Like making pancakes. I understand what you are saying, but my eyes are not the good. And most people won't notice that I don't think. But I get that it should be deep in the center and go up. Better than what I had, which was white paper mock up
Alright, great suggestion! Turned over like you said! It does look better, right? That dark spot is from the camera. Not actually on the pond! Although it does lose it reflection? I don't know, kind of like the reflective side better. Anyway, still cool that they are easy to make. Gonna make some more water pancakes tonight!
I'm not familiar with this material. Is it soft when cured? I think the glossy side looks better. Overall the color and gloss look fantastic. Maybe you can trace around it and inlay it into the foam a little, then build the pond edge scenery up to it and blend it in. I think it would look more natural setting a little lower than the surrounding terrain.
Well it was soft when I peeled it off at about 14-15 hours, and it appears to be setting harder over time. Said wait 24 hours which will be 10:00 p.m. my time around 3 hours from now. And when I flipped it over again, it is shiny on both sides. It was my camera angle. Still pretty cool for cheap ponds! I have always wondered why they don't sell something like this premade, unless they do? I think this will work for now! Yeah I plan on blending it in at some point. If I can figure out how?
There are plenty of videos on YouTube. Don't be too worried about making mistakes. You can always fix it, rip it out or cover it over. You could always build a small practice diorama on a foam scrap. Throw on a piece of track and practice painting and ballasting if you plan on doing that on the layout. Thanks for sharing your progress with us!
Well, if you are bad at math like me and don't get Home Depot or Lowes to cut some wood the right length. If you can keep from it, don't use an electric saw. What a PITA, as I struggled until the RYOBI cordless system saved my arse. Forgot all about it. Still not completely finished with just the base part, but getting there. Going to take back what I bought for the top 2x4 piece and see if I can find something i like, or just go with glueing down the foamboard. Haven't decided yet. And RYOBI saved the day, with straight cuts instead of crooked cut with the hand electric saw. Can't believe I forgot about it at first. Only thing is it does NOT have one of those laser things! And the really cool thing, Cordless!
The OLD C&L that this one is replacing. Made with 1 x 2's instead of 1 x 4's, but hey it lasted me 3-5 years. Since that time I have read more information here, seen examples here, and watched a ton of YouTube videos about both small and large layout's for ideas. And even more research to do. I have to say though I really enjoyed this tiny and very poorly made layout. But it let me play with my trains when I am in the mood
That's a neat idea! Now to just find a way to settle it into the scenery........but I think you will figure it out.
Like the pond idea. Like Badland said, once you get the scenery around it, it will be great. The Ryobi miter saw is cool. Mine is an old craftsman that is corded but was a great help when doing some cuts for the layout.
Here is the video of building the benchwork, I guess you call it, or layout base. Made a few mistakes, but nothing I couldn't fix, and need to add something around the shelf to keep things from falling off especially things that would roll, like a pen or pencil. locomotive part, or structure piece, etc... I have some 1" x 2" leftover from my original layout base. I think it will work, but might have to cut the shelf shorter to make it work?
Alright I have never had this thing wired up correctly for DCC. The one time I tried, I fried a Bachmann F7 DCC locomotive. The two RED wires coming out of the Bachmann EZ Command Controller are both the exact same. Does it matter which wire goes where? I also need to test with my DC pack and locomotives as they are OLD and cheaper. If it works for DC, it should work for DCC right? If you look at the OLD layout pictures above you will see on my main 2' x 4' section I will have to loops one I get the switches put back in, as that will always be up, and the other L piece will be stored often. Although that will not be the case while I work on the benchwork. So can someone make me a sketch, as I suck as this kind of thing. Will have to wire my Just Plug lights, which is no big deal, but the wires are so freakin tiny Any help appreciated! Thanks in advance.
Are these the track wires ? They really should be different colors. Do you have any drop feeders ? A 'buss line' under the layout for the feeders ? Track polarity needs to be the same all the way around the layout.
Take a look at Page 2 of the instruction manual on track connection. https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/images/E-Z_Command_instructions.pdf The two red wires go to the tracks. (I think that's what you are referring to.) Since it's DCC and there is no polarity like DC, they can be the same color...red...so don't let that throw you off. The easiest way to do this is first set up your layout to run perfectly on DC. Once that is accomplished, remove the two DC leads and attach the DCC leads. Then remove DC engines and replace with DCC engines (of if they are dual mode, leave them there) and you should be good to go.
I have this and cut the square Black piece that goes in the Bachmann track cause I am using Atlas Code 80! The other end plugs into the controller of course! So I'll just have to get some track feeders and color code them since they are all black. I'll put a tiny piece of painters tape ( that blue stuff ) and connect a blue wire back to a terminal strip box, I guess. No soldering for this guy Unless I am forced too! I know most people dislike the Bachmann EZ Command Controller, but I got it for shipping only, and I really like it cause it very simple. And my nieces and stuff can use it too, for fun on my layout. They love it. Now, when/if it dies time to get the NCE Starter DCC set!
If you are going to only have ONE point where track power will be hooked up its shouldnt matter. IF you are going to have multiple feeders it will make a big difference ! Black has to go to the same rail all the way around at each connection point. Blue has to go to the same rail all the way around. How many 'feeders' are you going to have ??
Well since it is so small 2' x 4' It works fine with the single hookup wires to the track, just thought maybe it might be a good idea. I would think only a few per 2' x 4' section? I'm not gonna wire it any time soon, I don't think. Just depends on my progress. I was going by this video, but he is using Kato Unitrack. At time 4:00 and at 6;40 when he hooks up to the terminal he got? All I know is last time I tried it did not end well! I'm not doing any JMRI stuff etc... Just basic DCC wiring, I hope!
I addressed this in the second half of my post. Even if you have multiple feeders I would imagine you would be using a bus or some kind of a terminal block to tie the feeders together. If that's where you were feeding in DC, you would detach and then feed in DCC. Basically replace DC power pack with DCC command station. As per the EZ Command instruction manual: Next, attach the bare ends of the track power wire to the point where you previously supplied power from your DC controller to your layout (figure 4). DCC has no polarity in a sense of a + and -, so that's why both wires are red and you can flip them either way.
This is very important and key! Otherwise you'll get a short, DC or DCC. That's why I suggest that you hook up DC and make sure everything runs fine. A DC power pack, especially those with short protection is more tolerant than a DCC command station shorting out though those too should be self-protecting, often with a buzzing noise. Once DC runs smoothly, just swap the controllers.
You know you gotta post the bad with the good. This is the second base I am working on. I did something wrong. And this should be so simple, key is, should be Took a break cause I got frustrated. Another pair of eyes is gonna look at it later too. Have to double check all the other pieces to make sure I did not screw up. Both long pieces are 48 inches as they should be. Something is not square? Me made a boo boo somewhere, me thinks Or maybe it is racking?
