Author Topic: Sheepscot Passenger Platform Reconstruction - Official Work Thread  (Read 36062 times)

John Kokas

  • Museum Member
  • Supervisor
  • ******
  • Posts: 1,770
    • View Profile
Re: Sheepscot Passenger Platform Reconstruction - Official Work Thread
« Reply #150 on: June 09, 2024, 08:45:56 AM »
Well Steve, that's what I used to think so I did what you said, nothing.  Now 18 years later I am in the process of having to replace my whole deck surface at considerable expense due to rot.  And yes it was PT southern yellow pine.
Moxie Bootlegger

Mike Fox

  • Museum Member
  • Empire Builder
  • ********
  • Posts: 5,760
    • View Profile
Re: Sheepscot Passenger Platform Reconstruction - Official Work Thread
« Reply #151 on: June 09, 2024, 09:26:42 AM »
The PT would need to weather for up to 6 months before you could treat it, to allow it to dry out.
Mike
Doing way too much to list...

Bruce Wilson

  • Museum Member
  • Baggageman
  • **
  • Posts: 106
    • View Profile
Re: Sheepscot Passenger Platform Reconstruction - Official Work Thread
« Reply #152 on: June 09, 2024, 10:06:20 AM »
The PT would need to weather for up to 6 months before you could treat it, to allow it to dry out.
  I agree with Mike's statement. If Harry Percival could, he'd say..." put the linseed oil to it!".

For many years when I had a 12' x 24' deck to maintain in Massachusetts, I would brush a coat of boiled linseed oil onto all the pressure treated decking and framing. That deck was built in 1988 and still going strong to this day. My own deck and other surfaces are treated similarly here in Maine.

Harry would point out that the preservatives used in modern treating are not as effective as used to be used when he worked at C.M.P. and studied various chemical treatments for utility and transmission poles. It was a favorite subject of his when we'd have a bowl of ice cream late at night.

When you power wash or pressure wash treated (or any) wood, the water force is opening the grain of the wood. That also leads to shortening the life of the lumber. Washing new lumber is not necessary. Let it age a but, dry out and hit it with linseed oil before this coming winter.

 
Wanted: Copies of correspondence and photographs from "first generation narrow gage railfans" such as Linwood Moody, Dick Andrews, Lawrence Brown, Ellis Atwood, H.T. Crittenden and others. Interested in all two foot (U.S.) rail operations, common carrier, industrial/mill and park/museum.

John Kokas

  • Museum Member
  • Supervisor
  • ******
  • Posts: 1,770
    • View Profile
Re: Sheepscot Passenger Platform Reconstruction - Official Work Thread
« Reply #153 on: June 09, 2024, 11:05:54 AM »
I did not know about a linseed oil treatment.  But if the results in MA are that good, then I would say it is well worth our time and money to do just that this fall.  As least Harry would be looking down with a smile.

Might be a good time to treat some smoke boxes as well, mixed with a bit of carbon black.
Moxie Bootlegger

Bruce Wilson

  • Museum Member
  • Baggageman
  • **
  • Posts: 106
    • View Profile
Re: Sheepscot Passenger Platform Reconstruction - Official Work Thread
« Reply #154 on: June 09, 2024, 11:38:15 AM »
I did not know about a linseed oil treatment.  But if the results in MA are that good, then I would say it is well worth our time and money to do just that this fall.  As least Harry would be looking down with a smile.

Hello John,
Yes, Harry would be pleased and he absolutely loved the smell of fresh linseed oil.

Yesterday, I spent five hours scraping paint off the exterior of an old fire station. The wall has been painted with latex paint and you could plainly see what can only be described as total paint failure. The scraped clapboards
had not even a trace of color from the paint, meaning that the wood rejected the application completely. Unfortunately, as often happens with the use of latex paint, the wood is all rotted underneath. Now it will need to be replaced.

A couple of times a month, I talk on the phone with another W.W.& F. Ry. Museum life member. This fellow  was a professional painter for much of his working career. We often talk about our own painting projects and agree with each other that we would both prime exterior wood with boiled linseed oil and letting it dry before using a high quality exterior paint. This as a result of not being able to find oil-based primers and top coat. Note that 30 years ago, we used Touraine oil-based paint on the then buildings at Sheepscot. This made Harry very happy and as Touraine became hard to find, our shopping trips grew to surrounding communities.

As particular as Harry was about paint and oil, another member (whose name rhymes with Vern) did not share the same passion for linseed oil. Though I asked multiple times "why" or "what would you use", I never got an answer that could be put to the group of Saturday volunteers.

Another old-timer and member of the Society for Preservation of Old Mills, advocated for not oiling or painting at all. So we had the full spectrum of opinions.

