the top coats seemed to adhere well - and indeed, it all remains perfectly sound to this day!
Pete.
By the way, although one of the classic comments was made many years ago in a fictitious context, it reappeared much later in real life. Back in the early eighties, I was tape recording the old 501 electrics at a rather desolate Broad Street station at dusk one evening. After the peak, several trains were stabled in the platforms, as was the custom, and as I preferred long run-in and run-out times when recording, (allowing for later editing) I was happily monitoring the general ambient sound while a cleaner was moving towards me along an empty train, opening doors and sweeping out the compartments. Two ladies approached and one enquired of the chap;
"Excuse me, do you know which train is the next one out?"
"Er..., I will find out" the gentleman replied, and continued with his task. He then paused, briefly looked up and added:
"The train on platform two is gone mam... but meanwhile you can get in and wait inside!"
I had to quickly bite my tongue to stop myself exploding!
Thank you too Class27, I must admit that the thought of priming with cellulose had briefly crossed my mind, but I had dismissed it with some doubts as being perhaps a little too unconventional!
Moons ago, when doing some work on our bathroom window, I discovered that at some time previously a carpenter had replaced the sill and quite expertly scarfed new sections of timber into the frames either side of it. Presumably facing some time pressure, he had primed it all by spraying with fast drying, grey celly! What is more, the top coats seemed to adhere well - and indeed, it all remains perfectly sound to this day!
Pete.
Dog Star
Western Thunderer
Sorry, the next train is gone....And when it gets too cold to work outside there's always the posters to produce - here's your first task
View attachment 175807
Osgood
Western Thunderer
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
Another great favourite of mine is the wonderfully colourful description of an Irish country station by Spike Milligan in his novel; "Puckoon"
Pete.
Pete.
Dog Star
Western Thunderer
I knew that you would know.
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
I do apologise to my many friends for going AWOL lately. I will this time not go into the personal details, suffice to say that I have ended up taking some rather disagreeable medication!
Meanwhile, the natives have been getting restless... but not revolting I should say... and I must admit so was I... although yes, perhaps I am?! A little bit of Spring sunshine, and a touch of gentle nagging persuaded me (yeah, yea!) to drag the little engine out for the first trips of the season on the line.
Most of the gang came over, and had a grand old time... following which; a young Mr. T., in his own inimitable style, gave me some (very firm) instructions on when and how I should go about extending the railhead...
Of course, who am I to argue?!
Digging has started on the final section of straight path (stabilisation mat and slate chippings) to Mr. O's potting shed, and the first cut of the top curve.
Progress is painfully slow - at only two or three (at most) shovels full, plus a sit down and rest in between... but I am steadily getting through it!
This curve is going to be utterly wicked at a mere four and a half feet radius, and as I look at it forming up I keep hearing the words of "Bomber Harris" saying:
"It's never been tried... so we shall see"!
Despite all the sage advice stating that for five inch gauge, an absolute minimum radius should be not less than ten feet, I'm afraid that we, at five and three quarters of an inch, only have a maximum of twelve available across the entire plot to turn round in! I am slightly reassured by the knowledge that the original Horwich Works system was laid out, and it's rolling stock was designed to negotiate curves of thirteen feet. That turns out to be pretty much "on the money" here, for when scaled down that equates (after much checking and re-checking) to four feet seven inches.
Whew! That leaves just enough room for our overhanging elbows and knees at the transition on either side!
Before tackling all that however, the first priority is to finish off Mr. O's path - and the slightly awkward junction section.
The problem with the latter is that while I am more that content with the peculiar (and now well proven) arrangement of fitting rails to the geometric matting - at least along the straights and relatively gentle curves, I am really not sure that the material stands any chance of surviving much more than five minutes on such a sharp turn?! I rather think that laying more conventional (and quite heavy section) sleepers in hard ballast would be most advisable for the loop.
I am taking a risk, for the sake of neatness, of running the first transition on the slate path, so another touch of "wait and see" here, and have installed another section of brown, quarry tile "fence" across the formation (as previously used with the points and station area) to deal with the different type and depth of ballast required.
Not so far to go now before Mr. O., can finally walk on firm ground right up to his shed - although it still feels like an exhausting mile away!
Pete.
Meanwhile, the natives have been getting restless... but not revolting I should say... and I must admit so was I... although yes, perhaps I am?! A little bit of Spring sunshine, and a touch of gentle nagging persuaded me (yeah, yea!) to drag the little engine out for the first trips of the season on the line.
Most of the gang came over, and had a grand old time... following which; a young Mr. T., in his own inimitable style, gave me some (very firm) instructions on when and how I should go about extending the railhead...
Of course, who am I to argue?!
Digging has started on the final section of straight path (stabilisation mat and slate chippings) to Mr. O's potting shed, and the first cut of the top curve.
Progress is painfully slow - at only two or three (at most) shovels full, plus a sit down and rest in between... but I am steadily getting through it!
This curve is going to be utterly wicked at a mere four and a half feet radius, and as I look at it forming up I keep hearing the words of "Bomber Harris" saying:
"It's never been tried... so we shall see"!
Despite all the sage advice stating that for five inch gauge, an absolute minimum radius should be not less than ten feet, I'm afraid that we, at five and three quarters of an inch, only have a maximum of twelve available across the entire plot to turn round in! I am slightly reassured by the knowledge that the original Horwich Works system was laid out, and it's rolling stock was designed to negotiate curves of thirteen feet. That turns out to be pretty much "on the money" here, for when scaled down that equates (after much checking and re-checking) to four feet seven inches.
Whew! That leaves just enough room for our overhanging elbows and knees at the transition on either side!
Before tackling all that however, the first priority is to finish off Mr. O's path - and the slightly awkward junction section.
The problem with the latter is that while I am more that content with the peculiar (and now well proven) arrangement of fitting rails to the geometric matting - at least along the straights and relatively gentle curves, I am really not sure that the material stands any chance of surviving much more than five minutes on such a sharp turn?! I rather think that laying more conventional (and quite heavy section) sleepers in hard ballast would be most advisable for the loop.
I am taking a risk, for the sake of neatness, of running the first transition on the slate path, so another touch of "wait and see" here, and have installed another section of brown, quarry tile "fence" across the formation (as previously used with the points and station area) to deal with the different type and depth of ballast required.
Not so far to go now before Mr. O., can finally walk on firm ground right up to his shed - although it still feels like an exhausting mile away!
Pete.
Tim Watson
Western Thunderer
Great to see this railway back on line.
Tim
Tim