Hello forum members.
I am new to model making. This project I am currently doing, and been doing for a long time, is for our local maritime museum.
It has nothing to do with railway, though I wish it did. Unfortunately, the railway here did not directly service the Port of Ballina, (NSW, Australia).
The actual lift-span bridge is 25 km south of Ballina, and located in a small town called Wardell.
My background, when I was younger, involved welding, diesel mechanic, and avionics (RAAF). Today I do volunteer work for the museum. It was the avionics side which got me roped into doing this project. The museum acquired the original console for the bridge. The bridge had two updates since then. I was asked if the console could operate a model lift-span bridge. My answer was yes. So now they got me to not only convert the console to do the job, but to build the model bridge as well.
I soon discovered that there is no schematic diagrams for the console, or any available (to public) plan drawings of the bridge. The bridge and console go back to 1964. So the whole project is scratch-build. one good thing though was that the current bridge operator was able to decipher how the control panel was used.
Here is a photograph of the original bridge.
(https://i.imgur.com/JLxBTXh.jpg)
The original console in the museum workshop.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZvGofFM.jpg)
The museum is a non-profit organisation and is limited with funding the project, so I too am limited with what materials and parts I can use. So bare with me if you see me using, or making bits, which you know I could have bought from a hobby shop. I do a lot of Internet research for available bits, but if they don't suit me, or too expensive, then I use alternative methods.
Hopefully some of the forum members will be interested to see this project unfold. If so, I will start downloading photographs at a piecemeal rate.
The project is currently about half-way to completion.
The allocated display table area is 2400 x 1200 mm (8 x 4 feet).
Sparky,
G'day,
This is really one cool bridge! Can't wait to see and learn more!
Cheers! Thanx Thom...
That console has a lot of buttons for something that only needs "up" and "down". :) Looks like an interesting project.
Jeff
I'm looking forward to seeing your build.....welcome to the forum. :)
Hey Sparky:
That is quite the project. I will be following along with great interest. Keep the photos coming.
Cheers:
Karl
Sparky...
Welcome aboard.
see ya
Bob
Welcome and looking forward to seeing your build.
Wow, thank you Thom..., Jeff, Gregory P. DeMayo, Karl, Bob and Curt Webb for your interest.
Yes, it is a large project (for me it is) and I sure do not want to let down the museum by not meeting their hopeful expectations.
I too am looking forward to seeing how it will look and operate. I often hand over my concerns to God, or else I will self destruct out of self-doubt.
Quote from: Zephyrus52246 on December 18, 2017, 07:54:01 AM
That console has a lot of buttons for something that only needs "up" and "down". :) Looks like an interesting project.
Jeff
I thought the same thing when I first saw the console.
Much of the control panel labeling did not make sense to me. I took a photo of the panel to the current operator to learn how to operate the bridge. He told me that he never saw the panel before (it was taken out in 1995), and that he cannot tell me how to operate the bridge (some security thing). However he was able to decipher what each item did.
After I got back home I sat with my notes and slowly worked out how each item may be used in operating the bridge. It is quite sequential, and it needs to be for safety reasons. In a nutshell, the console controls the traffic for both road vehicles and river vessels even before unlocking the lift-span from the bridge.
There is a larger problem with operating the console. The museum wants the display to be interactive. Meaning, that visitors can operate the bridge :o Suddenly, the whole idea of only mature people operating it went out the window. It now has to be child-proof. In other words, nobody is allowed to drop the bridge on the traversing vessel, or any other possible mishaps. It needs to be sequential without possible deviations. Unfortunately I am not up to date with using programmable microcontrollers (PIC) and such, though I am learning for future museum projects. So I am currently relying on electronics and relays to do the job.
Here is the control panel, and underneath is a simpler layout drawing which I have stuck on the wall at my desk.
(https://i.imgur.com/fxcow6H.jpg)
You will notice that the bridge uses swing gates to close the road. Today they use a boom gate, a simpler and safer method.
I used Google Maps and Internet search engines to find as many photographs of the Wardell bridge. Then, with a tape I measured the length of the span and the width of the road crossing the bridge. With these two lateral measurements I was able to extrapolate the other measurements from the photographs.
The display are the curator wanted me to use the whole bridge within the 8 feet allocated for it. This worked out nicely for a scale 1/72, and I drew up plans accordingly. This was before I realized that a better scale 1/76, OO scale, could be used for greater access to modelling resources.
An overview.
(https://i.imgur.com/wR8ixv8.png)
Display area.
(https://i.imgur.com/t2Midol.png)
Decided to use a pair of (donated) DC motors, geared down 148:1 to drive the working parts. Since the bridge uses a pulley-cable system, I decided to use similar for the traversing boat. Both these motors will be housed in a control box under the display table.
(https://i.imgur.com/xKHfKaU.jpg)
The first month or so, on the project, was designing and drawing up plans so I could follow how, with the available material, to build the project. Here is a montage of some of my drawings.
(https://i.imgur.com/UQbW3E7.png)
For those unfamiliar to a lift-span bridge, this is how they work to allow large boats to pass under the bridge. (Animated GIF)
(https://i.imgur.com/PnBroES.gif)
Ok, here we go. I used to overhaul "moveable structures" for a living. I'm in the US so it looks like there are some differences in terminology down under but the basics look the same. An opening sequence would go something like this;
1. Turn traffic lights red. I think that would be your switch labeled "Control Switch". Off is normal, traffic lights dark. Control position would start the sequence to turn the traffic lights red. When they go red the "Road Lights Red" indicator would light, a safety circuit would clear allowing movement of the gates and the "Gates Movable" indicator would light.
