Spent this afternoon finishing up the top of the switch tower. ALL DONE WITH THE STONES!!! WAHOOOOOO.
Upper windows, still need to spend some time doing the detail thing, but basically done.
All together and upright.
Up next, a roof and of course covered with Taylor Tin.
Looks great Dave!
Great work, Dave…but what happened to the print of your wife’s painting? and, most important, who gets the candy cane?
That is a Colossus of stone. How many gallons of resin are going I to this build
Thanks for the good words…
@John That was the orig, We pulled it to varnish, its going in the frame in the AM. Gallery hanging Wed. I ate the candy cane and about ten of it’s siblings.
@Devon, You are so right about the gallons of resin I’ve been thru. 97 pours for all the dark stones, So sick and tired of that color… I had to at least change it to anything else… Had to keep it the same for everyone to be fair.
That looks awesome Dave…
For those that care, and those that don’t. As seen in the background of my switch tower pics.
Here is a quick pic of the wives latest train pic. From a photograph a few miles south down the Animas river from Silverton in an area known as the narrows.
Original Oil on canvas 16"x22" ©2017 Marilyn Taylor
Great painting. Ms. Marilyn got some talent
What? No tie-plates? No spikes? No discernible ballast? Call out the RPI (Railroad Painting Inspectors) quick!
Just kidding of course, me like it. If it were a standard 16x20 size, I’d send her a really nice frame compliments of the gallery.
Tackled getting the holes for the windows cut out, More work then I had thought. I guess that is the way most of this build goes…
Had to do it by hand, when I tried the jig saw, it cut well, but it also knocked loose a number of stones. So much for good concept, poor execution!
Got all the glazing in the windows, and painted on two coats of TiteBond III on all the new cut window edges to seal them up.
Got the windows glued in… I’ll pull the door and get it painted before gluing in.
Also played with the roof design and size.
Tomorrow I’ll tackle the roof… Looks like I’ll get this one done before the deadline. I have a few ideas for detailing.
That is a terrific tower.
I also found it impossible to cut out the windows before the blocks went on so had to do it after. Not easy but it got done.
I think a tower like that would have a slate or clay tiled roof. The RR spent so much money on the tower so why cheap out with a tin roof?
Todd Haskins said:
That is a terrific tower.
I also found it impossible to cut out the windows before the blocks went on so had to do it after. Not easy but it got done.
I think a tower like that would have a slate or clay tiled roof. The RR spent so much money on the tower so why cheap out with a tin roof?
Dave, I’m going to agree with Todd on this. Although it’ll look good no matter what, it’s such a good tower I think it wouldn’t look right with a tin roof, just doesn’t seem like tin would fit it. That’s just my two cents worth.
I’ll toss in my vote for tin, slate or tile would only be available in a more connected urban setting in the US and were very expensive, metal roofs are far more common on industrial type buildings and are extremely durable and almost maintenance free, so they would get my vote if I was the architect specing a building type like this.
The tin would look good but so would comp
OK… Lets examine this roof thing. A few givens… New Mexico Northern RR.
In this part of the world ( NM, AZ, UT, CO ) I cannot remember seeing a slate roof, I agree that it would look cool to have one. But this part of the world just doesn’t have access to slate, unless shipped in. AND I have no idea of how to make a weather proof scale version.
Shake shingles were a very common roofing in this part of the world, Readily available, could be made on site, easy repaired. Cheap. I have hand cut a gazillion little shingles, and applied them one by one. But I am older ( maybe not wiser now) and we are running short of the time thing.
Composite: Used by all the local RR’s in the region, Both roll, and tabbed. I have used this on other buildings, and I have more then enough tread tape to do it. Quick and easy for roll, more time for Tab.
Taylor ( guaranteed to never Rust ) Tin. The world manufacturing center is one of the RR’s major customers, shipping and receiving. Readily available, Cheap, never back ordered, Free delivery to building site. Lasts forever.
It’s Taylor Tin!!!
Major RR customer, hmmm … I think the decision is simple then. I believe I would patronize my customer and install Taylor Tin. Sounds like the most economical alternative anyway and it will look good too.
Never back ordered you say. Hmm, i guess my crew should have looked into that. They ordered some and the place finally fullfilled the order last night. Shipment is expected later today or tomorrow. company name - Justin Time Tin
Now you are going to get frugal after building with all accent stones?
Sorry Dave but my vote is for Standing seam copper. Green will harmonize with your stones…
dos centavos
John
If not slate then my other suggestion of ceramic roof tiles which I should have written Terra Cotta Roof Tiles would be the way to go keeping with the southwest theme. I just think the building is too nice to have an industrial warehouse type roof put on but if one of your major revenue producers woudn’t be happy then go with the Taylor tin.
John Caughey said:
… Standing seam copper. Green will harmonize with your stones…
So I’m saying to myself, what the hell is standing seam copper? Never heard of such a thing?
Oh, I have to look that up, open a new window on the computer…OH…OH, YES…is that what those styrene sheets I have are supposed to be??? I had no idea that’s what it was…I just bought all I could from Caboose Hobbies when it went out of business. I thought it was some kind of retaining wall material!
J.C., you just solved my roofing problem on MY build! I have plenty of the stuff. Done!