Beverly's and Chris's Slab Door Layout

Beverly,

Same as saundebn I have been using a low temp hot glue gun to attach the foam. Perhaps it is my glue gun but I wait a good 15 to 20 min for it to fully warm up and get the glue really soft. You have to watch the thinest edge of the inclines carefully and be sure to press them down firmly so that the glue does not have a chance to cool slightly causing it to sit up a little higher. Again maybe it is my glue gun but when adhering and entire 2 foot strip generally need to work quickly so that the glue doesn't cool to much. I use two quick stripes of glue down the length and then once set in place go back with an extra bead of glue along the edge with the foam board. It maybe overkill but I figure it is better than having it work loose and leave crack in the scenery.

I did have a few blog entries in which I tried to detail the initial phases of the construction of my platform. ( Try here ) I sort of lost momentum last year and got busy with coaching soccer (my other full time hobby) so I will try update the blog with the progress made thus far. I am by no means and expert though.

Mike

As an alternative to hot glue, I might recommend assembling foam parts with a caulk-like adhesive, such as Liquid Nails for Projects (be certain it is the "foam friendly" version), PowerGrab from LockTite (my personal favorite), or even just plain old caulk (the very cheapest you can find is more than adequate). You'll need a caulking gun, which can be purchased for less than $3. Caulk and gun are available from any home improvement center, K-Mart or WalMart, or any local hardware store.

The "open time" (the time between applying the adhesive and assembling the parts) is longer than that of hot glue, which will allow you to make adjustments as needed. However, you'll also need to allow it to fully set, which is typically about 24 hours, and you may need to apply weights to things that have a tendency to not stay in place on their own. When assembling foam to foam, you can secure parts while the caulk sets with bamboo skewers, available at most food stores, which you can optionally leave in place or remove after the adhesive has set.

Mike,

I have an old glue gun and sticks, but I think they may be hot. I can test it when I get that far.


David,

If you're talking about silicone caulk, we've got different types of all occasions We even have a new caulk gun after our beloved 20+ year old gun gave up the ghost last fall. I was thinking 2" long "T" pins might be useful holding the inclines in place, though I'd be careful to place the pins along side the inclines instead of through them. Silicone is sort of messy, ime, so I'd be very cautious using it.


Thanks for the suggestions I'll have to do some testing.



After tinkering with other track plans, I decided to hone the modified figure 8/oval plan to see if it will work. I tried a siding at the back of the blue track and placed the factory along side, but it seemed out of place. An earlier version of this plan is currently on the dining room floor to help me see what needs to be reworked...

No need to use expensive silicone caulk; dirt cheap latex caulk is in some ways better--almost no odor, for one thing. I haven't found caulks or adhesives to be all that messy, but maybe that's just me; I tried a hot glue gun eons ago and didn't like the results, especially given the time constraints on using it; I prefer to have some wiggle room during assembly.

I used T pins to hold things in place while planning. The foam used by WC is very dense so the pins work fine. Going through the inclines may be necessary to hold them around tight curves. I hadn't thought of using latex caulk by I can see that in some areas the extra wiggle room would be good.

Hi Beverly,

I see you´re making progress most daily, wow. Wish I could keep it going like that.

More of the reflective kind , I tried to see whether I could design a layout within your given dimesions (what is a slab door, anyways? - European asking here..) that offers the possibility of three trains simultaneously running, with the main castle, a village and 2 railway stations.

I added my own requirements: mostly wide curves possible (makes your trains come out much better looking, I think), hidden views and some elevation of the main track (makes for great fotos) and an overall design that does not give the viewer a direct overview but makes her of him want to figure out what goes where, etc.

I came up with this. Just for the heck of it. Hope you like it. Meanwhile, of course, make your own choices like anyone of us. My sole current project is a mini layout with one (1) circle with a radius of ca. 4 inches, two switches... Might be something in a year or two

This is the trackplan. (made in Winrail 9.0)


Matt

... and this is what it might look like with mountains, buildings, landscaping (good old Paint).


