Well, its that time of the year to take stock and set some targets for the new year.
This is going to be somewhat harder this year as my modeling is in astate of flux at the moment. The house purchase and move (and the associated work involved) has staled the modeling entirely. I have not even set up the work bench properly yet.
So, what are the plans for the year?
Honestly, I'm not sure. I don't seem to have the space for Paekakariki at the moment (unless there is some major surgery outside). The model room has space for an end to end layout, but I'm not sure what form it will take (including scale). I'm leaning towards something freelance (location wise) with a port at one end, and a fiddleyard at the other. epriod also to be decided.
I must also have a crack at teaching myself CAD this year, if only for the big bits. I can see a few purchases of 3D tops from Shapeways coming on, especially after the 3 part Df series in the Railfan last year. Theres also the fell loco's to sort out.
Just pondering after I've writen this, and re reading some old posts, maybe its time this year to make a more concerted drive to get our free-mo layout up and running. Despite a few teething problems last year with it ( I always get to odd module set), things worked well enough.
Would there be interest in a module 'kit' of a fixed size (say 3') long?
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14 comments:
For sure! Count me in.
A module kit sounds interesting.
How do you see this done?
coasterboy.
I was thinkn a kit with 2 end plates, 2 sides (3'long) , a top and some material for the trackbase.
there should be enough space to have a couple of sidings for some shunting.
Alternatively 2 sets could be put together to build a passing loop station.
The kit would be aimed at people lacking axcess to woodworking implements (or skills).
It would be worth having some removable protection for the scenery on the tops of modules. My biggest concern when moving a couple of MMW modules with scenery on them to and from shows, and when storing them at home, has been risk of damage to fragile finished scenery.
As for length - why 3 feet? A length of 1.2 metres (4 feet) gives more length for sidings and points and fits easily along the back seat of my car. Why waste that extra foot?
And so the debate continues........
it sure does, why not only provide the end plates and leave the length of the module to the builder ? what is the goal ? a round-and-round layout or a point-to-point (maybe with end loops)? steve
Plenty of debate is good (well, to a point).
3' vs 4'; I was thinking in terms of postage saving (though I'm not sure what that would be).
Scenery protection would be up to the owner.
The aim is to supply a kit that allows a new builder to build a module without a stack of woodworking skills that will fit into a set up.
Those of you who can operate power tools can just purchase the ends.
Next round.....
Oh, and my short module with 3 sidings is 32" long.
I think Mr Druff has summed up the whole idea nicely,in the second to last sentence of his second to last post.
The biggest "stopper"to actually starting modules is "starting"!eg:biulding base.It would be pretty cool to be able to order one,two or three at a time and just screw/bolt? together,instead of a lot of cutting/ measureing making a hell of a mess in the process.And every bodys would be the same,so should fit together nicely.......well should do.
I know I would be very keen,being a lazy bugger an all.
Last word,just stick to one size and be done with it.
Ill crawl back in me hole now.
Coasterboy
I can't figure why this is so hard.
For some of us it is very hard.
Supply one kit, if people want to build longer/make wider, make into an s shape etc there is no reason why they can't by replacing/extending sides/top.
I liked on the Otaki modules having a backscene - it was only as tall as the layout was wide, but with it, you could bolt pairs of modules together into a box (the backscenes formed the sides) for travel.
If this was a kit, the backscene could be supplied prepainted with some generic sky blue to bring some coherence to everyones modules when they were assembled together.
and the "one size" supplied in the kit should be as long as practical - one metric back seat is probably a good starting point. its easier to make wood shorter than to make it longer.
kiwibond, aren't there swedish pumps available to make wood longer ? steve
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