I've started a thread on the Roughboy Blog http://www.roughboy.net/shinola/ (http://www.roughboy.net/shinola/) chronicling the build of 1:48n3 Lima Shay #122 as run on the Mich-Cal Lumber Company as their #2. To give you a taste, I've attached a couple of perspective renderings of the rear pilot beam, one from the front, the second from the rear. The wood components (to be fabricated from Swiss Pear) are rendered as translucent plastic to illustrate the construction. I'm currently working on the drawings for the front pilot beam. Progress on the build will be published in the thread, so if you're interested, stop by for a look.
Paul
This will be fun to watch as I'm doing roughly the same thing on the 1/20.3 K27. Made the beam as suggested here on the forum from pearwood and I love the stuff.
John
Nice start, Bill. I have the plastic "generic" version of this Shay. I hope to learn a lot.
Chuck
Bill, this should be very interesting to watch you do this. Plus the fact that the Shay is my favorite Engine. Can't wait for the next post.
Jerry
Thanks for the good words guys. I've just posted an update on the Roughboy blog http://www.roughboy.net/shinola/ (http://www.roughboy.net/shinola/) showing the perspective renderings of the front pilot beam. Next update will show the preparation and machining of the pear wood beam pieces.
Paul
I've just posted an update on the shay project on the Roughboy blog http://www.roughboy.net/shinola/ (http://www.roughboy.net/shinola/). I've included the teaser image below showing the mill set-up to machine a fixture that will be used to help machine the brackets that mount the pear wood pilot beams to the frame rails. Full details and more photos on the blog.
Paul
Another update has been posted on the Roughboy blog http://www.roughboy.net/shinola/ (http://www.roughboy.net/shinola/) on the pilot beam bracket machining. Teaser image below shows brackets after machining and ready for the next step. Thumb & finger give a sense of scale. More photos and details on the blog.
Paul
Beautiful!
....almost retentive ;D ;D
Marc
Since I'm back working on this project again, decided to bump the thread. Hopefully there won't be too many objections. It was also an opportunity to test the macro-focusing ability of a new digital camera. Finally replaced the old floppy-drive era beast I'd been using for years. :)
I just finished drilling out the bolt hole in each bracket. The bolt (.020" dia. phosphor bronze rod) will fix the bracket to the pear wood end beams. I machined the short bolt end off the top of the cast-in NBW on the bracket to provide a flat surface for drilling. Then, using good old eye-sight (enhanced with lots of magnifiers) I located and drilled a #71 hole through the center of each cast-in nut. Photo below shows the drilling in process. I've removed all the finished brackets from the machining fixture and am currently cleaning off any excess solder. Once complete, I'll install the phosphor bronze bolts, the ends of which are threaded as an added detail (madness!). More pictures to come in the next post.
Paul
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.roughboy.net%2Fimgs%2FShay-drillingSm.jpg&hash=ba0ffd4e505a7f346947a94a3396ffccd1b5ebcb)
Just amazing the kind ow work you and John produce. I always think of what a shame it is that so often when people see the finished model made like this, they have no idea of the amount of work and skill went into making it.
Marc
Thanks Marc. You're right, with the exception of a few other equally twisted souls here, most people have no concept of the amount of work and effort it takes to build these models. That fact is forcibly brought home if you have ever tried to make a living at modelmaking. With the exception of a very few exceptional and lucky builders, no one can expect to be paid fairly for their work. I expect I speak for all of us when I say we do it for the love of doing it and the challenges we set ourselves. I always try to push the limits, that's where the excitement and adventure reside.
Paul
I don't see how any modeler could earn enough to survive unless he consistently gets big bucks from corporate clients. The level of craftsmanship and artistry I see on this forum exceeds the vast majority of what I've seen in museums and of "professional" efforts. I still remember that exquisite little 1:48 critter you showed me ten or more years ago. -- Russ
In Lahnstein Marcel Ackle and I discussed this matter till deep in the night.
"What is it that makes one model stand out against another" ?
This question gave the feeling that the personal involvement in the creating proces is the most important factor.
Items that are built with love ( from the hart) DO stand out, they go beyond museum or professional quality.
A "professional" is always compromising as time and money are deciding factors in his "manufacturing" proces.
