What material is suitable to represent steel cable*, such as on a mine hoist?
Does anyone sell a hoist kit in Large Scale? I’m prepared to attempt a scratchbuild if necessary, but it would be a pain. Especially since I only have a few photos and no dimensions. Barring a kit, some plans would be helpful.
I think that the only difference is spelling.
In the Navy, the stuff we think of as “rope” is called line, and the metal stuff is called rope. Don’t know why.
Bos’n Ric? What say you?
No1…Picture hanging wire…Most hardware stores…
No2…Not that I’m aware of…but these things were so site specific, anything you can cobble together thats doesn’t defy the laws of physics, will look just as good!
There is definitely a hoist available, but we may have fallen afoul of the “two people divided by a common language” syndrome. It’s a 1:24 car hoist, and I can’t remember the US term for that. Car isn’t included; costs about fifty bucks Australian.
More relevant to a mine might be a crane. The local Big W had G-scale cranes powered by 4 AAs a month or so ago, and I picked one up for my grandsons. The motor won’t lift much, but it rotates 360 degrees as well as lifting, and the sound is neat. Made in China, exported by a German company to Oz. Cost just under A$30.
“I sometimes see steel cable referred to as “wire rope” or “steel rope”. Is there a difference between cable and wire rope?”
I was taught that a cable can be made of many items, not all being steel. But the term cable is the function of the equipment. Steel rope is steel spun and wound around a fiber or steel cable to create a cable or line to be used in a function of tying, hauling or lifting.
“Rope” (no matter what the material is) is the product of which “Lines” are made. If it is on a spool without a purpose it is “rope”. If it is given a specific purpose as a “line” to haul a sail or a log from the woods, then it is officially declared as a “Line”.
Officially - “Bradford’s Mariner’s Dictionary”
“Rope” - cordage of greater than one inch cirvumference, made up of strands which in turn are made up of yarns.
“Cable” - a heavy roper or chain.
“Cable Laid Rope” - is composed of three ropes laid up like strands from right to left handed (holding the end away from you)
“Line” - a general term for a piece of rope in use.
In my library of this type of stuff (which is getting quite old, but not so old that it was before the discovery of steel" 
there is no reference to what material the products are made of, whether it be natural fiber, polyester or steel.
We should also consider the different industries we are comparing here. The formal language aboard ship for clarity and structure was and is propbably not carried on in the woods and mines of the timber or mining industries.
A “line” could be called a “sheet” or a “stay” in sail days.
Ray, Got a pic of what you have in mind?
Ozark sells a small crane hoist kit, if you need a little bigger, LGB had a larger version of almost the hoist, but its now supposedly “very rare” even though I got one not to long ago on Ebay for pidley, and the Crane Car that LGB was selling in their line recently is also another option for kitbashing a larger hoist. Gold Coast had one of these on my last visit.
Sheet or stay is a reference to their function as well…
Are those commands for the dog?
- What material is suitable to represent steel cable*, such as on a mine hoist?
I too am building a mine headframe and hoist (for two years now, on and off), and the best I’ve found so far is the heaviest fishing line at the sporting goods store. I think it’s 50+ lb test, is green and white, and has a braided look. I think it’s thick enough to be seen, but not so thick as to be ludicrous, and it’s waterproof.
- Does anyone sell a hoist kit in Large Scale? I’m prepared to attempt a scratchbuild if necessary, but it
would be a pain. Especially since I only have a few photos and no dimensions. Barring a kit, some plans
would be helpful.
Not plans, but excellent drawings, some dimensioned. I built a cage out of brass based on figure 8, and IMNSHO, it more than passes the ten-foot test: “A Concise History of Mine Hoisting”, published by Western Museum of Mining & Industry, Colorado Springs, CO.
– Bob Mills
Victor Smith said:Something like this:
Ray, Got a pic of what you have in mind?
http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=3009006&a=32571841&p=75781079
Hi, Bob…great to see another “Mills” on the LSC list…I woder if we are related way back when ?
Fred Mills
http://www.trains.com/grw/default.aspx?c=a&id=765
This might help, at least as a start.
Check model ship suppliers, I use leftover line from my younger days thats very close to looking like cable but I dont remember where it came from.
We have some “waxed sail thread or twine” that would work very well. Check any online or local marine supply house and I think you could find a larger selection in many diameters.
Victor Smith said:
http://www.trains.com/grw/default.aspx?c=a&id=765This might help, at least as a start.