Faraday cages being built for all five tanks. Need to electrically connect the copper foils to metal meshes.
About 52 pieces so far in this tank cluster. Still require conductive mesh, walkways, fencing, pipes, lighting, valves, dc motors, and other bits. More than one hundred more pieces to add before this physics research system for detecting neutrinos from supernovas and dark matter can be mounted on the display base. Holiday project in and around family and various outings.
Extracting components for the display from an old circuit board.
Lots of new parts and mesh applied to foam tank.
Working with a piece of padauk from the Congo for the first time. Very easy to sand and do router work but chips quite readily with small hand tools. Will fix the chips on this display case base before adding the stained glass sections.
Stained glass for the small display case has been cut, ground and foiled with silver-backed copper foil.
Glass case being assembled. Lots of touch up work to do still.
Zinc applied to the top of the case for a good fit to the glass top. Christmas gifts included a miniature router plane by Veritas, a striking knife by Utilitas, two Walthers Proto 55’ Trinity 30,145 gallon tank cars (BRCX #10214 and #10132), and a $50 gift certificate to Maritime Hobbies and Crafts. The plane and knife are going to be very useful for my display case work.
Fixing the chips meant sanding down the entire surface and starting again. This time, however, I have used my antique 1 1/4" chisel, new router plane, and striking knife. Definitely the way to go. Should be able to finish the four glass-seating grooves today!
This wood’s beauty comes alive with a natural Antique Danish Oil. Of course I keep as much of the sawdust and shavings as I can for glue fillers and scenery applications.
As I continue to apply a few coats of oil to the wood, I’ll also replace the plastic ties with wooden ones on a brass straight as before. Will also be cutting the case’s stained glass lid today.
This small stained glass display case is coming along nicely. The lid will be enhanced for easy placement and removal, the track will be fixed to the base with a little crushed stone ballast, and a few small items added as the signature from my GypsumWorks Studio to complete the five material categories: wood, glass, metal, stone, and organics.
Crushed stone ballast from Walton, Nova Scotia installed. A piece of Cheverie orange gypsum signature mineral fastened in place. A signature hollow section of treated Cheverie beach grass filled with padauk sawdust installed (represents a fallen decaying log).
View from the open top. The lid is the last piece to install. I am making zinc clasps for it. My wife likes this case and wants me to put it on the fireplace mantle when it’s done. Goes well with all her antiques.
Display case with a lift-style glass top. Will build other types of tops for this case. In the background our Bay of Fundy property painted by my daughter as a Christmas gift. Lots of deer visit our property as she depicted In this work.
So, is this it or will you be building other display cases before you end this thread?
I have a question very similar to the one by richhotrain. I was fascinated by the more elaborate display case, the one with the butte and the neutrino research lab. Will you continue this project?
Thanks
JW
Oh yes, once I recover from last night’s party, I’ll be resuming the large display. I played guitar and sang for about 5 hours - a wonderful way to ring in the New Year. The small display allowed me to practice building a glass case and I learned a lot of do’s and don’ts. Happy New Year everyone!
Randy, I think that you are going to need the patience of Job. I don’t see this project, or this thread, ending any time soon.
Rich
In order to estimate the value of a small display case, without tracks, I built a second one today and timed my hours. After a bit more work tomorrow I estimate I can build one in 6 hours.