I can only built something to MY satisfaction when I understand it and am in the mental state to concentrate on it
A competition can be a catalist to start an item, it will never influence my own feeling of satisfaction. If one compromises there, it will always show.
I remember a similar discussion in Jacq's logging project started by Russ based on a phrase, a word. It resulted in a lot of posts from many directions.
Therefore thanks Uncle for the forum, it attracted a number of modelers that understand the ever shifting limits and challenges, as Paul described so well, without any feeling of competition or fear of ridicule.
With this recognition in mind, does the rest realy matter ?
Jacq
Paul,
I see you too have discovered those carbide circuit board drills that don't move around so much when you drill those tiny little holes.
John
John, those are great bits. They are almost all I use anymore. I bought a couple sets of them in 1994 and am still using them. As long as you run them at the right speed and feed slowly, they'll cut cleanly and accurately through almost anything.
You're right Jacq. A successful model has an indescribable quality, that goes beyond technical accomplishment, that could best be defined as soul. I too believe it comes from the heart and soul commitment of the builder.
Thanks Russ for the comment on the critter. That was a favorite little project. It was built as an operating model so some compromises were made in chassis detailing. To the best of my knowledge it is still chugging merrily along. Unfortunately I don't have any good photos of it. There was an article about it published in the Gazette in '95 I believe. Those photos were pretty good, but didn't really capture the subtle coloring or some of my favorite details. There are a lot of models I've done that I'd like to revisit with a digital camera ;)
Paul
Hi Paul just managed to get to this thread Great to see how you are tackling this model. Yep I think that drilling out the threaded part so that you can insert .020 phosphor bronze rod is just shy of eccentric ;) I don't know why you didn't just machine off the whole bolt and put in 0000-160 bolts ;D Just kidding.
It will be interesting following your progress.
Have you checked out this source. http://www.newmantools.com/taps/micro.htm#threads (http://www.newmantools.com/taps/micro.htm#threads) for anything small that you might need I am always amazed at what is out there when you go looking for it.
regards Michael
Michael:
I'm not shy of eccentric, I'm totally eccentric and proud of it ;D ;D. To prove it, I've threaded the phosphor bronze rod and machined square-head bolts that will actually fasten the pear-wood pilot beams to the frame. I'm working on some photos showing how I made the bolts that I'll post here and on my blog shortly.
Thanks for the link, I'll check them out. I use J.I. Morris Company http://www.morris01550.com/ (http://www.morris01550.com/) for most of my miniature fasteners, taps and dies. They provide an excellent, though rather pricey product. There are some photos elsewhere on this forum of some 000-120 flathead screws I use to fasten bearing retainers on a 1:48 Kodama K-27. For this project I had the time to make them so I figured "why not," plus it saved money.
Paul
QuoteTo prove it, I've threaded the phosphor bronze rod and machined square-head bolts that will actually fasten the pear-wood pilot beams to the frame.
Brilliant!
Thanks for the link, I actually have an old Small Parts Catalogue circa 1973 ish but it is buried in the boxes of books in storage, i would imagine the prices will have gone up a bit ::)
regards Michael
I found that picture of the K27 pedestal block I referred to in the post below.
Paul
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.roughboy.net%2Fimgs%2FK27PedBlock.jpg&hash=1474e3b9baa236b47853cb77a9db7650dcd49ef0)
I just published Part 3 in the Shay construction series on the Roughboy blog http://www.roughboy.net/shinola (http://www.roughboy.net/shinola). I've included a couple of teaser photos here.
The first is a picture of the end beam brackets mounted on the frame rails showing the .018" dia. x .100" L. phosphor bronze pins that lock them in place.
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.roughboy.net%2Fimgs%2FBracketFrame.jpg&hash=7263af8efd11812cebde93c197180d5e5dc0d0f8)
The second picture shows the finished scratchbuilt, square-head bolts used to bolt the pear wood end beams to the frame. The bolts are threaded as are the corresponding holes in the brackets. I had to fabricate an adaptor for my Emco lathe to fit my Boley Jewellers collets in order to bore and turn these bolt heads. The collets afforded me the ability to bore the stock at absolute centre. The bolt shank is .025" dia. phosphor bronze rod. The heads were fabricated from .040" sq. brass rod.