Matt

.. just a few remarks left:
- all marklin track geometry
- flexrail used only for certain lengths
- most curves start with the radius 490 mm curve, to have the train move smoothly into the curve
- all track intenden on same elevation, exept main line going west from Bad Rodach station (outer curve),which climbs to higher level to cross Chateau d´Oex station, continues on a bridge to curve around the little medieval city that lies on the eastern hills
- Kibri station Bad Rodach and Chateau d´Oex included
- several Kibri timbered / city houses on the right
- I didn´t have the Neu Schwanstein dimensions, I used the cardboard variety by Schreiber bogen as a example

I inclued two balloon loops and one circle road. From the main station Bad Rodach, on train takes the circleline to Chateau d´Oex, and might halt there. From BR two trains can both leave in opposite direction and both take a balloon loop, one on the lower level, passing under the village, under the bridge, along the BR station, under the castle and back - the other one goes west, makes a mild (no more than 3%) climb, crosses the bridge, goes around the town and back.

Enjoy
Matt

David K. Smith wrote:

No need to use expensive silicone caulk; dirt cheap latex caulk is in some ways better--almost no odor, for one thing. I haven't found caulks or adhesives to be all that messy, but maybe that's just me; I tried a hot glue gun eons ago and didn't like the results, especially given the time constraints on using it; I prefer to have some wiggle room during assembly.

Dave, I had wiggle room when using my hot glue gun. Had to use toothpicks to keep things in place until the glue cooled. That or use compressed computer air, (turned upside down for cooling effect) Works great for setting hot glue quickly.

Matt,

That's a fantastic track plan! It's too complex mechanically for Chris and me to attempt, but I'm hoping you'll eventually make it - dreaming about it aside Thank you for taking the time to do create it, though

Even though our track plan is very simple, the three trains are of differing lengths and will be run in different directions and at different speeds to provide interest.

What's a slab door? Hmm.... It's a plain door used in the inside of houses. It has no frame, hinges, door knob hole or anything extra. It's a plain, flat door. However, we aren't using a door anymore for the base of the layout - just a piece of plywood. See how plans change


Here's the track plan with a few roads...




Here's the layout bench in the place where its home will eventually be...



We decided on a 35.5" height for the bench. The foam has been randomly placed on the bench to see how it might look in it's final resting place. We are working on how to build the furniture base, the glassed in areas, and the top. It's all drawn on paper scraps for the time being, but it's looking good so far. Chris has downloaded Google Sketchup to refine the cabinet plans.

If you think we're going fast on this layout, you're right. This weekend, so many things got rolling....

I ordered track, inclines and other landscaping items from Z Scale Monster. I also bought several diorama details on German eBay and German online shopping sites, and have a few items I'm looking at on US eBay ending in a few days.

Some of the items yet to be ordered are street lights and roadway materials. Until I get all the buildings built, I don't really know where the roads and lighting will go. None of the buildings are going to be lit, except for maybe the church which hasn't been built yet. I'm not sure if I'll be sculpting my own stone bridges and portals - only time will tell.

Yesterday was a huge day for our layout's background. I purchased a large range of artist's acrylic paint as well as a few paint brushes. Everything was already on sale with another 25% lopped off the entire purchase. The paint will be used for painting the background as well as for washes for the landscaping features. For all these items, I paid less than $150.00. It was a shopping coup like never before!

Yesterday also marked the day we got the ball rolling on the canvas we're having custom made for the background. The canvas will be built in one piece and will be L shaped. But instead of coming to a 90 degree angle at the corner, the canvas builder will be able to make the corner rounded on the inside - meaning no unsightly seam in the corner. I have to contact the canvas builder to tell him that we need a hole in behind the mountain for track access. I'm sure it will add a bit to the final cost, but his prices are very reasonable and he's a very creative canvas maker. I'll also have to find some photos of the mountains around Neuschwanstein Castle for reference. Google will help me with this. Painting the background canvas will be a huge undertaking given that I haven't done any serious painting for a few decades.

