Jacq's Logging Project Discussion

[LeOn3]

Jacq,

I'm curious  how this is gone end as a exhibition layout. I know that the total weight for a diorama is to keep it as light as possible. My layout that I had in Utrecht is not big but is still to heavy to lift it alone on it's legs. For my next project I will try to avoid too mucht weight for the construction and try to make the buildings even better as it now is.

Leon

[RoughboyModelworks]

Jacq:

Looks like a good construction plan. I'm really looking forward to seeing pictures as construction progresses. Birch ply is such a great product. I've used 1/2" birch ply for modular layout construction, forming girders essentially of 2 pieces of ply laminated together around 1x2 poplar spacers. I then drilled a series of 2" dia. holes through the girders to reduce weight and allow for wiring to pass through neatly. They were incredibly strong and stable when assembled and surprisingly lightweight. I developed a system of using 1/2" aluminum plates on the mating ends of the modules with machined, self-centering assembly pins through which assembly bolts would pass. Two pins with bolts would join two modules. My modules would go together with a tolerance within .002" eliminating the need for sections of jumper rail to connect the modules. Setup and tear down was dead simple. Electrical connections were made through multiple-conductor plugs & sockets similar to the flat cable connectors in a computer.

Paul

[jacq01]

   The first impression of the resaw with feeder.
   Not painted yet ( primer) and small details like rolller drive, carriage drive and cilinder piping / valves  and saw details to be added.  The weather is not giving a helping hand to make some decent photo's.

 

  The drawing of the feeder attachment.  The carriage can move to facilitate saw change. The driver roller holders can move to saw different sizes and the rollers furthest from the saw are able to compensate uneveness.



     

Overal view of the model.   





The coming days it all will be finished and weather permitting photo's taken of assembly and subassemblies. 
The model can imitate the basic adjustements, such as sawing spacing and sawblade change movements.

  Jacq

[RoughboyModelworks]

Looking great Jacq. I'm really impressed with the amount and quality of work you're producing in such a short time.

Paul

[jacq01]

  Leon,

  it is not so much a matter of the weight.  The biggest obstacle building up the layout will be the size of the module or segment. The modules of the H0 layout I can lift by myself, I can pick it up from the back as the centre of gravity is within
the range of my grip.  During a visit I'll show you how I can handle this.

Paul,

  thanks for the nice comments.  The biggest challenge is always to understand the subject under investigation.
  When the "spirit" or "soul" of the setting/structure/machine/diorama is understood,  the choice of materials is mainly determining the time.  Further it is a matter of dicipline and preventing taking shortcuts.

Here photo's of the resaw ( looking at the photo's I discovered some parts still to be added and shiny spots to be covered  >:(0

The complete resaw feeder is built from 0.13mm , 0,25mm , 0,50mm sheet, several diameter tube/rod from Evergreen
and 2 small pieces of code 55 rail.

     






















Roller carriage drawn back to facilitate bandsaw change.






Roller carriage moving into operation position




Size comparisson of 8'0" resaw






Position comparisson details


Jacq
 

[TRAINS1941]

Jacq

Outstanding detail.  Beautiful workmanship!!  Gets better with every visit.

Jerry

[PuckHog]

Jacq,   This thread is awsome!  Please keep posting as I'm needing to build a sawmill at some point. Are you planning on some form of animation?    Randy

[Franck Tavernier]

Jacq,

Outstanding job!

[jacq01]

  Randy,

  I tried to run the large saw, but it turned out dangerous. As the blade thickness vs possible tension  ratio is not comparable with the 1:1 version and the wheelrim surface and blade do not have matching curvature, the blade runs off
the wheel very quickly. As it is razor sharp, you can ubderstand my concern.
Another point is the very difficult aligning top and bottom wheels and balancing each wheel radially and axially. 0,5 -1,0 gram weight ofset creates already problems.

One item that will be shown and explained later on is a working ( remote controlled )  log unloader,  unloading skeletons and disconnects. I haven't made up my mind yet what type,  Hume-Bennet, WSCL, Pino Grande or Madeira Sugarpine. The last one used some very attractive variants over the years.

But first finish the mill with surroundings on module 1.  Presently I am making 40+ live and dead rollers. the small parts of the transfertables and the base with table for the trimmer saws.  A very large amount of small parts have been finished already.  Still waiting for the shipment scale lumber ordered 5 weeks ago.

Jacq
   

[PuckHog]

Jacq,  Can understand the cocerns with saw!!!   So many Questions but I will be patient and enjoy what you post!   Randy

[jacq01]

  I haven't posted as planned as someone during the one of the last exhibitions damaged on the H0 layout the small green silo's to the extend that on OntraXS they didn't work correctly anymore.  For the large exhibition 22-26 April in Dortmund I decided last week to built new ones with an improved drive and increased  angle of repose.
Over the weekend all missing materials arrived, the new silo's were operating satisfactory, layout and rolling stock are having the last maintenance done, so the mind is slowly changing to the mill, sawing equipment and moduleframe again.

The live and dead rolls castings turned out unsatisfactory so I have cast today some in PU 2 components normal and metal glue.  Tomorrow I'll open the mold and see what the results will be.  When they are as required I'll post some "how to"s 

  Jacq

[jacq01]

  Here some results of a quick "casting session"
  Casting white metal turned out a deception. The material cooled / blocked before filling all cavities, most prbably due to the length of the rolls ( scale 4'0")  Kitchen burner as heater, material melted ok, but from heat to mould was taken too long.

  Than I tried 2 component 5 minute PU glue.  I mixed a batch and filled the 2 halves up to the division line and put the halves together.  Curious, I took after 10 min. the moulds appart and a 5 rolls came out easily. No release spray used.
  With the next batch I was carefull to watch for air, as the shown pars do have airholes, not serious and easily fixed.
  It also turned out the parts were surprisingly flexible. Leaving them for another 48 hours solved that too and now I have 5  castings showing an acceptable amount of detailing.
 
 
 
   mould halves with first parts  2 painted with humbrol metallic



  airbubbles visible, bearings with bolts and bevelgear have come out acceptable.

 

  Sorry for the photo quality,  too much preparations for Intermodellbau.

  Jacq

[jacq01]

     now that all preparations for the large exhibition in Dortmund are done, it is back to the mill.
 
     The search for an adequate material to make the live and dead rolls from is ongoing. The test with the 2K PU glue showed a good alternative to the white metal casting ( seen the tools available) but I feel there are some more like aluminite or liquid metal. The 2K PU glue was easy. Fill the two halves of the mould with glue and press them together.
10 minutes later 5 rolls came out. Flexible and with flash but usable.  Another 48-72 hours waitnig to become rockhard.

With the generous help of Brett, Russ and Marc I am now able to start on the trimmer saw ( and the edger)
This saw has approx 10-14 saws at 2'0" intervals.
My search for information showed 2 principal constructions.  Does someone know which construction was mainly used in the  north californian mills, like Hume-Bennett, Pino Grande or Madeira Sugerpine ?



Trimmersaw with individual saws driven by frictionwheel when lowered and mechanical activation by the "piano player"
Saws in raised position not "live"



All trimmersaws driven from mainshaft and saws lowered/raised by pneumatic/steam control system
Saws in riased position live.

Any help to enable a most plausible choice is appreciated.  One single photo inside the Hume-Bennett mill shows all saws
raised non rotating, but not decisive.

regards
Jacq

[marc_reusser]

Sorry Jacq, I have no idea re. the saw question/issue.

Marc

[lab-dad]

I assume you have looked through the HABS site?

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/habs_haer/

-Marty