Wood Shop

Here is another report, heavy on photos, aided and abetted by images taken by Jon Fenciki, and just a whole lot of activity by the volunteers.

Jon Fenlaciki Photo

This a a very good example of how projects should work in the shop.  Four days ago Jon Fenlaciki brought in a window that needed repair, from Indiana Railroad 65.  We noted what we thought should be done and supplied info to Jon on purchasing new wood.  Jon did exactly that and delivered some new mahogany Saturday morning.  Before you knew it the stock had been roughed out and planed, and here - Bob Kutella, Rich Witt, and John Faulhaber are setting a jig for cutting the stop cuts for new tenons.  Jon was on the spot, making decisions as needed and helping with the work.  A real team effort.

Tenons

The tenons are being nibbled away by Rich Witt and John Faulhaber on the table saw.

New Bottom Rail

Rich has the new bottom rail complete, ready for final fitting, while Jon displays the original piece, the reason for the work.

What Is It

It is always good to throw in a quiz question to see if the class is paying attention.  What is it?  Maybe some peanut butter and a glob of creme filling?  See next photo for the surprise answer.

Jon Fenlaciki Photo

The new bottom rail has been fitted and the window reassembled.  Rich Witt is using an epoxy product that is both an effective adhesive and also serves as a wood repair filler.  The window is clamped up and will be ready for sanding and refinishing the next visit to the shop by Jon.  Our new motto - "One day and done!"

Caboose Grab Iron

Victor Humphreys is making some final fit checks and careful readying three end fittings for welding to the curved caboose grab iron.  A lot of metal grinding and filing, foreign to a sawdust maker like me.  It is looking good.

More Window Work

Victor Humphreys and William Peterson are busy completing the gray primer on all eight new windows for Chicago Great Western X 38..  Bill is a relatively new volunteer in the shop and seems intent on completing his 'apprenticeship' and joining the old hands club.  Thanks Bill

Set Up

We finished up a lot of 'small' projects early in the day before quitting time, so went on to the next steps for the two new doors for CGW X 38.  That means setting up the mortising machine to plunge many slots in the door stiles and rails.  William Peterson is making and installing new wood blocks for the 'hold down' clamps on the mortiser.  Basically, almost every job is a different size and set up, and it takes some small time to get it ready.  Set up complete, we made two mortises and hung an OUT TO LUNCH sign on the machine.

Molding Work

Now to continue the story of Chicago Rapid Transit 1024, from last weeks report.  Tim modified (sacrificed) a carbide router bit and ground it for the custom profile needed for the "UPPER" tack molding on the 1024.  That is the piece that finishes the edge of the large flat roof, while a similar but different piece is needed alongside the hip roof areas, that called the "LOWER" tack molding.  The best product is very long pieces of stock to minimize joints in this rail.  It takes many hands to to this work carefully, here done by John Faulhaber, Fred Zimmerman, and Tim Peters.

Finishing

Fred then hand sanded many pieces of this, and finished the effort with prime painting all of them.

Mock-Up

It can be difficult to visualize how a project's parts need to be made and to go together.  Here is a mock up of a key element needed for the next two windows for Boston & Maine 1094.  The small heel or haunch on the side stiles will support and anchor the rounded top rail.  We used a variety of steps, jigs and tooling to make this part shown by Rich Witt.

Molding

Buzz Morisette is slicing thin strips of oak on a bevel cut.  These will be replacements for damaged ceiling moldings in the private car ELY.

Jon Fenlaciki Photo

Dave Fullarton, Greg Kapka, and Richard Schauer were in the Barn 4 pit working on the group switch underneath rapid transit car CTA 2154.

As usual a lot of other work going on in the shop and around the property.  I did not catch a pic of this, but we finished running six windows for heavyweight passenger car Illinois Central 3996, working with Roger Kramer, and also completed and surfaced the first of the door panels for the new CGW X 38 doors.