I used to love talking with Jeff Averill at Ames Hardware in Wiscasset and buying much of own painting supplies from him. Each year, I would get 4 gallons of "Woodsman" brand exterior oil (clear) stain for the cedar shingles on my house. Those shingles would suck that oil right up, breathe a little and be ready for another year of wind, sun, rain and snow. 

To the crew that built the new platform, "Well Done"!

« Last Edit: June 10, 2024, 09:12:37 AM by Ed Lecuyer »
Wanted: Copies of correspondence and photographs from "first generation narrow gage railfans" such as Linwood Moody, Dick Andrews, Lawrence Brown, Ellis Atwood, H.T. Crittenden and others. Interested in all two foot (U.S.) rail operations, common carrier, industrial/mill and park/museum.

Carl G. Soderstrom

  • Museum Member
  • Engineer
  • ****
  • Posts: 547
  • Looking for 2' NG knowledge
    • View Profile
Re: Sheepscot Passenger Platform Reconstruction - Official Work Thread
« Reply #155 on: June 09, 2024, 11:42:24 PM »
I will agree with Mike but it should be close to 6 months.

Also since the hidden 3 sides (or 4) were not coated before laying down,

do not use paint or solid stain - the moisture will come from underneath

and just push it off. Transparent will breath.

Any coating should be a week after any water (Rain, snow, washing, sleet, hail,

sweat or tears) so it dries for good penetration.

Brendan Barry

  • Museum Member
  • Dispatcher
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,110
    • View Profile
Re: Sheepscot Passenger Platform Reconstruction - Official Work Thread
« Reply #156 on: June 11, 2024, 07:04:39 PM »
Pics from the last two days.





















United Timber Bridge Workers, Local 1894, Alna, ME

Brendan Barry

  • Museum Member
  • Dispatcher
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,110
    • View Profile
Re: Sheepscot Passenger Platform Reconstruction - Official Work Thread
« Reply #157 on: June 12, 2024, 05:29:56 PM »
Today's progress.







United Timber Bridge Workers, Local 1894, Alna, ME

Brendan Barry

  • Museum Member
  • Dispatcher
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,110
    • View Profile
Re: Sheepscot Passenger Platform Reconstruction - Official Work Thread
« Reply #158 on: June 14, 2024, 08:16:32 PM »
The platform is finished.




















« Last Edit: June 14, 2024, 08:18:39 PM by Brendan Barry »
United Timber Bridge Workers, Local 1894, Alna, ME

John McNamara

  • Operating Volunteers
  • Supervisor
  • ******
  • Posts: 1,626
    • View Profile
Re: Sheepscot Passenger Platform Reconstruction - Official Work Thread
« Reply #159 on: June 14, 2024, 10:43:07 PM »
Wow! :)

John Kokas

  • Museum Member
  • Supervisor
  • ******
  • Posts: 1,770
    • View Profile
Re: Sheepscot Passenger Platform Reconstruction - Official Work Thread
« Reply #160 on: June 15, 2024, 07:04:06 AM »
There's enough room on that platform for small tables & chairs, one could sell snacks and drinks off a cart and still have plenty of room.
Moxie Bootlegger

Jeff Schumaker

  • Museum Member
  • Inspector
  • ******
  • Posts: 1,394
    • View Profile
Re: Sheepscot Passenger Platform Reconstruction - Official Work Thread
« Reply #161 on: June 15, 2024, 08:48:04 AM »
Fantastic work! It looks great.

Jeff
Hey Rocky, watch me pull a moose trout out of my hat.

Dante Lakin

  • Museum Member
  • Switchman
  • **
  • Posts: 54
    • View Profile
Re: Sheepscot Passenger Platform Reconstruction - Official Work Thread
« Reply #162 on: August 23, 2024, 10:05:48 AM »
For the seats on the platform would cast iron bench legs work? There's a place called "Old House Parts" in Kennebunk that has a number of them for sale, $45 per leg. I haven't gone to see them in person yet but I can do if there's interest. I've attached an image from their website to show what they are.


Philip Marshall

  • Museum Member
  • Engineer
  • ****
  • Posts: 697
    • View Profile
Re: Sheepscot Passenger Platform Reconstruction - Official Work Thread
« Reply #163 on: August 24, 2024, 12:23:33 PM »
I really like those cast iron bench legs. I'm in favor of more visitor seating in general around Sheepscot (the need for which was brought to my attention by my wife Kara), and I think antique benches would be an attractive way of accomplishing that.

John Kokas

  • Museum Member
  • Supervisor
  • ******
  • Posts: 1,770
    • View Profile
Re: Sheepscot Passenger Platform Reconstruction - Official Work Thread
« Reply #164 on: August 26, 2024, 07:28:10 AM »
If we had a pattern, we could get new ones cast for a bunch less than $45 bucks.  Just a thought ............
Moxie Bootlegger