SimonD’s workbench

[simond]

I fairly often laser etch something thats been pre-cut, by cutting out the shape of the item in 2mm MDF that has been secured down, and placing the component to be etched within the void - having of course drawn the cut-out and the etch detail on the same drawing file. I etch planking on the reverse side of things this was as well. One is slightly at the mercy of the kerf thickness....

Hope that makes sense!

thanks Giles, it does make sense and it was where my mind was going after yesterday's disappointment

cheers
Simon

 

[simond]

A secondary issue, but the variation in letter forms is really striking. Plausible GW lettering and what? Calibri, second from right? That really sings out at this range as wrong, though saying that, all three of the others are different!

Adam

Thanks Adam, I'm not sure, I think it might be Calibri. I was just playing, TurboCAD is limited on Fonts, but I am sure I can import something.

and the "W" is not bad

thx
Simon

 

[simond]

Good morning Simon,

I have successfully made W Irons using a layer of .5mm styrene backed either side by a later of 0.25mm styrene the laminations giving much more strength than a single 1mm layer would.

What I am not sure of is whether you would get similar results from card. Although the Silhouette's are designed for crafters I have never managed to get on with cutting card on my machine so I have no experience with using it as a medium.

On the subject of Silhouette and cutting to registration marks I understand that you can and there are people on RMWeb who have successfully cut out pre-printed coach sides (printing onto styrene with an inkjet) but I haven't had the need to use registrations marks so I can offer any help as t o how easy/difficult it might be or how good the results are.

Thanks Rob,

interesting that the laminated styrene is stronger (or is it stiffer?) than a single layer of same thickness

Superglue-soaked card is tough stuff - I shall experiment. The laser is very good at card & MDF, and brilliant at Perspex. I think thin acrylic will be too brittle, so I'll try the card approach to start with.

atb
Simon

 

[Giles]

Do you need a bit of Trotec? That's good robust stuff..... I have 0.8mm and 1mm if you wanted a bit?

 

[simond]

thanks, it's on my list, I imagine it would do the job well. I was going to order some, but IIRC you had a problem with it, so I didn't - I ordered some other polymer stuff which I have not yet tried - but I have a pointless urge to do it in card...

thanks for the offer!
Simon

 

[Rob Pulham]

Thanks Rob,

interesting that the laminated styrene is stronger (or is it stiffer?) than a single layer of same thickness

Superglue-soaked card is tough stuff - I shall experiment. The laser is very good at card & MDF, and brilliant at Perspex. I think thin acrylic will be too brittle, so I'll try the card approach to start with.

atb
Simon

Sorry Simon,

Yes it's stiffer/more rigid rather than physically stronger. Poor choice of words.

 

[Giles]

Trotec has problems with diode lasers.... it should be fine with CO2 lasers!

 

[simond]

May…. December…

a little modelling has gone on, but not as much as normal. The crane is painted, partially assembled, some detailing remaining to do



Some 3D CAD has been turned into 3D prints by John Baker, to whom many thanks,



Trial prints on the wagon, the final articles, awaiting time, patience and opportunity to be assembled, are in the bags behind.

Resin printing is massively attractive for our hobby. I might indulge myself…

and a bit of laser cutting that has languished part assembled on the bench has been fitted with a proper axle and springs. Needs a footstep, some rear doors, lettering, an advert board, a little more paint, a driver and an ‘orse.




Merry Christmas, and a Happy, Healthy New Year to one and all!

Simon

 

[simond]

Well, some baby steps today…



this job has been wanting doing for a couple of years…. they are the slate spacing gauges for the locoshed roof, I can put a pentel propelling pencil in the holes and run the gauge along the roof to get the parallel guide lines to which to align the slates.


and a quick blat of primer on the trial tanks.



the stripey effect is not obvious on the final tanks that John printed, but I’m using the trial ones to check everything out before committing myself. The primer seems to have gone on well, and should look good on the final tanks. The rivet detail shows which is brilliant.

some slates on the roof this afternoon, perhaps

A Happy & Healthy New Year to all!
Simon

 

[Mikemill]

Have any of those having troubles with soldering irons tried resistance soldering? I have used one for many years, total control over the amount of heat required from thin brass to 1/16 thick steel. You can even solder a pin next to another pin without the first one melting, not posable with an iron.

