What is your pet hate/weakness when it comes to building a layout?

[dannyboy]

Not sure time management and/or loss of mojo are intrinsically linked to railway modelling

One definition I have just read concerning 'lost mojo' is -

To lose one's confidence, energy, or enthusiasm, especially coinciding with a decline in one's success.

[Bealman]

Gawd, I've had it since I was born, then

[joe cassidy]

I have searched for a definition of "mojo" on the web without finding a satisfactory definition.

For me, the original meaning was "libido", i.e. desire, as expressed in black music in the US.

In the context of our forum I think it is a useful to describe mojo as desire to do modelling overcome by a lack of motivation due to reasons expressed in earlier posts.

[Trainfish]

To anyone who has lost their mojo please feel free to help yourself to one of these. If they run out I'll get some more 

[Alcazar]

I chose electrics/electronics because of my experiences with my module group. We chose a 5-pole "dice" DIN plug to connect the modules (pins as the 5 on a dice), with pins 1 and 2 "North" and "South" rails for single track and pins 3 and 4 for "South" and "North" for the second track on double track modules.

You would think that being a standard plug all manufacturers would make them the same, but some were numbered and others not. On the sockets the position of the location nose was also dependent on manufacturer. When it came to connecting to a module made by someone else, there was often a mismatch, which meant re-soldering, and of course when I used the re-soldered module in a different position within my modules, there was a mismatch again!

I think that over the 30 or so years we have been together I have re-soldered at least one plug on every session. Another problem is that in recent years, the multi-core cables I can buy seem to have become thicker and stiffer. That has also meant a lot of cold solder joints or breaks at the plugs. The 5-pole "dice" plugs have also become very difficult to get hold of, so anyone wanting to join our group has problems connecting.

Peter

[Dorsetmike]

@Alcazar why not make up some small boxes or short cables with various makes of plug or socket to interconnect the various options; instead of having to solder on a different plug or socket you just connect your "type A" to the box and Joe's "type B" from the box etc.

[Madann01]

Sorry, can't narrow it down to just 3 options, so will abstain from vote, unless somebody gets the whip out.

[Bealman]

In that case, it sounds like you're in the wrong hobby

[Madann01]

In that case, it sounds like you're in the wrong hobby

Didn't say that I don't enjoy trying....such a frustrating hobby.... But if it was easy then perhaps the high standards achieved by many n gauge modelers would go unnoticed? 

[honestjudge]

I'm a good all rounder when it comes to building a layout.
My issue is finishing one. I get to about 80% complete  then start thinking about the next one.

[Bealman]

To those on this thread who hate ballasting, I salute you. You take perfectly good track and points (which are NOT cheap, let's face it), and glue them up with grit, pva and stuff.

Not only is the operation mind-bogglingly boring, you're always stressed you're wrecking your track. I have destroyed at least half a dozen Peco points over the years.

I'm probably doing it wrong. 

[The Q]

I'm a good all rounder when it comes to building a layout.
My issue is finishing one. I get to about 80% complete  then start thinking about the next one.

You manage to get to 80%?!!

[Alcazar]

@Alcazar why not make up some small boxes or short cables with various makes of plug or socket to interconnect the various options; instead of having to solder on a different plug or socket you just connect your "type A" to the box and Joe's "type B" from the box etc.

We all have identical plugs/sockets but from different manufacturers. As some were not clearly marked and others allowed two possibilities to marry, it was the wiring to the correct pins that proved difficult. The idea with the multiplug boxes would solve the availability problem for newcomers, though.

Peter