[Bob Carriere]

We decided to hibernate in the barn. After the usual snow chores and firing up Lucifer we had a coffee break arounf noonish. When we came back it was almost 55 F inside the barn so we set tp desing a jig for bending the bottom angle iron repalcement for my cab 11.

Salvaged an old 1 1/2 x 10 old varnished Oak stair step and traced the angle iron curve and cut with the band saw. Grant refined the radius using a belt sander until we had a perfect fit.

Clamp the Oak jig on the SS work table and went about figuring out how many pie shaped pieces we had to cut out. First try was still too tight so we adjusted/removed a tiny more of the steel until we had a perfect curve resting against the Oak board.

We tacked welded the segments and compared against the original from a cab 12 . The original cab 12 rusted angle iron has already been tested for fit agaunst the floor of the cab 11 so we know it will fit.

Time ran out.... we have to finish the welding on the inside of the angle.... that is the visible side so great care will be taken when welding and grinding to it will look original.

The original angle iron was done in 3 pieces.... each curved corner being stamps than welded ( probably in a jig) .Ours will have just one weld in the centre....carefully done so as to be invisible.

Although we welded while the steel was still clamped to the Oak jig very little wood was charred.

Tomorrow we will finish the welding and grinding on that peice and after flipping the jig over will bend the other side.

Nice team work with Grant as the mathematician me as the welder....

PS....The bending was done cold no added heat necessary.