The diary (2010)

Or: testing, repairing and swearing...

No single project works without a fuss: here's my ‘diary' of failures, retrying, ... In short: the setbacks and how I coped with them.
This is, too, an essential part of building "Marche-en-Bières", a part the reader of this website is entitled to know. Who knows, it might be useful for you, or merely as a comfort for your own setbacks with your own projects.

January '10: The "free" days this months are spread throughout the month, so the progress made shall be in smaller steps. I would like to finish my catterpilar this month and make a "final picture", so I can send an article to the publisher. This means I have to get a reasonable background, and this is a goal that's not likely to be reached, as I still haven't started constructing my mini-layout and will need at least some electricity and a more or less finished city hall. It is far to ambitious, given the fact that a major project at work has to be continued, and I'll need to spend quite some time to do this.
At the end of the month, the catterpilar still needs lots of work. I have started on the lighting (an imitation of about 400 light bulbs), on constructing the cloth covering the fancy-fair visitors at the end of the "ride", ... but the mini-layout basic construction still hasn't started.
Publication of the article on resistance soldering gave some unexpected negative fedback: too technical, too long, only interesting for a few modellers, .... This was a major disapointment, as I wrote the article as a response to a request from quite some modellers. This, and the pressure at work reduced my "energy" to build things.

February '10: This month, a would only ahve to work 12 days, so I'm looking forward to lots of building time. This is great, as - although I haven't made a real scedule yet, I feel I'm behind. After a week these 12 days already got to 14, but that still meant 14 days off. Let's hope this can stay that way.
At the start of the month, the catterpilar roof is almost ready, and the mechanic part is under further construction. All 16 cars hace to be modified for the closing cloth, and for the step-on I forgot to construct. The last parts means some extra etching, and I took the oppurtunity to design some "allround" etched parts, like tiny washers I will probably need for my bumper cars. Some more positive reactions to the resistance soldering article - even some orders for a PCB - will have my etching equipment busy for a whole day, mid february.
At the end of the month, the catterpilar evolved great. It even seemed I would get it finished (not including the electronics). Sadly, the elastic fibers I used in the cloth were to strong, at the risk of bending some fragile parts. Moreover, the cloth got some loose fibers and holes while working with it, and they needed stitching. It wasn't worththe while, so I made a new cloth. During the boring needlework (all edges needed stitching) I wanted to start with the electronics. Then disaster struck: I dropped a box with elektronic components right on top of the catterpilar's bottom part. Luckily I made the construction with soldered metal pieces, so repairing was possible, although this unexpected task took a whole day.
March '10: The first halve of this month I've built absolutely nothing. The frist week was reserved for a little trip to Cairo with my wife (culture, sun, ...), and the second week was extremelu busy at work. I even doubt to be able to construct much this month, as the 8 free days left are already reduced to 6. So, my wishlist for this month (and the next) is about the same as last month: Trying to get the basic construction for the mini-layout, starting a second prototype for the bumper cars, continuing constructio for the rollercoaster, not forgetting the city hall, ... and of course finishing the catterpilar. Especially the last item is important, as I'm writing an article on the subject and need a publishable photo, picturing the catterpilar in a nice piece of city scenery.
This all seems pretty desperate, but I keep my spirit high. In the train to and from work, I was able to design some electronics and started writing the program for the microcontroller. This atmega8 will control both engines and the lights for the catterpilar. At the end of the month, this elektronic part was ready. The mechanical part (drives, gears and especialy the catterpilar's cloth break mechanics) is due for april.
Following a discussion at the local model railroaing club, I decided to describe my emergency stop system for the magazine. As this was built a while ago, it was a bit tricky to take photos because of the different part locations and the dust it already gathered.

April '10: The month started well. The tent for my catterpillar (third attempt) is ready. The varnish gave some stains to the paint, but this luckily disappeared while drying. The electronics and mechanics for the catterpilar are ready, the new cloth (second attempt) is made, but again with a poor result: or the elastics threads are to powerful, or the cloth doesn't open. I'll need another kind of cloth, and I think I found an alternative. Using nylon stockings, I made a third cloth. Much better, but I need other dimensions for the cloth, so ... a fourth (and hopely final attempt)
The large project at work is about ready now, and I canb now slowly recover the about 140 hours of overtime (essentialy model building time). Just as positive: the 100.000th visitor got to my website on april the 5th.
As for my mini-layout: the basis is cut to fit the attic door, so I can start building its roof side (with integrated lights) and background. The bottom should of course be strenghtened and get removable legs. the plan shows a preliminary positioning of the attractions. I'm almost certain some of these won't be built in time for the october exhibition.
May '10: At last, I have some free time to catch up with my sceduled building! The mini-layout:'s "roof" got finished, including a microcontroller-based light control. The bottom part should get its legs, the electricity power part and some basic landscaping - street cobblestones and some grass, that is. I'm thinking about home-building lanterns for the city hall and the park next to it, the design of these is finished Because of a overdue delivery of parts, the electric part isn't built yet, and therefore I coudn't start the "upper" part of the layout's bottom. I don't want to damage the modeled top part while working intensively underneath, so landscaping is postponed.
The city hall itself: I've started building it. Early May, its foundations and the stairs are ready and lots of façade parts are cast. After a few weeks, it got quite a bit further as the picture shows. This is needed, as I want to make a nice picture of the catterpillar, and the city hall is a suitable "background".
As for the fancy-fair attractions: a fourth (I would like to think it's the definite one) catterpilar closing cloth is made and needs mounting, I have to repair some roof wiring and then it can be placed on the layout, and the drive mechanism can be connected and tested. I hope to continue building the rollercoaster (I just know I won't get it finished this month) and I would like to make a second (hopefuly working) prototype for the bumper cars. I've acquired a lot of cellphone drive motors to use for these.

