Jump to content

jimbob

Members
  • Posts

    356
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    18

Everything posted by jimbob

  1. If you have a question, ask the men that know(?). As we are talking points would it be possible to use some sort of remote control system rather than rely on track feed or miles of wiring ? I am talking cheap and cheerful rather than degree level electronics here
  2. Have seen on you tube a guy who uses small batteries used in Vape (fake ciggie things) Low voltage but uses an voltage upper thingy . Sorry techno wizard l am not!
  3. If you use the Tam Valley system you can use your existing DCC controller so retain all the benefits. Instead of wires from the controller to the track they go to a small stubby ariel or both if you wont. Tne Deltang system has the ariel in the hand controller. The advantage of the Tam Valley system is that you have as many locos assigned as your controller allows whilst the Deltang one is limited to 12 per control handset. Was looking at a battery wagon or coach myself, you try putting a battery in an 0-4-0 tank loco !
  4. Very nice, where do they put the coal and water. Reminds me of Bullied's Leader class
  5. Hi steve Would be interested in how you do it. Running battery powered Deltang system and finding charging a bind at times. Bit thick when it comes to electrics so idiot proof explanation needed !
  6. All off the above really + don't build it under trees, leaves on the line take on a new meaning in 00 gauge ! If your line is liable to suffer from garden debris can l suggest a small battery powered leaf blower, a lot easier than using a soft brush. DC or DCC the great debate. Go with what you've got the most of. The biggest problem l found was the choice of controller. I started off with a Dynamis system because it allowed me to walkabout rather than be tethered to a power supply. Bad move, it uses an infrared signal , useless in the sun, three years of frustration and l now have a Gaugemastet system instead. Another option is radio controlled battery powered locos. I am having good success with this, just walk out, plonk a train on the track and your away.
  7. From my limited experience scaffolding boards are ok but tend to bow width ways, great for water drainage but not much else! Scaffolding, decking or just plain floor boards are great for doing long lengths but need plenty of bracing to stop warping every which way. According to Ebay (other action sites are avaliable) you can get scaffolding boards for as little as £1 each the problem being that you have to collect them, so you can guarantee the nearest to you are 100 miles away ! As l have said l use pallet wood as slats screwed to a brace. Yes they may not provide a perfect flat surface but you could always top it with a thin sheet of ply, much cheaper than the thick stuff and cover with roofing felt. In my garden the slats have lasted longer than some of the ply sections. Red ants seem to love the glue holding the ply together !
  8. I don't have an outdoor power source and use a cheap solar panel connected to a battery and inverter. When l do need mains power it via a long extension lead. I have had no problems using a controller out side and providing you use your common sense and don't get it wet or go over it with the mower you should be alright. You might want to invest in a circit braker, same as for a mower incase you do have a short on the cable. If you search 00 garden railway on you tube you will catch glimpses of people using normal controllers outdoors.
  9. Having a very tight budget l used pallets on my original section, some most of which are still I use. I found it hard to get them apart so in the end l cut them up and used them as slats rather than length wise, screwed or nailed on to 6ft treated 2 x1 and covered in felt. Cheap and cheerful. BUT, the problems. I had support posts at the end of the 6ft lengths which meant the boards could sag in the middle, not all pallets are the same thickness so you may have to be careful, wood quality varies too and l have had the odd exposed bit rot very quickly. You can even use the block pieces glued together as support posts. Cheaper than ply and excellent way but be prepared to replace the od bit.
  10. As you will know when it comes to anything electrical l an a bit of a dumbo. So l have some magnetic reed switches that l wish to fit to my battery powered locos so l can isolate the battery when not in use rather than keep taking the battery out. I have tried this on one but l can't get it to work. I assume l just attach the wires to either end of the switch and pass a magnet over it to open and close the circit but zilch happens. Now when you all stop laughing can anyone point out where the village idot has gone wrong please.
  11. Have to say those pictures had me fooled l thought they were real 12in /ft scale.
