I vote old school stacked limestone…only my opinion and knowing the area that peaks you’re interest
Rooster ’ said:
I vote old school stacked limestone…only my opinion and knowing the area that peaks you’re interest
Outdoors, using real stone; I would agree. Time I’ve got, but not the patience to carve a couple of thousand random shapes. But you have me thinking. I may have a sheet or two of those cut stones they used to sell at the big box store and several of us used as foundation or wall stone. This stuff…
I wouldn’t use it for everything, but maybe to cover the paneling wall on the right, under track level.
Retaining walls were started today. After removing the temporary trestle and track I fitted a few pieces of Sign Foam brand high density urethane foam to the spots to be covered…
Then I began the process of laying out the block. Since this will not be painted I avoid use of pencil or other markers. Lines are marked out using an Exacto by making some small punctures; then the lines are scribed in the foam using a variety of tools from an antique manicure tool to a couple of harbor freight pics…
Once the lines are done, I beat the foam using an dirty old wire brush. Banging the wires into the foam and dragging it around. No rhyme or reason. Just keep messing it up until it feels right…
This time around I’m trying Charcoal Pastels rather than India Ink to bring out some of the detail. I scrape the pastel with the Exacto randomly depositing black dust. I used a small stiff brush to spread the dust around then a light spray of alcohol before brushing one more time to spread it out. Sorry I didn’t get a better picture at this stage…
Once the alcohol evaporated; I used the same stiff brush to wash the entire surface with my Pickled Steel Wool solution that has been on my shelf for years. The color will change a little as the solution dries…
I still need to color one more section then decide what I’ll use on the right end of the trestle to hide the paneling. The vision in my head is a mounted photograph, but I may do something 3D below track level.
Does Marilyn know you use her washer as your work bench?..(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
Dang blocks are real close to the real thing. Nice work Jon (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
Ken Brunt said:
Does Marilyn know you use her washer as your work bench?..(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
Well, she left it in the train room, so she has no choice! Besides, I have an Official Letter of Authorization from Mik !!!
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post2019/Basement19-B452.JPG)
Just use the pic that I found in the old thread …on the right … you already have it in position just slide it down onto a wall . .
Jon Radder said:
Ken Brunt said:
Does Marilyn know you use her washer as your work bench?..(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
Well, she left it in the train room, so she has no choice! Besides, I have an Official Letter of Authorization from Mik !!!
Struggling with a few more decisions before I paint the bents. Where the roadbed transitions to trestles, I’m not sure I like the closeness of the straight main line bents with the siding bents at the very start of the trestle. It can be seen in these two dry fit photos…
I’m thinking about building a single double track bent for just the first one. This is an actual size mock-up of the two track version…
I’m not sure I have enough 12x12 timber left to build the double wide, so that will weigh in on the decision. I don’t want to set up the table saw again to mill wood for just one bent.
I also need to make a final decision on color. The color photo of the prototype indicates that it was simply raw wood that had weathered to a grey color. I’m also really dig’n the test pieces I stained with my pickled steel wool (rust) solution…
The weather outside today is good for staining; so I need to decide soon If I’m going to start final assembly tomorrow.
Thats looking great Jon
I love the stone that came out nice
Pickled steel wool looks the best. And it continues or changes after Mother Nature takes over.
Jason
Jon Radder said:
Struggling with a few more decisions before I paint the bents. Where the roadbed transitions to trestles, I’m not sure I like the closeness of the straight main line bents with the siding bents at the very start of the trestle. It can be seen in these two dry fit photos…
I’m thinking about building a single double track bent for just the first one. This is an actual size mock-up of the two track version…
I’ll tell you how I would do it. Reuse the two bents you already have made, remove both diagonals, and replace them with a straight one, then make a longer one for the top beam to hold the two tracks. I wouldn’t worry about the bottom to much, but if you have enough make a longer one for the bottom beam, too.
Jason V. said:
Pickled steel wool looks the best. And it continues or changes after Mother Nature takes over.
Jason
Yep. I think it’s the soaking that brings out the grain. I dunked the first one about an hour ago. Going to soak a minimum of 2 hours each, so this will be a process!
Really enjoying watching you work with the SINTRA …(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
BTW …throw the calipers in the trash and model by eye as it works !
Rooster ’ said:
BTW …throw the calipers in the trash and model by eye as it works !
Unfortunately, by eye doesn’t work to keep the track level. I’m measuring timber thicknesses to be sure the rail height stays consistent!
And, what Sintra are you referring to??
Pickle factory…
Color will change as they dry. I can get two in the bath at once. I dunk for 2 hours. 4 will be complete tonight, 10 to go with then more cycles tomorrow.
While the pickles marinate, thoughts are turned back to remaining issues.
Ken Brunt said:
Jon Radder said:
Struggling with a few more decisions before I paint the bents. Where the roadbed transitions to trestles, I’m not sure I like the closeness of the straight main line bents with the siding bents at the very start of the trestle. It can be seen in these two dry fit photos…
I’m thinking about building a single double track bent for just the first one.
I’ll tell you how I would do it. Reuse the two bents you already have made, remove both diagonals, and replace them with a straight one, then make a longer one for the top beam to hold the two tracks. I wouldn’t worry about the bottom to much, but if you have enough make a longer one for the bottom beam, too.
I didn’t have enough milled wood so I seriously considered Ken’s suggestion. Getting them apart without damage is not likely. So how about just offsetting the two in the same plane…
I have enough timber to double up / fill in the base and top; but I don’t know if that is even necessary.
At the other end of the trestle, that paneling wall needs covering. Rooster suggested cut limestone earlier. This is close. I might color it some…
There is about 3" of air space behind that paneling and I’m just a few inches short of getting two of my metal 2-bay hoppers in the clear on the trestle. I think I hear my jig saw warming up.
That’ll work. A lot neater looking too.
(And if you did feel like milling more, I have plenty of Spanish cedar and redwood that I could cut a chunk off and send ya.)
I like the two bents on the same plane. I’m thinking you need some laterals to connect the bents. If passage is not needed for truck or wheel barrel, I think your bents need to be connected with smaller dimension laterals.