Hope everyone had a nice time. I know I did. Thanks all. Nite Nite.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 20:38:13 PDT: Well its time for the end.
Hope everyone had a nice time. I know I did. Thanks all. Nite Nite.
Scott in VA on 09/25/97 20:35:54 PDT: Yup.. Had to go observe an exercise for three weeks in August. Might be riding a ship between Pearl Harbor and Bremerton or Alameda in Nov. Isn't firm yet. We're installing and training new software.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 20:34:32 PDT: Bob: We meet every Thursday at 6 pm PDT.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 20:33:49 PDT: Okay Scott. Are you still doing things with the Navy?
Bob Simpson on 09/25/97 20:33:13 PDT: Thanks for having us ! Look forward to doing this again soon!
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 20:33:00 PDT: Okay Fran. Sleep well.
Scott in VA on 09/25/97 20:32:04 PDT: I'm still here too. But probably not for too much longer.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 20:31:58 PDT: Hello in Texas. Carl you there?
Rio-Pecos Bob on 09/25/97 20:31:50 PDT: Rio-Pecos Fran on, Bob went to bed!
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 20:31:27 PDT: Also Bob Simpson. Hope you enjoyed. Thanks for comming.
Bob Simpson on 09/25/97 20:30:18 PDT: nite Clark
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 20:29:15 PDT: Nite Nite Bob, Harry. Carl you still with us.
Rio-Pecos Bob on 09/25/97 20:28:25 PDT: Clark, I am ready when you are!
Harry Wade on 09/25/97 20:28:21 PDT: Time for me to go. Enjoyed it. See all of you later.
Harry Wade on 09/25/97 20:27:40 PDT: I agree Clark. I like to let em run screaming through the countryside. Also, Ga1 has enough difficulty with train weight as it is. I don't feel the need to throw uneccessary grades at them too.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 20:27:24 PDT: Bob: There is enough room between my main lines to place a 3 1/2 inch line. I've been thinking about one of those OS engines.
Rio-Pecos Bob on 09/25/97 20:26:25 PDT: Thank you Clark for a job well done. Goodnight all!
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 20:24:08 PDT: Keeping the track level is a must for fast mainline train running. (Which is what I like to do.)
Harry Wade on 09/25/97 20:22:38 PDT: I have essentially a flat lot so what will work well for me won't necessarily work for someone on a hillside. And flat ain't necessarliy better than a hillside. Lots of potential in both.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 20:22:08 PDT: I have been toying with the idea of painting a background (a la HO railroading) on the concrete fence behind the long straight section.
When you are sitting you would see a nice scene.
Scott in VA on 09/25/97 20:21:25 PDT: Harry, well said. That was going to be next observation too.
Harry Wade on 09/25/97 20:20:14 PDT: Certainly height is something that must be determined by topography and personal preference, so there really can't be a "standard" height.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 20:19:54 PDT: Harry I like the 'fence' idea. I have been wondering what to do with the underside.
Scott in VA on 09/25/97 20:19:44 PDT: Whoops got truncated. The last part was that I stayed at 24 vice 32" because of a window. (Kept track at the base of the window)
Rio-Pecos Bob on 09/25/97 20:18:34 PDT: After running on Walt's track it's very convenient for we older guys!
Scott in VA on 09/25/97 20:18:17 PDT: Height is an interesting issue when designing an elevated railway. Our current railway is a combination of ground level but in a raised flower bed at a slope base) and about 24" along the house. In retrospect I should have gone with around 32 by the hous
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 20:18:13 PDT: Clark, thanks for the show & tell. I've got to go, Lunk wants his milk bone! Keep your steam up!
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 20:17:38 PDT: Thanks all of you for participating in this chat session. It went pretty well. Ya all done good.
Harry Wade on 09/25/97 20:16:16 PDT: Sections of my track are going to do double duty as a garden wall. I'll do this by hanging wire fence between the underside of the track and the ground and plant ivy underneath. Within a couple of years I'll have a dense green "fence"
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 20:14:25 PDT: Good point Walt. I have built concrete block steps to get over the track and into the circles. You can crawl under most of it. There is a five foot isle on the fence side for following trains if you need to.
