Find the Stic

I drove deep into the confederacy today to help Marty McGuirk bring a slice of New England to the red clay foothills of the Blue Ridge. Marty is building a new layout based on the Richford Branch of the Central Vermont. The branch is way in the northern part of Vermont. It's practically in Canada. However, Marty now lives near Haymarket, VA, very close to several civil war battlefields, and  about 45 miles from my house.

Marty asked me to bring my track saw as the plan was to rip sheets of masonite for the fascia. So I dutifully packed my vehicle with a gaggle of Festools including the TS55 track saw, 70 inch track, Carvex jig saw, shop vac with cyclonic filter, and a cordless drill.

Amazingly, I encountered light traffic all the way. When I arrived, Marty was having lunch with Stic Harris. Stic has been helping regularly Marty on building the new layout.  They looked at me with silly grins and said, "We have a job for you."

"What about the fascia," I asked.

Marty relied, "Oh, I couldn't find any masonite. So instead, we need you to build the benchwork that connects the bridge scene to the rest of the layout. It has funny angles and requires math. At least more math than a Citadel history major and a ex-hockey player can manage."

"Dang!" I said. "I just got a new tool that would be perfect for the job. It's a Festool Kapex miter saw with a special angle finder. Oh well, we'll muddle through."

Finished bench work section, but where is Stic?

And we did.

Marty shows off the kerfed MDF. 

Meanwhile, Marty showed us some kerfed MDF he got from Rocklers. It can curve to impossibly tight radii. It will be perfect for Marty's fascia.

We plan to reconvene next Sunday to continue work on the benchwork. This time, Marty vows to have the fascia panels on hand.