One thing in all this discussion of things to put on the Haggis FAQ that I'm not seeing is tips on model railroad SAFETY! Being the chairman of my safety committee at work, I'm big on the idea of
safety, and it should be important to all - especially when we're getting our children involved in model railroading.
Model railroading is indeed fun for all ages, but remember that we're often working with electricity, power tools, sharp objects, and noxious solvents in our hobby. So I strongly feel that a few
safety tips would be a valuable addition to the page. My thoughts on the issue are below - please feel free to add to them!
The first requirement of model railroad safety should be a well lit, well organized, and well ventilated workspace. A dark, cluttered corner in a stuffy basement might be your wife's idea of a good
place to stick you for a while, but it's not a safe workspace. What is needed is a clear, uncluttered space with plently of light to work by (better to find those flying Kadee coupler springs, too!),
adequate ventilation to disperse paint and solvent fumes, and enough room to neatly store and arrange all the tools you will need for the project close at hand.
Rummaging through a cluttered workspace or toolbox full of X-acto knives is an invitation to a serious laceration, so keep such tools neatly stored out of the way. If possible, keep knives capped or
stored in their boxes until you need them, and don't leave them lying about. Those triangular rubber thingies used to keep pencils from rolling off desks will fit smaller hobby knives, too, and are a
good insurance against a punctured leg, foot, or cat. A slice from a bottle cork to protect the craft knife blade will protect the point of a carefully sharpened blade and the fingers.
When using power tools, follow the manufacturer's safety instructions and never try to circumvent a safety appliance such as a shield, deadman switch, or lockout. Always, always, always dress
appropriately for the task at hand. I don't care how hot you are under that benchwork in the middle of August while soldering - if you're wearing shorts and a tank top, that gob of solder *will* land
right on exposed skin. So cover it. Safety glasses or goggles are a must for sawing or drilling - I use them for almost everything I work on (I've had too many little flying bits of styrene hit me in
the eye). So what if you look like a geek - your wife thinks you're one anyway, and at least you'll be able to see her again.
As far as ventilation while airbrushing goes, I've found that although a spray booth is optimal, it isn't really a necessity as long as you can either spray outside or have the use of a handy window
and a fan. Be very careful while using solvent-based paints like Floquil and be sure to wear medical-style rubber gloves while handling the stuff. It has been long suspected to cause bone marrow
cancer. Better to use water-based acrylics if possible, and no matter what kind of paint you use or where you'repainting, wear a respirator or dust mask.
Electricity - the number one rule is know what you're doing, and be sure the power is disconnected before messing with wiring. Once the electricity gets to the track, it's down to only about 12 volts
or so, but that doesn't mean you should not give it some respect. It's real easy to just unplug whatever you're working on, so do it.
Most of all, use common sense and be careful with whatever you do. At the very least it will help you avoid getting your fingers stuck together with CA, which I understand is not a pleasant
experience! Model railroading is fun - going to the hospital isn't.
Jonathan N. White
Better yet. Throw away the trusty old Model #1 X-acto handle, and buy one of the new ones with the square handle. Not only will they not roll, but the blade clamping system works better. Plus,
they come in assorted colors, so you can readily tell which has the #11 blade from any others you may use. Go ahead, you cheapskates! They're only a buck more!
Never mix different brands of strippers or different cleaners in an attempt to make a better stripper. Chemical interactions can make all sorts of interesting and noxious gasses... the classic
example, if ammonia is mixed with chlorine bleach (or commercial products containing these ingredients are mixed), the ammonia is very attractive to the bleach molecules and in some process I don't
understand, produces lots of free atoms of chlorine gas... you know, the stuff the evacuate 10 square miles when a tanker of it derails? I figure there are enough bad side effects just from handling
all these chemicals that makes modeling possible in the first place, there is no need creating new poisons to kill you even quicker! I mention this because there is one popular stripping formula for
acrylics that involves mixing ammonia with a commercial cleaner... get the wrong cleaner and you could be in big trouble! Before someone else asks; no it is no safe to use your combined cleaner in a
paint booth as the chemicals will just be outside your door.
Andy
For those of you who have a drill press, or who may be awaiting one fron Santa.
The first thing that my dear old (And I mean, OLD!) shop teacher, Mr. Fitzpatrick, taught us was to always clamp your work to the drill press table, or at least, rest it against the upright, to that
it won't spin if the bit digs in.
Whether you use a Dremel-type tool with a cutoff disk or rail nippers to cut track, be sure not to allow anyone else in the room when you are cutting rail (unless they are wearing eye protection)
and wear safety goggles yourself. The cutoff disks are prone to shatter and really fly off when they do, and if you trim a rail with the nippers, a short piece being trim can fly off, too.
The hobby is lots of fun, but it often uses tools and materials that require proper caution and care to be taken to avoid injury.
Jack