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 20:11:59 PDT: Clark, mine is a stand-up track. 40 1/2" to rail head in the screen porch area. Wanted it easier to duck under since it is not strong enough to climb over.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 20:11:36 PDT: Actually Harry, its all at around 32 inches. Sitting height.
Harry Wade on 09/25/97 20:09:55 PDT: Clark, looks like about 24" or a little less? This about the height I would build one, certainly no more that 30".
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 20:09:46 PDT: 
Comming around the Olive tree on the East end.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 20:08:02 PDT: Scott: No not yet. I am evaluating a new Kodac unit however.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 20:07:18 PDT: 
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 20:06:44 PDT: Harry : The curves are at 16 inches wide and the long straights are 40 inches wide with 5 tracks.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 20:05:49 PDT: 
Walt: This give a good idea of the track height.
Scott in VA on 09/25/97 20:05:31 PDT: Clark - I'll look forward to seeing the pics. By the way...did you get a digital camera?
Harry Wade on 09/25/97 20:05:16 PDT: Clark, how many tracks wide is you platform? Looks like three or four.
Scott in VA on 09/25/97 20:04:02 PDT: I thinking abut filling in the channel with a ballast/glue mixture once the track is in place. I'm planning on it being portable for steamups (I think) rather than a permanent fixture. Depends how how the much the whole thing weighs.
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 20:02:50 PDT: Yes, but what aboutyou yankees in the winter - going to ice skate on it?
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 20:02:45 PDT: Scott: I am having a practice run with 3 fellows from CA on Oct 18/19. We will shake down the track and fix the bugs if necessary. l have not set a 'Ya all come' run date yet.
Harry Wade on 09/25/97 20:02:06 PDT: Walt, my design is formed in identical halves with a joint in the center. Any water caught by the ballast "tray" would drain out through the joint.
Scott in VA on 09/25/97 20:01:12 PDT: Walt..Just run a messy steamer over it to keep it coated with oil. That should take care of the lil buggers
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 20:00:27 PDT: Harry: If your system is Whoop - T - Doo proof then it should be a winner. By whoop-t-doo I mean up and down undulations at short intervals.
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 19:59:58 PDT: Harry, I also considered FRP and a depressed area, but the prototype proved to be a real mosquito breeding center. made a nice little river!
Scott in VA on 09/25/97 19:59:06 PDT: Harry, That is exactly what I ordered. It has a shallow channel to hold the track. Complete with a gently transition section leading into the curve for the super elevation.
Harry Wade on 09/25/97 19:59:00 PDT: To do it the way I want to will be a lot of trouble, and probably not worth the effort.
Harry Wade on 09/25/97 19:57:09 PDT: I'm very curious about the fiberglass stuff because I designed a fiberglass system about a year ago but haven't done anything about it. Mine would provide a "channel" which would hold the ballast and then the track in, or on, that.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:56:55 PDT: Bye Keith. Thanks for stopping in.
Scott in VA on 09/25/97 19:56:31 PDT: Clark....Your track looks great! Ok..I'll ask the qustion already posed once. When is your big steamup (We're looking for a vacation maybe???!!!)
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:56:22 PDT: Harry: I coated the plywood with three coats of Beyar opaque stain. Both sides. I will be using local dry wash rock sifted to 1/8 minus.
Scott in VA on 09/25/97 19:55:10 PDT: So I see! I have a set of fiberglass raodbed (dual mainline) on order from Super 'E' Roadbed in Cincinnati, OH. They had a sample of it at DH this year.
Keith in Jamaica on 09/25/97 19:54:55 PDT: OK. Talk to you all later. Bye!
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:54:34 PDT: The fiberglass stuff look like a boat. Pre curved with sloping sides to simulate ballast.
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 19:54:34 PDT: Clark, you've done a great job. Wish I could have planted posts like you did, but this rock pile I live on is impossible to dig holes in!
Carl, Texas on 09/25/97 19:53:35 PDT: Hi Scott.....lots of track talk tonite!
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:53:29 PDT: The only trouble I've had so far is the plywood can sag when not supported. The back section is on 4 foot centers. I have had to add supports on a two foot center to remove the sag. Think of the layout as if it were a house roof.
