Fiddle Yard:
The fiddle yard that I constructed for 'Harlyn Road' had been very successful and attracted a lot of favourable comment at shows. I therefore decided to adopt the same design again as it avoided any handling of the stock and was simple to operate. I have made a few "improvements" to overcome a couple of shortcomings but the basic idea is exactly the same.
You will note the screens are being trial fitted at this stage! The base has two sets of legs, in the centre and at the end. The other end is bolted to the last baseboard using the usual alignment dowels and M6 bolts and wingnuts.
The whole thing then needs to be carefully levelled using the adjustable feet to ensure everything slides smoothly.
The whole thing then needs to be carefully levelled using the adjustable feet to ensure everything slides smoothly.
After some trials the combination of varnished ply sliding on varnished softwood was found to be too "sticky". The tops of the softwood cross members were then faced with iron-on melamine edging which I hoped would do the trick - smoothly sliding across but staying put when the tracks are aligned. However, following the first couple of show attendances, there was just too much "stickiness" when the top was slid across, making lining the tracks up a bit too difficult. I think this was mainly due to the sheer weight of the stock when the yard was full!
So on to modification number two: I have installed a bar fitted with 8 small rollers that the sliding top now rests on. This extends beyond the base frame by 200mm each side to give a bit of extra support when the top is at "full travel" and incorporates two adjuster screws to allow the tracks to be accurately levelled. The top now rests on its pivot at one end and the rollers at the other and moves very freely. This has proved to be a success although it is important to make sure that everything is level when set up with no twist in the base. This is achieved in a few minutes using the adjustable feet on the bottom of the legs.
So on to modification number two: I have installed a bar fitted with 8 small rollers that the sliding top now rests on. This extends beyond the base frame by 200mm each side to give a bit of extra support when the top is at "full travel" and incorporates two adjuster screws to allow the tracks to be accurately levelled. The top now rests on its pivot at one end and the rollers at the other and moves very freely. This has proved to be a success although it is important to make sure that everything is level when set up with no twist in the base. This is achieved in a few minutes using the adjustable feet on the bottom of the legs.