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| EXPERT TRICK: Building tough to reduce maintenance | ||
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Moderators: site admin, Joe Fugate, Spinpuff
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| Author | Post | ||
| Joe Fugate |
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   Registered Member #3 Joined: Fri Sep 08 2006, 01:59PMPosts: 148 | Other modelers are surprised to find my trestles are built out of styrene and not wood. For example, the trestle in the photo below looks like wood, but since it's styrene, its really tough and nearly indestructible when compared to a model wood trestle. Styrene trestles can be made to look like wood and they're nearly indestructible While I really like styrene for many structure applications, I also use wood or metal in some cases. For instance, in the final chapter of video volume 4, I'm building a grade crossing for a gravel road. I'm using real wood for the wooden timbers, but I'm using 1/16" square brass channel for the railroad crossing sign post. The real wood works just as easily as anything for the wood grade crossing timbers, but the brass signpost, when painted dark brown, is indistinguishable from a wooden post, but it makes the sign nearly indestructible. If I can, I prefer heavy-duty construction techniques for things that are around the railroad track itself on an operating model railroad like my HO Siskiyou Line. That's why I like styrene for wood trestles and brass for sign posts -- using tougher materials for things near the track means they will survive with far less damage if you have a mishap during operation. Since I host regular operating sessions on my layout, we get damage to something every single op session. But if I can make something tough enough to endure the normal abuse of layout operation, then that's one less thing I have to worry about fixing later. When you have a larger layout, building in lower maintenance by using tougher materials in construction actually saves time later. Like the old saying goes, "If you don't have time to do it properly now, when do you think you will have time to fix it later?" A little planning ahead when building your layout can greatly ease your maintenance burdens later.  [ Edited Thu Jan 04 2007, 01:10PM ] Joe Fugate http://siskiyou-railfan.net - 250,000 hits and counting!  | ||
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| bear creek |
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 Registered Member #186 Joined: Mon Jan 29 2007, 11:46AMPosts: 1 | Joe, I can't agree with you more about building stuff right (sturdy). On a large layout there is an absolute litany of things to be done. And once it starts operating maintenance chores turn up. If a moderler isn't careful, the maintenance chores will eat up all available hobby time making it impossible to make further progress. And it also turns the hobby into drudgery. Don't take shortcuts when they will result in increased maintenance. Regards, Charlie Superintendent of Nearly Everything The Bear Creek and South Jackson Railway Co. Hillsboro, OR | ||
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| Joe Daddy |
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| Registered Member #229 Joined: Sun Apr 29 2007, 05:34PMLocation: Northern Colorado Posts: 3 | Joe, I wanted to pass on my comments and a big thanks for your video tutorial on building a trestle out of styrene in DVD #4. While I have not yet attempted to build a similar structure, there were a number of excellent nuggets that have helped me advance my own skills. Namely the outstanding points I found are: - Using MEK as inexpensive 'glue' for styrene. - Awareness of the excellent a_West dispenser bottles. - How one builds a curved bridge. - Using styrene when you think wood is the only alternative. - Making a template with soft pencil and paper. Thanks again for sharing your techniques and secrets. Joe Daddy [ Edited Sun Feb 03 2008, 12:31PM ] Joe Daddy | ||
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| Joe Fugate |
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| Registered Member #3 Joined: Fri Sep 08 2006, 01:59PMPosts: 148 | Joe: You're welcome! Glad you found the info useful -- I'm always pleased to hear I've helped a fellow modeler. Joe Fugate http://siskiyou-railfan.net - 250,000 hits and counting! | ||
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