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.roughboy.net%2Fimgs%2FBoltsFinished.jpg&hash=e0acd7da056acd184eba6f635d4592347aee0bf8)
The third shows a finished bolt temporarily in place in the frame.
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.roughboy.net%2Fimgs%2FBoltBracket.jpg&hash=a4231fe4325e1e506fa662391563f28fe6636eba)
Paul
I do like those bolts. I'm after the guys at Scale Hardware to make 00-90 square head bolts and nuts for us to use on these era engines and rolling stock. They are suggesting a metric size that is close as most of the interest seems to be coming out of Europe and not the US. Incidentally, they do some smaller thread sizes, but only as hex head and not square. Oh the lonely life of a rivet counter that wants things correct.
Meanwhile, keep up the good work.
John
Most satisfactory. -- Russ
Nice work on the bolts Paul, didyou soft solder or silver solder them?
regards Michael
Thanks guys.
Michael I used Stay-Brite silver bearing solder. It's an alloy of silver & tin with a medium melting point, not so high that you risk damaging tiny parts such as these but high enough that you can build-up assemblies of smaller soldered parts into more complex groups using lower melting-point solder.
Paul
Paul, Thanks for the info on the solder I will have to try and find some.
Michael
Micro Mark has it. They also have the flux which can be hard to find.
John
Micro Mark is a source as John says. Stay-Brite is made by the J. W. Harris Co. and you should be able to find several sources on the internet. It comes in different diameters. I use the 1/32" dia myself. I also use the liquid flux, I find it easier to control and it works extremely well. You don't need much. A small bottle goes a long way. Just be careful not to get any of it on any steel surfaces as it causes almost immediate corrosion. I have an old steel vise that I've designated just for solder work, thus avoiding any potential damage to my better vises.
Paul
John and Paul Thanks again for all the info .
Michael
Michael,
For flux I use an acid paste I get from Rutland Tool. It works as good as Stay-Brite and as a paste, you can place it with a toothpick. It is also much cheaper.
John
Just a mini-update on the Shay project. I've cut the wood stock for both end beams and the foot-boards. I decided to use Boxwood instead of the previously planned Swiss Pear. Since these parts are more-or-less hanging out in space, I wanted to use a very tough wood that could withstand any unintended knocks or bumps. In addition I have a limited supply of Swiss Pear and another project coming up for which I'm going to need almost my entire supply. Unfortunately the photo doesn't really show the true color of the Boxwood, it's slightly lighter and a touch more yellow than shown. Having such a dense grain structure, it's much more difficult to stain, but more about that later.
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.roughboy.net%2Fimgs%2FBoxwoodRaw.jpg&hash=f86dff97aaaae8dc9888c5cc6c0bc069e5314cad)
The next step is to texture, drill bolt holes, split and carve years of wear into the boxwood. For that purpose, in addition to a sharp scalpel blade, I use some micro gravers. The main ones I use are shown in the photo below. I think I may have purchased these from Micro Mark many years ago, but I'm not sure. It's important that they be as sharp as possible, so before doing any carving work I sharpen and hone them. I have a lot of experience sharpening plane irons and chisels freehand but for these miniscule cutting tools (for reference the smallest round cutter in the photo is .035" dia.) I adapted a plane iron sharpening fixture to hold the tools at a constant angle while sharpening. With cutting planes this small, it's very easy to create a rounded or multi-angled cutting plane if you try to sharpen freehand which will render the cutter effectively useless. It's also important when sharpening any cutting edge to remember there are two surfaces that need to be honed to produce a working edge. The back surface of the flat cutters needs to be honed perfectly flat as well. The round tools need to have the shaft buffed as smooth as possible at the cutting edge.
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.roughboy.net%2Fimgs%2FGravers.jpg&hash=cee6c6c67edcba1cea2bbf1b187da88112b04cb3)
Paul
Speechless....simply beautiful.
I am also really enjoying and appreciating all the how-to and know how you are sharing.
Thanks.
Marc
Paul, you are a master craftsman and an artist -- a rare combination. -- Russ
QuoteIn addition I have a limited supply of Swiss Pear and another project coming up for which I'm going to need almost my entire supply
I know what you mean about being careful with special woods. I still have a billet of English Boxwood(illegal to cut) that I purchased at an exotic wood shop in the east end of London in 1972 I use it very frugally.
