Track Laying begins

Track laying is underway. The top photo is of the Phosphate mine area, next is the phosphate wash area, then the Publix warehouse area and next the Phosphate drying area. The bottom shot is an overview. The workbench is starting to become somewhat overgrown with stuff. Alas, that seem to be the fate of workbenches everywhere. The next area to be worked is the why area at the left of the drying scene. That is the 2' wide section that the peninsula will be attached to - someday:)

Let the track begin

This is the current plan. The yellow square represents the LED track light system. The brown shapes are vessels at the Punta Gorda docks. To the left a car ferry and to the right a bulk carrier used to transport phosphate. My workbench is at right and the center peninsula will be built once the wye area to the left is completed. The era is current day and the power will be an airwire battery system. Let the trumpets sound and the fun begin:)

Let there be light!

The lights are in and wonder of wonders they actually work:) The ceilings in my building are 40 year old concrete so they've had lots of time to fully CURE and the concrete is hard as hell. I received a masonry bit with the concrete screws I purchased and it worked at first. When I say it worked what I mean is using all my meager strength pushing on the drill and requiring rest between three separate sessions for each hole I managed to drill about 9 holes for the mounting screws. At this point I started to fear that the exertion at the limit of my strength and endurance might actually give me a stroke so I had to change methods. I had purchased a hammer drill attachment for my drill but hadn't used it because I had no bits that would fit it. I wasn't even sure what a hammer drill bit looked like. Off to Home Depot where the nice saleslady found me the bit I needed. What a difference! The balance of the holes were much easier. Amazing what the correct tool can do:) I now have an LED track lighting system that circles the room and finally have plenty of light and the LED's should help with the heat. At long last the room prep is mostly over and I'm ready to LET THERE BE TRACK!!!!

Cork is finito

The cork is finally all glued down. I used full strength white glue and push pins to keep it in place while the glue set. I still got some bulges where the cork swelled from the absorption of moisture from the glue but those can be dealt with as required by the track installation. The last photo is a tease for the track light phase. Drilling holes to mount the tracks is VERY VERY DAMN HARD. More later.

Gluing cork is a weighty proposition

I've cut the cork sheets to size and used my normal thinned white glue mix to glue them down without as much success as I would like. I tried  to weight the sheets down so they would stick but I have a lot of area as can be seen in the center photo that is trying to come away from the foam. Not sure I have a plan B but I sure do need one.

Foam Glued down and cork topping begun

The pink foam has all been cut and, I hope, glued down. This phase involves cutting the cork to fit and then using some thinned white glue to fasten it to the foam. The cutting is mostly finished and the gluing will now begin. 

Shelving and Floor Mats Completed

Its been a productive couple of days. I finished the shelf installation with the completion of the lower shelf along the left side of the room. The final track arrangement will occupy the upper shelf and pierce the short wall next to the workbench. I also wrapped all the Christmas gifts and moved them under the tree in the living room. I also installed the pads on the floor. A much harder job than I planned because almost everything in the room had to be relocated at least once to make room for the pads. They are an interlocking system that fit together very nicely as can be sen in some of the photos. The layout will eventually have a stick built center peninsula that twill occupy the vacant strip in the floor pads that stretches out from the window wall. I have some more foam to cut for the subroadbed then I will finally be able to glue it down. The next two projects after that are the installation of the cork on top of the foam and the addition of the track lights.