Category: Benchwork

Benchwork, Layout Planning, Planning Book1 Comment

Tilt Table Layouts in Action

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It is good to know that there are people who have tilt table layouts. In Nscale.net and Nscale.org, the forumers referred me to their fellow members who have tilt-table layout – Gene (aka epumph in Nscale.net) and the late Suzan (aka steamedup in Nscale.org). With Gene’s permission and in loving memory of Suzan, who passed away sometime ago, I would like to share with you their construction of a tilt-table layout and how you could adopt them for yours. Gene (aka epumph) Gene from New Jersey, USA models a fictional Turtle Creek Industrial RR in N-scale on a 4ft 4in x 8ft 6in … Continue reading Tilt Table Layouts in Action

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Visualising My Layout – Peeling the Onion

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In my previous blog, I have showed how the prototype benchwork will look once it has been constructed. While waiting for comments and the quotation, I will explain how the layout will be built on top of the base frame. Remember that I am adopting and adapting Oliver Bachmeier’s Neustadt H0-scale layout in N-scale. Oliver’s original layout is 3.3m x 1.5m. My original intention was to scale that to 70%, to fit to the IKEA IVAR frames which when combined, will be 2.3m x 1.0m. If I follow truly to the scaling from HO- to N-scale, the same 3.3m x … Continue reading Visualising My Layout – Peeling the Onion

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Visualising My Layout – The Benchwork

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Call me crazy or mad but I believe in conceptualisation and visualisation. During my high-school days, we were taught a subject called “Industrial Arts (IA)”. In this subject, over a period of 3 years, we were taught metal works, wood works, electrical and mechanical works. I must thank my IA teachers for imparting to me the knowledge of drafting. So, instead of creating a physical prototype, I put them on papers. Here is how I envisioned my layout, starting with the benchwork. As I mentioned earlier, real estate space is a premium to me. I measured the space I could … Continue reading Visualising My Layout – The Benchwork

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More than Just Tiger Woods

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As you can see, I am progressing on my first layout. The track plan is ready with some modifications once I get the frame done. My track work will be based on Oliver Bachmeier’s HO-scale track plan. The other structures and landscapes will be entirely different. I do not intend to replicate Oliver’s layout in N-scale. However, I do find his track work interesting as it incorporated a helix (or to be precise, nolix – a stretched version of helix), turnaround track and fiddle yard underneath the top visible level but within the same 2,3m by 1,0m frame. I do … Continue reading More than Just Tiger Woods

Benchwork, Layout Planning6 Comments

Eureka! Tilt-Table Layout Contruction!

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Another challenge that I faced is how to construct my layout that can be easily stored and transported. Most people have a basement, room or even an attic to spare, even for a 4 by 8 foot layout. Yet, I will be constructing a 100cm by 226cm layout using IKEA IVAR frames (equivalent to 3,3 by 7,4 feet for those using the non-metric unit of measurements). I could not put my layout on a flat (normal) position due to lack of space in living room or even any other room. With the remodelling of my apartment living room, some spare … Continue reading Eureka! Tilt-Table Layout Contruction!

Benchwork, Layout Planning2 Comments

The Challenge of A Tilting House

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I lived in an old but modernized house (Altbauwohnung) near Frankfurt. Most of the houses in my area are of these types. While the owner has done wonderful job in modernizing his 3-story house, one of the challenges I face is uneven floors at every part of my apartment. Even in the living room, different corners have different degrees of tilt (I don’t think the house is of any risk of collapsing; else, it wouldn’t be fit for occupancy) I have taken some measurements from a spirit level app on my smartphone (showing inches of rise per foot) This means … Continue reading The Challenge of A Tilting House

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New Home for Collections

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It was a quiet Christmas in Deutschland. Unlike in Malaysia, where the streets and shopping malls are crowded with people and decorations, Christmas in Deutschland is a rather private affair. 2 weeks before Christmas, I bought quite some stuffs from Ikea and this was the only time I could fix them. The new BILLY book shelf was a welcomed item to the home. I could now take out my collections – models and reference books and have them properly shelved and easily to reach. Model railroad magazines, reference books and planning materials, both German and American railroads. Finally BR185 and … Continue reading New Home for Collections

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IKEA IVAR Shelf Layout

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This is my first post for 2012, which means I better start doing something about my layout. I have a small apartment here and have to be realistic with the available space. I found the IKEA IVAR shelf which I think, makes a suitable N-scale layout. This frame is actually the side frame of the IVAR shelf system. It comes in 3 heights – 124cm, 179cm and 226cm and 2 widths – 30cm and 50cm. The above is 226cm high and 50cm wide. I got 2 of these frames to make a 226cm by 100cm layout (if arranged as below) … Continue reading IKEA IVAR Shelf Layout