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The Countdown to the Launch of the Gauge 3 Wiki!

Started by John Candy, Mar 01 2018 10:24

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John Candy

The Gauge 3 Wiki has been launched.

A considerable amount of effort has been put into compiling this encyclopedia and it would not have come about without the participation of "Cabbage" (Ralph) and "Peaky 556" (Tim).

Ralph has not only contributed substantial content but has been repeatedly "prodding" me to get on with my share of the burden!

We all hope you will find this resource useful and enjoy delving into the content.

Go to www.gauge3.info which is the portal to the Wiki
My fellow Members, ask not what your Society can do for you, ask what you can do for your Society.

Gavin_B

Great work guys!

May I suggest adding a section that lists the railway companys which then links to pages showing what is available for that company?

For example

GWR
then list GWR locos, stock, and accessorises.

This way people can see what is available/built in their area of interest

Thoughts?


G

John Candy

Quote from: Gavin_B on Mar 01 2018 21:13
Great work guys!

May I suggest adding a section that lists the railway companys which then links to pages showing what is available for that company?

For example

GWR
then list GWR locos, stock, and accessorises.

This way people can see what is available/built in their area of interest

Thoughts?


G

A good suggestion and something which will be looked at in Phase 2.

Regards,
John.
My fellow Members, ask not what your Society can do for you, ask what you can do for your Society.

492

Thank you so much for all the work that you have put into this project. This will be an amazing and valuable resource as it develops.

Robert. 492.

Spitfire2865

I think the scratchbuilding sections could be beefed up with 3D printing and building wagons from milled hardwood.
But very good otherwise. Youve definitely given me a lot to read through for the weekend.
-Trevor Young

cabbage

When you have decided what is required the option "Contributing Content" on the side bar menu!!! Tell us what is missing and we will see about trying to fill the gap. There is a section on 3D printing but none on "milling wood" -do you mean using a router or a pantograph machine?

I am contemplating printing a router for CNC cutting of plywood and sheet ABS.

Regards

Ralph

John Candy

One point I would make is that we are only able to add content in circumstances where a contributor offers an article based on his/her own experiences.

If any forum member does have experience of milling timber profiles and is willing to provide material for publication, then please make contact via the site link or by email to admin@gauge3.info and I will explain what is required.

Similarly, anyone willing to provide articles to fill other gaps in content, please make contact.

Regards,
John.
My fellow Members, ask not what your Society can do for you, ask what you can do for your Society.

MikeWilliams

Well, there is a great deal on there John.  It is a tremendous resource.  Mo wonder it took some time to do.

Mike

IanT

"Milling Wood" is quite a large topic in my view John and would be best covered in a number of separate discussions covering various preparation stages and shaping processes. There is very little useful (current) information available in this area with respect to 'railway' modelling - as the smaller scales typically use other materials & methods. The best (most recent) sources in this area (at least for our purposes) would seem to be model ship building and some 'dolls' house websites and books.

A far from comprehensive topic list would be;

a) Wood selection and sources - Types vs Usability, rough sawn, old furniture, commercial products
b) Cutting bulk material to near scale dimensions - suitable machinery types - choice of saws and planers
c) Cutting & Finishing to scale dimensions - hand & miniature power tools - their methods of use
d) Shaping & Fitting - Routing (free-hand, table and pin), Sanding (hand, rotary, belt), work-holding
e) Drilling and Jointing - Jigs, joint types, dowels and adhesives
f) Assembly jigs, tools and aids
g) Finishes - Fillers, stains, paints and polishes.

Each of these topics would take some explaining to cover well... not a minor undertaking

So rather than an all encompassing "working with wood" - smaller, more focused advice might be more useful - and I suspect probably much easier (less demanding) to produce over time too. However, frankly I've never felt that there was very much interest in 'wooden' build methods within the G3 community, as many G3 modellers use (what to them are probably) more familiar materials/methods (from their smaller scale days?) - although perhaps with some of the newer G3 'wooden' wagon kits arriving, this will now change. Of course wooden-based construction is not just for rolling stock - but buildings and many track items too...

Regards,

IanT
Nothing's ever Easy - At least the first time around.

John Candy

Thank you Ian.

That is a most helpful synopsis of the task confronting the team.

Timber is not a material I use (other than as a structural item in 12 inch to the Foot scale work); I only have to look towards a sheet of balsa, ply, etc. and it has a habit of splintering!

