Memorial Day Update

Memorial Day Update

Today was a good day worked on Forks Creek including test fitting bridge and 3 structures. Had to cut creek deeper to clear bridge.


The View is upgrade with right track going to Blackhawk & Central City and left going to Idaho Springs, Georgetown and Silver Plume.


Here is the metal Pratt Truss that replaced the Howell Truss around 1900. This is the Central Valley kit modified for HOn3 will add the upper portion once I have the deck completed and detailed, will add walkway and wood planking.



Here is the actual split of the Creek, North branch is smaller and goes to Blackhawk. The South branch goes to Idaho Springs and has more flow.




Here is the Passing siding just before Forks Creek. Used a 2-8-0 and a 2-8-2 to verify clearance. Thinking about putting the Grandt Line mine here to give more visual interest. Any thoughts?


Here is the first painting of the rough terrain by Beaver Brook looking downgrade. Need some feed back, does the color look ok?


This is an upgrade view.


This is the downgrade creek from Beaver Brook. Decided to take creek under track to allow creek to disappear in the background and track can be hidden as it turns.

Thanks Cameron

Tuesday Update

Tuesday Update.

Worked on initial placement of track for Forks Creek. Used Forks Creek Eatery and base of Forks Creek Station (under Construction) to work on track alignment. Will begin cutting creek this weekend. Need to move turnout slide tie to opposite side per prototype.



Thanks Cameron

Sunday 20 May Update

Sunday 20 May Update

Been awhile, out of town taking kids on a short cruise. My wife helped me today and we got a lot done.


First big change was the realization hat 1 600 led per 5m was not right enough and to bright white leds made everything look too blue. Tried some under cabinet lights but the dispersion pattern was too narrow. Went back and added a second string of 600 led per 5m tinted warm white. This is the result. I think it is much better.



Worked pretty steadily on Beaver Brook. Worked to cut out brook and then build platform over brook and over hang of Clear Creek. Used Sculp-a-mold to make brook and blend in.


Here is a picture looking down grade from Beaver Brook. Sculpt-a-mold covering over plaster cloth it really helped it develop the right look.


Here is a ballast test for color using grout. To my eye the left color is best.


This is "here is where we are" picture. Beginning laying track for Forks Creek. Orange lines are where I'm trying to map out creek.

Thanks Cameron

Got a Hakko FX-888 Solder Station in. Was between it and the Weller unit.

The Hakko at first impression is a really nice unit. The colors are a little
weird (blue and yellow) but unit is in 2 parts, transformer with temp control
and the solder stand with 3 types of cleaner (wire, rubber and sponge). I
really like the wire following Scoops videos.

The specs say 30 warm up and the temp control claims to be accurate at +/- 1.5
degree. Dial is in both C & F. it has a lock and a calibration setting screw.
An indicator light shows when warming.

First test was impressive compared to my cheapy Weller Station I got from
Micro-Mark. At 250 C the tip immediately tinned. Watching unit it is switching
on and off every 5-10 seconds to keep tip hot.

The solder stand though it looks funky is much better than the wire coil one.
the iron itself is a joy to hold, much lighted and design fits hand much better
than Weller.

I really wanted to buy the better Weller, made in US and all that. But I think
this is a better iron. Time will tell.

Like I said, First impression is very good. Will try on a Turn-out build and an
smd to see real results.

Any hints on SMD temp to use and temp for rails? So much to learn. The
instructions did say to recalibrate when changing tips. Says need a device to
measure tip temperature, anyone got any suggestions for this? Also need to get
soe other tips, came with a small chisel, need a really tiny one for SMD's.

Thanks Cameron

Some Workbench progress and need feed back.

Got the Bar Mills Office at Cranberry Yard kit. This is my first Bar Mills to build, have Salena's Tavern but have not started it yet. The kit is very nice and has extra's like goose neck lamps, crossing sign, and a bunch of barrels etc.

Laser cuts are very well done. Used Monster Works nail hole tool, not sure it I over did it.





Also did a test Brick wall as recommended. Used red oxide and then a grey wash for mortar. A little India Ink wash over it. Trim is not yet painted so not concerned about doors and windows yet.



Need some help on both these, what is right, and what needs to be done better?

Thanks Cameron

Sunday 6 May Progress (Part 2)


Beaver Brook plastered in with first layer.


Looking downgrade towards Beaver Brook and beyond.


Rounding the 180 looking upgrade towards Elk Creek.


Elk's Creek. This is a little steeper than prototype. Want to use rule#1 and have a waterfall on Elk's creek coming down from the ledge half way up side into basin then flowing to Clear Creek. Like waterfalls and plan to use a mp3 mini-player with speaker to have water sound behind falls.


This is final upgrade section to Forks Creek. Looking closely you can see where I had to move the creek. Blackboard is nice in that with patience and an hobby knife you can carve creek beds and depressions out.

Also managed to work on Beaver Creek Turn-out and run mu wife's Blackstone c-19 through to test. Have a good bit of tuning on turn-out to do. Dropped more feeder wires also. This may become an issue depending what is decided on the roadbed.

Thanks Cameron

Sunday 6 May Progress!

Good Weekend, got alot done. Focusing on the middle peninsula deck 2 almost exclusively thought beginning work on Forks Creek.

Got several questions I'd like to as advice on:
1. Using Harp switch stands for mainline turn-outs (plan is to have bullfrog turn-out controls to actually move the points). Unsure what to use for yards. The DPDT switch to move pionts as shown on Gerry's page on NMRA AU site looks good, but what would work for some kind of indicator?
2. Roadbed, I thought putting track directly on Blackboard using track nails would work. It is allowing too much lateral movement. So should I add roadbed on top of blackboard? If I were to want to secure track to either new roadbed or Blackboard what is best way (Chalk, Glue, spikes)?
3. Proto-freelance, Clear Creek had no tunnels, I have one 180 degree turn that I need to hide, it drops from about 11" to about 6" for the turn, so no room for light or scenery. Any ideas: use tunnel, use frames to make like a shadow box, hide some other way?
4. On Picture 4 - which color seems best for a limestone type ballast?

Here are the progress photos:


Cardboard web turning front 180 between Beaver Brook and Elk Creek.


Webbing showing rough-in for Beaver Brook.


Better view of Beaver Creek, you can see ledge where pavilion will go. The block of wood is a stand-in for the the station / restaurant.


Need Advice, which color seems best for a limestone type ballast? C&S used local rock to build these up? This is the grout I picked up in response to a great posting on Layout Construction sub-forum.


Looking upgrade this is Elks Creek rough-in. Sorry for the over exposure on the plaster.


Looking towards Forks Creek. The creek you see had to be moved downgrade (towards camera) to make room for Forks Creek ( a 3 turn-out wye with legs that go to Blackhawk and Idaho Springs).

To be continued in Part 2.

Thanks Cameron

First 0402 SMD working.

Boy was this a challenge.  Must have ruined or lost 10 to get 1 working.  They are 1/4 size of a 0603 and I had to use extreme magnification just to try and solder it.

Biggest issue is positioning, holding (solved thanks to scoop and hint to use filed down self locking tweezers, and making good solder joints.  Did several and joint just broke.

Only can do a few tries at a time, tends to be frustrating.  Here is picture, the smd is the tiny bright dot in upper right corner on diagonal line.

Thanks Cameron