Harry Wade on 09/25/97 19:53:17 PDT: Keith, things have been really busy lately and I have a lot of stuff to keep track of right now, so I can't remember my date, but I believe it's October 9th.
Scott in VA on 09/25/97 19:52:34 PDT: Yooooo!
Keith in Jamaica on 09/25/97 19:51:28 PDT: Guys, I soon have to drop out. Harry, I hear you are hosting a boiler chat soon? Let me know when.
Harry Wade on 09/25/97 19:51:01 PDT: Clark, what did it look like? (the fiberglass stuff) Also, I got on a little late. What surface treatment did you apply to your deck? What kind of ballast if any are you using?
Carl, Texas on 09/25/97 19:50:36 PDT: Clark, when is your first steamup?
Keith in Jamaica on 09/25/97 19:50:04 PDT: Thank's Harry! I'll pass on whatever you find out.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:49:56 PDT: G in CA has not read the help section where you have to set your bowser to refresh each time. He is seeing only his post.
Carl, Texas on 09/25/97 19:49:19 PDT: G, who are you ? Howdy.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:48:57 PDT: Harry I have only seen a photo of the stuff.
G in CA on 09/25/97 19:48:25 PDT: Hello.... anybody still on-line ??
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:48:17 PDT: G in CA. Wees still here.
G in CA on 09/25/97 19:46:58 PDT: Hello.... anybody still on-line ??
Harry Wade on 09/25/97 19:46:45 PDT: Keith, we are having our MSLS Fall meet this weekend. I'll ask around. There are always quite a few Alabamans in attendance.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:46:19 PDT: 
Look closely at the edge of the plywood and you can see short jogs. That was caused by the one foot notches in the steel side rails as it flexed around the curve.
G in CA on 09/25/97 19:45:59 PDT: Hello.... anybody still on-line ??
Harry Wade on 09/25/97 19:45:51 PDT: Keith, there are most certainly private tracks in Ala but I don't know of a full fledged club. But then there could be several clubs and I wouldn't necessarily know about them.
G in CA on 09/25/97 19:44:37 PDT: Anybody still on-line?
Harry Wade on 09/25/97 19:44:12 PDT: There is suppsoed to be someone in PA making fiberglass elevated roadbed. Anyone know anything about this? Ron has heard about it but hasn'r seen any actual goods yet.
Keith in Jamaica on 09/25/97 19:43:39 PDT: Hi! Harry. with Clark's permission I have a question for you. Do you know of any Live Steam clubs (tracks, to keep on topic) in the state of Alabama? Somone emailed me from the FLS page to ask.
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 19:42:38 PDT: I pre-cut mine oversize, screwed it down and then used a router to trim to table size. Wish I had thought of that for the first track!
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:42:30 PDT: Walt the track is on 8 inch centers. The curved section plywood tops are 16 inchs across. You can get two curved sections from each sheet of plywood. The straight sections along the fence are 40 inches across.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:40:47 PDT: Hello Harry. Were talkin track tonight.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:40:18 PDT: Walt I use regular 4x8 sheet of plywood. We attached a peice and then cut off using a 3 hp router with a 1/2 inch carbide bit. The nose of the bit has a bearing and it just follow the metal side rail. Worked slick.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:38:34 PDT: I planned my track plan using the CADRAIL program. It's a windows program on CD ROM.
Harry Wade on 09/25/97 19:38:29 PDT: Hello all.
Carl, Texas on 09/25/97 19:37:07 PDT: Clark, youve done a great job .....thanks for sharing!
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 19:37:06 PDT: Clark, what is the width of your plywood tops?
on 09/25/97 19:35:28 PDT: Hi, Jim Pitts. Bob & Carol Simpson in Mount Dora, Fl . sent you a great big HELLO!
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 19:35:14 PDT: Some people have all the luck - I had to settle for a little Dumphy type level & tripod from the pawn shop @ 125.00
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:35:07 PDT:
This is the last of the photos.
Keith in Jamaica on 09/25/97 19:35:06 PDT: I'm planning my track, but construction methods will be a lot different I suspect. I'm on a steep slope, so part will be ground level and part raised. The raised part will be on masonary or cut-stone walls.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:34:10 PDT: Okay Jim. Thanks for stopping by.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:33:41 PDT: Later I used a regular transit and located the laser marks a referance and the sighted in the track board heights. It is level to a 1/16 tolerance.