  12. As it was raining l though l would tidy the spaghetti of wireing on the class 40 l converted to battery/radio control. Needed to add an on off switch for when it's not in use as well. Normal bad soldering complete l connected the battery back up and flash bang blue smoke and up went £45 of RC chip. Idiot boy here had forgotten to insulate one of the joints and - meeting + = blue smoke. I am hoping that it hasn't taken out the DCC chip as well. Lesson learnt, if it ain't broke don't fix it !
  13. Signed for is only £1 extra by Royal Mail you get proof of postage and you can track it as well. NEVER use Hermes to send anything expensive signed for or not as they rarely pay out for lost items and are a bunch of cowboys, l should know l used to work for them !
  14. Mick, can l ask what sort metal the spring rod is and where you got them from? Lack of exhibitions means l can't get the silly little things l would buy/find there. Awkward to search the internet when you don't know what somethings called !. At least at an exhibition you can point and say "one of those thingies please"
  15. Has anyone else noticed that lockdown + good weather has seen the popularity of garden railway expand and actual layout grow. Besides the new active member on here there are a load of new 00 gauge garden railway videos on youtube as well. Long may it continue.
  16. Your wireing is a lot tidier than mine ! I am using the Tam valley system at present as it runs DCC fitted locos. The locos l've fitted at the moment were all DC locos converted to DCC which makes them easier to convert (for me anyway) but means the DCC chip etc takes up a bit more space. Micron are out of stock of the deltang DC version and have said they are on a long wait back order from the states at the moment.
  17. Welcome Thank goodness l am not the only person running dead rail (battery power) here anymore ! Do you use a commercial system or one you have built yourself? At present l have 3 locos running on Tam Valley boards with one more to fit. Also looking at the Del Tang system which will run with DC locos whilst the TV system works on DCC.
  18. Probably a bit late now but in case you have to move have you thought of putting the posts into a large flower pot and then pour the concrete in and the dig a hole for them. You can even dig them up and take them with you if you need to !
  19. Battery is normally kept topped up by a solar panel but fitted a gizmo to check the charge rate etc last year and over the winter somthing went wrong with it and it ran the battery down. Tried charging it up but charger packed up, tried again with new charger but says its fully charged after ten minutes but only shows about 8 volts on meter. Is a few years old now so will replace. Garden centre not to bad, didn't need to queue but decent plants as hard to find as toilet rolls weeks age. Went to B&Q Sunday for some wood etc, about 60 people queueing to get in, stuff that matey, as an over weight, over 60 diabetic thought it not worth the risk.
  20. Not much running as the battery which powers the inverter for controller power has died but l decided to do some much needed trackside beautification in the train set area ( what l call the roundy roundy section). Anyway, several sawn up pallets and two rolls of artificial grass latter and l am not so embarrassed by it any more. Plants are a problem at the moment so it is a matter use what l've got. Went to the local garden centre and basically got trampled on by little old ladies in a buying frenzy, l have the trolly mark's on my back to prove it! Managed to pick up some differant Sedem plants and l will see how the go. The area is in shade most of the day, nice when the suns out for operating but not so good for growing plants. Any plant suggestions welcome.
  21. Have only used a few bits of Hornby fexiable but l found that the rails pop out of the chairs easily, it was second hand so no idea of age but may be a problem outside with expansion/contraction.
  22. English translation to follow 🙂 Sorry not a techie
  23. A nice Alexander bodied Leyland Leopard in Scotish bus group livery
  24. jimbob

    costs

    Unfortunately covid 19 has meant there is a shortage of track like Peco Flexitrack and rail joiners. Set yourself a budget and dont go mad. Ebay is still a good place to look, there was always a good selection of used, good condition track before the problems started but prices have gone up. Check the photos though because some sellers are a bit naughty in there descriptions. Don't pay over the odds either £1.50 to £2.00 is a fare price for a used 3ft length , but postage may be expensive because of the size.
  25. I supose if you haven't got it in stock you can put any price on it because you have none to sell ! Luckily l have a new box in the shed and a stack of used lengths as well, some hord toilet rolls, me track ! This does raise the question of a shortage of items from China and other overseas suppliers. Some stuff l want for my deadrail system is now on a 3 month back order from the USA and no guarantee then. Perhaps the likes of Peco and other UK producers may steal a march on the box importers, may even prompt a resurgence of home grown production.
×
×
  • Create New...