Vacation Contruction

I took today off so that Marie and I could do new baby stuff and so my testicles could heal some more.  So I've been taking it easy today.  Should have been healed up by now.  Let's go to the basement!

Where did I leave off?  I've been working on a top secret project for Dr. Ben's so I haven't worked on construction lately.  Oh yes!  I need to put the top layer on Section 1.  Ok, let's get to work.

We've cut the outside supports and now we need to cut the three inside supports.  These will be a little more tricky.

First we'll lay out the radials with a Sharpee marker and a yard stick.  This is where the supports will go, but they won't go the full length of the section since the front is sloped and may have rock formations.

This is how the supports will look, although they will vary a bit.  After I started cutting I did ad a back support to the pieces and may cut them out later if they are in the way.

Using scrap luan plywood I draw out each piece and cut it with a jig saw.

Here are the three new pieces.  The square cut out is where the train goes and the large area is where the DCC systems will go.

The will have to rest flat on the top board, so we'll need to cut some gaps in the foam.

Using the hot wire cutter we'll cut out the gaps.

The holes are cut wide enough so that the support and a piece of quarter round can fit.  The quarter round piece will help hold the support upright and reinforce it.

Next I draw the outline of the foam with a marker so that I don't put glue where we don't need it.

Then we lather on the wood glue.

Ouch!  Blurry!  Sorry about that.  The pain meds are still working...  Pretend you see small paint cans and wood blocks weighing down the foam so that it sticks to the glue.

I went upstairs and got a drink of water and feel a little better.  We're back in focus.  I put a light coat of white paint on one side of each of the supports and let them dry.  The reason I painted them is that they will be in an area with no light and the white makes a good light reflector.

While the paint is drying I cut out the places where the track alignment blocks will go.  This was done with the hot knife.

I did all three.

Time for a second coat.  The paint job is sloppy, but it really doesn't matter.  Only I will see it.

That's it for now.  I may come back and work on it later, but for now I have to go pick up my daughter.