Ever had one of those days !

3 LINK

3 LINK

Western Thunderer
Today had not been one of my better days for various reasons, so I thought the best tonic would be to go and have a tinker in the layout room.

One of the jobs I had been putting off was that a small section of track had a habit of losing power but not consistently, so rather than try to find the " dry " connection, I thought I'd just put another feed and dropper into the troublesome section. Well without really putting the brain in gear I drilled down into the baseboard and immediately thought what's that graunching noise? It turns out I had drilled into the top of one of the tortoise motors! Oh bother I said, and on checking if I had damaged the motor found out I had gone straight into the motor housing and the armature itself ! If it had gone 2mm to the right hand side it would of been fine. Anyone else got any tales of woe or embarrassment they would like to share?

IMG_4752.jpg

Martyn.
 
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simond

simond

Western Thunderer
There are certainly times when I think, “I’ve had enough, if I don’t stop now, I’m going to ‘buffer’ this up”, and having recognised the signs (mainly impatience) I have now learned to put whatever it is down, even if “just one last...” is beckoning enticingly.

I think my most regrettable moment was knocking my part built JLTRT / Mitchell King off the shelf and it slicing my leg open on the way to the floor. It survived remarkably well, though I suspect the neighbours learned some interesting vocabulary. I recall it was Father’s day...

And there are some days when you just can’t win!

I imagine that the motors used in Tortoises are pretty standard. They have a fairly high winding resistance, so the stall current is low. I’d have a look on eBay, you might get something for a quid or two. Good luck! (I’d try looking tomorrow, I I were you :) )

Cheers
Simon
 
mickoo

mickoo

Western Thunderer
At times like that I go to bed, not because I'm tired, but because I just don't want to be awake any more :D

I spent three hours today trying to get a half etched valance overlay on the 47xx, for some odd reason the solder just would not flow, the work got hotter and hotter and then the footplate overlay bubbled up, fix that down and then the valance overlay would buckle.

Mm by mm it got laid down flat and secure but after three hours I put it to one side.....for it's own protection as it was fast being viewed as an object to hurl onto the lawn with considerable velocity.
 
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mickoo

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Yorkshire Dave said:
If you 'skimmed' it you could have cut the lawn as well. ;)
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Now there's a thought!

The 'boss' want's the grass cut but can't follow the logic of trying to push a mower with a sprained wrist might not be a good idea, funnily enough the demise of ye olde mower (30 years and probably ten more before I had it) was another go to bed early day.

It resolutely failed to start and then kicked back and nearly pulled my arm out of it's socket, at which point I shouted some Viking at it, picked it up (30+Kg) over my head and hurled it across the lawn into the corner where the pallets are stored. It stayed there, upside down, all winter.

The new one is much lighter and 'modern', I doubt it'll last thirty years, but then I don't intend to be cutting grass in my eighties.
 
simond

simond

Western Thunderer
I’m going to buy an electric sheep.

No more pull starting an under-engineered, awkward, impossible-to-store, noisy nuisance, no more realising there’s no b****y petrol and having to siphon it out of one of the motorbikes, or go to buy some, no more taking grass clippings to the tip and having to queue on a Sunday afternoon because everybody’s doing exactly the same.
They’re quite expensive, but putting a price on my, and Madame’s time...

(and they’re way cheaper in France)

Atb
Simon
 
Scale7JB

Scale7JB

Western Thunderer
mickoo said:
At times like that I go to bed, not because I'm tired, but because I just don't want to be awake any more :D

I spent three hours today trying to get a half etched valance overlay on the 47xx, for some odd reason the solder just would not flow, the work got hotter and hotter and then the footplate overlay bubbled up, fix that down and then the valance overlay would buckle.

Mm by mm it got laid down flat and secure but after three hours I put it to one side.....for it's own protection and it was fast being viewed as an object to hurl onto the lawn with considerable velocity.
Click to expand...

Had that with the J15 tender coal rails for around 7 hours!!

The next day, did it differently and had it done in no time. Always the way.

JB.
 
W

wychcan

Guest
One of those days, well yes you could add mine to that.
Two locos to spray, first one, the paint did not “agree” with the thinner, so a redo needed, second going well ‘TIL I knocked the open jar of paint (crimson red) over, covering first, my jeans, onto my foot, then onto the floor. Not a happy bunny oh it is Easter after all!:(
 
3 LINK

3 LINK

Western Thunderer
simond said:
There are certainly times when I think, “I’ve had enough, if I don’t stop now, I’m going to ‘buffer’ this up”, and having recognised the signs (mainly impatience) I have now learned to put whatever it is down, even if “just one last...” is beckoning enticingly.

Cheers
Simon
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mickoo said:
At times like that I go to bed, not because I'm tired, but because I just don't want to be awake any more :D

....for it's own protection and it was fast being viewed as an object to hurl onto the lawn with considerable velocity.
Click to expand...

The above quotes I can relate to, even after adding a bit of humour into the predicaments I can still feel their pain.

But hey! tomorrow's another day :thumbs:, Happy Easter......
 
Eastsidepilot

Eastsidepilot

Western Thunderer
No cock -ups on the modelling front but I was in the workshop and heard an almighty crash yesterday, sounded like two cars in the road but then realised the umbrella on the garden table had blown over taking the glass top off the table with it.
So I did what most chippy's would do I suppose found the nearest piece of timber and made a new one :D......Bett thought it was very rustic:rolleyes:

IMG_0543.JPG

Col.
 
lankytank

lankytank

Western Thunderer
SimonT said:
Sat at the workbench and a needle file falls off. Without thinking I caught it with my thighs. It was very secure half an inch into my left thigh and there was only a small amount of blood.
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Thought I was the only one daft enough to do that :thumbs: (not that I'm implying that you're daft..).

Now, provided I'm not in the way, if anything falls, from anywhere, I only intervene when it has stopped moving.:)
 
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