Special Project Billboard by John (csxt30)

[csxt30]

Thanks Chuck & Kurt !!  I've been leaning toward the free stuff lately !!

[kpolak]

Nice work John.

Kurt

[Blueberryhill RR]

Very nice, John.

Graphics Dept. is working overtime.

[csxt30]

Chuck : I have a couple more, bare bones, made but I'm waiting on my private contractor to get the graffics done by October !!  I have to outsource some work but at least it's all made here in the good ole' USA, & by US skilled craftsmen !!   

Now here is my other latest project, notice my ladder made from fence material, a PVC coupling I found at work & the metal top came out of scrap in a gondola at work !!  Sunoco decal was free at the gas station !! 

Thanks, John

[Blueberryhill RR]

John.....You need to post a picture of the new one, you just made.

Chuck

[csxt30]

I never thought to ask my brother but I will now to see if he has any of this stuff, He's a retired jeweler.

Hhhhhmmmmm....Perhaps he might have a centrifuge?????  Maybe we can work a deal to do some lost wax wheel castings?

Kurt

Kurt : first I had to look up centrifuge !!  Found it !!   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centrifuge

I think Dave Vergon, (FJ & G), has a lot of info on castings in some past Sunday Photo Funs !

Plus, I think there's a web-site that has that type of wheels, but I forgot which one, now !!

Thanks, John 

 

 

[kpolak]

I never thought to ask my brother but I will now to see if he has any of this stuff, He's a retired jeweler.

Hhhhhmmmmm....Perhaps he might have a centrifuge?????  Maybe we can work a deal to do some lost wax wheel castings?

Kurt

[csxt30]

Chief : tha'ts great !!  Mine is just sitting here rusting away cause no one wants to advertise anything on it !! I lowered the rates 3 times already too !!

Thanks, John

[ChiefEagles]

Since I am pulling track and putting down soundboard, mine is still sitting on the computer.  As soon as the John Deere siding is done, it will go on the factory.  Proud of my sign.

[csxt30]

Chris : thanks so much for that info !!  I never thought to ask my brother but I will now to see if he has any of this stuff, He's a retired jeweler.

Thanks again !!

John

ps : did you work with a resistance soldering outfit ?

[Birds]

Let me know on these fluxes, if it's important !! 

John,

I used to do some jewelry design work using brass, silver, copper, etc.  Flux was always used on the joints between the metal pieces when soldering. You might also want to find some "Jewelers solder". This is different than electrical or plumbing solder.

Jewelers solder comes in different levels of "hardness". Hard solder takes the highest temperature to melt, then medium takes less, and soft takes the lowest temperature. This way you can build pieces and put them together without previous solder joints melting on you.

Jewelers solder also comes in different forms: strips, wire, paste. I mostly used strips cut to size. The joints were fluxed, the pieces of solder were laid on top of the joint to be soldered together, the torch was brought to bear on the joint until the solder flowed.

After soldering the, piece was dropped into a heated acid bath made up of water and something like Sparex. This acid bath is important because it removes any oxidation, scales, etc. caused by the soldering process. This let you know the next surface you were going to solder was clean. Theprocess of soldering and acid bath was repeated until the project was done.

Instead of electric soldering guns, we used gas soldering torches with very fine flames (these electric soldering things are hard to work with).

Enjoy,
Chris

[Blueberryhill RR]

I am making new graphics for my billboard. Will post pictures.

[1688torpedo]

 Hello All!    John- Nice Job on the Billboards. Now you need to make one for Jif Peanut Butter with BB's Photo on it or Kahn's Hot Dogs. Take Care.

[csxt30]

Nice Job John

Jim 

Thanks Jim !!  Real fun little projects !!

Kurt: glad to hear others have projects in the works & can't wait to see yours !!  Well, I hope these don't just decide to fall apart later as I didn't use any flux & I used my rosen core solder. I cleaned & sanded everything right down before soldering. I just never thought of fluxes on this stuff. I also have a buffer I clean the brass with too. Let me know on these fluxes, if it's important !! 

