OK, the view blocks have been installed and the overhead work is done!  I took a bunch of photos of the completed valence and view block installation . . . head over to the website if you’d like to gaze at them (the link is over there to the right).

So next up is my practice backdrop painting project.  This past weekend I dug out several hardboard background panels that I had used on my last layout many years ago.  I have about 32 lineal feet of 2 feet high backdrop to practice with.  Tonight I dropped by the Walmart and bought a quart can each of sky blue and flat white.  I’ll roll the blue on the panels at the end of the week and may even get some time to start spraying a few clouds on.

I’ll try a couple spray techniques using the stencils, and I’ll probably also try using an old paintbrush, sponges and anything else that I spy that may contribute to a credible cloud.  My plan is to just do a rather sparse sprinkling of clouds around the room; a group here, a group there.  I can always add more later if I decide I need more.  The main point here is to try to get some of the higher up painting done prior to putting up benchwork just to make things easier while painting.  I know I’ll end up sitting or laying on the benchwork later to do detailed painting such as hills, trees and such, so I plan to build a substantial framework to carry my portly self without fear of crashing through to the floor.

-Jack

That’s right, they are primed and painted.  Actually, the view blocks still have to be re-hung, but that is a 10 minute task.  I will tend to that next weekend.

Next up is to paint some practice clouds on scrap Masonite and then use whatever technique works best to apply some clouds to the sky backdrop.  I’m chomping at the bits to get some layout construction going, so I may focus on the back wall initially and then I can start erecting the first of the L-girder benchwork.

I’ll be posting a few photos of the completed overhead work on the website soon (have to find time to take the pictures).  Look for them.

-Jack

After an incredibly long delay, things are again moving forward on the Louisiana Central.  As I’ve bemoaned in a couple of posts, the big hang-up has been the lighting valence.  Well, significant progress has been made on this.  The hardboard warpage is now in check thanks to the 1×2 strips that have been glued to the base of the panels.  The specially cut blocking for the outside corners of the 45 degree joints is working well, and about half of those joints have been completed.  There are a number of inside 45 degree and odd angle joints that also have to be made, but I’m confident that the special blocking that we’ve fabricated will handle those nicely as well.

All in all, I’m pleased that the room prep is moving along again.  While there is still much work ahead, most of the hardest work has been completed, and further work sessions are tentatively scheduled to get ‘er done.

–Jack

The fall is almost upon us and the “traditional” modeling season is about to begin.  I’m looking forward to the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season, which will be enhanced by the fact that I’ve got almost 3 weeks of vacation scheduled during these times.  The last time I made really significant progress on the train room and layout was during this same period last year.  As I’ve mentioned in earlier posts, I’ve done some work during the summer, but I’m not anywhere close to where I thought I’d be at this time.

As I’ve also mentioned, my biggest hang up has been the light fixture valence.  Several of you have asked why such a long delay due to a simple thing like a valence.  OK, I’ll give you the story.

The construction plan was to attach 2×4 lumber to the ceiling, with the edges flush with the future layout edges.  Gypsum board was to be applied to the bottom to meet the fire code, and the fluorescent strip lights installed to the sandwich.  This was done, and turned out reasonably well.  Photos appear on the website.

The next step was to cut 1/8″ thick hardboard panels (Masonite) to the proper width, then screw them to the sides of the 2×4’s to form the valence.  That’s when the problems began.  It became apparent early on that the hardboard panels alone presented a rather unfinished appearance.  The joints between panels were just too crude. To make matters worse, the ceiling had several undulations in it (not apparent when simply viewing the ceiling) and this created places where the hardboard panel didn’t fit tight to the ceiling leaving big gaps in a number of locations.

I searched around and found what appeared to be an excellent solution for the joints.  Home Depot had some plastic moldings that were used for the joints in 1/8″ prefinished panels that are typically used in bathrooms and kitchens.  There were moldings to trim exposed edges, others to join panels end to end, and yet others to create corners.  I bought an assortment of all this.

When I tried to apply the moldings, I encountered my next problem.  I had already primed and painted the hardboard panels, and the additional thickness added by the paint wouldn’t allow the moldings to just slip on the panel edges as they were supposed to.  After much agonizing, I decided to pull the panels down, then using a router, I was able to shave off enough material on the ends and bottom edges of the panels to allow the moldings to slip on.

The panels were re-hung, and the ends had molding slipped into place.  Everything good so far.  The only joints that were still a problem were at places where the panels met at other than 90 degree angles.  There were no moldings for this type of joint.  I figured I would think about this awhile while continuing with the installation.