I am looking forward to seeing how you work over the beams.
Regards michael
Thanks Marc and Russ. Such comments from the two of you are compliments indeed.
Michael, yes boxwood is hard to find. I bought several squares back in the 1970s and still have about half of it left. I too use it frugally and save all my off-cuts and scraps, no matter how small. I had the good fortune to scrounge some scraps from a friend who was pruning a local variety of boxwood a couple of years ago. They're not nearly as high in quality, but still good none the less.
Paul
At the risk of a wrist-slapping or at the very least a prolonged session in the comfy chair from Uncle Russ :o, I'm bumping this thread with an update and shameless plug. I had started a series of posts on the shay project on the Roughboy http://roughboy.net (http://roughboy.net) site. In a simultaneous server and hard drive crash last spring, I lost the entire textural content of the blog :'( but fortunately had backups on all or at least most of the photos. After requests from several individuals, I've started republishing some of the model-related articles and today posted the first restored shay article. I have the second article nearly ready to go and expect to post it tomorrow. The plan is to continue with the project as originally conceived and future posts on the shay's construction will follow. Thus ends the shameless plug... ;)
Paul
I greatly enjoy following your project and appreciate the tips and techniques you describe in detail. I am learning a lot from these and your roughboy.net site. Thanks.
I just wanted to add a few comments.
As you said, sharp tools are important but many people don't understand how. As you pointed out, it is nearly impossible to sharpen anything properly without good jigs, stones, and techniques. Ben Dale at Edge Pro taught me a lot about the theory and practice of creating and maintaining a good edge. He has written several articles on the subject that can probably be found on line as well as videos. He probably doesn't remember a couple of long phone calls from me where I pumped him for extra details and explanations. I have been using his products and making jigs to adapt to his tools for many years now. It makes a world of difference to be able to put razor-sharp edges that last on your tools.
On another topic, I like your rendered 3D drawings. I've noticed that not many modelers have made the jump into 3D CAD. It is time consuming to learn and has historically been very expensive. Today, however, there are ways to get into 3D cheaply with applications such as Alibre. It is still time consuming to learn but there are new technologies that you can get into by making the 3D jump. Specifically, rapid prototyping prices are coming down as are CNC machining prices for small quantities. Some of us are working on techniques to replace molded parts with CNC parts economically for smaller quantities.
Those scale bolts are impressive. I have been researching scale hardware lately for general use as well as for a 1:24 scale locomotive project a friend is working on. I know lots of modelers have looked into this many times before. The problem of scale hardware is tough. Standard thread sizes didn't come into practice until the late 1800's and head sizes weren't standardized until the mid 1900's. Since modeling historic items is the norm, supplying fine scale hardware is near impossible. If you want a scale thread pitch as well, custom machining your hardware is all you can do. I have a British friend that models Traction Engines and he tries to use the proper metal alloy as well. However, it looks like for most of us that are content with brass with standard threads, a simple jig can be made for modifying the heads of brass fillister head screws to get the head shape and size you want. I have been using screws and tools from J. I. Morris Company for probably 20 years. http://www.jimorrisco.com/ Of course, square nuts can be easily made by taping sheet metal stock if you have a jig for holding them.
Mike
Hello Paul,
This thread is just as amazing as the corliss project.. My cup runnith over with the wealth of knowlledge presented here...
(my wife was reading this thread and she seems to think everyone here Is or Was a machinist.)
She just can't believe the level of detail you gentlemen work in..
(thanks guys (all of you) "I think she is beginng to understand how/why I am so passionate about this") ;)
amazing work Paul...
Mike
Thanks Mike and Mike for your comments and compliments.
Yes, sharp tools are essential in any cutting operation. Many years ago I apprenticed as a traditional cabinet maker and the first full month of training was devoted to understanding cutting edges and how to tune and sharpen cutting tools, primarily wood cutting tools but the principles by and large are the same. We learned to sharpen by hand which is definitely an acquired skill requiring a great deal of practice.