Thanks, John 

[kpolak]

Oh, I used my old, about 50 some years old, Weller 100 & 140 watt soldering iron. I beveled all the edges to get more solder in the joint & then grind & file the solder down smooth.

John,  did you use any flux with the brass?  What type of solder?  Rosin core for electronics?  or did you use the plumbing stuff?

I have a new project of my own...We'll see how it turns out first, before I commit to any postings.

Thanks,

Kurt

[Sturgeon-Phish]

Nice Job John

Jim 

[csxt30]

Chuck, I would think that at between $19.95 and $24.95, those brass billboards would sell well.

Jim

Well, I think that's a good estimate in brass alone. K&S brass is running nearly 2 dollars a foot at hobby shops so there's at least 15 in brass, with the various sizes I used. Then shipping costs for brass as most hobby shops only carry a small selection. Then there's painting & the grafics & of course shipping it to a customer and then profit !!  I think a more realistic price would be 40 or 50 dollars depending on the amount of brass used for the size. I made one a little smaller so I coud use 1 piece for the upright & get the angled piece out of it too, thereby eliminating pieces that wouldn't be used. Now if I get into illumination that would greatly increase the cost by at least 20 or 30 dollars, maybe less. Oh, I also built a brass loading dock a while back!!   

Also made quite a few loads for gondolas & a flatbed trailer.

Oh, I used my old, about 50 some years old, Weller 100 & 140 watt soldering iron. I beveled all the edges to get more solder in the joint & then grind & file the solder down smooth.

I'd also like to mention that I just want to show others a few things they can make if they like working with metal !!    

Thanks, John

[Jumijo]

Chuck, I would think that at between $19.95 and $24.95, those brass billboards would sell well.

Jim

[Blueberryhill RR]

OK, Guys..........Just out of curiosity.....

If John went into the Billboard business, how much do you think the billboards are worth ?? They are hand made from brass and painted any color you want. The sign graphics are your selection.

Chuck

[dougdagrump]

And the third one is sitting in Roger's Corners.  Thanks, John!!!  I have a place for it to go after I complete my mountain.

Buckeye, Since John says yours is in "G" scale it would look mighty fine next to a Piko "White Knight Hamburgers".         

[Birds]

John - Nicely done!

It looks like you used a high wattage electric gun to solder them.  Is this correct?

Chris

[cnw1995]

Dang, that latch is a clever idea. Makes it easy to replace the billboard.

[Blueberryhill RR]

John's Billboards........hmmmmm!!!

[csxt30]

John, you big showoff!!!  

Awesome job, man! Great stuff, and thanks for sharing the photos!!!

Jim 

Thanks again Jim !! Though they are not flawless & I really got the idea from CTT !!  Old issues of CTT had these free billboard signs in their magazines & in the 90s my son & I actually made one with the pickle sign on it !

 

Here's the other sign I still have, Ritz crackeres !! You can see the CTT in the sign there !!

Thanks, John

[Jumijo]

John, you big showoff!!!  

Awesome job, man! Great stuff, and thanks for sharing the photos!!!

Jim 

[csxt30]

Thanks everyone for the great comments !!  Here's some construction photos I took along the way.

I started with these upright pieces, K & S square brass tubing.  Cut & soldered.

 

Then try to get them soldered together.

Here's Buckeye's, a G scale one taking shape.

 

Here's Chuck's, taking on a little more shape .

 

Now here's a unique border I made for Chuck's. The whole thing is removeable with a latch behind. Like a picture frame .

Latch behind, to remove & change sign face .

Latch in the removeable position.

Here's the sign painter guy !! Must be going to make a change already !!

Don't forget, Chuck did all the sign printing & graffics !!  Great job, Chuck !!

Thanks, John

[Buckeye Riveter]

Doug, I'm renting my billboard out to the Chief for his campaign at $200 per month.  It should be very effective in turning out the vote for his honor.

[dougdagrump]

Does Chief have to declare that as a gift on his campaign records ?

Does John now have to register as as a "Special Interest Group" ?

                   

[wrmcclellan]