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by **Rosey** on Tue Nov 26, 2013 6:59 pm

This is a great project, thanks for taking us all along.
You do a ton of prep!
-Rosey

by **khardy** on Tue Nov 26, 2013 11:41 pm

Hiya Phil and Rosey,

The preparation work can be challenging and improvising ways to restore an item I sometimes find stimulating. Besides, lately I have been afforded the time and also get to play with some of our tools that normally gather dust.

Cheers!

by **khardy** on Mon Dec 02, 2013 2:17 pm

Hiya Folks,

We have been taking our time with the cross bucks. Lots of little things to do to them plus paint dry time depending on weather.

We had cut out and double flared one end of over 200 sleeves for the cat eye reflectors we are making.

Polished the brass sleeves and clear coated.

Cut out a couple hundred aluminum reflector disks for the cats eye reflectors.

These disks will be inserted behind the clear marbles for added light reflection.

With the nice weather today, brought outside the front panels for the cross bucks and painted the faces black.

We previously painted the front and back of these panels white a few weeks ago. The embossed lettering has been masked. Figure in about a week, will repaint the white lettering.

Cheers!

by **khardy** on Mon Dec 02, 2013 5:58 pm

Hiya Folks,

Pulled the masking tape off the face panels and looks like progress is being made.

The black paint applied today will need to set up for four or more days before repainting the white lettering again. After the letters are redone, then it will be time to reassemble.

Cheers!

by **BigTbird1974** on Mon Dec 02, 2013 6:05 pm

khardy wrote:Cut out a couple hundred aluminum reflector disks for the cats eye reflectors.

SO COOL to see the progress on these! I'm still just amazed at your creativity and craftsmanship to come up with the way to make these reflectors!! :thumbsup:

And what ingenious re-purposing of the foil roasting pan as source material for the aluminum discs!! :good:

Looks like you were using an arch-punch with corrugated cardboard underneath as a 'punch pad' -- here's an arch-punch 'hint' if you're not aware of it already. Use a flat (reasonably) end of any odd fireplace log (or any similar-sized "end grain" chunk of lumber) and you'll be able to make little circles to your heart's content, without needing to juggle the cardboard and without damaging the punch or your workbench.

I use arch-punches frequently at the organ shop -- we've got sizes from 1/16" to over 3", and routinely punch a variety of materials including leather, paper, felt, rubber, cork, and more. We actually use a 6" dia (ish) slice of a log a few inches thick. Our punches are sharp enough that they can nearly cut thin material by twisting instead of pounding on them, and they stay that way. (unless some dope drops one on the concrete... :rob:

)

Anyways -- hope this might be helpful. I can't wait to see those crossbucks when you're finished with them! :grin:

by **khardy** on Mon Dec 02, 2013 10:53 pm

Hi Tim,

Most of the time I use an old 6x6 that is now down to about 18 inches long for punching out gasket holes. Once in a while, have to trim the edge since it gets pretty ragged. Since I had so many disks to punch out of seven aluminum pans, figured it was easier to use a big piece of scrap cardboard that was laying around. Didn't have to realign the pan for every punch.

Wish I had all the sizes of hole punches you have.

Cheers!

by **vaughn** on Tue Dec 03, 2013 10:36 pm

I gotta somehow move in next door to Keith

by **khardy** on Wed Dec 11, 2013 7:18 pm

Hiya Folks,

Continuing with odds and ends on the cross bucks. Been putting the cat eye reflector assemblies together the last few evenings while in front of the TV. We have 196 reflectors ready.

The small plastic container on the left has the copper pieces for holding the reflectors in place.

Gallon baggy of reflectors.

This photo shows a reflector with the mounting parts.

Once we have decent weather we can touch up the lettering on the cross buck front panels. Afterward we can assemble them for Sondra's RR set up.

Cheers!

Cheers!

by **khardy** on Tue Dec 31, 2013 9:12 am

Hi Folks,

If anyone has read this far through this thread in the archives, it is continued on this page: RR Cross Bucks Restoration on the Highway Divides Forum

Cheers!

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