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What is HO scale? Read on.

Dave Farquhar model railroading January 19, 2018April 15, 2023

Let’s play Jeopardy. Answer: Measuring at a 1:87 scale ratio relative to the real thing, this is the most common and popular scale of model railroad in the world outside of the United Kingdom. The question, of course, is, what is HO scale. It’s not a reference to Christmas or anything like that. HO is an acronym for “Half O,” a reference to its approximate size relative to the train scale it overtook in popularity around 60 years ago.

HO scale model trains, scaled at 1:87 scale, are the most popular size and scale of model railroad in most of the world since the 1950s. It uses realistic 2-rail track and DC power.

Do light fixtures go bad?

Dave Farquhar DIY January 18, 2018August 31, 2022

Do light fixtures go bad? They shouldn’t, because there isn’t much to them. Here’s why, and what to do when they do go bad in spite of the long odds.

N scale vs HO scale trains

Dave Farquhar model railroading January 17, 2018May 13, 2022

HO scale and N scale are the two most popular scales of model trains. Both are a small enough size to be practical, whether you have room for a table-sized layout or want to build a basement-sized empire. Here are the pros and cons and considerations of N scale vs HO scale trains.

Quiet your mechanical keyboard with o-rings

Dave Farquhar Hardware January 16, 2018November 19, 2018

I bought a mechanical keyboard with Cherry Brown knockoff switches in it, but found it was too loud to use on conference calls. I found the same was true even of a Cherry MX Red keyboard like a Hyperx Alloy FPS Pro. Fortunately, if you want to quiet down a mechanical keyboard further, you have some options. Here’s how to quiet your mechanical keyboard with o-rings.

Marx trains history, 1934-1974

Dave Farquhar Toy trains January 15, 2018October 22, 2022

Marx isn’t as synonymous with electric trains as some of its competitors, but Louis Marx had a good run. It outlasted numerous other more-storied brands. Here’s a brief look back at Marx trains history, which spanned about four decades.

Marx sold its trains pretty much anywhere, as opposed to Lionel and American Flyer, which primarily sold in hobby shops and department stores. The low price gave Marx a blue-collar reputation that tended to hold its value down over time. But the Marx designs were reliable and attractive. This gives them a following that endures more than four decades after Louis Marx made its last train.

Toothbrush in dishwasher

Dave Farquhar Health, Saving money January 12, 2018December 29, 2017

It sometimes surprises people that you can wash a toothbrush in a dishwasher. But there’s no reason why you can’t, to prolong their useful life. And the toothbrush in dishwasher trick is a good way to stay healthier in the winter.

Is oil conductive? Sometimes, actually

Dave Farquhar DIY, model railroading January 11, 2018December 29, 2017

Is oil conductive? It’s a frequent point of debate among model railroaders. But generally speaking, oil isn’t a very good conductor. That said, oil can be a good conductivity enhancer, even though it’s not a very good conductor on its own.

Here’s how to use oil to improve conductivity in electrical applications. This can work whether you’re talking household current, or low-voltage applications like you find in model railroading.

Why is x86 so popular? Momentum.

Dave Farquhar Hardware, Retro Computing January 10, 2018June 9, 2024

Intel and Intel-compatible x86 CPUs are everywhere around us. It’s been a long time since you could buy a desktop or laptop computer with anything but an x86 CPU in it. Even Apple, a longtime anything-but-Intel stalwart, started using x86 CPUs more than a decade ago. That raises a fair question: Why is x86 so popular?

How to store Liquid Nails once opened

Dave Farquhar DIY January 9, 2018September 11, 2023

So you buy a tube of Liquid Nails or another construction adhesive and you end up only using a little. What do you do? Here’s how to store Liquid Nails once opened.

This is one of those cheap and simple life hacks that can end up saving you a fair bit of money. Enough to be worthwhile, at least.

Lock a Marx motor in one direction

Dave Farquhar Toy trains January 8, 2018January 18, 2018

Sometimes you want to lock a Marx motor in one direction. Some of them have a switch for doing so but many do not. Here’s how to find the switch, and what to do if yours doesn’t have one and you don’t want to modify it.