I am familiar with the J. I. Morris Company. I've been using their products for twenty years myself. There's another post on this forum I believe which has a picture of some pedestal blocks that I machined to fit a Kodama K27. The blocks are held in place with 000-120 flat-head machine screws. The one drawback to Morris products is the cost. The taps alone cost a king's ransom and I find I have to be in absolutely the right frame-of-mind to use them because they're so fragile. I can tell you from experience there's nothing worse than breaking off a $50 miniature tap :'(. None-the-less, they supply an excellent product and I heartily recommend them to anyone in need of ultra-miniature fasteners. I'll be reposting an article on the blog within the next few days on how I made the square head bolts for mounting the pilot beams on the shay. I'm still uncertain as to whether it was an exercise in economy or eccentricity... ;D
I must admit I'm a bit of a junky for 3D CAD software. Yes, it can be exceptionally expensive, not the sort of thing you'd invest in for occasional work. The application I use (Cobalt by Ashlar-Vellum) is far and away the best I've ever used (MAC platform so my options are limited) but it is VERY pricey. There are as you say, other less expensive apps available but most are limited to PC platforms. I started using Cobalt to design motorcycle parts (which is a much more lucrative field than scale model-making) so it was easier to amortize the cost. It was just a natural step to start using it to study assemblies for scale models. The learning curve is fairly lengthy but if you are familiar with computer design software, have an understanding of technical drawing and an aptitude for thinking in three-dimensions it can quickly yield results. The main plus for Cobalt (at least for me) is the application is engineered for visual designers, not engineers. It does all the engineering calculations for you in the background, so you don't need a Phd in mechanical engineering, hydraulics or rocket science in order to get it to work for you. A real boon for those of us who are mathematically challenged. ;)
Paul
Paul,
I'm a Mac user myself but I find I need a few applications that just aren't available for the Mac such as different types of engineering software. I've only recently started using 3D CAD. I've been using PowerCad on the Mac for about 20 years which is an excellent 2D CAD application. I've only just started using Alibre by booting my Mac as a PC. Alibre has a end of version special going on where you can buy the standard version for $99 (normally about $1,000) if you don't mind using a version that will be out dated soon. This 3D CAD is on a similar level to SolidWorks and includes CAM as well. The modeling project I am working on is an experiment in CNC machining small parts. The idea is that if I can eliminate tooling and programming charges plus reduce setup time to about 5 minutes, small quantities of parts become more affordable. I chose Alibre because it is cheap and because I can generate G-Code directly. It is a lot to learn but we are making progress and we have a machine shop willing to work with us on this.
The concept is to machine multiple parts out of a block of material. The block is just clamped in a vice. You machine as much as you can from the one side, then flip the block over and machine in from the other side. Lastly, you finish the edges of the parts and they drop out leaving just a frame. It is true that you waste more material this way but the setup time is very small, especially if the shop is given the complex CNC program.
Mike
Mike:
Sounds like you're doing a lot more sophisticated work with the 3D CAD than I've attempted to date. I mainly use it to do initial design studies, though with the motorcycle parts I did have some initial discussions with machinists on exporting the required files for their use. I've always been a traditional analog machinist myself but then I've never been particularly concerned with repetitive high-output of parts and certainly can't afford the investment required to move up to digital. I'd be interested in seeing what sort of work you're producing with the process. $99 certainly is an excellent price. I believe Cobalt is going for around $3G now, though I believe they do have several discount programs. I believe a couple of other like-minded crazies on here are using SolidWorks. One thing for certain, with the increasingly powerful software and the 5 plus axis machines to put it to use, there are products being designed and manufactured that weren't conceivable just a few years ago.
I'm familiar with PowerCad but I've been using VectorWorks for several years now as my 2D CAD software. It's been a good workhorse for me. I originally started out with a drafting/tech illustration program called Canvas many, many years ago. I still have most of those original drawing files and VectorWorks will open and convert them. They usually require some cleaning up, but it's still less work than doing a complete redraw.
Paul
heh she was right....
You guys are machinists...if you are not you even fooled me.
anyway I have a question for you CAD guys..
Q: is there a recomended or perfered small milling machine (i.e. micro-mark milling machine) that also has the stepping motors capability and maybe even cnc programable.
