Thread: Project $ 3 K Is Underway

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I used my jig as a welding table by throwing 1/4 inch plate on top of it, then clamping it down. Wish I still had it today. Was great for mocking thing up, even if I screwed up and welded them to the plate.
Brad

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Well thank you. Everybody in the world uses foam and it works, what the heck is wrong with me? I really liked the concept and it would have probably done great if I could have kept that resin away.

I feel bad, because I know everybody was really trying to help me out on this one too. Oh well, maybe next time.

Don

Don, We just want to pay you back for all the help that you have provided us with this thread.

Thanks,
Z

Originally Posted by oddcarout

Don, We just want to pay you back for all the help that you have provided us with this thread.

Thanks,
Z

And I sincerely thank every person who has contributed suggestions or just stopped by to look at it or shoot the breeze. Their contributions have made this thread a whole lot of fun for me to do, and have kept me moving.

Thanks to all.


Don

I was anxious to get to the shop today to see how the transmission looked now that it had dried overnight. I thought it looked like a 20 footer yesterday but I was wrong...........it was a 50 footer. It really turned out rough, and no matter how I tried to pacify myself by saving "it's only a transmission" it was really eating at me. I just hadn't spent enough time prepping it for paint, and all the bumps and bruises were showing big time.

I got away from it and decided to build my taillight brackets, and after a couple of hours had them all done, but the transmission kept staring at me. So I then put some more plaster on top of the tunnel because it is cracking as it was drying. A thin coat seemed to fill in the cracks, and I will let that dry for a few days before I do anything else to it.

Finally, I couldn't take the transmission any more, so I spent the next 6 hours sanding it completely with 220 grit and then a scuff pad. Took pretty much all the orange paint off, and luckily I had put 3 heavy coats of primer on it, so I was able to smooth it out really well. In fact, now it looks like it is molded.

I threw on another coat of primer and will scuff and paint it orange tomorrow. I think I finally have it ok to paint. I know it will never be seen, but I would know it was there.

Here are some pictures of the tunnel cracks, the second coat of plaster, my taillights and brackets, and the primered transmission. I'm ready for the witness protection program........I have NO FINGERPRINTS left from sanding all day.


Don

Gee, Don, that transmission is looking so smooth maybe you should just scrap the tunnel and let that baby show! Seriously, though, nice work. Nice job on the taillight brackets, too.

By the way, what's a good size for pictures for posting?

Thanks Jim. It still has the typical cast aluminum bumps and flaws, but it sure is gonna be better than what it was this morning. It was so bad I didn't even take a picture of it.

Something is screwing up in my spray gun or I am getting some oil from the compressor. There were little black dots all through the orange paint, and I'm not sure what was going on there. I am going to pick up another gravity feed gun tomorrow and also put one of those little filters on the line and see what happens.

Our old compressor was so worn out it was pumping oil into the tank, but I didn't get any oil when I painted the engine, so I'm a little stumped. Can't be the new compressor, I hope.

Don

Don---that first tranny tunnel picture looks like something out of Al Gore's climate change documentry Really, its going to look great. There are probably better plasters to go with, but I use the premixed drywall mud because it is cheap and readily available. I'm sure you will be pleased with the end results.---speaking of "paint adventures"----When I cleaned up (I can't say rebuilt) the engine and transmission for the roadster pickup, I wanted to paint it the finish colour that the car was going to be, so I went into town and bought 2 quarts of yellow paint, and all the appropriate reducers, hardeners, etcetera. Now, based on my experience painting about a thousand cars in the sixties and seventies, and early eighties, 2 quarts of paint should have been enough to damn near paint a whole car. I cleaned and sanded --and sanded---and sanded--the engine and transmission till it looked reasonable, set it up on a stand, and proceeded to paint.---one coat--then a second coat--then a third coat--then a fourth coat---then a fifth coat---. I didn't know that that particular yellow was a tri-stage, extrememly transparent paint, that needed a white underbase. I ended up using the whole two quarts, and could still see through it. ---ya live--ya learn!!!

