I've wanted to do this project for several years -- actually I WANT to do 3 of them eventually. The first one will be a pretty much scale 'operating' foreground model version - to help figure out what corners I can cut on the other two which will probably be static. 3 is really the minimum to look right.... The oil heritage folks were nice enough to scan some Jerecki (Erie, Pa) standard rig information... Which included dimensions on the lumber! Did I happen to mention that I'm going to build this thing uncompressed, and it is gonna be HUGE? This is just the main sill and mud sills (see above drawing). This part alone is 15" long! Assembled drill floor sills... This piece is 10" x 10-1/2" Already 2 feet long, and that's only the base of the derrick section!. Sampson post (supports the walking beam) and headache post (keeps said beam from crashing down on your head if something breaks) are installed. I was down with the crud for a couple of days, so I didn't feel like doing much. Today I felt a bit better, so I shaped the walking beam and started to put down the drill floor.... and promptly ran out of coffee stirrers. We're having a bit of lake effect snow, so I'm not quite dumb enough to run out for them..... This project may take all winter, so please be patient.....
Good start,nice to some board by board construction.
Dave
The head is gray, hands don't work , back is weak, legs give out, eyes are gone, money go's and my wife still love's Me.
Very nice, looks like it has the capabilities to be functional too. I built my second one from old HO scale brass rails but I think I'll follw you on this one. Keep us posted and nice job.
http://our-garden-railroad.homestead.com/index.html
This looks like a reat project!. I watch with interest and have started to access materials for making this myself. Thanks for the photos and material sizes. Are you using hardwood or a softwood?
Andrew
Sandbar & Mudcrab Railway
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