Geezer's Lounge (Rev 1) - Volume 5

[TomO/Tloc]

thanks everyone. It's been a lousy weather day in So. Central Wisconsin with even Terry sitting in the safe room with me. We determined that the safest place in the house when a tornado warning goes up is the area around my work benches in the train room. Many many moons ago a good friend gave me a set of work benches his dad made after the war. True 4x4's for the full frame work and 2 pieces of 1/2" plywood laminated to form the bench top and 48" high! So when the local sirens went off I had a visitor for almost an hour.

I'm weathering, prepping and also working on the design of MY new paper mill. Still have not taken down the framework my old paper mill sat on. Though all the buildings except 2 have been sold off. The plan was in May but due to helping on a couple layouts and then another sudden left turn by my health, it's more likely July. The guys have offered to take it down for me and build the peninsula while I just supervise but this is personal! I may change my mind but doubtful.

While Terry was in her "safe space" an over used storm phrase by local media and weather guessers she asked me how much I got for my mill as she looked over the empty spots. I told her, again! She asked if I was going to spend it all on the layout and I said have you seen the cost of lumber lately? She laughed! I do have all the lumber and fasteners I need for the 30" x 198" peninsula where the paper mill will sit. I really might not spend  even $100.

A few south end changes to show from this morning on the 30" x 30" template. This is the "dirty" end of the paper mill. It holds the wood chip conveyer from the wood chip yard, digester building, the recovery boiler building, the processing yard, the liquor tank farm, blow tank, defoamer tanks, the brown stock building, a diesel storage tank and a service road. Yes, there is no track in this segment. Not only am I a model railroader I am a modeler. The piping is not shown

The goal is keeping 2 crews of 2 busy for 2 sessions of 90 minutes long with a 45 minute food break. Normal sessions in the Operating group I belong to is 2.5 hours, 45 minute lunch session and 2 hour end session. Those layouts though, even the smallest is 10 times the mainline I have that when finished will be about 55'. This paper mill is much more extensive than my previous one but much busier and I hope more enjoyable for switching.

Attached are 3 pictures of the template 30" x 30", a large liquor tank and then some kit built tanks to fit in the production flow.

The fun part of a paper mill for me though is the finish details. The piping, pipe bridging, conduits, steam lines, tall and low conveyers, Motor control cabinets, meters, pumps and cut off boxes.

The bar is open!

The Eagle Rare I see is still popular. The popcorn is fresh and any virtual drink imaginable is available.

Enjoy the evening

[deemery]

TomO, do you have a visible piping diagram for your paper mill?  That's something I've been unable to find for my 1890s refinery project.  I do know there seemed to be pipes (and junk, and oil leaks) everywhere...

dave

[jbvb]

Sorry you've had to shelter, Tom. But time together with family has gotten kind of precious in the permanently connected era.  My stepson and his comrades made it up Mt. Washington and back down in well under "book time" today; I'm expecting him home within the hour.

If I could still get it, I'd have a sip of Caldwell's Old Newburyport Rum. But it hasn't been made in Newburyport since I was a kid, and the series of subsequent owners of the brand eventually petered out, maybe 25 years ago.  Working on my Selectmen's Minutes in between glances at the 'net.

[Larry C]

Morning Gents,

The morning beverages are set to go. Breakfast is hash and 2 eggs anyway you prefer them, English Muffins with butter or assorted jams and jellies.

Tom O. that's quite an ambitious project and looking forward to your interpretation.

What's on your agenda.

It's a cloudy 62 with a high of 91. Glad I installed the portable A/C unit upstairs yesterday; gonna need it. A few errands to run shortly but not too sure about the rest of the day. If the rain holds off then it's some more outside work; if not it'll be bench time.

Have a safe and enjoyable day!! Be well.

[Rick]

Good morning everyone.

49 right now in Sioux Falls, cloudy and rain later in the PM with a high of 56.

Larry, thanks for the coffee and breakfast.
Enjoy your day regardless if it rains or not.

James, your stepson did a great hike and congratulations on finishing.

TomO, those AI photos you posted will be a good aide in building the mill.
I know what you build will look very close to the pictures.
Glad you are felling better.

