Tanker - Builder

Hi , Peter !

 Nice idea with the boat . Now that said .Take the vessel and build a small overhanging deck with semi-flat ends , after removing the Bulwarks . . Go up one level and take the wheelhouses , Blend into one and put in the center . Viola ! One small double ender ! She would have probably one life boat ! 

 You can use the bulwark material to build up the sides of the passenger area .

 

Thank you Tanker - Builder for your ideas.

Gave the bridge and water area a few coats of acrylic undercoat. The holes you see, where span fits, are for wires used as contact points. There are eight. These provide power and data to and from the span.

There are several fender piers around the span section. The outer fender groups have navigational (red and green) lights from there center piers. These have been drilled out to accommodate the wiring and 3 mm LED.

Really, really neat stuff.  Carry on sir. 

mmthrax

Really, really neat stuff.  Carry on sir. 

Thank you mmthrax.

From Masonite I built the road base, curbing, and footpath onto the span.

Chiselled out trenches for inlaying wires for the navigational lights, and contacts, located under the span.

Drew up a template for making the span framework from 6 mm square Tasmanain Oak. Wires will be routed along the vertical beams of the frame (they will go to the span hut). Doweled the framework to the span.

During this time I got the idea for making the cable anchoring points to the span frame. I soldered half a fishing swivel to the 3 mm bolt heads. The swivel will relieve any twisting of the cables.

Blimey, i didn't realise it would be so big.

Wow, she's coming along great! 

Thanks Bish and Gamera for your compliments.

Bish, Yeah it is big, but that is what the curator wanted. Originally I wanted the towers to fit across the width of the console (forgetting the rest). But I had to fill in the 4 x 8 foot display area. So its the whole bridge. Now he is asking me why it is taking so long 

Added the wiring, tested for continuity, then filled with wood putty, sanded and gave it a few coats of acrylic undercoat.

4x8, blimey. Well, just remind him that patience is a virtue

Hi Peter ;

 Well , That's the way things work .They can't do it so they push to meet their schedule .You'll do okay though .T.B.

Perhaps you should tell the curator the same thing Michalangelo told the Pope when he asked "When will you have an end?" The artist looked down from his scaffold in the Sistine Chapel and responded "When I am finished."

What a great project you are building. I would also hope to see a video of it in operation...when you are finished.

Mike

Thank you Bish, T.B., and Mike for your support. 

I'll give him the Michelangelo answer next time.

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Finished the framework. Now for the span hut. The hut base plate has three balconies, and gangways. Used 3 mm MDF.

Used matchsticks for railing posts. The extra plate on the base is the hut floor. It also serves as a guide for attaching the hut walls.

Added the cable anchoring points. Included longitudinal bumper rollers, made from microswitch actuator arms, to stop span getting caught up with the tower framework. Added a photo-coupler to trigger the vessel traffic lights (on the span). Once the span has reached the top of the tower a blind fits between the U slot to cut the light beam across the U. This then triggers the vessel traffic lights to change from red to green.

The wires have been routed along the framework and through the hut floor.

When ever i see a project like this, the first thing that goes through my head is where do you even start. I have enough trouble putting a plastic kit together without missing somthing and that has instructions. The amount of things you have to think about, i think my head would explode.

Just brilliant. And ditto on the video of this is action.

Bish

i think my head would explode.

Bish

...The amount of things you have to think about, i think my head would explode.

Just brilliant. And ditto on the video of this is action.

Thanks Bish for compliment.

As you already know, it is mainly about focusing on one step at a time and the journey/results will take care of itself.

Yes, I will have to make a video (if it works).

CapnMac82

Bish

i think my head would explode.

Nothing a good cuppa would not set straight   I've seen your skills.

I too have seen Bish's skills. I agree whole heartedly.

Added lateral bumper rollers.

Vessel Traffic Lights.

Balcony assortments. In real life, both (A) and (B) boxes contain gearing and winches for operating the span cable drive. The span motor is in centre of span hut. Differential axles go to each box. The other boxes contain (as far as I know) an auxilary generator, and stores for maintenance.

That's simply amazing! I guess it's like any big project, one step at a time. But a whole lot of steps here! 

Just don't let Mothman anywhere near it! There's an urban legend about Mothman and the collapse of the Silver Bridge on the Ohio River back in the mid '60s. 

Hello Peter,

Some really amazing stuff going on there.  Thanks for keeping us all updated with your progress.  I know that it is something you certainly don't have to do, especially being on a schedule, but I know we all love it.  Keep up the great work.  

Thanks Gamera for kind words. Yep, life is an experiment, sometimes it will blow up in your face, other times it will blossom, but both require a risk to see what happens.

Gamera

...Just don't let Mothman anywhere near it! There's an urban legend about Mothman and the collapse of the Silver Bridge on the Ohio River back in the mid '60s.

As your signature suggests, lucky I don't believe in fairy tales.

Thanks Mark.

You also had said something that says it all for us modellers who post here. We don't have to post our works, but we do, knowing that we are exposing ourselves to critcism. We also hope to inspire others, to learn from others, and to share what we all can recognize in others - the joy of creativity.

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The span hut was next on the agenda. Made from 3 mm MDF, 2 mm clear Perspex for windows, and white card board for window frames and doors.

Mixed a jar of grey enamel paint that matched the actual bridge, and started to paint the span.

Completed the gangways. Used fly screen for wire meshing.

Found washers that fit nicely over the nav LEDs. Now they look like bezels. Added road and footpath railings.

Really nice work there and you're making amazing progress! 

Hey , Bish ;

 When I did the 1/8 scale Log Loading Machine for a lawyer in Atlanta , I felt the same way . Sitting in the courtroom watching that thing do exactly what we wanted was the reward . That's when I really appreciated Scratch-Building ! T.B.

Hello;

   I have perhaps a stupid Question . What color is the roadway surface on the bridge itself ? I remember a bridge like this in Buffalo . N. Y. It had steel grid road surface . T.B.

Gamera

Really nice work there and you're making amazing progress! 

Thank you Gamera.

Tanker - Builder

Hello;

   I have perhaps a stupid Question . What color is the roadway surface on the bridge itself ? I remember a bridge like this in Buffalo . N. Y. It had steel grid road surface . T.B

It is concrete (cement with gravel).

Added a Blown Fuse Indicators onto a small printed circuit board. When all is okay, each of the three DC voltage supplies will indicate a green LED. As soon as a voltage supply fuse blows, the green LED turns off and its accompaning red LED turns on.

This not only serves to give an instant indication as to what is wrong with the power supply, it also provides an extra bit of drama to the wiring diorama.

Added Power Supply Unit to the console.

Hello!

It's a nice idea - I did something similar on my railroad layout, just with one diode. Sure helps save time when something stops working and you have to debug it.

Good luck with your build and have a nice day

Paweł

Tanker - Builder

Hey , Bish ;

 When I did the 1/8 scale Log Loading Machine for a lawyer in Atlanta , I felt the same way . Sitting in the courtroom watching that thing do exactly what we wanted was the reward . That's when I really appreciated Scratch-Building ! T.B.

 

That sound slike an impresive build you did there. I know tehse things don't seem so bad once you start on them. I have put many things off only to wounder why once i tried it.