09-14-2009, 11:27 AM
Just thought I'd post up and show everybody where I am at lately. It's been a tedious few weeks on the layout front. Aside from waiting for an order of ME flex track...(yep decided to stick to the plan and not handlay this time around) and other little bits. I've just begun construction on a Howe Truss Float Bridge.
Practically cleaned out the LHS of certain strip wood sizes and still need more!
I started making pillow blocks out of strip styrene for the bridge a couple of weeks ago...still not done! There are three types, A, B, & C. I've finished building the A's and B's...
![[Image: DSC03251.jpg]](http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee118/tetters73/DSC03251.jpg)
![[Image: DSC03250.jpg]](http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee118/tetters73/DSC03250.jpg)
Next up are the C's...all 96 of them!!!
I've actually completed most of the work, just have to finish gluing them together, which is slow and tedious work. Then I'll simply chop up the hundred plus steel plates required for the tie rods and bolt details. One I've completed most of the "metal" bits, I'll paint the whole mess of little bits a dark grey, which should be fine for the base colour. Then I'll think about adding some rust and weathering.
I've also drawn a template for laying out the stringers for the bridge decking. I coloured them using Dark Brown leather dye. I used it full strength on a couple of test pieces and really like the dark brown colour it gave them. That soaked in creosote look which is typically how the wood was treated for these bridges. The picture doesn't really do the colour justice. In person, there a lighter and darker shades throughout. Really nice effect.
![[Image: DSC03277.jpg]](http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee118/tetters73/DSC03277.jpg)
![[Image: DSC03276.jpg]](http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee118/tetters73/DSC03276.jpg)
I also started assembly of the upper and lower chords for the 18 panel sides and center of the bridge. Nothing has been glued in place yet as I check the fit of everything. The chords in the picture are a tad shorter then I'd like them, so I'll probably use them for the upper chords, as they are a bit shorter.
That's all for now. More to come in the next few days. I hope to have the track and mechanics working before I start the final assembly. It would suck to go through all this work and the piece be un-usable.
Wish me luck!
Practically cleaned out the LHS of certain strip wood sizes and still need more!
I started making pillow blocks out of strip styrene for the bridge a couple of weeks ago...still not done! There are three types, A, B, & C. I've finished building the A's and B's...
Next up are the C's...all 96 of them!!!
I've actually completed most of the work, just have to finish gluing them together, which is slow and tedious work. Then I'll simply chop up the hundred plus steel plates required for the tie rods and bolt details. One I've completed most of the "metal" bits, I'll paint the whole mess of little bits a dark grey, which should be fine for the base colour. Then I'll think about adding some rust and weathering.I've also drawn a template for laying out the stringers for the bridge decking. I coloured them using Dark Brown leather dye. I used it full strength on a couple of test pieces and really like the dark brown colour it gave them. That soaked in creosote look which is typically how the wood was treated for these bridges. The picture doesn't really do the colour justice. In person, there a lighter and darker shades throughout. Really nice effect.
I also started assembly of the upper and lower chords for the 18 panel sides and center of the bridge. Nothing has been glued in place yet as I check the fit of everything. The chords in the picture are a tad shorter then I'd like them, so I'll probably use them for the upper chords, as they are a bit shorter.
That's all for now. More to come in the next few days. I hope to have the track and mechanics working before I start the final assembly. It would suck to go through all this work and the piece be un-usable.
Wish me luck!