ACLTom, will you honey hole buys end up on the layout?
Hope Emee is doing better.

Karl, did the tiller start?

Ron, glad you got to do another long walk.

Dave, thanks for the video.

Jerry, did you answer the beach's call?

Jim, glad you enjoyed a slow Sunday and thanks for the photo.

Mike, wish I could have tried your ribs.

How's everyone else?

I drove about an hour west from Sioux Falls in the afternoon.
I got some heavy rain around 4 but missed the brunt of the storm.
I'll drive back into town this morning.

After the rain stopped yesterday, I opened the sliding door and took this picture with the phone.



Have a great day everyone.

[friscomike]

Good morning folks,

Larry, thank you for opening the coffee and breakfast.  Sounds like it is finally summer up there.

Rick, it's that time of year for storms.  Wishing you safe travels.

The ball game was a good one.  I worked on the layout yesterday making changes suggested in the thread. More 1:1 chores outside today, then benchtime I hope.

Have fun,
mike

[TomO/Tloc]

TomO, do you have a visible piping diagram for your paper mill?  That's something I've been unable to find for my 1890s refinery project.  I do know there seemed to be pipes (and junk, and oil leaks) everywhere...

dave

Not yet but I have ideas. I'll be working on that this week for 2 different paper mills. My own for 2020 and for a friends 1965era PNW paper mill. I agree finding information about piping systems in paper mills seems tough. My go to guy when I did my previous mills before these 2 basically said, straight lines with 90 degree turns grouped together in various sizes and different colors. He passed a few years before I retired in 2014.

One thing I use as a constant is when grouped to I do in odd numbers. 3, 5 or 7 the same as I group trees. There just is something about the odd number grouping that catches my eye.

My own mill, the previous template photo I am laying it out to make sure it fits of course but that while creating that paper mill maze feel that there is enough room for the details which mainly are pipes, pipe bridging and conveyers. I love conveyers.

I will let you know what I find on piping

 

[PRR Modeler]

Good Morning All,

Larry thanks for opening and breakfast. Hope you make it to the workbench.

Started the day with a walk in the 70's but for some reason the humidity was low. I'll take it! Yesterday I did what I could with the pool and actually got a couple of hours at the workbench painting details.

Today is laundry and chores. After that I'll continue painting. I have a set of fine tip brushes arriving today. Tomorrow I have to drop off and pickup Dad for a senior trip and follow son to the garage where he's getting brake work done.

Tom I hope Emee is better and the cone of shame has been removed

Rick be careful, the weather forecast around you looks bad.

Ron Happy Victoria Day. Do you get it off?





I hope everyone has a good day.

[deemery]

Tom, if you have specific questions, send me an email/message.  A neighbor retired from the Maine paper mill industry.

Ron and Darryl, Happy Victoria Day!

First cataract is tomorrow, I'm not sure what the 3 weeks between surgeries will be like.  Both eyes are significantly nearsighted, so "just gut it out" won't work, and the 2nd eye has more astigmatism, so readers probably won't help, either.

dave

[TomO/Tloc]

Morning Gents,

The morning beverages are set to go. Breakfast is hash and 2 eggs anyway you prefer them, English Muffins with butter or assorted jams and jellies.

Tom O. that's quite an ambitious project and looking forward to your interpretation.

What's on your agenda.

It's a cloudy 62 with a high of 91. Glad I installed the portable A/C unit upstairs yesterday; gonna need it. A few errands to run shortly but not too sure about the rest of the day. If the rain holds off then it's some more outside work; if not it'll be bench time.

Have a safe and enjoyable day!! Be well.

Larry, yes it's ambitious but also Therapeutic. My weather creativity has diminished since my health issues of 8/2024. There is no arguing that and it took me a few months to really understand it.  The memory skills of weathering are slowly returning but I can still follow a written or verbal instruction. There is no creativity needed using a sketch or diagram especially if I draw it.