To solve the ceiling gap problem, I simply bought inexpensive shoe molding, and nailed it to the junction.  This worked out fine.

By now another problem began to surface.  Some of the panels were beginning to warp, particularly the longer ones.  By warping, I mean they started getting wavy, which was very pronounced at the bottoms.  I wasn’t prepared for this sort of thing.  The panels had been primed and had two coats of paint on both sides.  They are in a centrally heated and air conditioned room.  But they still warped.

As an experiment, Wayne and I clamped a piece of L shaped sheet metal that I had on hand to the bottom of one of the panels, and that easily pulled it back into alignment.  So for the (hopefully) permanent solution I’m going to glue 1×2 lumber to the bottom inside edges of the panels to pull them into alignment.

The odd joint angle problem has been the hardest to solve.  I looked high and low and found nothing suitable for these joints.  Also, because of the warpage, many of the panels don’t naturally meet well at the corners, and will therefore have to be pulled back into alignment.  This means that the joints will have to have some structural integrity.  I have a tentative solution now.  We cut some special 5 sided strips of wood on the table saw, and I think that these may work to make the joints.  They will be glued into the backside of the joint, so the outside will remain clean.  I’m thinking of applying a bent strip of thin styrene over the outside just to cover the seam.

The last steps will be to slip the bottom molding on the edges, then apply another coat of paint to the entire assembly.  As a side note, the panels were pre-painted so I could lay them flat on the floor and use a roller.  Even this was fraught with frustration as the little bit of paint that ran down the edges caused the panels to stick to the plastic sheeting on the floor, requiring a whole bunch of trimming and sanding between coats of paint.  In hindsight, had I known at the get-go that I would be applying all this molding, I would have skipped painting the panels initially and done all the painting at the end.  This would also have eliminated the need for the tedious and time-consuming routing session with the panels.

So, to answer the question: since I had no clean solution, I did little work on the valence during the summer.  Instead, I did other things around the building, primarily in the shop area.  And I also spent considerable time doing things not directly related to the railroad, but nevertheless, things that had to be done.

I’m hopeful that this remaining valence work will be completed during my holiday.  We also have to fabricate and hang some view blocks down the center of the peninsulas, but I don’t think they will be any particular problem (the view blocks are simply to keep the lights on the opposite side from being visible).  They will simply hang on hooks from the ceiling, so the work on them can occur at ground level.

That pile of benchwork lumber in the center of the room should be well seasoned by now!

-Jack

I know that there appears to be little or no progress on the railroad this summer, and with respect to layout construction, that is true.  The last apparent activity was back in the late spring.  I’ve run into unexpected difficulties with the lighting valence.  In fact, the valence, as simple as it is in concept, has turned into a nightmare of problems.  Undulations in the ceiling itself, thickness mismatches with materials, warpage of the Masonite valence material itself, and some joinery problems at the odd angles of the panels have conspired to make the valence a real headache.  If so much time and money had not already been poured into the thing, I would probably rip it out and start over with a new concept.

Most of the problems have been overcome, and I have a couple potential solutions for the remaining problems.  However my able bodied assistant (required for the overhead work) has generally not been available this summer,  Also the constant threat of thunderstorms (typical of southern Louisiana weather) keeps me from dragging the table saw outdoors for the day and setting it up to do the required cutting.

Instead, I’ve stayed busy doing plenty of unseen “support functions” such as completing and arranging my work bench, building a paint bottle rack and computer desk, working with software, “decorating” the shop and rest room, and several other projects.  While none of these things are doing anything to build a layout, most are essential in the overall construction.  I’ve also spent a good bit of time making minor alterations to the track plan, making sure that the buildings I plan to use will actually fit the spaces where they’re supposed to go (and rearranging them as necessary).

The summer will be winding down shortly and cooler, dryer weather will be here.  I have almost three weeks of vacation time that I’ll be taking this fall, and that will give my available layout time a great shot in the arm.  As I’ve mentioned on the main website, the benchwork lumber is ready to go; the L-girders are fabricated and the bracing and joist lumber has been ripped to size and is ready.  Upon completion of the fascia (and a couple view blocks that will be suspended from the ceiling), I’ll paint the clouds on the backdrop.  THEN benchwork will commence, and I expect that it will go fairly rapidly.

It’s been a MUCH slower effort that I expected to get this project going.  Actually finishing out the building interior was a major hurdle, time wise and financially, and disappointingly the layout still hasn’t taken shape.  But I’m confident that things will start rolling again soon.

-Jack