Vote for your favorites!

We are always really pleased when one of our signs or projects is honored. One of the world's top contests is the Sign of the Times annual contest. Through the years we've had many of our projects honored with top awards. These awards hang proudly in my studio.

I've just recieved word that a couple of our signs have been selected as contestants in the Signs of the Times 2013 Readers’ Choice Awards. Voting opened on Monday the 28th, and concludes on February 8. Voting is limited to once per computer, but we are encouraged to invite friends, colleagues and family to do the same.

Our two signs under consideration are Mighty Moose Ice Cream and the Lark Rise Horse House. 

Take a look at the others in the contest and vote for your favorites.

Commercial Survey Link: 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8DV5THL

-grampa dan

Now the detail.

The big parts of the train went together pretty fast as per normal. Now it is time to get to the details. Lots of details. The thing to remember on this project is the train will be high up on the trestle. It will be viewed up close only from below. So we will concentrate the bulk of the detail to that best viewing advantage. The top of the cab (at the top of the door level) is sealed to keep out the weather. Anything inside the cab below that level won't be seen anyway. We still have to add the guages to the pipes.

The back side of the little Shay locomotive is relatively plain compared to the business side. Even so it will be plenty fancy as we add the rivets and other details.

Tomorrow we'll begin work detailing the trucks and wheels. I'll be designing the steam drive and driveshafts and then fabricating the pieces to make it all real.

Out front the bottom of the stack, the steam whistle, grab handles and a bunch of piping add a whole bunch of interest to the train in a hurry. 

The funnel train smoke stack is being custom made by a machine shop in town that has the specialized equipment necessary for the task. I have feelers out for a whole bunch of rusty chain that will be used to make this train authentic. I still have to locate some old tools for that last little bit of bling.

Now it gets fun. Stay tuned...

-grampa dan

Roof ON!!

Anytime we are able to put a roof on a project is a day for celebration. Usually it is a building we are topping off but today's roof was on the train. The curve made it nice and challenging...  fun too! I also finished welding up the front of the cab and fabricated the back water tank. The front headlight housing was also on today's list.

There is still lots of detail to fabricate and assemble but the side view of the train is starting to look a lot like the concept drawing.

Stay tuned as it comes together.

-grampa dan