fife - lookin’ good! That’s some nice benchwork you got there… I noticed no pics of Chris and power tools… hmmmm…
Susan was looking over my shoulder and saw the engines in the cabinet… ‘You need some of those yellow and blue Chessie engines.’ ‘Why yes deer I do! That is why I will be asking for them for Christmas!’ [;)] She thought I was going to go out and buy them now… told her I have too many other projects right now, buying more train stuff would only cause me further withdrawl.
FIFE, nice bench work remember PACE your self don’t want to get burnt out.[;)]
Have fun.
laz57
Nice photos everyone. Especially the Black & White pictures. Perry- Your Dinosaur is a Ham as he likes to appear in most of your photos. He Must like the fine look of Tubular Track on your layout.[;)][;)][:P][:o)] Take Care all.
FIFEDOG [bow][(-D]
Perry! [:D] Looks like that guy is putting the Hammer down on Gojira!
Zeke - this was a new releast Pirate Aquarium Car from Lionel, I think it just came out a month ago? The pirates move around the deck when turned on. Nice little car and my kids loved it. I’m sure you can find these all over the place, or order online. I got mine on a pre-order from Trainz.
Spanky, excellent pics as always. Frank, I just love that layout. Roy, nice videos! Anybody I forgot, sorry - I loved it all as usual.
Love your diesels!
Wayray [C):-)]
Great pictures, everyone. I, also, liked the black and whites.
Chuck
Don Connolly,
I like your passenger platforms in your posting. I am going to build something similar for my own railroad. Could you give us the Cliff’s Notes version of how you built it?
George
Casting project proceeds
Except for the axle housing and wheels (which are made from shot and gunpowder mixed with epoxy and are currently curing), here are the master pieces ready for casting of the 7/8n18 tipper.
There’s the V-dump, made from steel and rivets in paper; the chassis, made from wood (paint stir sticks) and rivets in paper; the coupler for the link and pin device, cut from a piece of plastic I found in the dump; the tipper holding device, made from strap iron and wood connected with epoxy and bondo; and the chassis upright which will mate with the tipper holding device, also made from strap iron and wood connected with epoxy and bondo.
The V-dump requires a 2-piece mold, over which is a cement mother board; and the chassis requires a simple 2-piece mold. Other parts use a simple, single mold. I’ll focus on the V-dump and explain the other parts later this week.
First, we wrap the V-dump in cellaphane. Aluminum foil would work too.
Then, atop the cellaphane and all the way around, we entomb the V-dump in non-hardening, non-sulfurous clay, the thickness being about 3/8 inches.
The next step, which I screwed up, is to pour the concrete mother mold around the entombed V-dump. I striked the mold while it was still green and began to input registration marks with a screwdriver so the 2nd half of the mother mold could be easily joined. As I was screwing the mother mold, the mold broke and here’s the results.
Plaster could have been used but is more expensive. Actually, if you’ve got
Kurt, the layout takes up a space of about 22x48. Not a lot of RR or track. It is sort of a walkaround and has fairly generous aisle space.
George, the platforms are nothing more than masonite cut to fit between the rails and scribed and painted to resemble concrete. The passenger shelter uses commercial castings from Keil Line. These are sold 3 to a pack I believe for around 15 dollars. They are finished off with basswood sheets cut to fit as well as stripwood. The tarpaper is fine grit automotive sandpaper that after it was glued on was sprayed with tarnished black to seal it.
Dave and Dave - both cool posts! David V, does the concrete distort when it dries?
Hi Jim, The concrete doesn’t appear to distort, but that’s irrelevant. It is only displacing RTV that would have been wasted. Think of it as the outer mold. The RTV will be the inner mold.
Here it is poured. This evening I’ll strike the mold (it takes 5 days to cure completely, but I’ll chance it as it’s been about 2.5 days). I’ll then proceed with the rest of the project and describe it here.
I struck the mold, turned it over, applied vasolene to the concrete for release. See the 2 registration marks left by the 2 clay lumps. The upper half of the pour fills these in and will be keys to align the mother mold of concrete.
The 3 clay pieces sticking up will be used to de-air and pour RTV into the mold once the mold cures. I’ll likely do this on Friday.
The mold didn’t quite fit exactly back in the box so I lined the edges with clay. Incidentally, the non-drying clay used for the registration marks felt strangely dry. Apparently, the concrete succeeded in sucking the moisture out from it.
I’ll post success for failure results.
top half poured
The other molds are coming along. Here’s half of the 2-part chassis mold weighted with BBs. I’ll pour the resin this evening for it.
Dave,
Pretty neat.
Looking forward to the next installment.
What?! KYLE BUSCH!!! NO DALE EARNHARDT, JR!!! LOL
Whoooo???
I think John bought it for the tiger on the box!
He’s Grrrrrreat!
Kurt
Actually back then I think Terry LaBonte was driving the #5…