Buying Tools Again

I recently was told by Gary Laker (his blog) that Aldi supermarkets had a small compressor and two air brushes for $99 so I went to investigate. I am a sucker for air brushes and did find it but decided against a purchase as I already have five or six. While there I saw a band saw also for $99 and it looked very familiar. I have been eyeing off a band saw at Super Cheap Auto for the last year or two and it was $169. So a quick walk for a couple of hundred metres found me at Super Cheap. Sure enough, it was the same band saw just a different colour and badging but now at $189, easy decision. Back to Aldi and home with the saw. I haven't had a chance to un-box it yet as other issues have taken precedence such as no where to put it for now.

Earlier this week I went to Jaycar to get some small jumper leads, you know, different colours and twelve to a pack. While perusing the tool section I found a pack of small metric drill bits for $12.95, now I have the number 60 - 80 imperial ones and felt I just had to get these just in case, you know what it is like. The 20 drill bits in the set covered the following sizes: 0.3, 0.35, 0.4, 0.45, 0.5, 0.55, 0.6, 0.65, 0.7, 0.75, 0.8, 0.85, 0.9, 0.95, 1.0, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6mm.

Photo from the Jaycar web site.

I also saw a set of small metric taps and dies for $59.95 covering 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8, 2.0, 2.2 & 2.5mm. The taps come in both taper and plug.

Photo from the Jaycar web site.

I know that I won't use the taps and dies a lot but when I need them they will be there. I have already thought about using a die to put a thread for a retaining nut on the top of the post on brass steam locomotive tenders to stop the connector bar to the loco from coming off. This is important as there are wires running from the DCC decoder to the loco that can get broken when the connecting bar comes adrift. I do have BA taps and dies but as brass locomotives are usually full of metric screws and bolts I felt that the set wouldn't go amiss.

Also tweaking my interest is a Sheet Metal Bender set (also called a bending brake) but so far I haven't succumbed. The two pieces are magnetic so will stay in place in a vice as per the photo from the Jaycar web site below.

Please note that I don't have any connection to Jaycar.

Too many nice tools and not enough money.

Bringing it together

Since I started this blog in 2008 I have posted a lot of photos of the layout.  Today I thought that since I have been a bit busy of late that I would try to bring a number of the photos together to present a more complete whole. I have previously posted a video run along the mainline but it doesn't show every part of the layout, but then neither does this post. The following pictures while not covering everything might give a better idea of the layout. The pictures are a combination of overall layout photos interspersed with 'local' photos.

We start from the Muswellbrook staging at the lowest point of the layout and progress through Kerrabee, Bylong, Cox's Gap, past the colliery junction, Wollar, the Cassilis branch junction then up the final grade to the Gulgong staging. Finally we have just a few photos of Munmurra and Cassilis on the branch. Cassilis has not progressed for more than a year, I must get back to it once I remove the overflow of stuff related to recent events from the layout room. Emptying, painting and setting up three bedrooms had a flow on effect.

Please note that some photos have been digitally modified to remove either brickwork above the layout or the edge of the layout by 'rubber stamping' with parts of the existing scene.

Anyway here we go:

Lower Muswellbrook Staging to Kerrabee

Lower level - Kerrabee and grade from Cox's Gap to Wollar on upper level above

Bridge over Kerrabee Creek - Built by Ian Dunn

Lower level - Grade approaching Bylong and Wollar Station on upper level above

Lower level - UP end of Bylong Station and Down end of Wollar on upper level above

McCauleys Hide Merchants and ash filled buffer stop

MV meat van at Bylong Abattoir and McCauleys on left

4434 on Empty Stock in Bylong Loop

SHG on stock train at Bylong

Lower level - Down end of Bylong Station with grade to upper level Gulgong staging
also shown is the Cassilis branch line just below the grade

Bylong tunnel approach

Stock train leaving Bylong

C3262 on stock train enters Bylong No2 tunnel

Climb to Cox's Gap - bridge built by Ron Cunningham

Cox's Gap Signal Box - Model by James McInerney

The line climbs out of Cox's Gap and passes under the bridge on the road to Wollar

4434 on goods on the Cox's Gap to Wollar grade



4434 on goods cresting the Cox's Gap to Wollar grade

4434 on goods passing the colliery junction bracket signal near Wollar

4434 on goods approaching colliery junction with Wollar township on right

A Summer day in the country

4820 and 4831 on goods leaving Wollar

Up Mixed passing colliery branch

6037 leaving colliery at level crossing before junction with the main line

Cross country view with the S08 wheat silo at Wollar in the distance

3647 simmers in Wollar loco as 3390 checks brakes

5139 resting in Wollar Loco Depot

The Wollar depot dog

CPH 28 in the back platform at Wollar

The Mid-West Express resplendent in a new coat of paint pauses in Wollar - Green 3827 leading

4908 on the main at Wollar

4434 sits in Wollar refuge loop

NSWGR 3390 on Cassilis Branch goods train approaching Wollar

3390 passing Wollar level crossing

Farmers Co-operative and the general store at the other end of Wollar township

Cassilis Branch Junction with the flour mill at Wollar in the background

Grade to upper level Gulgong staging also Cassilis branch line
and lower level - Down end of Bylong Station

Gulgong Staging on upper level above lower level -grade to Cox's Gap Loop

5085 on branch goods

10 Munmurra Station overview

Cassilis structure placement mock up

2540 on Cassilis turntable