I'm 73. If I get on the Call board I can generally operate on big layouts in the area and beyond weekly. There are a few operating groups in Wisconsin that coordinate nicely with each other. I don't need a large layout and my 2 layouts since retirement in 2014 have been small with both having mainlines less than 80'. I like to switch. My last railroad had a great paper mill of mostly facade fronts and not enough switching. This peninsula based paper mill will fix that. When I operate elsewhere I prefer the Road pool because I can switch at home.

My core materials are 1/8" birch ply for building support, Sintra pvc board and Evergreen Styrene. I have free unlimited access to a laser cutter for the wood and have learned/ing SVG file creation for it. I have always used graph paper and pencil and I still do. Now I convert those drawings sometimes with Ai help from ChatGPT into usable cutting files. I'm not creating intricate things just interlocking panels for structures. Like weathering was I get into a zone and can work for hours. Because of health concerns I do have timers at the bench. I get into modeling funks that generally go away in a few days but not always. I have been like that since I started painting brass steam in the 1970's. I unfortunately could also get consumed at work like that over the years but burn out relief was not an option, work though it...

I have 2 very good friends and 3 others that are more than willing to help out building the framework and they will when the time comes over the next 60-90 days. The structure design and build though are my baby

[KentuckySouthern]

Dave, you're in for a revelation. Do the drops, follow the directions. Prepare to be amazed. The drops are a pain in the south end but keep at it. The Doll is a week in to eye two and cries with joy at the improvement. 

Yesterday was 80+ and hotter forecast for today. A/C may come on. It's payday here so lots of "admin" in the early. Part then a "Celebration of Life" later in the day.

I goofed off inside too long to try the tiller.

All I got, be safe all.

[elwoodblues]

Good morning everyone,

Thanks for the coffee and breakfast Larry, enjoy your day weather it's inside or outside.

Rick, I can tell you are in the South Dakota's, it's nice and flat.    Nice view.

Tom, hope Emee's eye is getting better.

TomO, looking forward to seeing progress on your paper mill builds.

Mike, hope you make it to the bench today.

Dave, good luck with the cataract surgery tomorrow.

Curt, yes we get Victoria Day off here.

Karl, have a great day.

Current temperature is 11c (51f) and raining, it's going to be an indoor day.  Spent more time than I should of using AI to develop the code required to control the planetary stepper motors that I plan to use to control turnouts and it is going to save me a lot of work.  I used claude ai and was impressed with how it worked.  I bought a 7 day trial for $1.00 to play with it.  I'll probable spend more time with it today as I want to add LED's to the code to indicate which way the turnout is thrown.  I probably won't buy a monthly subscription as I won't use it enough to warrant the cost.

Have a great day everyone.

[TomO/Tloc]

Tom, if you have specific questions, send me an email/message.  A neighbor retired from the Maine paper mill industry.

Ron and Darryl, Happy Victoria Day!

First cataract is tomorrow, I'm not sure what the 3 weeks between surgeries will be like.  Both eyes are significantly nearsighted, so "just gut it out" won't work, and the 2nd eye has more astigmatism, so readers probably won't help, either.

dave

Thank you. I will keep your offer in mind.

I had cataract surgery in 2015 and it was a great thing. I've worn glasses since 1st grade I'm now 73. I use glasses now only for close in work or night time 2 lane driving.

Like you I had trouble with eye drops but it was well worth overcoming that. The period between surgeries for me and then my wife last fall was a minimal inconvenience. Best to you tomorrow

[TomO/Tloc]

Good morning Crew. Yesterday was a weather day to forget. I already mentioned the tornado warnings in the morning where Terry joined me in the train room or the "safe space". Well we had to both trek there again last night after I posted at 8pm. We were in there roughly from 9:30 to maybe 10:15. The warning sirens went off and like a lemming off I go, better safe than sorry. No damage that I am aware of in the area and my yard is pretty clear. I took the garbage bin out to the curb this morning.

A grocery and pharmacy run today this morning. Then a visit to my GP this afternoon. Feeling better but there is lingering pain and weariness. I did send her a message via our medical portal and the nurse replied at 7:30 this morning the doctor will review it! Which means she'll read it in the hallway outside the exam room

It's 70 and humid this Wisconsin morning heading to 80 with rain off and on through out the day

Enjoy your day

[PRR Modeler]

Dave good luck tomorrow.