michael mott
Western Thunderer
Some time ago I agreed to make 4 signals for a chap in Maine as my part in a swap for 123 issues of Narrow gauge and industrial review. So have finally got around to finishing them. I was given a page out of one of the Garden Rail magazines for a simple semaphore signal with basically an open invitation to make some changes.
![IMG_2191x1024.jpg IMG_2191x1024.jpg](https://www.westernthunder.co.uk/data/attachments/155/155549-dff142aa6871c65430b78ee987ffdaf7.jpg)
I did a quick drawing in Corel and started a couple of years ago, then put it aside to sort out a few things. Currently the signals are now ready to be painted .
At first I began following the basic design which included some plated top and bottom To retain the control rods I used some 7ply aircraft plywood. But found these to be a bit difficult to deal with from an assembly and maintenance point of view. so opted to change this element.
![Capture3694.JPG Capture3694.JPG](https://www.westernthunder.co.uk/data/attachments/155/155546-15451a77ba2d6f3fa4fe1bea409291f2.jpg)
I did a few tests with some copper wire to create a forged look to a bolt on bracket.
![Capture3689.JPG Capture3689.JPG](https://www.westernthunder.co.uk/data/attachments/155/155544-c1233f3cbc892400fa7ea679f6da86e7.jpg)
![Capture3692.JPG Capture3692.JPG](https://www.westernthunder.co.uk/data/attachments/155/155545-97c7c6f51fdbca6bb122850a3cf6e9bf.jpg)
This led to a couple of days worth of trying out different ways to flatten and shape some annealed copper wire, I was not really happy with the results so opted for a fabricated bracket. With my recent experience of winding up large wire for the spring on the air loco I wound up some 1/16th dia. annealed brass rod to make thick Jump rings. which led me to trying to roll up some 1/16th square rod to make some square section Jump rings.
![Capture3698.JPG Capture3698.JPG](https://www.westernthunder.co.uk/data/attachments/155/155547-bee7164fb0ff52ec95e551fa78f588dc.jpg)
Then I laughed because I realized that a bit of brass rod with a hole bored to the correct diameter would be so much easier to make the square section rings.
After turning up said rings I decided that the round section rings were more pleasing to look at and so proceeded along those lines.
![Capture3702.JPG Capture3702.JPG](https://www.westernthunder.co.uk/data/attachments/155/155551-6ce88a353902fa99ba59374f518ec1a6.jpg)
The soft soldered brackets were blackened with Jax bronze and black solution. the square bolts were made from some 3/32 square brass rod and threaded 1x72 and used as self tapping screws into the maple post.
I used a small home made pin chuck to get the heads all clean after they had been parted off . Adapting a C5 collet chuck for my Myford has been a boon to being able to hold hex, square, and round stock accurately and repeatedly.
![IMG_3713x1024.jpg IMG_3713x1024.jpg](https://www.westernthunder.co.uk/data/attachments/155/155550-46d6fd33f06081ea879f8a7a02603820.jpg)
Still need to rivet the ladders to the brass post brackets then take them apart to be painted. The signal are 13 inches high post is 1/2 in square tapered from the base to the top down to 3/8. steel sides of the ladders are 1/8 square.
![Capture3721.JPG Capture3721.JPG](https://www.westernthunder.co.uk/data/attachments/155/155548-8f9cd9b7be2ea3ba2a8226464182f4f0.jpg)
Michael
![IMG_2191x1024.jpg IMG_2191x1024.jpg](https://www.westernthunder.co.uk/data/attachments/155/155549-dff142aa6871c65430b78ee987ffdaf7.jpg)
I did a quick drawing in Corel and started a couple of years ago, then put it aside to sort out a few things. Currently the signals are now ready to be painted .
At first I began following the basic design which included some plated top and bottom To retain the control rods I used some 7ply aircraft plywood. But found these to be a bit difficult to deal with from an assembly and maintenance point of view. so opted to change this element.
![Capture3694.JPG Capture3694.JPG](https://www.westernthunder.co.uk/data/attachments/155/155546-15451a77ba2d6f3fa4fe1bea409291f2.jpg)
I did a few tests with some copper wire to create a forged look to a bolt on bracket.
![Capture3689.JPG Capture3689.JPG](https://www.westernthunder.co.uk/data/attachments/155/155544-c1233f3cbc892400fa7ea679f6da86e7.jpg)
![Capture3692.JPG Capture3692.JPG](https://www.westernthunder.co.uk/data/attachments/155/155545-97c7c6f51fdbca6bb122850a3cf6e9bf.jpg)
This led to a couple of days worth of trying out different ways to flatten and shape some annealed copper wire, I was not really happy with the results so opted for a fabricated bracket. With my recent experience of winding up large wire for the spring on the air loco I wound up some 1/16th dia. annealed brass rod to make thick Jump rings. which led me to trying to roll up some 1/16th square rod to make some square section Jump rings.
![Capture3698.JPG Capture3698.JPG](https://www.westernthunder.co.uk/data/attachments/155/155547-bee7164fb0ff52ec95e551fa78f588dc.jpg)
Then I laughed because I realized that a bit of brass rod with a hole bored to the correct diameter would be so much easier to make the square section rings.
After turning up said rings I decided that the round section rings were more pleasing to look at and so proceeded along those lines.
![Capture3702.JPG Capture3702.JPG](https://www.westernthunder.co.uk/data/attachments/155/155551-6ce88a353902fa99ba59374f518ec1a6.jpg)
The soft soldered brackets were blackened with Jax bronze and black solution. the square bolts were made from some 3/32 square brass rod and threaded 1x72 and used as self tapping screws into the maple post.
I used a small home made pin chuck to get the heads all clean after they had been parted off . Adapting a C5 collet chuck for my Myford has been a boon to being able to hold hex, square, and round stock accurately and repeatedly.
![IMG_3713x1024.jpg IMG_3713x1024.jpg](https://www.westernthunder.co.uk/data/attachments/155/155550-46d6fd33f06081ea879f8a7a02603820.jpg)
Still need to rivet the ladders to the brass post brackets then take them apart to be painted. The signal are 13 inches high post is 1/2 in square tapered from the base to the top down to 3/8. steel sides of the ladders are 1/8 square.
![Capture3721.JPG Capture3721.JPG](https://www.westernthunder.co.uk/data/attachments/155/155548-8f9cd9b7be2ea3ba2a8226464182f4f0.jpg)
Michael
Last edited: