2017 POTD Thread Archive

[NEL957]

Franko
I should not have done that. I was just poking fun of words.
Have a wonderful day.
Nelson

But yes I would use paper too. I really do not understand all these building wraps other than your money and they want as much as possible.

 

[Franko]

No worries, Nel. I had fun with it.

About ten years ago, I (single handedly) built a two-story barn apartment and sided it with hardi board lap siding.

Not being a full-time carpenter, I did a lot of research on materials and construction methods. At that time the available information on wrap gave a thumbs up for tar paper as a water vapor permeable moisture/wind barrier. Maybe not as effective as modern house wraps, but it fulfills the requirements at a much lower price. It was a barn and the living space was upstairs under a gambrel roof (covered with tar paper under the hingles). I don't think I've ever seen Tyvek used under roofing shingles. I also felt it would be a little less likely to be torn during the installation of highly abrasive hardi board siding.

 

[Glenn Brooks]

Making some progress on building a 1/4 scale trestle for my 12" gauge steam locomotive. Right now I am mostly doing masonry ( think cement footings and concrete block foundations for the bents) and bridge carpentry work. But I did make the vertical post -mud sill brackets in my shop. Even experimented with riveting one together as the railroad shops did in the old days. Decided welding is a lot more efficient. Also made up a bunch of angle braces to secure the longitudinal stringers that hold the ties, to the upper cap timber. The cap timber is the 4x6 timbers in the photos that sits atop the vertical posts.

Iam modeling the trestle after the 1906 Northern Pacific trestle design standard - a few of which still exist around the Seattle area. The photos at the end of the post show some construction detail of an existing trestle on the old Black Diamond - Seattle spur line - now a County Rails to Trails hiking and bike path - and my attempt at duplicating the stringer straps in 1" flat bar.

These first photos show the center vertical posts and brackets that form each bent. A 'bent' is the Railroad term for the crosswise assembly of vertical posts and diagonal supports that support the rails and ties. The brackets are affixed to the mud sill (timbers) bolted to the cement block foundation and concrete footings. I added two additional slanted posts each side of the vertical ones yesterday, but forgot to get a photo. I'll snap a couple pics in the morning and update the post.



Here is an existing trestle and a close up of the 100 year old construction detail using angled brackets to secure the longitudinal stringers to the top of each bent on the NP trestle in Maple Valley, Wa on the way to Black Diamond.






And my attempt to replicate the necessary 'strong ties'. 1" x 3/16" x12" long flat bar, drilled and bent to fit my 4x6" cap timber and stringers. Designed to be secured with 1/4" galvanized lag screws.



Glenn

 

[Scruffy]

And I was told I was ecntric!
I just love it , keep us posted.
Thanks scruffy ron

 

[T Bredehoft]

Glenn, gonna build a Shay? If I were twenty years younger and didn't have a "factory" to run, I'd be tempted.

 

[Glenn Brooks]

Ron, I thought this was normal. Is this not normal? Maybe I need to get out more...

Tom - actually I have thought about building a Shay. Castings are scarce in 1/4 scale. But it's doable. First I need to Finish up restoring my old Campbell locomotive - a 4-4-0 'American' , built in 1904. All the machine surfaces need to be cleaned up from sitting for a long time, and the drivers re gauged a bit to accommodate 12" rail width. Actually I also have an Ottaway that could use some cosmetic TLC. Laying in the Railway has soaked up a year so far - far longer than I expected. but nearing completion. Once I finish putting the 4-4-0 and Ottaway back into service I'll should have enuf experience with the internals and steam mechanics to think about freelancing something. A Shay is definitely on my short list.

I think I may have posted these pictures before. These two loco's are the impetuous for laying the rail - which required the trestle.



Or maybe a Hunslet trench engine used on the western front in WWI - those were 24" gauge (600mm). So in 12" gauge would be half size - 6" scale. A bit larger than the loco's above. This would be fun. A buddy has built three of these loco's - in the smaller 7 1/2" gauge.



Then some rolling stock, and a wrecking crane, and a ballast car. So much to do, so little time...

Glenn

 

[richl]

I think you are missing a great opportunity here Glenn. If you set up a weekend training retreat for building locomotive projects, just this forum alone will have you booked up for years to come
Awesome cool stuff.

Rich

 

[38Bill]

Glenn where did you acquire all your engines?

 

[benmychree]

Hey Frank, cool. Tyvek really isn't a water shield, it's technically a vapor barrier. If you want a water shield now a days they have some real nice product that comes in roll and has a rubber membrane on one side and a really good rubber sticking side. Its used in masonry applications. I might spring for a 50' roll for the bottom 36" of my wall. I am going to place a stone detail there. Give the place a nice dressing up. I grew up as a carpenter, 40 years, learned a ton from my dad... tar paper is a decent product, especially 20 to 30 lbs felt, the 15lbs rolls not so much, but as is the case for many things, there are better products now. I am constantly trying to figure out what I am missing. Things change fast now a days, and all the stuff I grew up using, many do not even apply anymore. Plus, for the last 30 years most of the buildings I have been doing are either 30-50 story skyscrapers in Manhattan, Atlantic city, or philly or casinos... so I am always playing catchup when I do some resendential work

It's a pain In the butt job, but kinda fun too, I'm fixing a ton of really ugly stuff, and getting to design something, as well as protecting my machines and shop

Sorry if I ramble, the young guys at work get a kick outta it anyway...

Rich

A contractor friend recently told me that he removed siding from a house and found the Tyvek brittle and breaking apart, literally going to pieces; when I put siding on my home addition I used tar paper!

 

[richl]

The same happens with tar paper, most people cheap out and use the very thin paper, it's ok for roofs, but walls, if you are going to use it should be 15lbs felt or better. (The paper is thicker, and there is more tar soaking the paper)
Also, Southern exposures would most likely be a problem, they can have the most sun. That wall that is in my pictures is exposed to sun almost from sun up to sundown, vinyl siding, and tyvek. That side was done close to 20 years ago, the tyvek was as strong as new... unfortunately you are always going to hear a counter opinion to any method, whether it is machining, electric, sailing, bicycling, housing products.

The other very important thing to consider, what part of the country are you from, here in new Jersey, when I poor a footing, I have to by code go down 36". When I do work in North Carolina, they are typically only going down a foot or so, and North, in say Vermont or Maine, they are probably going down closers to 48", it varies because of the frost line, or how far down the soil freezes in the winter.

I'm not even sure I should post anymore of my shop renovation pictures now, oh well...


It's a pain to do the interior, you are constantly moving roller cabinets, machines, material and such. I need to finish up the one side so that I can shift stuff to the finished wall to work on the other unfinished side.



In 2-3 weeks the stone for the exterior arrives, and the siding, so I will probably just do as much interior as I can till than..
Rich