Two new load-bearing stones added to the arch. Going to experiment with 2-part epoxy putty to put the glass pieces together.
In two more hours the epoxy putty should be as hard as rock if I mixed it well. We'll see how these two pieces bond. The entire arch will be mounted on PVC foamcore with E6000. Before all this is done however, all surfaces of each glass piece will be ground for bonding. (Edge surfaces only)
richhotrain OldSchoolScratchbuilder Also, the owner of Maritime Hobbies and Crafts saw my project pictures and wants to put my completed display case in his model train showcase for customers to see. I agreed. Two questions. One, will he be able to drive the locomotive out of the case as you planned to do through the arched tunnel? Two, will you have to part with your locomotive or will he supply one of his own? Rich
OldSchoolScratchbuilder Also, the owner of Maritime Hobbies and Crafts saw my project pictures and wants to put my completed display case in his model train showcase for customers to see. I agreed.
Also, the owner of Maritime Hobbies and Crafts saw my project pictures and wants to put my completed display case in his model train showcase for customers to see. I agreed.
Two questions.
One, will he be able to drive the locomotive out of the case as you planned to do through the arched tunnel?
Two, will you have to part with your locomotive or will he supply one of his own?
Rich
I guess the OP did not take my suggestions seriously regarding a lazy susan or the use of glass rail. But I was dead serious. Think about it. How cool would it be to design a lazy susan type turntable with radial tracks to display various locomotives entering and exiting the display case through the tunnel?
As far as glass rail, the OP is planning on using glass ties, glass ballast, and maybe even a glass trestle. Why stop there? Fabricate glass rail and operate the display case and lazy susan with battery power. Dead rail! I love it.
Alton Junction
Epoxy putty did not work out so I made my own mortar from red glass dust and E6000. Works well.
Portal stones laid in and will dry over night. Already the glass pieces are bonded well to the PVC. Making two utility poles with power cables next.
Need to pick up a piece of glass at the store today in order to complete the tunnel panel. Also installing a 3-phase line along the track. Two power poles will each have a single crossarm, four glass insulators, three catenary hot wires, and a lower neutral line, the latter being a live electrical wire that will be used later for special effects, probably lighting.
That tunnel portal is really cool.
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The project looks like it is coming together nicely.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Thanks Kevin. The rest of the tunnel panel needs to look like a hillside and also blend in with the backplate sky/trees. Note that the portal colours also match the gypsum/sandstone exposure on the lower left of the backplate - all local display location 'stone' - different glass but similar colours. Off to pick up supplies now.
Very easy to clean up excess glass-filled E6000 using a soft tool. Also, two advantages of using PVC foam board are ease of carving with woodworking tools and the PVC does not absorb water when touch up grinding the glass arch.
Using traditional stained glass methods on the right panel.
Changed the blade on my circular saw to get a finer crosscut on my Douglas fir base. This case embodies all of the media I enjoy Working with: wood, glass, stone, plastics, and adhesives.
I manufacture saw blades for a living...
That blade needs to be sharpened. You've got fiber tear out and saw marks on the end of your board.
This space reserved for SpaceMouse's future presidential candidacy advertisements
Bought this brand new blade today. The tear out was due to cutting on an uneven surface. Tear out doesn't matter in this case because the wood's edges will be nicely finished with a router and sander.
Yikes, when you blow up the photo, that board really got chewed up.
First layer of stained glass (Sky) in place behind the tunnel portal. The next layer will be the hillside so only small pieces of the sky will appear in the end. This is why I am not concerned about the sky discontinuities on the right panel, and between the back and right panels. Zinc is used around the top edges of the glass.
While glue and paint need a day to dry, looking at several landscape and electrical ideas.
OldSchoolScratchbuilder Bought this brand new blade today.
Bought this brand new blade today.
If you buy another blade in the near future, go for the Freud. They're a decent pro-sumer type blade (and we sharpen them pretty often for our service customers).
The Avanti line isn't the Avanti you're familiar with from 5-10 years ago. The name and rights were sold, and now they're just a cheap knock off from China... Low quality carbide and terrible tolerances for the flanks and top.