So, really, I'm jazzed about working on the European layout. It'll take a few weeks for everything to arrive - long enough for me to tie up some loose ends on other projects I'm working on. But I can hardly wait for all this Z stuff to arrive!

Beverly, sounds like the end of planning and the beginning of building. Now its where the fun begins.

The way you are charging ahead with this layout is energizing and will be quite entertaining for us slow pokes.

Bev, In defense of what Brad just said about being a slow poke, Brad is not a slow poke.
It's just that three years ago Brad ran into a bunch of wild Z Bend Track guys and we side tracked him. I think he is now centered correctly and with that said,......."Brad, don't you dare spend all your time on your home layout, but continue to finish up your modules too."

What is going to become of your end module with the sidings, etc?

Brad, Keep up the good work on the home layout. Cheers, Jim CCRR

Hi Beverly, thanks for your additional info. You are sure moving ahead. Appreciate your detailed info, keeps us dreamers & slow pokes inspired.

I will not use the trackplan myself. In the long run, I hope to build a layout with a dimension of some 3 meter by 70 cm (117 by 27 inches) but that will have to wait for at least one year (home remodelling to finish, new job, two kids, etc )

Currently I am spending my limited hobbytime on a compact layout, puzzling with undertable points motor for switching. I am using the Conrad type 219998(tinyurl.com/yzb4tx2), but would like to figure out a way to make it switch slower, with a gear delay of some kind. Anyone with a good tip?



Matt

This link should work
www.conrad.de/goto.php?artikel=219998

I would appreciate comments on its functioning and suggestions on building a delay into the points drive.

Matt

Hello Matt,

I knew those turn out drives from Conrad. They are really not expensive. Their downside is that they work fast. So when you actuate them the make clack and the switch is thrown. Another thing is that the working way is 6.5 mm. This is far to much for a direct connection. There are two ways to create the needed working way in the turn out. Either you use a long wire to connect the turn out drive with the turn out, and then the wire will bend and thus hold the turn out part in its end position. With a MTL turn out this would look like this:

If the wire is to stiff it might cause problems...

Another way is to use a kind of gear to transform the 6.5 mm working way to the needed way of around 1 to 2 mm working way. I don't have a picture but maybe I can describe it with this sketch:

x

---

O--x

in this you use a wire that is fixed at the left x to the drive, and at the right x to the turn out. At the O it is fixed to a turning point. Now you can see that on the left are 6 dashes and on the right 2 dashes, if each dash is the same length then if you push the left end up for 6mm then the right end will go down for 2mm...
Another advantage of this way is that you can position the turn out drive out of the way if needed. Just position the turning point at the right place relatively to the end points. The wire can even be bend in an angle for this...

I hope my idea isn't to confusing...

ULie wrote:

Another way is to use a kind of gear to transform the 6.5 mm working way to the needed way of around 1 to 2 mm working way. I don't have a picture but maybe I can describe it with this sketch:

x

---

O--x

in this you use a wire that is fixed at the left x to the drive, and at the right x to the turn out. At the O it is fixed to a turning point. Now you can see that on the left are 6 dashes and on the right 2 dashes, if each dash is the same length then if you push the left end up for 6mm then the right end will go down for 2mm...
Another advantage of this way is that you can position the turn out drive out of the way if needed. Just position the turning point at the right place relatively to the end points. The wire can even be bend in an angle for this...

This is exactly how Tortoise machines are designed. You can adjust the length of throw by moving the spring fulcrum up or down.

www.dcctrain.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=4686

Hi Ulie,

Thanks for your info, yes indeed, I am trying to figure out something along the lines of what you described here. My sole concern is reliability of such a custom solution

@David: you are right, Tortoise fits exactly the requirements, but not my compact layout

Will let you all know my progress in time (if any..)

Matt

Matt,

I just stumbled upon this:



Appears to be a very slim design which may also be suitable for your compact layout.