Blog

Following up on my Z scale train in a box, I had some track left over so I decided to do a small layout in book.  I ordered a one of the cool boxes that look like a book on Amazon.  It's about 12"x9" on the inside.  Just enough for a Rokuhan Shorty loop layout. The box cover wasn't something I really loved though. So I decided to recover it black "faux" leather and put some engraving on it.  Turns out engraving on black leather doesn't really show up well. So my next option was to use foil.  I read up...

Done! I finished the layout and the box and I am really happy with it.  The biggest change is that I realized I can't run both trains, the switch, the lights and a single board LCD screen on a 9v battery. Duh. The lights on the cars didn't have enough current to light. Also, when I turned on the lights the max train speed would drop in half. The switch wouldn't work reliably either as the 9v discharged.  I tried using a 3s 650mah lipo and that worked. Except the current drain was pretty high and I took it down...

Continuing on from part 1, with my Rokuhan Shorty build, everything is almost done.  The box is built, the layout is installed and I have all the lights working.  The only thing left to do is the background image for the lid, install the train stop and tidy up the control box area. .  I 3D printed a box to hold both Shinkansen trains and a cover for it.  As its setup now the trains stay snug when the box is transported.  I added a chain to hold the box lid vertical when its opened.  The box hinges, latches and...

I’m working on a small (3’x2’) Rokuhan Shorty layout. I plan to put it in a suitcase sized case so it will be portable and easily stored.  The layout is going to be based on a modern city.  This is my first time working with Z scale and I really like it.  The layout has an inner  and outer track with switches and fits in a pretty small space. I have the track layout done and the mounting board.  I designed a city block with an intersecting road to lay the track on.  It’s printed on glossy poster paper. To...

When I was a kid I loved Knight Rider.  I had a plastic toy KITT car that  would play sounds from the show when you pressed the license plate. It was a great toy.  I recently  looked it up online and was thinking about buying one. They weren't crazy expensive. But then I got to thinking, I could make that car and something better.  The best thing about all of the affordable tech we have now is that you can affordably make a lot of things you dreamed of as a kid pretty easily. I figured 3D printing would be...