IronBeltKen
Lazy Daydreamer
Hi Shop Dwellers, temp is maintaining at 33*F - just barely above freezing - hope it goes back up like they're predicting and not back down, otherwise the rain we're supposed to get tomorrow will be ICE.
Chet - sorry to hear about the Covid, got you on the prayer list!
Willie, Hughie, GT and all you guys down South - hope this freak winter weather doesn't cause too much harm or hardship for you, I know some of you used to live farther north but all lot of the natives in your part of the country have never even been exposed to stuff like this!
* * *
I finally succeeded in getting the drill holes properly aligned, so I was able to get the rest of the grabirons installed on the F7 shell today. To faithfully reproduce my target prototype, I also needed to drill a few holes for studs that could support a short access walkway on the engineer's side:
In the prototype photo, there is no visible underside bracing supporting the platform - it looks as though it was slid thru a narrow slit in the body. Hopefully these studs will remain hidden at most photo angles.
After the walkway, I tackled the remaining grabs on the right front area of the cab. I was 95% done when I shot this photo - I still needed to install the brakeman grabs over the pilot:
This is about as close to prototype appearance as I could get with the materials I had on hand. I must have broken a half-dozen #80 drill bits, and hissed a generous amount of nautical jargon, before all was said and done!
...and that's about all I have for tonight, just wanted to be able to share what I was able to get done over the weekend. Good night and stay warm!
Chet - sorry to hear about the Covid, got you on the prayer list!
Willie, Hughie, GT and all you guys down South - hope this freak winter weather doesn't cause too much harm or hardship for you, I know some of you used to live farther north but all lot of the natives in your part of the country have never even been exposed to stuff like this!
* * *
I finally succeeded in getting the drill holes properly aligned, so I was able to get the rest of the grabirons installed on the F7 shell today. To faithfully reproduce my target prototype, I also needed to drill a few holes for studs that could support a short access walkway on the engineer's side:
In the prototype photo, there is no visible underside bracing supporting the platform - it looks as though it was slid thru a narrow slit in the body. Hopefully these studs will remain hidden at most photo angles.
After the walkway, I tackled the remaining grabs on the right front area of the cab. I was 95% done when I shot this photo - I still needed to install the brakeman grabs over the pilot:
This is about as close to prototype appearance as I could get with the materials I had on hand. I must have broken a half-dozen #80 drill bits, and hissed a generous amount of nautical jargon, before all was said and done!
...and that's about all I have for tonight, just wanted to be able to share what I was able to get done over the weekend. Good night and stay warm!