Back Breaking Work

I made one part (#10) two pieces last weekend. I milled a 1/2″ square bar of brass into a 1/8″ x 1/2″ angle. It is to be used for the brackets to hold the tender steps. I got the milling done just fine. Then…

I reached around the X3 mill, I think to turn off the main power. It felt like I got stabbed in the back. I have a bad vertebra at the bottom of my spine. Years of heavy lifting destroyed the padding. Occasionally I get an extreme pain spasm and this was one of them.

That shut me down for the rest of the weekend in the shop. ($#^$&#^) <– swear word

I didn’t even get the holes drilled but I did get it cut into two parts. That’s not the correct location in the picture. I just posed the parts…

An immediate heat pad and some ibuprofen got me healed and back to work today. This was one of my shortest episodes. I’ll have to hit the heat pad quickly again next time. Also, I didn’t keep pushing it. It’s heck to get old. I wonder when I will get there?

I’ll just claim working on scale steam locomotives is back breaking work…