Matt - Thank you! That's one of the great things about the forum, being able to share my layout with everyone, even if they can't visit in person.
Mark - My wife has been very helpful over the years, doing a wide variety of layout related tasks. This latest one is not nearly as bad as an archeological dig. First, it's climate controlled. Second, it can be done while seated, and third, we're not looking for anything. We has the Twins game on while she sifted, and I carved the foam on the upper part of the bluff . In all, a very constructive afternoon together.
Bruce - Give that man a cigar! That can lost over 4000 feet in altitude coming to Minnesota. That begs the question, had the trip been in the opposite direction, would the lid have popped off in transit? I'd say probably yes, since a little more than half the paint was gone.
Dan - Yeah, I wish there was an easy way to vacuum seal paint. I wouldn't have to throw so much of it away. Thirty seven years is just crazy. Now that I've opened it, the clock is ticking. BTW, for me, a few years to keep paint is nothing. I have a huge batch that's 25 years old. Some went bad, but others are still viable. The paint I used on my house is now 18 years. Some people have wine cellars, me not so much. If you're looking for vintage paint, I have plenty. May I interest you in a 1981 vibrant green?
---------------------------------------------------------------
Yesterday, I carved the foam uppers using a couple of tools. For the angular top section, I put a special knife blade in my saber saw. Dang, was that slick! Zero mess. Then I used a heavy duty hot knife from Micro Mark to carve the lower section.
It's nice having the photo right there for reference.
One of the trickier parts, is getting the primer in to every crevice.
A base coat of color is where I left off last night...
there are still many color passes left to do. Should finish up this weekend. I still have to build two more sections at the far left. Now that I have my tools figured out, foam work is rather fun.
