Bull Chute Part 1

In February I'm teaching a hands-on make-and-take clinic at the Wasatch Division of the NMRA.  It is a clinic that I participated in many years ago as instructed by my hero Clark Koonig, MMR.  It is a bull chute, which leads to no end of jokes during the whole clinic.  My job is to try to figure out the best way to build this using virtually no tools.

 I have a huge supply of wood for a cattle pen that I was going to build, so we'll start with that.  Later, when I decide the best way to construct it, I'll put the clinic up on the web.  For now, this is me figuring stuff out.  I ordered the copy of the plans from Brent Lambert at the Kalmbach Library at NMRA HQ.  They are so helpful!

 First I cut the drawings out and taped them to a pane of glass, my preferred working surface.

  You have to make sure they are nice and flat.  I probably should have put a sheet of wax paper over them.

 Forgive the bad photography today.  I'm working with my Rebel XTI camera and I'm not used to using it for this.  The lighting in the room is not great and my knowledge of the camera isn't either.

 Another bad shot.

I'm not showing all the construction today, but here is the model which was made from weathered stock wood.

 Still playing with the camera.

 Here is the model after a final coat of ink/alcohol wash.  The lighting is funky and Scott needs to go get some lights.

 Rally bad shadow here.

More on the bull chute to come!