fifteen minute modeller

fighting procrastination fifteen minutes at a time

Tag: 3D modelling

Bouncing Box

27th December 2020 / / 0 Comments

In keeping with the small scale of operations at 15minmod towers, I was served up this great little video and two things sprang to mind. 1) Now that Unit would make a great little model; due to its size and uniformity. 2) at 3:13:00 there is a great little cameo layout idea. I have long thought that these little spots lend themselves to my restrictive space for modelling and the focus it allows is way more important to me. I never can resist the chance to noodle a bit and although it probably wouldn’t be that interesting in reality all these little scrappy are gathered together for patching together in a glorious multi faceted quilt of a railway.

Plan 25433989.23

So filing away for future ideas, I am lead to think that in these times of shortage, but an abundance of time it would be an ideal little 3D modelling project. Not having a 3d Printer won’t stop the fun of designing the build and yes I know there are places you can get things printed but as I try to stay focused on my current project when the mind wanders a craves sometimes different this is what I might turn to. The thought did also cross my mind about trying to create this in etched metal, as there are a number of variants of this that would lend well to filling out a sheet of nickel silver or Brass

BUT CONCENTRATE TOM!!!

Until next time..

The Big Idea.

28th May 2017 / / 0 Comments

Although no physical modelling has taken place so far I haven’t been idle and in fact I see  3D modelling to be just as relevant and enjoyable as the real modelling. As I stated in my last post getting to the point where I have a layout space is still someway off and all the prep that need to go into that will take up the majority of my time at the moment. You can see by the picture below that there is an ideal wall space for the shelf layout and IMG_2311.jpegalthough I looked at using the longer wall on the other side of the room but I have deliberately settled for the shorter one as this restricts my natural expansionist tendencies, well at least for the time being. At the moment it is an easier space to convert as well as there are some pretty hefty cupboards around the rest of the room and it would make for storage difficulties due to there being not much else in the house. You may note the mattress on the floor however this will not stay there and once a suitable bed is procured will disappear to the other side of the room. I did ponder a Murphy bed but in the end too much hassle for not much gain.

So this is my blank canvas a where I get to do my modelling and where I need to map out the space requirements. From the window side to the door frame I have 6′ 6″ exactly but I am thinking about having a drop down bridge that would need six inches to allow it to be attached to the wall and braced vertically therefore giving me six feet of useable space. Then comes the basic concept; although not actually modular the structure of the railway(s) will take a similar approach in that the boards will be have a common interface with the fiddle yard or staging and will all be three feet long allowing them to be housed below the running layout in some custom draws that I thought could use the draw front as the back scene once turned round. All this is a concept at the moment and needs to be somewhat tested out.

Screen-Shot-2017-05-28-at-18.48.37.jpeg

Here is the digital mock up and with the frame and brackets I can place the layout height at pretty much anything I like. At the moment I am pondering a eye level sight line and as I don’t see multi-hour marathon operating sessions it would be like having a standing desk, and that gives good separation to the workbench and layout. Many people may say “isn’t this too much effort going into a six foot self layout” but for me playing around with the building block gives me just as much fun.

I’m off to test some things out at build a 1:12 mockup of the room. My findings in the next post.

From above..

6th October 2013 / / 0 Comments

photo

Following on from the previous post of attic rummagings  I manage to find a in a dark damp corner a carrier bag of my old Railway Modellers from the early 80’s that my mum use to buy me from my pocket money once a month on a Friday when she went to the local market as I was at that point still having to go to what we called Colditz in reality was the local comprehensive school. Wasn’t till I got into the 6th year and they treated us ‘like’ adults that I was able to go down into town and get my own copy along with a quart of sherbert BonBons, ahh happy days.

What might you ask has this to do with fifteen minutes of modelling well I call it research! 🙂 As with most RM’s there are scale plans in most issues and in one of them there are 4mm drawings for a ‘Jinty’ or better known as an LMS Fowler 3F loco. This is something I am planning on looking at building for my S Scale Micro. Being a small branch/yard type loco it will fit in nicely with the locale and also as I plan to do this as a 3D Shapeways print project it should be relatively easy to get going, I say easy but then I remember the opposing force of procrastination slipping in and teaching myself CAD. I have Sketchup but feel it is not suited to 3D modelling and is more aimed at architecture. Anyway more of that story to come later.

In other news I have been thinking and planning a kind of test bed to my plan to build Leyburn on the Wensleydale Line in the 1940’s. This is to get a feel for the scenery and buildings that I am going to need. I would really like to build this as real roundy layout like Brafferton that I really like as it ‘gets’ the feel of its location, but also as I want to actually build something before launching into a full blown proto-based layout.

2mmplan

Basically at the moment it feels like I am treading water until I can get my railway stuff out of storage and back home where I can really start to get cracking, although money is tight at the moment building on a budget can introduce interesting methods and modelling. I think I am going to start to label posts by project so as not to confuse you dear reader as to which I am currently working on.

And finally two events to look forward to firstly the meeting of L&Y 2mmFS group, not sure what to expect but it is a do’ing group rather than a talking one so looking forward to that and secondly the 2mmFS AGM over in Burnley which will be good to go to not just for the socialising. Will report further.

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