Archive for August, 2010

With Railfest just over a week away I have a couple projects to complete on my HO Free-Mo modules. It had been decided a little while ago that our modules should have panels installed on them for our throttles. We have been just using phone extension cords and looping them through the entire setup once we were set up. This was a real time consuming event both on set up and tear down.

I picked up my “Supply” (I bought some extra panels for my home layout) a week ago and started to prepare my Appleton set of modules for installation this week.

First up was to measure and decide what size of hole I was going to need then carefully mark the area to cut.

I love my power tools!!!! With my adrenaline starting to pump for “More Power” and get this hole cut I get my saw out to cut the hole and thought for a moment that any major shaking from a power tool might loosen up some scenery and such………………………. Hmmmmmmmm………………………………..

Maybe something a little lighter duty will be better suited for this job I used my jig saw with a new scroll blade instead.

I had also decided to recess the panels a bit into the fascia of the modules because they usually get slid around on their side and I wanted to protect the face of the panels as much as possible. Fortunately having a plywood facia makes this job much easier and I remove one ply which was enough to give me satisfactory results. After test fitting and any fine-tuning, I painted the newly acquired hole and let it set until the next evening before installing the new panels.

Now with the panel installed it was time to run the wires and add a “customized” clip to hold the wire ends from “hanging around” during transport and shipping.

While doing this I noticed that the PC board was sort of vulnerable so I added a block of 2 X 2 to protect it.

There you have it! A fully installed panel and it took me almost as much time to install them as it takes to completely run the “old” phone cords at one set up. Can’t wait to see how much time this saves when everyone gets them installed!!!

Now that that is done I have some work to do an one of my two foot modules.

Stay tuned

See Ya

Al

Well, finally,It’s Official!!!!!! The Crew Room is Complete. I had some time last week and finished up the posts.

Now this fall and winter i can really get some work done on the Rail Road!!!!

See Ya

Al