June '10: June was great: 17 days off, so lots of time for modeling. I finished the minilayout's top frame and lighting. This done, I could remove the cap and installed the main power supply, some switches and fittings for the removeable bottom supports..These should be very sturdy, so no shaking can disturb the delicate fancy-fair attractions. This done, I did the street pavements, and made some old-style park lanterns.
The catterpillar needs some final adjustments and is the first attraction getting its definite location. The drive mechanism is far to noisy, and has to be replaced. The lower three floors of the city hall are ready, a simple interior was attached.
A view of the current status (see the left picture above) made me realize this project couldn't possibly jbe finished in time. Far to much work to do, and far to much empty space for planned attractions.: I doubted between two options: Going to the exposition with a halve-built project, or postponing the "première" and finishing it as I would like it to be and then showing it. I chose the latter.
July '10: The decision I made last month - project not finished in 2010, but in 2012 - was the right one. I neglected my family - especially my wife - and now I can correct this situation. With the two years extra I can make all the attractions I wanted, with the degree of realism I want them to have. The bumping cars wouldn't stand a chance, now I can try to build this special project. A steam carrousel, haunted house, pony ride, ... are within reach, too.
The actual building time this month all went into the city hall. I'ld like to write a more or less theoretical piece on this in Modelspoormagazine: "how to create a plan from pictures". Making wall parts and copying them using casting techniques speeds up the building process. At the end of the month I started making the central tower. I estimate the building could be ready in august. The tower contains a carillon, though, and it is visible on the outside. Its bells will have to be milled seperately.
At the end of the month I can proudly announce that my grandchild, Michiel, will become a "big brother" in 2011.

August '10: This month starts with building the city hall , and now to the finish. I still had about 20cm of tower to build, and on the 8th construction was finished. Milling the carillon bells was an intensive little job, but very much worth the effort. The rest of the free days this month would be used for correcting the electrical parts, filling gaps and adding a slight wheathering to the 52cm high building. A new drive mechanism for the catterpilar is waiting to get built, and I might restart on the rollercoaster his month.
Well, that is ... when searching for some spare parts I came across a drive belt I recovered from a computer printer. An idea I had earlier came to life: a mini-miniature train riding in the park next to the city hall. I wanted to model the park in the very near future anyway, so I began building this in-scale scale model railroad. In a few days, the subroadbed with the drive mechanism was finished, and the etching transfers for the 1/1000th scale train were designed while driving to and from work. But first, I will have to fix a small leak in my etching container...
September '10: After a holiday in Corsica, the drive mechanism for the mini-miniature railroad in the park is almost ready. I used a stepper drive for the very first rime, and I liked it. I'll probably use it more for future fancy-fair attractions. The city-hall isn't finsihed yet - it still needs some filling of gaps, wheathering, ... but I realy need to clean up first: For now, my desks are piled up with remains of earlier projects. When I restart building the rollercoaster, I'll definitely need more space.
After the holiday, the l"fixed" leak in my etching-tool proved badly: About 200cc of fresh acid (quite agressive) found its way out. Luckily, it didin't attack any tools, but cleaning was nevertheless an intensive job. The canister is meanwhile (hopefuly) repaired.

Dit is een filmpje

October '10: Some extra electronics for the mini-layout dominate the start of this month. An extra power supply - I needed a high-amp 3 volts - awaited spare parts, and is now finished..Waiting for this spare parts, I started a flashing board for the rollercoaster: If I succeed in building this, you can decrypt the name of the coaster. It will contain a lot of SMD-leds, on a thin two-layer PCB. Again, while waiting for the delivery of parts for this name-board, I finaly fixed the dome for the catterpillar It wasn't that hard to repair after all.

November '10: At the start of thois month, the city-hall is completely finished. The room lighting is much warmer, some gaps were filled and the building got a slight wheathering. I just need a nice "finished" photo to complete an article for Modelspoormagazine.
From now on, the rollercoaster gets most of my attention. Making at least one well-rolling train has top priority. This means assembling the rest of the 128 wheel-sets, thus making 32 bogies, coupling the 16 cars, remodelling some and painting them, ... The pull-up system, as well as the breaks on the passenger's platform is designed but has to be built, as well as about 12 feet of track. The software to control all of this is being developed, too.

December '10: The catterpillar isn't running well, and I found a severe mechanical problem causing it. I'll try to fix this, but the rollercoaster will get the main attention these following months. Both trains are nearly ready, just in need of some (hand-painted) passengers..Some of these figures are a bit too joyfull, meaning their arms reach out too wide. Some "preventive surgery" was used to reposition their arms, so they wouldn't get amputated. I still have about 9 feet of track to build, at a rate of 2 weeks per foot. Especially the risers/supports need a lot of measuring and fitting. The breaking-system is built - I used the system I used earlier for my downhill fiddleyardl.
I wrote a two-fold article for modelspoormagazine about my city-hall, a first part a bit more theoretical, the second part a lot of tips and tricks I discovered while building it.
Next month/year, I'll be in charge of another group at work. This will, no doubt, require some extra energy.

See: diary 2009 - photo's 2010 - diary 2011