I forgot I was trying to do this

[Rod.H]

And that "this" is reproduce A.R. Walkley's ' layout in a suitcase' in HO scale with *drumroll* Kato HO unitrack. As the shed door was tweeked and the weather is constantly against me going out there. Annoying thing is I don't think I've got any photographs of it set up and I was having issues tuning the lengths of the sidings to work with the turnouts and the uncoupling track. Oh and how to fasten the track down. Some of it I used screws on, but I appear to've either missplaced the pack or I ran out of them as only the tracks going over the board edges are fastened down.

 

Back to the turnouts I think they're all #6, but I've got some #4s still in the blister packs, so that brings up question marks.

The rolling stock I'm working with is Australian HO stock as at the time I was unaware the existence of Japanese HO stock and just thought that HO unitrack was something Kato was doing for the US market.

I also got it working in DC and DCC, though I think I scavenged a NCE Powercab layout interface unit off of something to do that and somehow fed voltage to the usual Kato switch controllers

ah this picture is from when I think I was trying to add Walkley's plan to a N-trak format

 

This is from giving up on N-trak(?) and just went with the straight Walkley plan

 

I think someone somewhere said it was a x anniversary of the design coming up, and going by the file dates it was the 90th when I started it. As it's the 100th year anniversary coming up in 2026, I've got 4 more years to complete it! Perhaps by then I'll finally have an idea on the scenery. Maybe I'd region change and get some Japanese HO to run on it. Who knows  

 

Edited February 28, 2022 by Rod.H
didn't want to double post

[Rod.H]

As it was a niceish day and I picked up a packet of appropriate screws. Work time!

The main thing done to this module was a slight dusting and fastening down of the track that was trying to walk. Oh and collect up the accessories 

 

This module got the same as above, plus a track rethink

The LH #6 was replaced with a LH#4, and a dive through the tub of HO Unitrack - yes I have one - resulted in siding lengths that fit on the board, but they and the permanent uncouplers, I've yet to test as I'd no access to main power. That and the tracks need a fair bit of a clean.

[Rod.H]

I think I'm coming along with a name for this, Something Merton or Merton Something. As I started from a wikiwalk at Wimbledon and Merton grabbed me. Now I just need to work out the name if I region shift to Japan. I've found a local source of Wamu's and a Yo5000, but all the loco's they have are electrics and I'm looking at either a DE10 or non-brass C11 tank engine.

Or I don't region shift and keep using my little diesels and add just to them say with https://www.australianmodeller.com.au/collections/diesel-locomotives/products/w-class-locomotive-w-262-rebuilt-body-vr-blue and get a second https://www.roco.cc/en/product/227478-0-0-2-3-0-0-002003/products.html which might be harder then sourcing my desired Japanese locos.

The only VR diesels I don't have are the S class, C class, X class and the W Class. The A class is just upgraded an B class and the N & G class never ran in blue and gold.

[Rod.H]

I forgot to add the trackplan that I'm trying to replicate

 

and yeah I think I've got a siding too long. But I've also realised that I've been using all #4s all along. The original apparently used one LH point and two RH points verses the two LH and one RH I'm actually using. I now also have apparently the correct dimensions of the original 180 cm by 30 cm, as I'm using double T-Trak-HO modules mine's longer: 196.4 cm and wider: 49 cm. 

A W class diesel has been acquired by me and I've got more 4 wheel wagons (open wagon, louvre van, container flat, grain hopper, insulated van & cattle) on hand then I originally thought as I found another six pack of a VR type (grain hopper) that sold out pretty much instantly. 

I still have no idea on scenery and have changed a siding to curve and parallel the main, but to get the spacing for a shed I think I'd be needing the HO version of the compact track points/switch that Tomix & Kato do in N.

 

edit: and what I did to a siding

Edited April 21, 2022 by Rod.H
added the picture of what I did

[Rod.H]

I though that I'd a corner section assembled

.

