I waited overnight for the glue to dry. I couldn't wait to see how the layout seam would match up. Before testing fit, I trimmed back a little door skin with a Surform. In some areas the doorskin over hung the filler piece because the rip cut was a little wavy. You can see this with the doorskin near the top of the photo. Here we go. I lined up the dowel pins and tapped the halves together and low and behold, there is a large gap at one end. When I pushed that end together the other end opened up. It's rocking on a high spot. There must be a belly somewhere in a filler piece. The foam made it difficult to get a good look at the gap between layout sections so I improvised a feeler gauge. I grabbed three carpenter's pencils and put one between the layout sections at each end of the seam. The far one is difficult to see because of poor lighting and the dark tool chest behind the pencil. This shows me using the third pencil as a feeler gauge, trying to slide it between the layout sections. This picture shows a tight spot where the pencil won't slide down between the layout sections indicating an outward bow or high spot in the filler piece. This is what we are looking for. If you look closely you can seethe pencil is down between the sections. I'll try and continue updating tonight.
Will shaving down the high spot be difficult? Might be one of those trim, test and repeat sort of tasks to get right.
I would use the long version of that Surform for straightening it. But if both sides were cut by hand, it may need to be un-straight to fit, unless you want to straighten both sides.
I'm struggling with this update. Electronics/technology is fighting me tonight. Here is a better view of the pencils at each end. As an experiment I turned the blade upside-down on this block plane so the bevel was the same as other types of planes. It took off material faster but also cut rougher. Here you can see the tooling marks from the block plane. Here was my second attempt at joining the sections together. The holes are much closer but still not quite lined up with the splice plate holes.. As Hardcoaler mentioned, it was a case of removing some material then doing the pencil thing again. Third times a charm. After removing material a second time, the splice plate lined up the third time I tried joining the sections. Remember, I wasn't concerned about having some areas with a little gap between the sections. The important thing was to maintain the overall width of the layout. Since the splice plates were installed before making the rip cut, and the splice plate holes lined up correctly with the screw holes the overall will not have changed. This was proven by installing joiner tracks during the dry fit. Here is the layout screwed back together.
I have a long Surform blade but no frame for it. It works on foam without the frame. I've never tried a long one on wood. Do you think it would work for final dimensioning the rip cut on the filler pieces? The small one worked great on the doorskin. I only had to take of ⅛ - ³/¹⁶ for short sections 6-10" long.
Bringing out the artillery! A jointer plane would come in handy here as well. Although foam and glue will do a number on a plane blade... Surform blades are easily and inexpensively replaceable, but even a nicked 'tooth' or two doesn't seem to hurt them much.
Except in the presence of foam, glue, or worse (staples, nails, etc.), the jack plane will probably work better than the long surform to straighten wood, if you wanted a smooth gluing surface. Experience and technique with one over the other will probably win out, especially if you do not need a glue-line surface.
I'm thinking about cutting a corner down to approximately 20" radius. Now that I reconfigured my workbench, the trainroom door only opens 90°. Lopping off the layout corner would make for a smoother entrance to the room and may look better. I believe I can do this with the layout in place. I'll ask here for some pointers before I do. With in the next few days I'll try and post what went wrong and what went right with this part of my HCD adventure.
I've never measured this thing but it has to be16-18" long. This project was the first I've used it. I sharpened it and adjusted my self. It was very relaxing to use almost therapeutic.
Yes sir! Turning the blade over sure causes rough cuts. That's when I went a bought a large belt sander and course belts. But then I had a lot of use for it.
Yes sir! Turning the blade over sure causes rough cuts. That's when I went a bought a large belt sander and course belts. But then I had a lot of use for it.
Looks like a good fit @logging loco . I kinda wish I'd picked up a few of my Dad's woodworking planes before the estate sale and the sale of my parent's house. They were dull and I don't know anything about blade sharpening, so I let them go.
I have a Stanley bench grinder mounted sharpening fixture. The angle is adjustable and there is a hand wheel to traverse. A quick hone on a stone and done.
Big Jake is correct once again. Here is were my plan for fitting the filler pieces was a little flawed. (I think the photo above is actually the first filler piece but for S&Gs just pretend its the second.) At this point the first filler piece is already glued into the appropriate section. This shows the 2nd filler piece with cleats attached ready to be dry fit as soon as 90° clamp is removed. The filler piece was slid in until the full length of filler piece was just started between the doorskin. The two layout sections were joined together until splice plate holes were lined up correctly, splice plates installed. Next I ran in the two long screws on the left indicated by the arrows. The holes from these screws would be used to locate/index the filler piece on glue up. I then split the layout apart removed the long screws from the second section and removed the filler piece. I expected to see holes in the cleat. There were none. The screws must not have been long enough. I showed that in a previous post. What I thought was the solution, was to countersink the screw holes so the screws would reach the cleat. This too was shown in a previous post.
After counter sinking the screw holes I dry fit the filler piece again then rejoined the layout sections including splice plates. I ran the long screws in again, split the layout sections, removed the filler piece and still had no holes in the cleat. I was a little puzzled. I decided to just glue up the second filler piece anyway. As I posted previously, the glue was very thick. I did not get the filler piece inserted far enough. Not a big deal, three pencils and a plane fixed it. Since there was nothing behind the cleat backing it up, when I ran in the long screws after counter sinking holes the screws didn't grab into the cleat. They just pushed the cleat back. Remember the cleat was only toe nailed into the end grain at one end. I wanted this joint to be a little flexible because the rip cut was purposely not 90° to the top and bottom rails of the door. The flexibility would allow the cleats to conform to the correct angle. This joint was also not structural. The only function of the cleat was to set the depth of the filler piece. A simple problem with a simple solution. This is how I should have secured to cleats during dry fit. The cleat would have been supported by the workbench via the door skin. The screws would have definitely bit into the wood.
DOOR RIPPING LESSONS LEARNED The rip cut was an emergent layout modification, but in the future . . . Plan ahead. Make all door trim or sectioning cuts before scenery base and track are installed. When things aren't going quite right, try to figure out why before moving on. Think outside of the box for solutions to problems that might pop up. Overall I'm happy with how ripping the layout in two worked out. Did it go perfectly? No. For the most part I did accomplish what I set out to do? Make the layout easier to get out of the train room and carry up and down stairs Get some experience using carpentry hand tools. I used a cordless screw gun instead of and brace and bit only because I could not locate my brace style bits. I've since located them. Okay, time to throw a little dirt on this dead horse of a rip cut and move on. I'm going to take a couple days away from the layout. When I resume work on it, the next items are track and wiring restoration. Thanks for following along!
I agree with your planning. But do believe pre-drill for drywall screws is necessary as I have split wood with out pre-drilling. Also the screws don't always go straight in. But then I have special bits for regular screws that drill the pilot, increase size to the unthreaded dia. and then chamfer. Thanks, Rich
