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| Dr. Rog |
The Playpen nears completionThis is the "playpen" I have made for exhibiting mobile steam engines at shows and fêtes. So called because the arena at steam shows is sometimes called the playpen if engines do a lot of chugging round.
It is 1.7m square or 5' 7" if you like. The three sections are almost the same size and are made from off-cuts of 9mm plywood from my house extension. The area is exactly twice the area of a 4 foot square panel that you might cut from an 8 x 4 sheet and gives a good size of circle for a Mamod sized engine. When stripped down it fits easily in my Volvo 900 if I put a rear seat down, but then so does a double mattress. 
I have used it twice so far with appreciable spectator intervention, so I decided that for STIA crowds it needed a little more protection in the form of plastic barriers. Fortunately my brother in law does occasional work for a plastics manufacturing company and duly obliged with some panels, suitably folded for good measure. They are now fitted, although I need to get some longer screws to get them to hold properly. The discolouration at the bottom is the shadow of the room lights. 
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| fcrammond |
What does Mrs Rog think of it? 
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| Mamod 14 |
Where the hell am I going to put that!!!
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| fcrammond |
At 5'7" it would seem that you will need two 6'tables suitably spaced rather than one of my new 6x4s. The question is will you need access all around or can you work effectively from one side only. I ask because I am in the process of doing the shed plan.
Fred |
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| Dr. Rog |
It flat-packs, so it does not take up much room. Honest.
Two standard tables works well. Overhangs and steam engines do not mix. I can work from the back, as long as the engines behave themselves. If they spin (in the manner of Jeremy Clarkson - yes a Mamod can do that) then they crash and need to be rescued, in which case I need to pop round the front or side, or bring a crook, which is possible. Having people on three sides is fun, but you do need a lot of space.
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| fcrammond |
I'm thinking of having three sets of double tables at the end where the giant Forum table has been in the past. A Solomonic solution would be to put you on the end giving two sides to the public and easy egress for emergency rescues. Providing you don't trip over the rails and our H&S busybody doesn't raise the roof of course. | ||
| Dr. Rog |
Where I was last year? I will know the rails are there, the visitors will not look down and trip. Therefore we can put up a sign or two Risk Mitigated.
I will bring a couple of signs along, I need to do some "keep your hands off" anyhow
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