No that's a single straight. I then found the top of a corner cut too long, broke out the jigsaw and shouldn't have as I butchered the edge and I discovered that I was out of that size plywood resulting in a Bunnings trip. My attempt to force the jigsaw to cut where I wanted failed again 

And now I've a t-trak corner top cut with a japanese pull saw. Just need to make some sides, which I thought I had, they've walked. I'm getting a thought that I really need a cordless circular saw, and that may mean yet another battery pack, as I've Panasonic 14.4/18V, Bosch Blue 12V & Milwaukee M12 

[cteno4]

If only a small cut now and then the pull saw works well on thinner plys. Yeah jig/saber saws are hard to keep a straight line with, by the nature of the blade movement it makes them want to hop around and teeth snag hard places in the wood and yank the blade or slide into a soft area. Trying to shave a bit off the edge is what they are worst at. Using a finer blade and going slow helps. Also just doing a couple of practice cuts as it’s a real feel thing. Trick is to hold the saber saw a bit lightly and not force it as pushing too hard and holding the saw really tightly tends to make it wander then forcing it back to correct just makes it worse. It is a strange tool. While I’ve had jobs where I had to use them so much my hands went numb and I got very good with them, I still never liked them.

 

I do hate the battery pack explosion. I gave up and went ryobi way back and have really resisted straying. Luckily the price, quality and selection here with the ryobi here in the states has been a very good compromise for me. I don’t use most of the cordless tools (other than the drill and driver, but they have been champs) that much to warrant more expensive brands and so far the 15 or so tools have held up very well over the years, all still bopping along. Quality for use has always been well within what I’ve needed out of cordless tools. Nice to now have like 8 or 9 batteries all the time and a 6 pack charger to keep them well charges. Also super bright torch for the dog in the backyard and little emergency lamps with usb power for outage all on the 18v packs.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[Rod.H]

Yeah the jigsaw was giving me many pains, set it up to cut with a guide and line veered straight for the no cut zone. Get around that and the blade starts skipping the guide arm still cutting into the no cut zone. I do know that Bosch does an 85mm circular saw that uses their 12v batteries and Milwakee has a 140mm 12v, so I've a ebay or pawn shop target before getting new.

 

For there's only so much I can do with manual hand tools....

(and yes I know thing would go so much faster with a CNC/Laser kit, but point me to someone that does T-trak-HO module kits in Oz? I don't even think there's a source of T-Trak-N modules anymore)

 

[cteno4]

Guides just don’t work with saber saws, the jumping action just leads do issues fast with a guide. Only way is to gently guide it freehand, but that takes feel for thus just practice.

 

good luckfinfing a circular saw that matches your current batteries, always better tha starting with yet another battery system!

 

cheers

 

jeff

[Rod.H]

These are the cordless saws I've found:

https://www.totaltools.com.au/101102-milwaukee-m12-fuel-140mm-circular-saw-bare-m12ccs440

https://www.totaltools.com.au/133700-bosch-saw-circular-85mm-12v-skin-only-06016a1001

https://sydneytools.com.au/product/panasonic-ey45a2xm57-14-4v-18v-li-ion-dual-voltage-cordless-multi-purpose-cutter-skin-only

 

This is the jigsaw I have:

https://sydneytools.com.au/product/panasonic-ey4541x57-14-4v-cordless-jigsaw-skin-only

 

Edit: and looking for those saws on ebay, with any new ones found those sellers want almost double of our two tool specialist chains. I only found one used and they still wanted AUD$200 for it, hate to see what the used price at Cash Converters is (note 60% chance of it being stolen goods!) 

