A fellow from another board sent me an Aristo power brick from an Eggliner/Lil Critter (Thanks Doug!) with the attached instructions: 'Build something interesting with this."
I took the operative word to be 'interesting'.... So, looking through my 'someday' files produced this photo:
Interesting, but one photo isn't a lot to go on. But then I found this photo of a homebrewed quarry loco on feebay while looking for something else:
Two of them? Almost a continent apart (one in Ohio, one in Oregon)? Both built around an 1890's era 10 HP Russell traction engine? - Okay, I can take a hint. Unless someone out there has more pix of either, I'll use the more 'interesting' details of both, and fudge the rest....
A trip to my junk boxes returned a crappy 'flatcat' body that someone had made by cutting down a B'mann reefer (not me, I bought it cheap for the trucks), and part of a Kester's Old time Collectibles Russell steam engine toy.... This one will be fun!
I mounted a Wilesco spring belt pulley outboard of one wheel to drive the crankshaft. Simpler than a ladder chain or gear train. Plus I think most people will just be tickled that it moves without worrying much about how. Then I put 12oz of lead fishing sinkers in the boiler and glued that down - slightly offset to clear the belt drive.
By then it was 3AM... Like the frog said, "Time is sure fun when you're having flies!"
More pix later
Mik I'll use the more 'interesting' details of both, and fudge the rest....
OH the horror of it! Another free lance project!
Tom Trigg
ttrigg...OH the horror of it! Another free lance project!..
...OH the horror of it! Another free lance project!..
Like I said, find me a pic of the other side of either.... They probably exist, but WHERE?!? I can't see spending 3 years researching a project that will take 3 days to build. Pacific Face Brick became Wilamina Clay Products in 1907. Wilamina Clay went under in the early '80s. The local Historical Society in Wilamina, Oregon MIGHT have something, but I'm in Pa. The one in Ohio might have had some documentation beyond that picture. But where should I start?
As I said in the previous post, the originals were built from 1890's vintage 10HP engines - something like this:The Kester engine is a later, larger, engine with a cast smokebox, like this one:Rather than do a lot of grinding, my model will have the cast smokebox.I 'borrowed' the headlight from another unfinished project, and found a LGB coal bin. You can also see the belt drive. It has a half twist in it so that the crankshaft will turn the proper direction.That big toolbox is a small block of wood covered with coffee stirrers. Whistle and pop valve are Ozark. Adding a crosshead and piston rod is more re-working than I'm willing to do right now... maybe eventually.I'm needing to find a large wood barrel or square steel water tank, yet. And I'll forgo air brakes until I find a cheapy pump.
Mik ttrigg ...OH the horror of it! Another free lance project!.. Like I said, find me a pic of the other side of either.... They probably exist, but WHERE?!? I can't see spending 3 years researching a project that will take 3 days to build. ……… But where should I start?
ttrigg ...OH the horror of it! Another free lance project!..
Like I said, find me a pic of the other side of either.... They probably exist, but WHERE?!? I can't see spending 3 years researching a project that will take 3 days to build. ……… But where should I start?
Just putzing with you my friend. I enjoy watching these "one of a kind masterpieces" as they are built. I did a bit of searching of my own but most of what I found were either stationary steam power engines or farm tractors. Your "ebay" pic looks as is it might be an early Fairbanks Morse power plant pulled off the tractor frame and installed on a "rail" frame. I did find a web forum that might provide some additional information. Who knows, maybe one of them has the photo you are looking for.
http://jdlong.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/steam-engine.jpg
There is a web forum (just like this one but for farm equipment with a section for steam)
Oh dear, a halt in your project list! It looks great! Keep your project list moving along - Peter
Modeling the Bellefonte Central Railroad
Fan of the PRR
Garden Railway Enthusiast
Check out my Youtube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/PennsyModeler
PJM20Oh dear, a halt in your project list! It looks great! Keep your project list moving along - Peter
I've probably got enough projects on my 'list' for 5 layouts..... Built the water tank last night, and the governor (static), added a throttle and reverse lever, and found a cab roof and pilot steps...
Now I just need to think up a backstory to justify it.
Now projects behind the scenes! Just a surpise waiting for us huh? - Peter
PJM20Now projects behind the scenes! Just a surpise waiting for us huh? - Peter
I've got about 800 photos in my 'someday' files, 4 large shallow totes of parts and junk, a big double handful of coffee stirrers, 8 or so 2'x 3' coroplast signs from the gas station, acrylic sheet, a hobby knife, a dremel, a scroll saw, a drill press, and about 30 bottles of paint..... NOTHING I bodge together should surprise you.
If you died today (I hope not) and I live to 120 (I do hope) I don't think I could ever catch up to you, you are the master a turning "junk" or spare parts into a masterpiece. - Peter
PJM20.... you are the master a turning "junk" or spare parts into a masterpiece. - Peter
.... you are the master a turning "junk" or spare parts into a masterpiece. - Peter
Masterpiece or messterpiece? I can turn junk into, well.... a different looking bit of junk. You can do it... and probably better -- 'cause my hands shake a bit, and I hate sanding.
Start small and cheap. This was my first scratchbuild. I was 18.... The Battlestar Galactica dude ought to date it pretty well. It wasn't very well made, it broke a few days later.
My second try wasn't until years later - a machinery shed.. The one in this picture. I still have it.
PJM20 ... "junk" or spare parts ....
Peter: they are not called junk, they are called "valued future treasures"
Sorry, I forgot to mention my definiton of junk- Reusable parts in any condidtion, but more likely poor, that my mom tells me to throw away so I hide it. Mik what is that first scracth build of yours? A swamill? - Peter
Peter; If it’s not good enough for anything else, then give it a new paint job, 10% color/90% rust, strap it down on a flat car and call it a load.
Or my middle schools lunch! - Peter
PJM20Sorry, I forgot to mention my definiton of junk- .....
Sorry, I forgot to mention my definiton of junk- .....
If it's recyclable it's 'junque', not junk
PJM20 Mik what is that first scracth build of yours? A swamill? - Peter
Mik what is that first scracth build of yours? A swamill? - Peter
A Frick sawmill and a Farquhar skid engine. It was made from pine balsa and painted paper.
Lightly weathered and out in the sunshine
Looks great! What did you use for the braces under the bridge? - Peter
PJM20Looks great! What did you use for the braces under the bridge? - Peter
The trestle is part of an Aristo support set and coffee stirrers -- with lathe for walkways
Excellent job. Truly a one of a kind. Should you ever tire of that home fabrication ruining the looks of your empire, just give UPS a call, they know where my front door is.
Well Tom, I'll beat you to it since Mik lives only 3 or 4 hours from my front door! - Peter
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