Nice structure.  Looking forward to your new layout.  It will be interesting to see how you transition between the two areas.

Jeff

Morning, all.

I have an appointment with the hand surgeon this morning to go over last weeks MRI results. 

It's raining, and is supposed to do so pretty much until tomorrow afternoon.  Glad I got all the outside work done. 

No kit nor layout work this weekend, maybe later today, we'll see. 

A picture of the CB&Q along the Mississippi of the combo Empire Builder, North Coast Limited and Twin Cities Zephyr.

Jeff

Morning all.

Did a lot of outside work yesterday.  My wife ordered 2 chairs for the patio, I got one finished (after mowing, weed whipping and doing more of the edging), and will get the second done today.  Supposed to get to 86 degrees later. 
Some dog walking is on the agenda as well.

Jeff

Morning all.

Will mow later, all the rain has made this a twice a week chore.  We're up to "moderate drought" from "extreme" last year.  Part of the county is up to "abnormally dry".  Will continue the edging today as well.

Maybe some work on the ITLA kit between the yard work and dog walking. 

Jeff

Morning all.

Have already been on one walk with the dog (I'm on dog duty as the wife is out of town), and will soon go on another.  I have an MRI scheduled for this morning as well, then lunch at one of my favorite restaurants and back home for the rest of the day. 

Jeff

Morning, all.

Happy B-D to The Judge.  I miss his stories.

Supposed to get to 80 degrees today, I may mow later, if we don't have some more showers and the lawn is dry.  Like BandOGuy, I was taught not to mow when it's wet.  Plus the rider has an issue in some spots losing traction. 

Haircut later this morning, need to get gas for the mower and the wife's van later as well. 

Jeff

Morning, all.

Wow, Tom's up early.  After breakfast I have an appointment with the hand surgeon to see what he thinks these lumps in my hand are.  Need to stop at Lowe's on the way home as it's a rainy spring and that means we have an ant issue.  Otherwise a lazy Monday here.

Jeff

Morning all.

Off today, but have to work the weekend.     Hope to mow later if the grass dries out from yesterday's all day rain.  Hope to finish the fire escapes on the kit today and get them in the paint booth. 

Jeff

Morning all.

Hump day and nothing planned here.  Maybe some work on the ITLA kit later, but no dancing around the Maypole.

Jeff

The fire escapes were much easier to do.  Leave the base and ladder on the sheet and glue the side panels on.  Then put on the bottom supports.  I'll spray these with black paint later. 

Jeff

Next up was building the stairway for the doorway.  This was very difficult for me.  You're supposed to put the side pieces into the piece with the doorway (not glued), place the first step in, which has tiny tabs on each side to fit into slots, glue it in, gently separate the pieces to put the next one in and so on.  every time I tried to put the next step in, the first one came out on one side.  plus the sides moved in their slots.  I ended up taping one side to the desk and then placing all five in and then lining up the left piece, moving each step into place and using CA with accelerant.  Got three of the five in place with two moving out of place.  I removed them, trimmed off the tabs on one side, and managed to get them in straight and glued.  Was very frustrating.  Yes, it's covered with shiny glue, I'll hit it with Dullcoat.  I now need to do another for the bottom of the fire escape panel.  

Jeff

Morning, all.

Hopefully Bob doesn't have a long "honey do" list that will keep him from the work bench in retirement.  

I have hauled out the trash and recycling, and have no other plans for the day.  Hard to believe that April is nearly over. 

Jeff

At 0300 one morning I realized I didn't have any signage for the structure.  I could make a billboard for the top, but I didn't really want the building looking any taller, so I made a sign to place on one of the brick areas.  But what to name it?  After thinking about it a day, I thought about he who has brought the forum back for us. 

I've used some black oil paint and thinner for the weathering.  I'll let it dry for while and see if I need to remove some or add some more.


Jeff

Since the fan is smaller than the window area, I tried making a blank from the thin hardboard material which worked, but I didn't like the look of just sticking the fan on the piece, and the material is difficult to cut with an Xacto knife.  I tried making one from cardboard, but it was too flimsy.  I ended up cutting the window material to fit the fan and masking it off and spray painting it the same black.  I also had dipped the window framing in light Grey Hunterline weathering mix so the black wouldn't be so stark.  They looked good, but then I resprayed them with Dullcoat and it pretty much disappeard.  I'll dip them again before putting the "glass" back in. 

Jeff

I thought I'd be creative so all the windows didn't look the same.  I found some of these fans from Paw of a Bear and thought i'd put a couple in the windows.  you can make several different styles of fans from the kit. 

Jeff