Hopefully, someone with experience of one or more of the topics you have listed will step forward and take up the baton.

Regards,
John.
My fellow Members, ask not what your Society can do for you, ask what you can do for your Society.

IanT

The WHR (Woking & Ham Railway) has a frightening array of timber shredding equipment in it's wagon shop John - with the ability to reduce expensive lengths of timber down to far less valuable matchsticks... (it occurs to me that all that sawdust I've been throwing out must contain the difference in value!)   ::)









However, I guess that the occasional small piece (over time) might not be a huge strain. It also occurred to me that I also have other commitments in this area - to both the Newsletter & the G3S website. An economical use of this effort might be to write something for the G3S NL, then amend it for both G3S Website & G3 Wiki use (?).

This has also reminded me that our distinguished Editor still has my doweling jig (that I lent him some time ago). Perhaps he could return it at the AGM?     ;D

Regards,

IanT   
Nothing's ever Easy - At least the first time around.

Spitfire2865

I think a bit of confusion has arrisen. I didnt mean the act of milling wood, but the use of milled wood. I unfortunately dont have the space or funds for any shop tools, so I custom order from a few sources.
The reason I brought it up is Ive done all my wagon scratchbuilding in timber.  And I use proper tough hardwood, so no splitting or scribing.  Im surprised more havent tried it.  I enjoy the challenge and how close I can go to prototype. Each wagon uses works drawings in the form of GAs or if needed part drawings, like what I needed for my Midland 299 bottom door mechanism. You really have to reverse engineer the subject.
The tricky thing is to pick the closest wood to match a scaled appearance, and not gluing as much as you can. Bolts allow slight expansion and contraction that a blob of glue doesnt. Learned that my first build. So now I only glue the underframe spars and anything where alternative fixing on the prototype is use.
Its common in traditional scratchbuilding methods to just use more glue, but I find I need the opposite.
Ignore if you want, it was only a suggestion.
The wiki is very nice regardless.
-Trevor Young

IanT

Yes - it's just a matter of 'parlance' Trevor.   :)

We (here in UK) would refer to "milled" wood as being "planed" (as opposed to rough sawn). However, I certainly use commercial 'milled' hardwood sections when they are available (and affordable) in the sizes I need - they are generally sold over here as 'mouldings'. But it's useful to be able to produce your own sections too. For instance, old furniture can yield some very useful material (mostly Beech) that can be hard to find elsewhere - and at little cost.

I also agree with you that 'less is more' where glue is concerned and using prototypical 'fixings' where possible is preferable - although in terms of joints - I do use small dowel pins that are glued - they allow some movement I think and look better than some other methods..

I've seen some of your work elsewhere (and very much admired it!). I think 'wood' is a very good (practical) material to work with in G3 and hopefully more G3 modellers will take up it's use, as you have done...

Regards,

IanT
Nothing's ever Easy - At least the first time around.

John Candy

QuoteAn economical use of this effort might be to write something for the G3S NL, then amend it for both G3S Website & G3 Wiki use (?).

Ian,

One reason I was prompted to initiate www.gauge3.info was the result of several comments about the woeful lack of information on the G3S site (through no fault of yours, let it be said).

Co-operation on material content, with a view to avoiding duplication of effort, is obviously a sensible way forward. 

I will not be retaining control of either the independent (of the G3S) websites indefinitely and a merger of the Wiki site with the G3S site would be an option for discussion. The forum would be another matter, since I believe members would want it to retain independence from the G3S.

However, for the present, the new Wiki needs to become established and the next phase of expansion is already under construction.

Regards,
John.
My fellow Members, ask not what your Society can do for you, ask what you can do for your Society.

IanT

Well hopefully the G3S website will improve John but it will never be able to host the range of content that a 'Wiki' can - in exactly the same way it cannot perform as a 'Forum' either.

But perhaps it can be a useful 'doorway' to other sources of interest to the G3 community (and those considering joining it) and of course also provide some key information directly. A simple "Welcome to G3", some general background information, a "tastes & flavours" of G3 Gallery, key event dates, trade announcements and any current G3 news. It should be reasonably up-to-date and well presented.

If it can do all that - then that would probably be sufficient.    ;)

Regards,

IanT
Nothing's ever Easy - At least the first time around.