Edited April 25, 2022 by Rod.H

[cteno4]

Ouch those are a bit pricy. Alternative might be to look at a small corded one, even an off brand if you are not using it much. They are pretty simple and hard to go really wrong (check reviews though). While cordless is nice, a corded one has lots of torque and is usually much cheaper for a decent quality one. they do tend to be a bit bigger and bulkier, but trade that off for the battery weight and it’s another so bad. The bigger and sturdier is actually better with a circular saw as they tend to wander less. My big skil has a cast base plate as well that is much more accurate and cleaner to use than the usual folded metal base plates that can at times be a bit wonky or get twerked with a drop.

 

https://sydneytools.com.au/category/power-tools/circular-saws?orderBy=price_asc&p=1

 

$79 Mikita looks decent.

 

For any larger amount of circular saw cutting I always default to my larger plug in circular saw, especially if over 5mm thickness. Circular saws also eat batteries fast. I generally use my little cordless for a quick cut or to whack up scrap I’m tossing fast (like a wood palette) or having to do something outside the shop.

 

another option are the baby circular saws like 4” blades and many are sold with clamping guide rails for longer ply cuts. I tried a couple of these and one just did not do well past 12mm ply and the other just did not slide well on its guide rail. They are much more compact, but smaller blade makes it easier to wander than a bigger circular saw.

 

nice looking saber saw. Again it’s not the saw quality causing the wandering it’s just the nature of the in and out saw blade and vibration making them want to just jump around and wander. I forgot to mention they do function better when you clamp your material down to the bench well, less change the vibration causing the stock to jump around. They really are meant to do curve cuts.

 

cheers,

 

jeff

[katoftw]

Thought about doing it by hand? You are only doing small panels.

 

Steel ruler + handsaw + elbow.

[Rod.H]

1 hour ago, katoftw said:

Thought about doing it by hand? You are only doing small panels.

 

Steel ruler + handsaw + elbow.

 

That's how I did that module: steel rulers, carpenter squares, carpenter pencil and a Japanese long blade pull saw  and I was still not getting a constant straight edge with the side panels. All my module sides I had cut have vanished, I've found some tops: another single and a possible double straight, just no sides.

 

'Sides, a decent cordless saw can come in handy, just need to find the right task at home. I'd attach a wood cutting blade to my angle grinder if I didn't know how badly that'd stuff up both me and the wood I want cut.

Edited April 26, 2022 by Rod.H

[cteno4]

Pull saws take practice to get square and clean cuts. It’s sort of a zen thing, have to get into just the right rhythm. the board should be clamped down solidly and use both hands to carefully control the blade and look straight down the blade to keep it true. If you have a flush toothed pull saw (ie teeth don’t bend out to the sides at all) you can clamp a 2x4 on your saw line to help guide the blade and keep it perpendicular to the surface, but have to be careful as you can wander into the guide block if not careful. It is something that takes practice to get really tight and clean edges.
 

Sadly ply is not a great material for hand saws as the reversing of the grains between plys and the glue that can be a bit hard on some, kind of catches the teeth and tends to make the blade bounce around more and twist that it would on a regular solid piece of wood. Finer blades (more teeth per inch) are better, but can get expensive and take more time to cut. Regular ply Is probably the worst kind of wood to cut with most all saws in general. Circular saws with a ply blade tend to do the best job with the least splintering or roughing of the sawn edge. The outer skin of plywoods has also gotten thinner and thinner (it’s like paper thin on hardwood plys) and this causes more and more chipping/breakout.

 

A nice little circular saw is one of the most handy power tools to have to do all sorts of cuts. With a cross cut guide you can do nice cutoffs as well and couple of clamps and a board makes a rip cut guide. W.o a table saw it lets you do most all the straight cuts needed with some setup and guides to get really good results. One warning they are one of the most dangerous power tools out there and need good care and safety. I’ve used them for almost 50 years a lot and never have had a major safety issue using one (couple of kickbacks, but no issue as I was doing everything with proper safety), but I was brought up with power tools in an environment of safety with multiple mentors starting with my dad.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[Rod.H]

I don't know if the uglyness is going to come through

but I'm not happy with the sides on this module. 

