Jacq's Logging Project Discussion

[shropshire lad]

Jacq ,

   As long we have the use of our eyes and hands for modelling then everything else is surplus . Of course , what may be surplus for modelling purposes may be essential for other things .

   Did you want us to shout a bit louder when we talk to you ?

  The sawmill is beginning to look amazing , I pity anyone from now on who wants to model such a building . They can only be pale imitations of yours ,

  Nick

[TRAINS1941]

Jacq,

Just one of the most outstanding builds on this forum or any other forum.
I think you just raised the bar so high on Sawmills that you have closed the door to anyone trying to attempt to build a sawmill.

Jerry

[MrBrownstone]

Hey Guy's

hmmmm... not only did he raise the bar...but turned it into gold.

great work Jacq...

Mike

[jacq01]

  Nick,

 

Did you want us to shout a bit louder when we talk to you ?

That will only blow the fuses in my hearing aids.
  Loudness is not the problem, the loss of differentation in sounds.

  Here some quickies of the trimmersaws in place. I am not satisfied the colouring around the bearings and will redo it as soon with the correct grease and grime colour.

 

  Saws set for standard 16'0" length.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  The operators platform is under construction, have to wait for the Buffalo Landing figures.
  Hope Maurice has a sitting figure that I can use.

  Next the cut off saw and slasher saws and all machiney on the sawing floor is in place.

  Jacq

 

 

[finescalerr]

I can't believe the detail in those saws. Tell me you're doing it all with mirrors! -- Russ

[MrBrownstone]

Hey Jacq,

As usual you are just amazing with the details, and so well documented.
(which reminds me...  I am posting picture of the 1:48 brick you were inquiring about.

Russ, He is pretty scary isn't he... (in a good way...  )

Mike

[jacq01]

   Russ, that's the secret, but I won't tell you where the mirrors are

   Detail of one of the saws: 

   

   The blades were donated by Brett...............Thank you again for that, it saved a tremendous amount of work.
   The 3/32" collets on each side are made from the flanges of 1:360 brass ships winch drums, cut in halves and filed flush by hand.
   Each saw assembly has 12 parts plus the belt made from printing paper, "impregnated" with thinned enamel paint and Silverwood + a counterweight assembly of 6 parts, including linkages. Still to be made is the operator's leverbox for lowering/ raising the correct saw(s) in his overhanging "cage".  This fellow was called the "pianoman"

  Jacq
   

[danpickard]

Hi Jacq,
Great detail with the trimmers, no shortcuts with including the "piano strings"!  The buffalo landing figures do include a great selection of sitting characters and I'm sure you'll find youself a suitable operator in amongst them.  I was actually watching some old B&W film of some logging/sawmill operations the other day, and it featured a similar trimmer saw with footage of the pianoman in action...looked a bit of a stressful job, madly pulling the leavers to clean up the boards that were rolling across the table at a rapid rate.  I guess they were making a cut every 2 seconds at peak speed.

Cheers,
Dan

[Ray Dunakin]

Amazing detail! The whole mill deserves to be in a museum somewhere.

[John McGuyer]

Where in the world are you getting such fine detail information to build this?

John

[Scratchman]

Jacq,
That is very nice, a lot of work, and a lot more to do. A sawmill diorama has always been one of my want-to-projects, but it will probably never happen. It has been a real treat to see yours and Marty Jones' dioramas come together. Not a bad idea, modeling vicariously through others.

Gordon Birrrell

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77318580@N00/

[jacq01]

  John,

Where in the world are you getting such fine detail information to build this?

1. The book Lumber by Ralph C Bryant  via Google books. Paul send me the book in 2 PDF files last year, it was not possible to download outside
     the USA.
2. Internet searches  and the Habs Haer files
3. Patents between 1875 and 1915 on sawmill machinery.
4. My professional background as analyst of various engineering failures gave me the insight in the smaller details of machinery constructions.
5. Intuition which made it possible to deduct how something fits together ( or falls apart).
6. Patience to find material to make the items.
7. Not giving up after the x-th failure to produce something to my quality standards.
8. Steam in the woods, the unsurpassed site by Marc.  This site radiated the atmosphere of a bygone era. This site was of great importance
     as it made me aware of what logging really was instead of the information found on some " romantizing" fora with conspiracy type advise.

  It appears a long list, but it turns quickly into a habit to reccognise the best stuff to use for the apropriate construction. It has also become a sport to try to built everything out of simple materials and with simple tools.

  Presently I am studying the refuse management ( sawdust, chips, slabs, etc) which is an important issue to keep a mill running together with the motive power requirements for this mill. Good fun to find out how much horspower is needed for all equipment, the transmission losses etc to be able to determine the boiler sizes, engines and shafting needs.

By the time I have finished this project, I'll think I'll understand the basics of the lumber trade up to the distribution.

  Jacq
 

[TRAINS1941]

Jacq

Just gets better everytime I visit your masterpiece.

God I hope Ken doesn't take you up on doing this in 1/2" Scale for his Lumber Buggies & Stackers.  Although it would be quite nice don't you think?  Besides what are doing for your next act.

Jerry

[John McGuyer]

Finding detailed information to model by is so difficult. When doing things such as my cab-forward, I can find hordes of photographs of them working their way up a canyon with 100 cars in tow and great columns of smoke.  But try to find a shot of where the air pump lines run is next to impossible. I lost TWICE on e-bay at $175.00 for a book that detailed a lot of this info.

You have done well my friend at finding the information on this project. Quite often learning, as you have obviously done, is half the fun of building these things.

John

[jacq01]

  Maybe the time of the year, but I felt like being in the Doldrums. No progress or fresh wind to get myself going.
  I have to order the lumber for the modules but each time something else pops up.

  so I decided to begin with the preparation of the boiler- and engine houses.

  The Western Scale and CHB brick tube boilers are very good models, but not suitable for sawdust burning. I have to convert them to Dutch ovens with a larger combustion chamber and chute feeders for the sawdust.

  The total amount of power required :

  head bandsaw         200 hp
  resaw                    100 hp
  edger                      75 hp
  trimmer                   25  hp
  slasher                    25 hp
  rolls etc                  50 hp
  hog/grinder              25 hp

  net                       500hp      transmission losses  25% - 30%
 
  total available   2 x Ames 2 cyl. Regal     440 hp      Western Scale kits
                        1 x         2 cyl              120 hp      CHB kit

  shotgun carriage  direct fed from boilers by 2 valve controls.
  logturners             -,,-                       

  total boilers required  4 x 175/200 hp boilers  @ 125/150 psi

  The available modeling space is limited, so the idea is to built the boiler house as a cut through version showing the inside of the boilerhouse and one boiler cut open, showing it's intestines. 
  The biggest challenge will be to fit the steam engines in the available space, including belttensioners etc /etc.

As the whole scene is static, I have sought a moment where the mainline stands still in the daily running.
This is the moment the headrig bandsaw is exchanged. This occurs normally every 21/2 - 4 hours.
  I will try to built this moment when finalising the layout with figures and details.

Jacq