For a few years I have been watching people bash these toy cranes into useful cranes for their layouts. I finally got one from a yard sale for the right price yesterday, so now for the bashing. Here it is before a date with the saw
then I started looking at my bachmann donkey that was sitting on my shelf, looks like a good pair
and after a little cutting here is how its looking
More to follow…
Aaron,
Now that is an interesting pairing, I can’t wait to see how this comes out.
Your start has all kinds of great possibilities.
Rick
Be following with much interest. I have both the crane and the donkey.
nice, Aaron…
To do it “right” you’ll need to add a second pair of cylinders (ones that run the pivot) These were often mounted vertically between the boiler and winches. or to one siden(the side the feedwater tank is on)
(http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/images/JBrown53.jpg)
The vertical water tank was to one side of the boiler,
(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Thew%20shovel/P8070060.jpg)
The fuel bunker was to the other. Unless you want your fireman hanging off the back, you’ll also have to turn the boiler so the firebox door is about 45* to side the operator is on/front
(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Thew%20shovel/P8070059.jpg)
these gents’ build photos might help
http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/jbrown.htm
http://www.thewhistlepost.com/forums/craftsmans-bench/8731-erie-b-2-steam-crane.html
as may this
http://www.trainweb.org/annarbor/Rosters/Bucyus-Erie-Crane/Bucyus-Erie-Crane-Menu.htm
There are cranes at the antique machinery show in Brownsville, Pa and Kinzers, Pa, and I think there is one at Baraboo, Wis as well
Thanks for the pics Mik! going to work on the boiler soon. the door in the back will be against the back wall, so instead of turning the boiler I may just add a new one on the side so I don’t have to move all the plumbing that way. still trying to decide where to mount the second set of cylinders, but it will probably be on the one side.
Did you get some good ideas for this project from the steam show in iowa ? There steam shovel should be about the same set up inside.
Aaron,
You might pick up some ideas from this old build log, lot of good ideas came to light
during the process.
Rick
I will watch the progress Aaron!
update: after some thought i decided to rebuild the track frame
(http://i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s414/trainbuffjr1/highland-wd45sunset003_zps519c0523.jpg)
I decided to remove the tracks from a donor crawler to replace the originals
(http://i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s414/trainbuffjr1/highland-wd45sunset004_zpsef55624a.jpg)
and a shot of the new track frame
(http://i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s414/trainbuffjr1/crane-farmallhrims002_zps65307b33.jpg)
now onto a new cab base. the original was a little to small for both the donkey and water tanks to fit, so a new one was built out of styrene
(http://i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s414/trainbuffjr1/lake-oldbarn-crane021_zpsa55117c7.jpg)
and a pic of the new base installed on the unfinished track frame
(http://i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s414/trainbuffjr1/lake-oldbarn-crane023_zps6a6271e2.jpg)
more to follow…
…winking…