Jim C in Maine on 09/25/97 19:32:16 PDT: Clark, got to go. Great pictures, thanks for hosting. I'll check out transcript tomorrow.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:32:10 PDT: When you detect the light you are at the same height as the laser. We placed the laser on my benchwork that was hand leveled and marked the entire yard with a level line.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:30:30 PDT: The unit is easy to operate. It sits on a tripod and it is self leveling. A mirror spins the laser light in a 360 circle. You detect the light height with a battery powered sensor.
Jim in SC on 09/25/97 19:29:51 PDT: Jim Pitts in Travelers Rest, SC
on 09/25/97 19:28:58 PDT: Jim in SC what's your last name?
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:28:57 PDT: I lucked into the laser transit. The county was rebuilding my street in front of the house and I talked the grading operation into bringing the thing inside.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:27:42 PDT: Welcome Jim. I think that Richard has a transcript method. See the Help section.
Jim in SC on 09/25/97 19:27:27 PDT: Just tuned in. Look forward to reading the full transcript.
Keith in Jamaica on 09/25/97 19:26:52 PDT: Clark, back tothe track. You mentioned a laser transit. Did you buy or rent or borrow ( I assume not steal!) and how easy are they to use?
Jim in SC on 09/25/97 19:26:29 PDT: Just tuned in. Look forward to reading the full transcript.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:26:11 PDT: You remember that engine don't you Keith.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:25:13 PDT: 
Other features of my line is a 48 inch turntable connected to the steaming bays.
Rio-Pecos Bob on 09/25/97 19:24:46 PDT: Thanks Walt, see you tomorrow
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:24:11 PDT: Right you are Keith. They broke the land speed record today.
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 19:23:03 PDT: Bob O., I won't be in the shop till after 10 or 10:30 tomorrow. Loco & Carrier are ready.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:22:52 PDT: Walt I guess you are more correct. I have about $5000 into this layout.
Keith in Jamaica on 09/25/97 19:22:17 PDT: I see on our news that you guys are getting some tropical rains. Also that spme Brits have hit 720 mph in a jet car in Nevada. Now that's "making tracks"!
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:21:14 PDT: The host (me) just had my line go down. (Bad weather) I'm now on a different line.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:20:12 PDT: Hey Keith: The session is going okay. Richard did get the pix on his server okay. Thanks for your help.
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 19:19:42 PDT: I'd rather say it equivalent to one GOOD live steamer.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:18:00 PDT: I like to say that this layout is my backyard pool. The cost is similar.
Keith in Jamaica on 09/25/97 19:17:27 PDT: Hi Clark, everyone. Just dropping by.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:16:33 PDT: Jim I use the Sunset Valley Trackworks (formerly GLT) code 250 brass track and #10 switches.
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 19:15:34 PDT: Bob, I have not found a source for it here in Naples - we're a little slow here.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:15:11 PDT: 
I didn't have a golden spike so I had a golden slide event to close the last rail. That happen on July 15 97. Just 5 months.
Bob Simpson on 09/25/97 19:14:03 PDT: Walt, Did you ever consider using Trex composit decking cut to span the short cross way for decking?
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:13:41 PDT: My line is at 32 inches nominally. I wanted table top height. Your kitchen table is at 30 inches.
Jim C in Maine on 09/25/97 19:13:30 PDT: What make track and switches?
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 19:11:36 PDT: Good point - I had adjustment built in at the top of each post. Mine is like the Diamondhead track - only one row of legs. 38" average height
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:11:28 PDT: By haveing all the necessary materials at hand for that day's work we could really get on with it.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:10:35 PDT: Two of my electric train buddies and I did all the work. We would have all day work parties. I bought them breakfast and lunch. They slaved.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:09:36 PDT: We started this line on Feb 15 97 by digging the post holes with a rented digger.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:08:07 PDT: One of the nice thing about my method is the post/cross brace/steel side can be adjusted up/down/left/right to match your survey and transit level before you attach the cross brace to the post.
Jim C in Maine on 09/25/97 19:08:07 PDT: Ah, some who thinks like me on a hot summers day.
