Nice work Doc.
Thanks guys. I am looking forward to firing up the electrons when my transmitter gets here.
Tom
That brakeman who can hold back a rolling boxcar with one elbow… I’ve got a job for him on the Old Late and Slow…
Doc - you were asking about material for those bridges you have been planning, and I’ve been drooling over as well, by the way. This weekend I visited a backyard RR where the guy asked me what I thought of his “steel bridge made of aluminum.”
It was a Howe-type through truss about 2 ft long. It was lying sidewise in the weeds at the back, not as yet attached to the rest of his pike, so I separated it from the brush and picked it up to examine it closely.
It was great! He had made it about three years ago out of aluminum strips and “L” sections which he said were bought in the countertop department at the local Home Depot or equivalent-type store. They were about 1/4" on a side. He used the “L” section for the top and bottom chords of each truss, and the flat stock for all the diagonals. Each connection was a single small self-tapping screw. That’s all there was to it, and it was thoroughly convincing.
He had spray-painted the whole thing red oxide primer and it DID look very much like a steel bridge.
He told me he personally didn’t like the color. I definitely did, BTW - it seemed very convincing to me. Anyway, he plans to paint it grey, he said. Fine with me, though if I wanted an aluminum to look grey, I’d probably just let the thing oxidize in place for a few years.
Anyway, seeing that bridge, naturally I immediately thought of your project. The aluminum stock was in the countertop department, apparently. The angles are used for Formica countertop edging and the flats to cover the joints, he told me.
I have just one problem with all this: I’ve never seen this stock in my local Home Depot or anywhere else recently, though I do remember counters made with this sort of stuff back in the 'sixties. I should think if the stores were carrying it, I most certainly would have seen it by now, and even bought some!.. I asked him if they sell it, “Yes,” he replied. “Nowadays?” I asked. “Oh yes.” he insisted. At first, by the way, I had taken the flat stock to be the stuff they use for that fake aluminum ‘wrought iron’ style decoration you sometimes see on aluminum storm doors - in Canada, at any rate.
Well, at the next opportunity I’m searching for it, but right now I’m sitting here with my doubts… It seems like obsolete stuff to me…
Anyway, you may want to check it out. If you can find the stuff, you’ll have your bridges made in the shade, my friend!
Hi John,
That aluminum material sounds promising. I think a visit to my neighborhood Lowes or a perusal of their web site is in the near future. Thanks for the lead.
TomOH WOW !!! If all else fails, Tom, and even if it doesn’t, You’ve just got to check out this site. Notice that they sell many shapes and sizes, including our “L’s” and flat bar stock… If you buy from them I’d be curious to know the costs.
If I remember aright, this link is to the ‘L’ sections page, but there are links to everything else…
http://www.brunnerent.com/Tools/Portfolio/frontend/itemlist.asp?reset=1&type=5
John Le Forestier said:
OH WOW !!!! If all else fails, Tom, and even if it doesn't, You've just got to check out this site. Notice that they sell many shapes and sizes, including our "L's" and flat bar stock... If you buy from them I'd be curious to know the costs.If I remember aright, this link is to the ‘L’ sections page, but there are links to everything else…
http://www.brunnerent.com/Tools/Portfolio/frontend/itemlist.asp?reset=1&type=5
OH WOW is right. That is a great site. I am thinking the 0.5 inch angle would work well (about 10 inches in 1:20.3).
When I get a chance I will talk with them about pricing. This is all looking very promising. Thanks for the lead.
Did you get any pictures of the aluminum bridge you described earlier???
Tom
Tom Grabenstein said:I wish....
Did you get any pictures of the aluminum bridge you described earlier??? Tom
That would have been far too sensible,
especially given that at the time
I ACTUALLY HAD THE FOOL CAMERA WITH ME,
streetside, in the car !!!
:o
But, because I am such a clever fellow,
you’ll be relieved to learn that I did think of it
…
after I got home.
As the builder and I belong to the same MRR Ass’n, I will get other chances, and I’ll get a pic for you, but it’ll probably be too late for you, a few weeks I expect.
Pic or no pic, this is going to be a very simple project from here on …
OK Doc, I got a picture for you from my pal Andrew. This is the bridge I was talking about. I see it’s cropped a little shy of the top element on this end. I’m pretty sure that was made of the “L” stock too, to accommodate those short diagonal corner braces that stop the bridge from flopping sideways. You can also see the tiny self-tapping screws he used. He has made some nice wooden bridges and trestles too, and he has simulated very effective water surfaces with concrete. I have a much larger image file - if you want it ask and I’ll e-mail you direct with it. Hope this helps!