Good to know, I have a Freud blade, 60t ultra finish, in my Amazon list to use when I cut my second door to finish off my dual-purpose workbench (yes, this is how sloow I am at building things - the first part is almost 2 years old now, the second part frame is also 2 years old now, I just never worked up the courage to cut the other door to length, plus it needs its 3 coats of poly after it gets cut).
That whole display is really coming together now, especially the test lanscape one with the ore hoppers, that actually looks really neat. I don;t think that's exactly what I was picturing after the first post of this thread, but it's turning out to be a really neat piece.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
GraniteRailroader
rrinker That whole display is really coming together now, especially the test lanscape one with the ore hoppers, that actually looks really neat. I don;t think that's exactly what I was picturing after the first post of this thread, but it's turning out to be a really neat piece.
Thanks Randy. I like the hoppers too. The mirror makes it look like there are more than three. The dark gray crushed stone on the ground is shale from Walton, Nova Scotia, the white gypsum in the corner and foreground is from Cheverie, NS, the processed gypsum plaster in the hoppers is also from Cheverie (I make this from raw gypsum by calcining in my oven) and the reindeer lichen is from Walton, NS. I gather all these materials myself during my hikes along the coastline of the Bay of Fundy.
GraniteRailroader OldSchoolScratchbuilder Bought this brand new blade today. If you buy another blade in the near future, go for the Freud. They're a decent pro-sumer type blade (and we sharpen them pretty often for our service customers).
I guess one can't assume that a new blade is in perfect condition for the job. I suppose that is why they make files and sandpaper.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
DeWalt even is sadly now just a name, part of Black & Decker. My new DeWalt cordless drill, while lighter because of the Li-ion battery pack, is no where near as ruggedly made as my old 18V one. I used to by DeWalt for anything I planned to use over and over (one shot tools I'll never use again - Harbor Freight, even their worse are good enough to get one job done) becuase if you looked on ANY professional job - always DeWalt. That old 18V drill is close to 15 years old now and has built 2 layouts and various other things around the house and is still going strong. It's been accidently dropped - no damage. I have my doubts about the new one lasting as long. Even so - the tool may be well enough made but the blades aren;t always the same. Once in college my stereo was out for repairs, I wired an otherwise mediocre boom box into my good speakers and - HUGE difference. The issue with the boom box wasn't a poor quality amplifier, it was poor quality speakers. Put a good blade on an otherwise mediocre saw and you get a completely different animal. Put a cheap blade on the best saw in the world and it becaomes one of the worst saws in the world. (replace saw blade with appropriate attachement for ANY sort of power tool and this holds true).
I have a circular saw, a mitre saw and a radial arm saw and quite a stack of blades I have inherited over the years from different people. I watched a couple of You-Tube videos on how to sharpen your own blades and gave it a go on an old dull blade I had. It didn't take long, in fact, it would have taken longer to take it to the shop to get done, not to mention the cost of driving there. I have now done several myself as the results of doing them myself are amazing if I do say so myself.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
richhotrain The OP has a DeWalt saw and that is a pretty good brand. Seems to me that DeWalt blades would cut just fine. No need to limit your purchase to Freud.
The OP has a DeWalt saw and that is a pretty good brand. Seems to me that DeWalt blades would cut just fine. No need to limit your purchase to Freud.
DeWalt doesn't produce their own blades. They're re-branded generics for the name only.
Freud is a reputable blade manufacturer; who specializes in high end and pro-sumer blades only.... (and the competition ...for us)
Building the corner gypsum stone wall for placement on the left side of the tunnel portal. I'm using real Nova Scotia gypsum, homemade gypsum 'plaster ' particles, and quick drying wood glue. To get a perfect right angle corner I am setting up on a Morton Glass Works assembly tray. Amazon gift cards allow for the necessary height and keep the glue off the tray.
First section needs a bit of drying time.
First gypsum pile drying well. Bottom and two back sides are flat and orthogonal to each other. I have more to build and this one will be topped with glass overburden tomorrow.
Working on enhancements to the treeline and building wooden power poles.
Also working on the gypsum hillside around the tunnel portal. From this power pole, the lines will pass through the tunnel so some equipment will be built to simulate this.