Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Building the last major section of benchwork


Well, as we approach the end of the bench work phase, I had to do a lot of traveling to get supplies. I went to Richmond to buy more flexible plywood, then to Newport News to get homasote, and lastly to Lowes to get more "white wood". This white wood is a substitute for pine. How I miss the sugar pine I started with. This white wood comes from Scandanavia and it appears to be spruce.
Well, with all the supplies in hand, I painted up some legs (ripped 2X4's) as you can see in the first picture. I am running out of space for the saw as we are down to this narrow alley. In the second picture you see that we are going in front of a door to my shop. I plan to curve the bench work so it does not interfer with the closing of the door.

In the third picture I have started to erect the outside walls of the framing, using the saw horses as a support. I have tied in the base of this section with the existing section back by the TV. Now the quarters are getting tight with the saw very close to the front edge. the pictures are shot from the end of the Northumberland yard. The Dewalt saw box sits on the end of the plywood there.


The next couple of shots show the building of the grid of the benchwork. You see the framing holding the curved portion by the door. It now clears nicely. I plan to have 62 and a 66 inch radius curves come around from the wall to the right here.



We now have the framing done and the bench work is held up temporarily with clamps and studs.

Now, I have made a great many more legs and secured them so the bench work is complete. It has a nice flow into the end of the higher bench work under the yard.
You can see the brackets on the wall for the future building of the branch line that will cross over this aisle on a bridge. This line has to rise to the ceiling to hook into that trackage back there where the red wire is hanging down.

Next I have to set the plywood road bed which I hope to do shortly now that we have power again after the passing of hurricane Irene.

Finishing Subgrade at Milton



Well,

We are now starting the last section of track to get us back to the yard at Northumberland. You can see the end of the hidden yard at the left of the first picture. I have laid the plywood and now must secure it down. Then we start the grade while the subroadbed for Milton goes off to the right and ends by the door. You can see the main line going up to the left. The benchwork is complete to the end of the wall down by the TV. The main will turn left there and go back to the left and up the hill to Northumberland.

In the last two pictures you can see the tool that I am using to set the grade at about 1.85% to bring us up the 8 inches I need to reach the level of the yard.


I am planning to get the bench work done and then place the plywood before I put the homasote in place.

I am reaching the end of major construction and cannot wait to get to the yard trackage.