Charity Work

Last week I read Lefty and Son’s blog and Lefty was thinking of getting a load of 12mm ply delivered. So I sent him an email advising “If he was getting some ply, I’d chip in for an extra sheet and share the delivery costs”. I’d then head over to Lefty’s on the weekend after it was delivered and cut my sheet up and bring it home for later use. So I spent some time early this week measuring where I was to put my next extension on the layout and worked out what size base boards I needed to cut the 2400mm x 1200mm sheet of ply into. So on yesterday afternoon, I went to Lefty’s and did the deed. Lefty provided two saw horses and I brought my trusty jigsaw, a 900mm paper template, a straight edge and a pencil. I used my paper template for my curve sections and measured and marked off the various straight cuts I was about to undertake. Easy as! In about 30 minutes I had reduced the 2400 x 1200 sheet into a number of shapes that would easily fit inside my trusty car, and a mess of sawdust on Lefty's garage floor.   So I had one 300mm width up the 2400mm long side of the sheet with a taper down to 150mm width (for the end headshunt) starting back 600mm down one of the ends. This was followed by 3 x 90 degree 900mm radius curves and the rest of the sheet was cut into various 300mm wide strips or 150mm wide strips. I think Lefty and Son were a bit dumbfounded at what had just occurred.  I was ably assisted in my efforts by Lefty and Son whom helped steady the boards as I did the ripping.
We then started to attack Lefty’s first sheet of ply. He wanted a 3’ radius. So I just added approximately 15mm (Old Mike will say it needs to be 16.2mm) to the centre line and my 90 degree, 900mm radius curve quickly become Lefty’s 3’ radius. I cut a second curved section as well. I then told Lefty to take it to the shed and see how he can install it. I also advised that he had to cut various straight lengths of ply to use along his station areas or passing loops. I expect to see an update from Lefty on his blog about what he accomplished today.

Today I went to the shed and charged my drill.  I really need to get a new one, as this one only lasts about 20 minutes and needs a good 60 minute charge again.  It has never been any good since it was purchased - A real dud.  I also went to Bunnings for a couple more packets of screws and another two lengths of 42 x 19 pine.

So I added short section to Clapham Yard - about 500mm long.  This was splice on to the end.  I then measured the corner section that I cut yesterday and trimmed about 60mm off the end and it fitted very well into the corner of the shed.  I have this just sitting on piece of wood to ensure it continues the uphill grade from Clapham Yard towards Dutton Park.  The section from here north is just a piece of 66mm wide pine.  I spliced two lengths together and this has been temporarily supported above The Risk.  It will eventually be braced with an L-Girder underneath and screwed to the wall.  My attention then turned to the end of the first branch I will install.  This is Fishermans Island.  I spliced two sections of 300mm wide ply together - end to end.  I then added a piece of 42mm x 19mm pine underneath to make a sort of L-Girder to stop sagging.  I did have a couple of shelf brackets left over from previous work.  I thought that I could install these on two of the posts that support the Kyogle side of the Cougal Spiral trackwork.  I estimated a height for teh now third level (1720mm) and installed them.  I then added the Fishermans Island benchwork and screwed this temporarily to the brackets.  At the other end I propped them up.  I then added the 90 degree, 900mm radius curved section of baseboard at the other end of Kyogle also at 1720mm height.  I also installed two more shelf brackets on the posts that support the track from Lismore to Murwillumbah on the bottom level and from The Risk to Border Loop on the top level - not that it's the top level any more.  I think that the 1720mm height is just a bit too high.  I think it will be reduced by at least 20mm maybe a bit more.  I will await comment by the Tuesday Nighters when they next visit.  I can already hear Mike commenting what third level - I can't see it.

The baseboard that will span between this piece of baseboard above Kyogle on the central peninsular and the narrow 66mm pine above The Risk, will probably be installed next weekend or the week after.  The track on the mainline north of Dutton Park to Park Road Siding and South Brisbane Interstate will be quite complex to install and will be quite some time away.  I also think this will be laid at 1700mm height or maybe slightly lower.

See yas next week!