I have NO FINGERPRINTS left from sanding all day.

A couple of months ago, my DoD ID card had an error (they have a chip imbedded), and I had to get it reset. I had spent all weekend sanding on my fibreglass '34 grille shell, and the sensor couldn't read the fingerprints on my right hand. Luckily, the left hand wasn't sanded smooth. It took a while, but they finally were able to read a print.

Originally Posted by bluestang67

Henry dont know about the Ferro thing but i do really enjoy trains LOL.

Ferro = Iron
Equin = Horse
Ologist = Scientist or practitioner.

Originally Posted by Henry Rifle

A couple of months ago, my DoD ID card had an error (they have a chip imbedded), and I had to get it reset. I had spent all weekend sanding on my fibreglass '34 grille shell, and the sensor couldn't read the fingerprints on my right hand. Luckily, the left hand wasn't sanded smooth. It took a while, but they finally were able to read a print.

That's funny. I felt like I had very smooth fingertips when I got done, so I guess from what you said it is possible.



Brian..........Yellow would be one of those colors that would not cover in one or two coats now that you mention it. I have noticed sort of the same thing with the orange, it takes a few to get an even color and cover.




I wonder how long it took those guys that built that tunnel under the English Channel? Whatever it was, I think they built it faster than I got mine done, but I am pleased to say tonight THE TUNNEL IS DONE.

Today Dan had off work, and he went to the shop to do some things to his car, but he came over and looked at the plaster tunnel and said "let's get this thing done." I didn't want to take his only day off, but he insisted, so we dug in.

First thing we did was sand and shape the plaster with some drywall screens and sandpaper until it was as smooth as we wanted. Then we went to Home Depot to see what we could find to put some kind of barrier on top so I wouldn't have a repeat of the last problem. What we came up with was some red plastic tape that is like duct tape, but is very sticky. They call it Stucco tape.

In any event, we laid up a couple of layers of it onto the plaster mold, and it stuck like glue. After a little trimming we were ready to start glassing, but I was down to half a gallon of resin (from two gallons !) so Dan went to Home Depot and picked up another gallon. It was $ 36 there, compared to about $20 at the marine supplier, but we needed it.

We started glassing at about 6:30 and got done at 10, with two of us working side by side. I couldn't have done it, or done as good of a job if it wasn't for his help. He actually did the majority of the work, like taping and all, so he was really a Godsend. We laid up at least 3 full layers, and probably as many as 5 in some spots because we overlapped everything, so it will be pretty strong, I think.

When it cures I am going to turn the body over and get the foam and plaster out of there, clean up the underside, and put another layer or two on the bottom side to tie it into the floor completely.

Right now I am itching a little, and the cold shower only helped a little, but I feel great. The tunnel was a huge obstacle for me in this build, and it took that slavedriver Dan to get me in gear and get it done. Thanks Pal.

Here are some pictures of the taped up tunnel and after the glass was laid up.


Don

That looks GOOD Don.

Thanks MIke. Dan just got home from the shop and says it is kicking nice and hard already, so by tomorrow it should be all cured.

You have no idea how happy I am to get this phase done.

Don

Don sons are a godsend i wish i had a dozen as long as i didnt have to feed them. Great work well that hurdle ( or hump ) is over and on to the next one soon . From following this i dont ever think i'll waver from steel .

Don big question after a job like this is done do you seal , paint or just cover in carpet .

Henry i did have to look it up .LOL and i still love model trains by the time i retire i will cover one complete bedroom in a layout .

Not to hijack the thread (like THAT ever happens ), but guess whose UP locos were on the cover of RMC back in the day? I wrote an article and sent the photos. They put my stuff on the cover, and paid me a couple of hundred $$$ for the article. It took several hundred hours to get 'em right.

Don,

- back to hot rods . . . .

Nice job on the tunnel. I had to do a bit of work like that myself. If I had it to do over again, I would have sawed out the Gibbon tunnel on my '34 and built one of my own. It certainly would have been better than theirs.