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/choochoo_chaboogie/_forumfiles/Bridge1.jpg)
Hi John
Thank you for the nice pic. It is helpful. I did find 0.5 in angle aluminum in 3 foot sections at the neighborhood Lowe’s.
Tom
What Dep’t? Any bar stock?
On closer inspection it looks as though he used small nuts and bolts, maybe size 4-40, not screws… My mistake, Hmmm…
Nice site John. If you just click on any pick and put a piece in your cart it gives a price. I did the 1/2" L at 12’ in silver bright and it came up $25.00 and change. Yes it comes in black also
John Le Forestier said:Hi John,
What Dep't? Any bar stock?
I found it in the small part of Lowes that has the metal sheet, threaded rod, angle iron and bar stock. Aluminum bar stock was there but fairly wide pieces.
The very good web site you found has more selection and reasonably priced. My “quote” was for about $26 for four pieces of 0.5 angle stock, enough to build a 4 foot long bridge.
Tom
I’ve bought stuff from Speedy Metals (http://www.speedymetals.com). They have a good selection of lots of different kinds of stock.
I’ll be checking out Speedymetals site in a minute, tks Bob.
Meanwhile, my buddy Andrew sent me this update - some instructions on making his bridge:
"Hi John: what I did not include was specifics of construction.
1 - Make jig, so all the components are the same size.
2 - All the holes should be drilled Oversize IE 1/8 /inch.
3 - assemble the bridge in a flat surface -DO NOT TIGHTEN.
4 - make sure it all fits. - tighten all the nuts & bolts
5 - paint a suitable color of your preference!! - DONE
6 - Simple - EH !!?? LOL. "
I found the rather limited choice at Lowes myself yesterday.
3’ lengths of 1/2" “L” section were about $3.50
3’ lengths of 1/2" “barstock” (thicker stock than the “L’s”) were about $3.50
They also have hollow square stock which I didn’t price.
So, what I looked at came up at just over $1.00 per foot, for a speedy calculation… I thought that was high, but the online site near Buffalo seems twice that!
It occurred to me that the square stock at Lowes might be right for the upright corner posts of the deck bridges the Doc is planning…
I also checked out connectors. Nuts and bolts will add up… I think small screws would be sufficient, and cheaper at about 10% or so of the price of N&B’s. The little self-tappers used on screendoors will handle this aluminum no problem, I should think. I saw they were available with brown heads in packs of 100, @ no extra cost over the plain ones. All this at Lowes, BTW.
Meanwhile Fr Fred, (now laid up) called me a few days ago to remind me there are metal suppliers all over the place that might be worth checking out, and would almost certainly be cheaper than a retailer or an online guy with his shipping costs. And he’s right. There ARE a few near me in fact, and I just might drop in on some of 'em and say ‘Hi!’
Good thread, guys…
Bob McCown said:Another very good site. Thank you Bob.
I've bought stuff from Speedy Metals (http://www.speedymetals.com). They have a good selection of lots of different kinds of stock.
Tom
Thanks John for the “step by step.” Have you found any sources for 0.25" aluminum angle??? That may be too small for wide spread manufacturing??
TomI see now, Tom, that size isn’t so common, is it? 'Til now I hadn’t been paying that close attention to the individual sizes of this stuff, since I’m not immediately in the market myself.
Looks to me as thought you’ll have to settle on the 1/2" stuff throughout, unless something else turns up… But I think it’ll look fine. Then again, you may get lucky at a local metal supplier. I noticed the guy in Buffalo - the site I posted here - ovvers to make a die CHEAP and do custom drawing of Al for you. I don’t really think we’d have much use for 1/4" stuff in this scale, though… I 'm beginning to suspect 1/2" is what pal Andrew used.
Thanks John,
I suspect 0.25"X0.25" would not hold a sheet metal screw well either and would possibly tear. So I will be looking over and budgeting for the little bigger materials. Thanks for all the help!!!
Doc Tom
I agree Doc, and I’m sure now that Andrew 's was 1/2" stuff as well… 1/4" is just too tiny and yes it might tear… Good luck with this - I’ll look forward to yr pics when done…