Continue making extension boards.
Back to three this week (2.5 actually).
Laurence took on the task of making the last board, the rectangular board sited on the shelving unit. Stephen and Geoff pressed on with fitting the knurled pin connectors to the transition boards assembled last week.
As the boards were already made, a drilling jig was required to locate the pins in each board end, separately. A piece of hardwood was used, with two pieces of ply screwed to the top. Holes were drilled and the pins glued and tapped into place. Two more pin units will be required, which Geoff will make in the week.
The boards located on the shelf can't be bolted together from underneath, so alternative methods were discussed. Consideration was particularly given to the angled interfaces and lack of room on top of some boards. The winner was 38mm flat-back hinges with the pins ground/drilled out and removable pins made to suit. These pins will be dropped in from above once the hinges are aligned. Stephen will procure hinges for next week.
Stephen and Geoff spent some time cutting strips of 2.5mm MDF to glue to the undersides of the board longitudinal frames, where the softwood frame is slightly lower than the plywood. These will be glued to all boards at the end of work sessions, over a few weeks.
Before lunch, the Peco O-16.5 track was discussed. 'Country member Chris Holmes had suggested that the sleepers be cut apart then re-spaced to at least 20mm centres to represent prototypical trackwork. Geoff argued that 2'-6" (17.5mm) to 3' (21mm) would be suitable although the former might be preferable. Existing Cottesmore/WC PCB track was then measured at 17/18mm, which was agreed.
Laurence had to leave after lunch, but Stephen and Geoff carried on with the location pins and finished off the afternoon by gluing some of the 2.5mm packers.
