I'm a tad frustrated.
I've been searching for data on steam donkeys. I have Merv Johnson's "In Search of Steam Donkeys", subtitled "Logging Equipment in Oregon". It is a fine book. As an aside, I got a huge pile of old RR mags and books at an auction and have been enjoying them. The above book was one of many.
I digress. Johnson's book is very good--up to a point. I want to build an early operating donkey, but I cannot find a mechanical illustration. I've surfed the web. The older issues of Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette have some remarkable drawings, many of which I want to investigate further. But they leave out the small details, like the foot-operated clutches, or mention them in passing.
Now, I can figure out pretty much how they should work, after all, they weren't exactly moon rockets. But I want to build a reasonably accurate representation that actually works. By 'representation' I mean exactly that; I'm not good enough yet to build scale models. Don't know if I even want to try. (Pretty sure I don't). Just something that looks reasonable.
I want to start with a Dolbeer, as they're the simplest, with the vertical capstan. Then on to other makes that have twin spools. I'm to the point that I'd even consider buying (gasp) a set of plans if I knew where to look.
Can someone point me in the right direction? Prefer filtching, but will $$.
Les W
Les,
I built a couple donkeys for my logging operation. The info I have came from my brother-in-law who is an Oregon logger as was his father. The black and white picture is from his father's eara. Sorry I can't help you with the mechanics. There is a club in eastern Oregon that sets up and runs steam donkeys most years. I do plan to set up the high line logging with the spar pole as well as a loading operation. My winch operation is hand crank powered by kids.
Rex
Maybe this will help -
and some good pics here -
http://www.albernivalley.biz/steamdonkey.html
-Brian
Brian,
I have that pic in Johnson's book. It's too small to make out what's what. But thanks anyway. I'm wondering if GR's Sidestreet (or is it Bannerworks? whatever) might have one.
BTW, last night I found, in one of the old magazines, a really nifty pic of a home-built engine, a chain-drive model, ca 1860. Who would you recommend to buy chain and sprockets from?
Les
Rex,
I used to belong to one of those old engine clubs. I think that's where I get this need to know pretty much 'exactly' (that's of course, not possible, usually) how the skidders were mechanized. If all else fails, I'll look for a source of gears and just fab up my own drive.
I've been thinking 'bout getting the ol' Machinist's Handbook out and studying up on gears, I think I can make simple ones on the lathe. And sprockets. If so, that would free me from the 'robberious' prices some places are asking for simple spur gears. Alas, roller chain is one of those 'grit your teeth and lay your money down' propositions. And it isn't even prototypical for the early drives. They used flat-link chain, and even that stuff is difficult to come by.
The skidders came in lots of variations. Eventually they got mounted on flatcars and winched themselves along the right-of-way. Next, someone put chain drives to the flatcar axles. Booms were attached, and then in 1845, I believe, someone got a patent on the first steam shovel. If a person were so inclined, one could make a series of models depicting the iterations up to the final big steam shovels. (Won't be me, though). But just daydreaming, it'd be nice to have a couple or three variations on the layout.
Thanks for taking time to reply.
If you'd like I could put you in contact with the logger I mentioned?
Sure! If he'd care to post me, that'd be fine. Perhaps I could get him to take the pixes I need of the gear train and clutches.
Get the Garden Railways newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month