1/2"-scale Lumber Buggy

[Ken Hamilton]

This will be my first Construction Thread here on the Forum.  Hope you'll enjoy it.

It's a freelance, 1/2"-scale lumber buggy based roughly on this 1/48th-scale Mackenzie
piece, bought so I could enlarge the plans to build the 1/2-scale version. Here's the O-scale model:



In addition, Marc Reusser has sent along some great photo references (Thanks, Marc)

____________________________________________________________________________

My newer, freelance piece is powered by a Chevy six:



The platform is diamond plate "welded" to channel stock.  I'm using the radiator & axle
from the same '48 Chevy the motor came out of to enhance the story of a home-built lumber
buggy that was made from parts found around the yard.



The seat was found in the parts box.  I think it was from an old sprint car kit and had to be
narrowed by about 3 scale inches.  I didn't notice the rear axle cradle wasn't pushed down
onto the pin for the photo....



Speaking of pins, one thing I learned during my "Model Car Years" was using pins to locate
sub-assemblies. The transmission, axle unit and seat are all positioned with pins, which make
mocking up the model really easy and assists no-end in final assembly.





This is where the model stands right now. I've started building the legs.
Nothing fancy, just styrene angle and sheet stock.



The rivets are .050" Tichy.  It would be cheaper to make them but this way they're
uniform and WAY easier to do.



The stuff on top is just sitting in-place for the photo.

I'll be away this Saturday & Sunday but hopefully I'll have more progress shots early next week.
Have a great weekend, everybody..............

[marc_reusser]

Super.  Great to see this thread here...really looking forward to your progress.

Marc

[finescalerr]

Good start, Ken. Everything is crisp, square, and nicely cobbled together. -- Russ

[PuckHog]

Hi Ken,  Welcome!  Have admired your work in other places, great to have you here.

These carriers are so cool, can't wait to see the drive system in large scale!!

                                                                                               Randy

[Frederic Testard]

This is a great project, Ken. Your modelling is extra, as usual, and your pictures have these extra details that help us understand and sometimes discover better techniques. The engine looks fabulous.

[chester]

Yeah Ken, thanks for the tips. Now I'm up to my arse in little pieces of wire going airborne off the tweezers trying to pin parts together. 

[jacq01]

   Ken,

   fingerlicking.    
  A pity I model around 1910 - 1920 when these creatures didn't roam the lumberyards yet.
  Otherwise I would have asked you to make me one in 1:48. 

   Jacq

 
 

[marc_reusser]

Gerlinger has been making lumber carriers (actually called Straddle Carriers) since 1918.

One of their original models.




There is actually a book called:
"A Pictorial History of the Straddle Carrier" by D. Earl Starner. 1988.


Marc

[marc_reusser]

Heres a pic for Ken.




Marc

[marc_reusser]

Ken,

Not your model, but a great pic...and really huge & clear at 3000x2000 resolution

http://www.flickr.com/photos/osucommons/3466776644/sizes/o/


Marc

[Ken Hamilton]

Thanks for the array of wonderful pictures, Marc. 
GREAT detail references.

Each one of these is uglier than the next!

[marklayton]

Marc -

Those tall, leaning stacks of stickered lumber are downright precarious.  It would give me the heebie-jeebies to work there.  Wonder how they stacked 'em so high?

Mark

[Ken Hamilton]

(My thoughts, too, Mark.  I hope it's an optical illusion)

THE LEGS: 
This step might be more clear as the project moves ahead, but here's how the legs are constructed:

The end cap (upper left) is made from styrene sheet and a slice of tubing, which is filled & drilled. 
That piece will allow the leg to pivot in the outer sleeve (on the machine's frame) for poseable steering; 

The spring (center) is floral wire wrapped around the leg. The ends are filed flat, then it's slipped
over the leg & held in place with two retainers;

The leg's lower guide (right) is made with a slice of tubing and 4 styrene ears;

The steering arm (lower left) is attached to the small styrene rod that is inserted and glued to
the leg, basically forming a pin out the top of the leg....



Here's one leg in place.  I hope the above description is clear.  If not, if may become more obvious as we go along....



Thanks for looking.........

[marc_reusser]

Ken,

Looks nice!...only 3 more to go



Mark,

For stacking they did it by hand, or bigger mills/operations used "lumber stackers" like this one:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/osucommons/3465962907/sizes/l/


...some (like Brookings Lumber Co's Oregon operation) used locomotive cranes....some built home made rigs like the one attached below (Sean Downing built a beautiful O scale model of this one...maybe if encouraged he'll post some pics of it here in the forum  )


Marc

[marc_reusser]

Just for interest...in this image you can see two straddle carriers that might have their life cut short....
Taken at the Ewauna LCo. in Oregon.

M