 

So a close up of a corner

 

I think my side panel cuts twisted in two directions, even with a cutting guide. It's also the first time that I've used this glue from sikaflex as I was out of my preferred wood glues. I'm not happy, I don't think I can hide my crimes and I'm probably going to redo the entire module from scratch. I think I need to find someone that offers CNC wood cutting, source some corner clamps and contemplate getting Adam Savage's most feared hand tool: a staple gun

 

 

 

 

[cteno4]

Rod,

 

No worries, doing stuff like from scratch without the proper tools and lots of experience can take some time to get down. Important thing is keep at it!

 

have you looked at any dimensional lumber out there at your wood supply places? Sometimes they sell some thinner slab moulding strip that may work for your framing material and get you out of cutting the side strips out of ply which is definitely hard to do not on a table saw. Then you just cross cut off chunks to make the sides. Usually it’s nice clear wood as well. Little miter box and hand saw gets you nice square, clean and repeatable cut offs.

 

Other option is to look for someone local with shop that would just cut this on a table saw for you. Ask around I bet there is someone in your neighborhood with a wood shop in their garage that may do some cutting for you for a six of something good! most hobby woodworkers are happy to help with stuff like this and share tips and tricks as well.

 

Use to be our school woodshops would have night adult classes where you learned how to use all the tools and a sample project then you could do open classes to work on your own projects. Insurance issues have slowly killed most shops in schools other than some auto shops here in America sadly. don’t know what that situation is down under. I was a very high achieving academic student and yet I took most of the wood and metal shop courses and they have been invaluable my whole life as well as having a father who was a woodworker. We also have a wood supply business here locally with a big shop you can pay to get checked out in and then rent time in it, it’s pricier, but compared to the investment in a shop really not bad to go in now and then for a few hours to cut stuff off or use big planer or belt sanders for finishing.

 

Other option is to call around to small cabinet shops as they can cut this in a flash (and may have decent plywood for you to buy cheap). Many also are now CNC so you could wack a sheet out really fast once simple CNC patter is done. May not be very expensive. I used a cabinet shop a long time back that was happy to do an odd little cabinets pretty cheap if I could wait a while for them and they do it when they had a spare couple of hours as usually their jobs were whole kitchens and a few days each and little stuff was great to fill in the odd schedule holes.

 

one way to clean these up would be to get some heavier wood veneer and use it across the front and back sides as those are all you see. Use a sanding block to stand nice and flat and then you can apply the veneer strips. It comes in rolls of varying widths like 25mm, 50mm etc and some are backed with heat sensitive glue and you just iron it on. Others have pressure sensitive adhesive but these can not grip well in the long run to bare wood so better to pain the wood before using psa veneer. Wood supply stores will also have chunks of veneer you can cut to size with a matte knife and glue on with PVA glue (bit more of a pain). Once applied you then use a matte knife to shave off the extra and finish with a sanding block. I use this all the time on the front and back of modules to give a very pretty finished hardwood edge instead of an ugly streak of paint. I usually just tung oil the hardwood (usually cherry) and buff with some bees wax, don’t even varnish, but that’s an option as well. Out eye just accepts nicely finished wood. Painted over wood and joints just catches the eye along with hard thing that any color paint chose you will find a significant fraction of your viewers will object to so you start and finish with a pissed off eye.

 

that glue looks like an expanding polyurethane glue (major brand here is gorilla glue). It’s strong and useful for certain situations, but super messy to use and the expanding nature can cause some issues pushing things around while fitting up. I generally just stick with a good quality wood PVA glue. Strong hold and easy to clean up and no expanding.