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 19:06:39 PDT: The work train is a real step saver. Flat cars can alco hold a can of.......
Carl, Texas on 09/25/97 19:06:30 PDT: Hey Clark, whos the loose nut with the tramsmitter?...... :-)
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:06:29 PDT: I see Walt. Well the steel was left over from a construction project so the price was right. I use 660 feet to line the railroad.
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 19:04:23 PDT: Here in Fl we can get that much in a normal summer afternoon. I used Aluminum which has more coefficient of Exp ansion than steel.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:03:44 PDT: Jim: Most of the tarpaper here in Vegas would bubble up and cause whoop t doos.
Jim C in Maine on 09/25/97 19:02:42 PDT: Clark, a friend of mine in Maine covered his ply with tarpaper and he never gets warping. That's probably not usefull for your climate.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 19:02:20 PDT: 
Don't laugh but track laying was done in 100 + heat and we used a battery powered work train to move the tools and such.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:59:44 PDT: Walt. Today we have had about 2 inches of Nora rain. Two panels of plywood poped up off the metal rails. The deck screws failed. Good point on the differential of expansion.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:58:04 PDT: Jim the super elevation was done by nailing the inside part of the tie strip and sliding short (1 foot or so) strips of 1/4 inch square redwood cut on a table saw. You push the strips in or out as needed to adjust the track tilt.
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 18:56:26 PDT: The next time, I think I'll try liquid nails - less trouble with differential expansion between wood and metal., I hope!
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:55:51 PDT: 
Comming at you at 100 scale mph.
Jim C in Maine on 09/25/97 18:54:34 PDT: Clark, what did you use for a wedge?
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:54:26 PDT: Walt: We went through 20 pounds of 2 1/2 galvanized deck screws. We used 1 foot spacing.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:53:16 PDT: Jim there is superelevation of about 1/4 inch that start off at 0 and grows to 1/4 inch for the circle.
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 18:51:25 PDT: How did you attach the ply to the metal?
Jim C in Maine on 09/25/97 18:51:16 PDT: Is there superelevation on the outer curves?
Carl, Texas on 09/25/97 18:49:27 PDT: Hi Jim, long time no chat!.....trying to catch up on what Ive missed
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:48:35 PDT: Here are some of the track layout/alignment tools that I used.
These templates are ten feet long and are used to make transistion curves. The bottom one (20.5 feet) is the diverging radius from a #10 switch. This helps you line up with the next portion of track. The other two are 10 feet and 10 ft 8 in transistion curve finders. 
Here you can see them next to track where the fixed radius changes to straight track.
Jim C in Maine on 09/25/97 18:48:08 PDT: Hi Carlos, check out the pics.
Carl, Texas on 09/25/97 18:47:22 PDT: Howdy, finally made it!
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:47:17 PDT: Thanks Jim. The min radius is 10 feet.
Bob Simpson on 09/25/97 18:46:44 PDT: Hi, Walt Glad to say no flies!
Bob Simpson on 09/25/97 18:46:25 PDT: Hi, Walt Glad to say no flies!
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:46:13 PDT: Most of the track was put down in 105 degree temps. That way the gaps can be close.
Jim C in Maine on 09/25/97 18:46:05 PDT: I dig those big sweeping turns, smooth running I'm sure.
Rio-Pecos Bob on 09/25/97 18:45:57 PDT: WOW; Clark, that's a layout! Photos are great!
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:44:39 PDT: 
This shows the same area during track laying.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:43:26 PDT: The line has two mains of 350 feet each and 150 feet of sidings. There are five steamup areas with 150 of storage track attached.
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 18:41:13 PDT: ...Home depot timber - I used PVC pipe filled with cement.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:40:57 PDT: 
This is the back fence area and is over 100 feet long. This was taken in Feb 97. The finished track was ready in July 97.
Jim C in Maine on 09/25/97 18:40:31 PDT: Mike, yeah, OSHA regs.
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 18:39:51 PDT: I only get about 2 years out of a
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:39:44 PDT: Indeed it is. I weigh 400 lbs and can and have walked on it.
Mike McC in MA on 09/25/97 18:39:28 PDT: Jim, The beer is reserved for AFTER the work is done. Arrowhead Spring Water only during working hours.
