 
          
            -
          
        
        
          
            STEP 10: The Receiving Ramp
          
        
        
          
            Continued ...
          
        
        
          I used a Northwest Shortline Chopper for the various
        
        
          pieces of scale lumber and set the stopper at a distance
        
        
          of 14 3/4’ from the blade. I varied the length of the floor
        
        
          boards by cutting various pieces slightly shorter than 14
        
        
          3/4’. The first board at the top should be cut equal to the
        
        
          distance between the joists. This piece will be placed over
        
        
          the top of the bent, and we need to leave room to glue the
        
        
          railing posts.
        
        
          The floor pieces at each of the bent tops should be cut in
        
        
          a similar fashion. The photo here (33) shows the flooring
        
        
          being installed. Note the floor boards at the tops of the first
        
        
          three bents- each has been cut flush with the edge of the
        
        
          floor joists as described above (33).
        
        
          Installing the railings will finish the ramp part of the project.
        
        
          For the posts, cut 20 pieces of 4” x 6” to a length of 5 1/2’
        
        
          and glue them to the top of each bent. The lower railing is
        
        
          a piece of 2” x 6” and the upper railing is a piece of 2” x 4”.
        
        
          Cut both pieces slightly longer than the distance between
        
        
          the posts at each end and glue them in place.
        
        
          Photo 34 shows the completed ramp with the railings in
        
        
          place. Don’t forget to touch up the unstained ends of the
        
        
          basswood. I used the same black stain used earlier but
        
        
          diluted it about 50/50 stain to water. I used a small brush
        
        
          and lightly touched each end in order to avoid getting too
        
        
          much stain around the ends of the pieces.
        
        
          Coal loader, p2 - 4
        
        
          MRH-Jan 2013