 

with thinner plys a 18g brad nailer is best. Pin nailers also work but are not super strong and really just used to hold things in place while glue drys. Corner clamps are very fiddly to use, especially on smaller things like this. I have a bunch of them I’ve collected and only use them when I can’t use any fasteners and need to just clamp. My go to is glue and brad nailer. I use the pin nailer when I get down to 5mm and less that I’m nailing into the side of. Usually brad and pin nailers are pneumatic (then need a cheap little compressor, another $50-100, and something usually cheap on the used market, but very handy), but there are corded and cordless electric ones which have plenty of umph for shorter brads and plywoods (not so good on hardwoods). brad nailer really is one of the handiest tools in the shop and makes building things like this very fast.
 

Staplers are good for bigger hunks of stuff where you don’t care how it looks (staple ends can be ugly) and have enough wood to bite in. They are best for where you want a super strong structural hold and don’t have time/space/wood for screws. I use it for more rough structural stuff not seen or later covered up. They also don’t play well going into the ends of ply as you have two nails close by that can more easily split ply layers.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[cteno4]

Looking at the module size 1x2 or 1x3 (nominal 0.75”x1.5” or 2.5”) would be perfect for a frame and nail ply to the top then. One by (assume like 18mm in Australia) material is nice as you can drill and nail by hand easily weigh finishing nails to make the frame then nail the ply down on top square it all up. Easy to cross cut off with a simple miter box neat and square.

 

https://smile.amazon.com/Fuller-Tool-320-0217-Mitre-Back/dp/B076PNSR1F/ref=sr_1_8?crid=3LX0O5ZBWL4QT&keywords=Miter+box&qid=1651450277&sprefix=miter+box%2Caps%2C192&sr=8-8

https://smile.amazon.com/CRAFTSMAN-Mitre-Adjustable-Angle-CMHT20800/dp/B07R4BVSB4/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3LX0O5ZBWL4QT&keywords=Miter+box&qid=1651450277&sprefix=miter+box%2Caps%2C192&sr=8-2

 

ply can usually get cut close for the top at the lumber yard and then just sand off any overage or use a flush cut pull saw to trim off extra and cover with veneer.

 

Face with veneer if you want to make pretty edges. Sorry I was thinking Ttrak earlier on only front and back being visible and using thinner stuff. You can use one by material on Ttrak, but they become very dense!

 

cheers

 

jeff

[Rod.H]

I don't think there's many people with woodshops in their sheds in my neighbourhood, that's if they've a shed. Hence the acquiring of appropriate tools.

Though I've not been focusing on any woodworking at the moment, I've been circling the question of what structures I do need? I've not found anything I like from Walthers or from the lasercutters that do local structures. Then a visit to a Euro model train specialist pointed me at the BKS system Auhagen do, which means I've found the wall elements I like, I'm just unsure on the end result. As talking to staff at my local model train specialist reminded me that I pretty much have the rolling stock that covers a range of industries that used to exist in our inner cities, made of brick and were railserved.

[cteno4]

Rod,

 

train shop guys might have some ideas on woodworker to help and or teach some.

 

as long as modules are reasonably functional you can always just put a thin molding strip or veneer across visible bits to cover any boo boos. I do this all the time!

 

finding the buildings and materials look that feels right for your scene can be a challenge. One approach is to get a central structure that looks closest to what you want and start with that and then try to follow that look well with the Ernest of the bits. This way when the eye goes to the central bit and works out further the better things mesh and the consistency is a big plus in the viewer’s eye to evaluating the whole scene and gives a better impression even if not spot on reproducing the prototype scene. Elsewise then you get into scratch building that is another level of work to get it perfect prototype.

 

jeff

[Rod.H]

Changed the track of the end module, again! I picked up two unitrack manual #4 points that each came with the motor add-on plus a control switch...just realised that I've probably installed the motors wrong. Then trialled out some of the Auhagen structures I have put together. 

Yeah, I probably should follow their instructions to build a card & paper mock-up first, as I've potentially wasted 3 packets of walls.

 

Edit:

I fixed the point motors, I definitely had them on the wrong orientation point, and now the wire matches up with the preexisting holes left over from the electric #4 points. Also swapped out the R550 curve for a R490. Now I'm thinking that I have an issue with the uncoupling magnets positions, but they're probably right for short 4-wheel stock with number limits.

