Thanks again to all who helped with the insulators. I'm going to experiment with a bunch of stuff, taking great care of course, to see what works best.

OK! Next project-
I might have access to a semaphore blade and head (it holds the roundels, correct term?). I would LOVE to replicate it. The blade looks easy enough. I was thinking of getting the head cast- in aluminum perhaps? Doesn't have to be functional.

Any ideas? Thanks again!

Joshua

If you decide to replicate a full size head, take care to size the roundel openings so that you can place some roundels (which seem to be plentiful on eBay) in it and have them secure. I think if you try to cast off of the head you have access to, the openings will end up small--possibly needing some machining.

Another idea is to make a proportionately reduced size using some of the smaller roundels which are still available through Kopp Glass.

then again, maybe I'm "up in the night."

good luck

sc 'doc' lewis

If you have access to the original, you should be able to take it to a small foundry to have a copy made. I am thinking this is probably pretty flat without any cores or complexities and could be 'its own' one sided pattern. That is, clean up the original and the foundry can press it into their sand box for the mold. They can determine the adding of sprues, gates, vents or chimneys to the mold.

You would have to be willing to accept a copy that might be 2-3% smaller than the original. Might not be as cheap as free but not megabucks either.

Good Luck and let us know what you do

Bob Kutella

Speaking of semaphores....

Does anyone have a wiring diagram for a semaphore. My friends at the Bucksgahuda & Western RR are trying to get there's wired up.

Thanks,
Matt

If you do a Google search on semaphores, you should come up with several good hits. Also, the cast frame that holds the roundels is the spectacle.