BTW I use most autodesk software, autoCAD 2008, autodesk Inventor and for 3d modeling design, I still have punchpro architectual designer purchased that one back in 98 and it still is the best running app of its kind, a well writen app...must be it even still works on the Windows 7 platform.
Mike
Mike:
I'm an old-fashioned stick-in-the-mud and strictly an analogue machinist, turning the dials by hand. I find the tactile input essential, but then as I say, I'm old fashioned when it comes to some of this stuff. I do use dial gauge read-outs but don't do enough machine work to warrant the expense of a CNC controlled machine. I believe Sherline makes a benchtop CNC mill, basically a slightly larger and fancier machine than the mill I use. I have no experience with them though and don't know anyone who has one, so can't make any recommendation one way or the other. I'm sure there are others on the forum who have direct experience with CNC mills and would be able to make a recommendation for you.
Paul
For anyone who has been following the shay construction series, I just posted a restored article on the Roughboy blog http://roughboy.net (http://roughboy.net) detailing the production of the scale square-head bolts (pictured below) that mount the pilot beams to the frame brackets. Next it's time to turn attention again to the boxwood pilot beams and footboards.
Paul
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.roughboy.net%2Fimgs%2FBoltsFinished.jpg&hash=e0acd7da056acd184eba6f635d4592347aee0bf8)
Hey Paul,
Thanks for the info... I will check into the sherline product/s as well as a few others.
I don't want to make a choice just yet, I need to do more research on the bench top types.
I like your CAD renderings too...
Mike
Quote from: Roughboy on August 29, 2009, 03:14:48 PM
For anyone who has been following the shay construction series, I just posted a restored article on the Roughboy blog http://roughboy.net (http://roughboy.net) detailing the production of the scale square-head bolts (pictured below) that mount the pilot beams to the frame brackets. Next it's time to turn attention again to the boxwood pilot beams and footboards.
Paul
Thanks a lot for the tutorial!
The technique should work equally well for bolts with hexnut heads.
What kind of die did you use for tapping the bolts have had a hard time finding dies that ives nice, sharp threads in the smaller sizes (below M1, I´m strictly metric...)
Quote from: MrBrownstone on August 29, 2009, 12:21:29 AM
Q: is there a recomended or perfered small milling machine (i.e. micro-mark milling machine) that also has the stepping motors capability and maybe even cnc programable.
Mike
I like working with mills and lathes but I am not in the same league as Paul. I'm interested in finding a small CNC mill and lathe as well. I haven't found anything I like all that well. These days, some of the larger machines can be purchased used at very cheap prices. I wish I had some place to set one up. For the most part, I do a fair amount of mechanical design for my job and I have very good relationships with a few shops. I help them out with problems from time to time and they let me use their machines in a pinch.
Mike
Mike:
Yes you can pick up CNC machines at good prices, but most often the reason they're priced low is the software is out-of-date and likely partially or wholly incompatible with contemporary applications. I'd recommend dealing only with a reputable dealer so you don't end up with essentially a lemon. Having a good relationship with a local machine shop is certainly a plus.
Hauk:
For the bolts in the post, I used a 1.0mm die chucked in the lathe. I ran the stock through twice, the first time to start the thread, the die just made a light cut since the phosphor bronze wire was slightly undersize for 1.0mm threads. The second time I clamped the die more firmly in the chuck closing it up slightly and ran the stock through again, creating the threads. Obviously they're not absolutely accurate, but still work. Elsewhere on this forum, someone posted a photo of a clockmakers miniature tap and die set which I shamefully admit I covet. I've been looking for one of those for years but have not been able to find one at an affordable price. High-quality miniature taps and dies are available from J. I. Morris Co. http://www.jimorrisco.com/ (http://www.jimorrisco.com/) in numbered and metric sizes, but are very expensive, i.e. a single .30mm tap is $120.00 :o
Paul
Hey Guy's
Thanks for the information... it will come in handy
I'll have a chat with you paul when I narrow it down to a couple of choices (thats if you wouldn't mind)
Mike
Quote from: MrBrownstone on September 08, 2009, 12:54:13 AM
I'll have a chat with you paul when I narrow it down to a couple of choices (thats if you wouldn't mind)
No problem Mike. I'll be glad to help if I can. Just send me an email or pm when you're ready and I'll send you my number.
Paul