Edited September 13, 2022 by Rod.H

[Rod.H]

Not too much change on the layout. I have instead been adding on to a structure. That half-relief building in previous pictures has now evolved into a full box structure, just missing a roof. In doing so I've pretty much wiped out the entire countries supply of Auhagen B.A.U system parts with a resupply looking to be never. The parts I need have been seen on eBay, but the shipping kills the order. Everything is coming from the same eBay shop but the system doesn't see it that way. I'm looking at $300 in shipping for a total $50 order that'd fit in a small packet satchel.

Ordering directly from Auhagen makes it a little bit better with a 60 Euro order apparently just gets a 50 euro shipping fee. Just one small problem, they've dropped the entire English language from the website, uncertain if the babblefish is parsing correctly and don't know if they'll actually ship to Australia. The raiding of existing Auhagen kit's won't help me, for the parts I'm after are either not in one or not in the quantity's I need.

 

Also I've been contemplating hiring a model train layout consultant for scenery & fiddle yard advice for beyond this desire building I'm rather stumped.

Edited April 12, 2023 by Rod.H

[Morcs]

If you are a bit hesitant about doing scenery right now, just add some paint to the boards so they look a bit nicer in the meantime - some gray around the track areas for the yard area, and then some green areas elsewhere, then just plonk some buildings around and use the layout whilst you get inspiration/motivation to give some scenery a go in small areas. At least with unitrack you dont need to do ballasting in the normal sense which is a plus, and its a lot easier to have a layout look just a little bit more than  looking like some track on a door.

[Rod.H]

I've a small can of Russian Green 4BO acrylic house paint that'd work for green, if it's still good. Yeah, that was a fun colour to get mixed at the local big hardware store, for that's a colour that's not in their system. I took a painted 15mm T-34 there and got them to scan it for the paint match. Vallejo Russian Green 4BO primer over grey plastic in case your wondering. The wooden item I got the paint for was primed in grey so there's a match, even with a protective clear varnish coat.  

I'll have to think on the grey, for most of them I have might, not work with house paint

[James-SNMB]

On 4/12/2023 at 2:13 AM, Rod.H said:

 

Ordering directly from Auhagen makes it a little bit better with a 60 Euro order apparently just gets a 50 euro shipping fee. Just one small problem, they've dropped the entire English language from the website, uncertain if the babblefish is parsing correctly and don't know if they'll actually ship to Australia.

Have you tried Modellbahnshop-lippe?

 

https://www.modellbahnshop-lippe.com/Manufacturer/Products/gb/overview.html?hersteller=Auhagen

 

They carry Auhagen, and might even be cheaper than ordering from Auhagen directly. And they ship globally.

 

I haven't ordered from them (yet, although I plan to soon, also for some Auhagen items!) but I believe other forum members here have, and they seem to have a solid reputation.

[Rod.H]

They do indeed appear to be cheaper then Auhagen for the bits I need including shipping. Though it is FedEx. The website on the other hand is an utter mess to locate the parts. I had to use the Auhagen website to source their product code, then search on Modellbahnshop-lippe for it as they've separated everything into categories at the item level, the BAU system walls are in walls, the needed joining freezes & corners are in decorations, window blanks are in windows. 

[James-SNMB]

Yes, I'll agree that I have also found the site a bit more challenging to browse and find things, and have done the same as you and searched by product code. I think it may be down to the shear volume of products they carry, and large number of manufacturers, and to some degree the categories aren't always perfectly intuitive.

 

But I like research, and I like browsing, so I've actually spent many hours spread over the last couple of years going through every n scale item by each manufacturer to get a picture of what's available out there. There are several manufacturers and products that aren't readily available or known outside of Europe (like Auhagen), so that's been cool to discover. But yeah, it takes some motivation to go through it all. There's a lot!