Crane detailing
New trackside fence
Shrubbery
Water pipe casing
Laurence progressed with the yard crane detailing. Is it finally coming together?
Geoff progressed the assembly and fitting of the new line-side fence. It was decided to remove the nail that John had employed to protect the end of the original fence at the baseboard edge, and replace it with a square section post. After a rummage through his metal-bits-box, Geoff selected a piece of nickel silver, which he milled to shape and fitted. The single fence unit was then epoxied in place. The new fence didn't quite reach the post, but the gap was filled with insitu-formed plasticard strip, to match. The fence was then painted with a mid grey base-coat, to represent weathered timber.
Stephen started to assemble a pile of old pieces of rubberised horsehair left over from the old layout. These were then placed on the hillside, up to the new wire fence. The material would form the base for newly applied flock, but still, it didn't look right. It was all moved to some paper towel on a bench and painted with neat brown acrylic paint. Once dry, it was put back on the hillside, and looked ..... moderately better than before! More trials next week. A test was also performed to dull-down the fence wire. Different types of proprietary 'Blackenit' were tried, but results were disappointing. A dilute light grey (galvanising) will be tried next week.
While putting the layout away the previous week, the three timber posts that were used as a trial for wiring in the 'back' corner of the layout were badly broken. They were completely removed and horsehair shrubbery substituted, together with a 'dead' tree. It creates more height on the corner, but might not fit in the storage rack. We'll have to see if it survives being put away this week.
Whilst the horsehair paint dried, Stephen reverted to the timber casing for the water pipe supplying the gasifier equipment. Support timbers/posts and full detailing next week.
Note: Geoff had finally fitted a new fluorescent fitting over the 'dark side' of the workshop, which made a terrific difference. Thanks Geoff!
