1. Mike Sheridan

    Mike Sheridan TrainBoard Member

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    I've just totally rebuilt my website. Not a lot of content at the moment, but I'm hoping to add to it as I build my new layout over the next year (or two) (or three :( ).

    So what I'd like is some feedback on the layout, navigation, etc. now, so I don't keep building on mistakes and then have to do a big revision later on.

    Honest criticism, anything more than simple insults, is welcome. If you just don't like something, tell me - even if you don't know why. Also comments on the descriptions given would be useful - too little/much, confusing?

    The site link should be at the bottom of this post. Please send comments through TB message or the e-mail address given on the site.

    Now I'm going abroad for the rest of this week! (Yes, really) Back online Saturday.
     
  2. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    I was wondering what "LS Trains" were. Obviously it's your garden railway. Don't believe I've ever seen photos of similar intricate bridge work for outdoor use!

    :D

    Boxcab E50
     
  3. Alan

    Alan Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Good looking site Mike, I found it easy to navigate. Particularly like the Large Scale U30B kitbash, also the bridges and tunnels. Very impressive! I have to be careful exposing myself to large scale, it can be addictive ;)
     
  4. watash

    watash Passed away March 7, 2010 TrainBoard Supporter In Memoriam

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    Impressive Mike! Where do you get those red cams, and how are they secured to the 4mm shafts (used to operate the magnets)?
     
  5. Telegrapher

    Telegrapher Passed away July 30, 2008 In Memoriam

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    Everything looks great Mike.
     
  6. disisme

    disisme TrainBoard Supporter

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    Neato Mike... I particularly like your magnets setup and documentation. Neat idea using those cams....nicely done.
     
  7. Mike Sheridan

    Mike Sheridan TrainBoard Member

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    OK. I'm back again. Sweden was pretty wet, but as we were sat in the middle of an office building most of the time it didn't matter much.

    Thanks for the kind words. Noone has sent any rude messages or e-mails, so I don't think I'll need to change much. I would be interested to hear from anyone who uses older or less common browsers, or Macs. The site is built only with HTML, so should there won't be issues with javascript, etc, but it does use a 'style sheet' and I'm not sure how compatible that is with older systems. (There probably isn't much I can do about it, but I'm curious to know if it makes the site useless, or just not have the fonts and background colour I have set.)

    Good point about "LS" Boxcab. It means LargeScale (ie. #1 or G-scale), but I think I need to spell that out on the pages or links.

    Alan, I would like to do LS again, but there are serious downsides. Unless you are happy to stick with a small (in scope) system, like a branch terminus or lumber camp, the space, movability and cost become very significant. Few people in the UK seem to have more than a basic oval in LS, and at least one person had to give the whole lot up when he and his wife moved to a smaller 'retirement' apartment. If I had a big garden, stability of job/location and enough money I'd love to do it again. I'm not keen on making scenery and then keeping the dust off it and a garden layout doesn't require much of either, though you do get other problems instead :( .

    Watash, I got the cams from Squires Tools which is smallish UK company. They don't make them - they are just a dealer for all sorts of small tools and materials for hobbyists. (One of those companies whose catalogue has tools for jobs you never even knew existed). For about a year they have been saying their website (http://www.squirestools.com) is coming, but it hasn't yet (though there is a placeholder page now, so maybe soon...).

    Unfortunately the cams came in an unmarked pack, so I don't know who does make them. The approximate dimensions are 15/16" diam and 1/4" thick, with two shaft holes. One hole is 3/16" from the edge (9/32" off centre), and the other is 5/16" from the edge (5/32" off centre).

    The holes are a tight push fit onto a 4mm shaft, and that is how they are 'fixed'. Because some of them had to be pushed quite a way up the shaft (up to 13"), I applied a little lubricant during that process to make it easier and reduce the risk of reaming out the hole so they were loose. (I just licked the shaft actually. Apologies to the squeamish, but plastics and oils aren't always good pals, and I wanted something that would dry out and not be a lubricant once I had the thing in the right place.)

    The knobs at the ends are small 'radio' knobs which you can get most anywhere. But they are usually for 1/4" or 6mm shafts. I got 6mm ones and some aluminium tube that is 6mm o/d with a 1mm wall thickness (4mm i/d). I cut short bits of this and then filed a notch almost or just through the wall where the knob fixing screw would be. When assembled the knob can then be aligned on the shaft to show the cam position, and the screw then grips the 4mm shaft.

    The downside of using shafts, rather than the 'string' method, is that you have to watch where things like switch machines will be - you can't easily turn a corner. You can see I have quite a few Tortoises around and I have had some near misses [​IMG] . I use 3rd PlanIt for planning and try to put all these things on, but it still gets interesting sometimes. Haven't had to resort to gearboxes or belt drives yet :eek:
     

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