Damn Rulers

Well lockdown in Brisbane concluded on last Sunday at 4:00pm.  So the daughter scooted over to the boyfriends place and I just did some more work in the shed and also that night at the kitchen table.  I still had Monday off work, and I could go out.  So on Monday morning I made a bee-line over to a local hobby shop and picked up some styrene and paint.  That was $100 well spent, as I had used up quite a bit on various items over the previous two weeks of holidays.  I also arranged for Arthur Hayes to come over in the afternoon and assess four of my models towards my AP for Structures.  I realised after talking to Arthur, that on one of the models I could have added some more detail, so I will see if I get three merit awards or four for these four models.  If I get three awards, I will improve the last model and get it re-assessed, after it gets some more attention.  The last model I need to get assessed, is the Park Road Siding Trans-shipment Shed.  I will be focussing on this model next.

The other day, actually last Saturday and Sunday nights I put together a number of detail items that I was going to deploy to various locations on the layout.  These being - tables, chairs, stools and side tables from styrene and after gluing together I gave them a paint.  I took some along to Tuesday Nighter’s last Tuesday and to the Club on Saturday to give a few out.  It was not until I had already made a few that I realised that some of my legs on the various items were different lengths.  That had me scratching my head.  I had recently purchased a new 150mm steel ruler, as you can not have too many of these.  I was using that new ruler to make my legs.  Now I use various locations on the ruler so that wear and tare is evened over the complete length.  Sometimes I would line the styrene rod, I was using for legs on the various detail items, up with the end of the ruler and measure either 10mm, 7mm, 5mm or 3mm and make those cuts.  Other times, I would use a major mark on the ruler and measure out the required millimetres and cut there.  Then I took a closer view of the end of the ruler.  Well when it was printed, the printing machine must have been off centre.  The 1mm mark on the ruler was actually 2mm from the end of the ruler.  Well that was a bit of a problem.  So everything I measured at that end, was actually 1mm longer than I wanted them.  But at least I worked out why the legs on various items were different lengths and the items did not sit flat on the ground.  That was a trap for young players. 

Anyway on Saturday afternoon after I had returned from the Club for the monthly meeting, and picking up another packet of styrene at the hobby shop near the Club, I took the ruler to my grinding wheel and slowly reduced the area between the end of the ruler and the 1^st mm mark to nothing.  It is now just like a bought one.  Pity it could not be like that direct from the shop.  But for $1.50 I suppose we should expect that.  I will pay closer attention to this fact next time.

So I have now created a number of lists for projects that I will do at various locations on the layout.  I am working on completing more back boards with a sky colour, and then doing some more ground scenery work in a couple of locations.  But to simplify the lists, there is work to do at Cassino, Lismore, Baker’s Farm, Rocla Siding, The Risk, Border Loop and of course the trans-shipment shed at Park Road Siding.

So over the next few weeks, I hope to make quite substantial progress at these locations.  I also got my first jab yesterday on the way back from the Club.  Three weeks until I'm fully vaccinated.