Mike

 

[John Baker]

The rivet detail shows which is brilliant.

Quite ofter the primer shows the fine detail much better than on a 'naked' print. Just means when you get onto the final versions you'll need to invest in some very fine grade sand paper to smooth down the filler needed between the end-domes and the tanks!

 

[simond]

Have any of those having troubles with soldering irons tried resistance soldering? I have used one for many years, total control over the amount of heat required from thin brass to 1/16 thick steel. You can even solder a pin next to another pin without the first one melting, not posable with an iron.

Mike

Mike

I'm a great believer in having lots of tools, and made myself an RSU many years ago using a Maplin transformer kit and some very thick wire!

Whilst I wholly agree with your post, I'm not sure what triggered it - was there a previous post or something?

HNY
Simon

 

[Mikemill]

Simon, apologies I seem to have posted in the wrong thread.

Mike

 

[simond]

Mike,

no worries!

I did wonder

cheers
Simon

 

[simond]

Not happy with this…



the good bits are ok, but the bad bits are not good enough. Even a slight out-of-line sticks out larger than a sore thumb, and there seems to be a tendency to curl up, in some areas, which might be fixable, but might not…

I’m open to suggestions, but the current plan is to remove this lot and start again.

for the attempt #2 I shall cut a base layer that fits accurately, and then apply the slates to that, on the basis that the glue between layers of slates can dry under a sheet of glass on a kitchen worktop overnight, and I won’t have to bend over and work at an awkward angle whilst applying them, so they might go on a bit better.

I shall also cut the strips slightly differently, so I use less material, and I provide a clearer edge marker to work to.

meanwhile, out with the new Stanley knife blades…

 

[Bill Campbell]

Hi Simon

There is a very useful brochure about roof slating here:

Gallery - Welsh Slate

This is because its extraordinary geology gives it unique physical properties which, when combined with generations of skilled quarrymen, create a roo

www.welshslate.com

The download link is at the right of the page.

There is a good selection of drawings showing how to lay out slates for different roofing situations.

My own preference is for individual slates laid to guide lines on the sub-structure - this gives just enough irregularity.

Regards.

 

[simond]

Thanks Bill.

I fear that I’m quite capable of introducing more than enough irregularity!!!

 

[Phil O]

Hi Simon,

In 4mm, I print slates onto thin card, I add a couple of extra lines one for how far to cut for each slate and a 2nd for where the next strip overlaps. I find doing slates strips somewhat easier than doing each one individually.

 

[simond]

Thanks Phil,

I have cut some slate material to fit the roof, per the picture below, and have redrawn the slates - if the weather is not hideous tomorrow, I’ll have a run on the laser and see how they look.

I too prefer rows to individual slates. My original rows were a little too flexible, but I think I’ve fixed that.

I have adjusted the laser pattern so that there’s a clear spacing mark on each row to guide the next row’s placement. I hope this will help get an even appearance. The advantage of assembling the slates to a separate layer is that I can work on a flat surface and use a metre rule to ensure everything lines up.

I hope

 

[simond]

A bit of slate progress…

the pile of lasered sheets in the top photo show the cuts between slates have been shortened to one gauge 5.833 mm - actually 5.9mm, a little more than 10”) to provide a guide line for the next row, rather than being cut back two gauge distances as I had previously. The assembled base layer was shortened by about a millimetre to fit snugly to the MDF roof, and the ruler has been set to 120mm (19 rows) down from the edge of the clerestory vents.

the upper photo shows a variety of dry groceries keeping the slates flat whilst the glue dries a bit. The lower shows that I did one and a half rows this morning, before a pleasant stroll around Rye (I can recommend the WaterWorks micro pub and the Globe Inn Marsh) and have now done 4 rows. Hopefully another 4 rows in half an hour, and maybe four more before bedtime.

Back to work tomorrow…