Ring my bell

Sarah and I kept very busy through the day working on various parts of the train. The large sign for the log was the first item of business. We laminated the three layers of the sign around a sturdy steel frame.

One the glue had set we hoisted it into place and I welded the protruding sign frame to the structure of the log.

Then Sarah started in on the priming of the sign. It will get plenty more coats of paint before we are done.

Another of today's projects was the steam dome top and the bell with bracket that will sit on it. I fabricated the many pieces and put them together. Here Sarah is putting on the finishing touches to get it ready for paint.

The last of the pieces for the train are currently on the router. Tomorrow I'll be gluing them into place.

-grampa dan

Hurry up and weight.

Today was a busy day with lots of work done on the engine. First I picked up the smoke stack pieces from the fabricator. I welded them up and then welded the stack permanently into position while Sarah started mixing the sculpting epoxy.

The sculpting epoxy was used to fashion the riveted collars around the smokestack and steam dome.  While we were at it I added the rivets to the water tank and other parts of the train. 

It was then time to slide the engine out of the way to make room for the next feature we will create for WhistlePunk Adventure Golf. We used the tractor to slide it towards the door but we had to make one stop first to weigh the engine. We hooked it up to the overhead crane and lifted it up before sliding the scale under it.

It tipped the scales at 1,664 pounds.

Then we lowered it to the floor once more and dragged it out the big MAGIC door under the porch roof. There's a few more things to fabricate and add as well as some painting to finish, but we are almost there.

Back inside the suddenly roomy shop we wasted no time in starting the next piece...  the steam donkey.

While Matt was welding the big structural steel I worked on welding the pencil rod for the log car. The router was busy in the back room carving out the sign face.

I'll sleep good tonight and tomorrow we have ambitous plans to do some cool things. Stay tuned...

-grampa dan

Lower half of Shay engine finished.

Today was another of those days that kept me hopping on a wide variety of tasks. It was afternoon before I got to pick up the welder and add more pieces to the train. Many people were expecting a large cow catcher but these kinds of trains had a modest toe board instead. We fashioned one for each end of the train and welded them securely in place. Yesterday, Matt located some old rusty chain for me and that too was carefully draped over the grab rails of the train and then welded in place. this now finishes off the lower end of the Shay.

This afternoon I got the call that the smokestack is ready to be picked up. The router is busy churning out some the last few pieces of Precision Board HDU needed for the engine. Friday Sarah and Hailey will be in to mix the sculpting epoxy needed to finish off the sculpting. By Saturday it will be done and pulled out into the sunshhine, making room for another large piece to be started.

-grampa dan