Jim C in Maine on 09/25/97 18:39:05 PDT: I looks to me like that track is rugged enough to walk on.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:38:48 PDT: The entire line was leveled. We check it with a regular transit.
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 18:38:07 PDT: Any med flies in Mt. Dora Bob?
Jim C in Maine on 09/25/97 18:37:43 PDT: I don't see any beer bottles in evidence.
Bob Simpson on 09/25/97 18:37:33 PDT: Hi Clark
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:37:06 PDT: Walt the posts are so called landscape timbers. You find them at the Home Depot tyoe store. They come in 8 foot lengths so I cut them in half.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:35:40 PDT: He Bob. We're talkin track building.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:35:02 PDT: The metal was in sixteen foot lengths and run end to end. Splices were 1 foot long 2x6 redwood placed behind the metal. All metal joints were screwed with self tap hex head screws.
Rio-Pecos Bob on 09/25/97 18:34:57 PDT: Welcome Bob
Bob Simpson on 09/25/97 18:33:55 PDT: HI I'm a new comer!
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:33:09 PDT: 
Here is that same area finished.
Jim C in Maine on 09/25/97 18:32:52 PDT: How do you join the 2x6's? Is there a splice piece?
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 18:31:44 PDT: Clark, what did you use for posts? What spacing?
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:31:06 PDT: 
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:30:33 PDT: The basic construction was to set wood posts in the dirt (concrete not needed in NV) and then attach the metal side rails using redwood spacers.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:28:31 PDT: 
We used a metal chop saw shown here having it's blade changed.
Jim C in Maine on 09/25/97 18:27:54 PDT: Clark, can you describe the construction materials and techniques?
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:27:12 PDT: Yes they are regular galivanized metal 2x6 studs. We notched them at 1 foot intervals for the curved sections.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:25:42 PDT: 
And here are the plywood panels ready to be cut.
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 18:25:40 PDT: Clark, are those srtandard metal studs you bent?
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:24:11 PDT: Yea. Here we see the steel 2x6 side rails suported by wood posts and spacers.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:22:41 PDT:
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:22:00 PDT: On my layout the posts are on four foot centers.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:21:13 PDT: Richard I can't seem to load the photo. See if you can post layout03.jpg please.
Richard in Tokyo on 09/25/97 18:21:10 PDT: Clark, Layout01.jpg through Layout13.jpg begin with a capital "L" per your originals. That's the problem...
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 18:21:02 PDT: Jim, my 1"x2" curved aluminum side "rails" are only 1' apart, each section is 8' long with 1 cross piece at 4'.
Richard in Tokyo on 09/25/97 18:19:59 PDT: Glad to see TS Nora didn't get in the way Clark.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:19:33 PDT: 
Jim C in Maine on 09/25/97 18:19:25 PDT: Walt, what's the max span of unsupported ply?
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 18:17:59 PDT: Clark, I used Luan 1/4" that has a fantastic waterproof glue and is only $14.00 / sheet.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:17:42 PDT: Hello Bob.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:17:22 PDT: Well we will go to plan two. The next photo will take a long time to load so be patient.
Rio-Pecos Bob on 09/25/97 18:17:01 PDT: I'm aboard!
Sam D. on 09/25/97 18:16:49 PDT: Clark, what did you decide to include in your layout as "must haves" in the design?
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:16:37 PDT: 
The basic construction method.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:15:05 PDT: Yea Jim. I will keep trying the photos. I have several to share.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:14:17 PDT: Walt I used regular CDX 3/4 inch and painted on both sides before applying.
Jim C in Maine on 09/25/97 18:13:25 PDT: Clark, I got the first pic of the cars but the buttons aren't working on the next two.
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:11:53 PDT: 
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 18:11:45 PDT: Clark, was it marine grade andwhat thickness?
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:09:59 PDT: Having troubles getting the photo's up. The plywood has three coats of Beyers opaque outdoor stain. I choose light grey color
Clark in Las Vegas on 09/25/97 18:08:37 PDT:
Walt in Fl. on 09/25/97 18:06:35 PDT: Guess I'll have to contact my distributor and float a loan to get some