2. Lower oncoming traffic gates. Oncoming first so you don't trap anyone on the bridge
3. Lower off-going traffic gates. When the last gate reaches full closed another safety circuit is cleared so your span locks will operate and the "Lift Span Lock Operable" indicator would light.
4. Retract the span locks. I would guess that's the lever on the lower right labeled Extend, Off, Normal. Turn the switch to normal. When the locks fully retract yet another safety circuit is cleared enabling the lift motors and lighting the "Lift Span Operable" indicator light. A little something might get lost in the translation here but by US Coast Guard regulations navigable waterways have the right of way over all other traffic hence the "normal" condition is locks retracted, and bridge up.
5. Raise the bridge using the "Span Control" buttons.
6. A little guess work here. In the US the navigation lights both ways turn from red to green then the bridge is fully open. In your case it looks like once the span reaches fully open a interlock circuit will clear, lighting the "Nav. Lights Operable" indicator and allowing you to select upstream or downstream traffic using the "Navigation Lights" switch.
Time to lower it down.
1. Navigation Lights off.
2. Lower the span, changeover switch to off.
3. Extend the span locks, switch to off.
4. Open the off-going traffic gates, switch to off.
5. Open the on-going traffic gates, switch to off.
6. Turn the traffic lights green
7. Once traffic is moving, secure the board by turning the control switch to off.
The "Lift Span Motor" meter is an amp meter to tell how hard the bridge is moving. Without it you have no idea if something is binding until the parts start flying. The last bridge I did, a 4 leaf double bascule, had 8 drive units producing 1.2 million foot pounds each. If something goes wrong that'll
leave a mark. :o The "Changeover" switch is to select the back-up drive incase someone wasn't paying attention to the Lift Span Motor meter. Another useless tidbit. Drawbridges are overcorrected, if the brakes are released they fall slowly UP due to the too heavy counterweights. Bob H.
Very nice project, thanks for sharing it with us. Welcome to the forum. I will be following along with great interest.
Thanks oldiron and S&S RR for your interest.
Hello Bob. Your summation was very good considering the control panel was not well labelled.
Here is my understanding of the controls, overwriting the differences in blue.
(https://i.imgur.com/TWCIdXI.jpg)
Quote from: oldiron on December 18, 2017, 09:23:21 PM
Ok, here we go. I used to overhaul "moveable structures" for a living. I'm in the US so it looks like there are some differences in terminology down under but the basics look the same. An opening sequence would go something like this;
1. Firstly, the CHANGEOVER switch is for Power (NORMAL = Grid electricity; AUXILLARY = Back-up diesel generator). So this switch is put in NORMAL position. This empowers the CONTROL SWITCH and the NAVIGATIONAL LIGHTS switch. The NAV. LIGHTS OPERABLE lamp is now ON.
Normally, the road traffic will flow with the traffic lights being OFF, or 'dark' as you put it. Turning the CONTROL SWITCH to CONTROL empowers the Traffic Control switch (unlabeled) at bottom right. Also the navigational lights under the span and on the Fender Piers turn on. In reality this is optional, and usually are turned on, when needed, between dusk and dawn. However, with the NAVIGATIONAL LIGHTS switch in OFF position the red control panel lamps, for up and down-stream, will be ON. The vessel traffic lights at center of span will be red for both up and down stream. So no vessels ought to be traversing under the bridge.
Turn traffic lights red...
In Australia we have Red, Amber, and Green road traffic lights. The switch at bottom right is for traffic control lights. NORMAL = has the Amber traffic lights flashing, and an alarm bell, for about 15 seconds before it stops and the red traffic lights come on. However, due to possible traffic delays, the operator may wish to EXTEND the Amber flashing lights until the bridge is clear enough to have the red lights on. The operator (pre-1995) used an inverted periscope, in the span hut, to see if the traffic (and pedestrians) were clear off the span, or between the swinging gates.
Once the Amber stop flashing, the red lights come on. The ROAD LIGHTS RED, and GATES MOVEABLE lamps on control panel is ON.
I think that would be your switch labeled "Control Switch". Off is normal, traffic lights dark. Control position would start the sequence to turn the traffic lights red. When they go red the "Road Lights Red" indicator would light, a safety circuit would clear allowing movement of the gates and the "Gates Movable" indicator would light.
2. Lower (CLOSE = gate swings across the road) oncoming traffic gates. Oncoming first so you don't trap anyone on the bridge
3. Lower off-going traffic gates. When the last gate reaches full closed another safety circuit is cleared so your span locks will operate and the "Lift Span Lock Operable" indicator would light.
4. Retract the span locks. I would guess that's the lever on the lower right labeled Extend, Off, Normal. Actually, there was a hand-lever next to the console, similar to a railway points lever in a Signal Box. Now a normal switch has been added to the control panel to replace the hand-lever. Turn the switch to normal. When the locks fully retract yet another safety circuit is cleared enabling the lift motors and lighting the "Lift Span Operable" indicator light. A little something might get lost in the translation here but by US Coast Guard regulations navigable waterways have the right of way over all other traffic hence the "normal" condition is locks retracted, and bridge up. Once the LOCKING PIN switch is in the UNLOCK position (not shown in diagram) the LOCKING PIN DISENGAGED lamp turns ON. The LIFT SPAN OPERABLE lamp turns ON when the NAVIGATIONAL LIGHTS switch selects up or down stream. This enables the vessel traffic lights, for up or down stream, to turn green when the span has been fully raised.
5. Raise the bridge using the "Span Control" buttons.
6. A little guess work here. In the US the navigation lights both ways turn from red to green then the bridge is fully open. In your case it looks like once the span reaches fully open a interlock circuit will clear, lighting the "Nav. Lights Operable" indicator and allowing you to select upstream or downstream traffic using the "Navigation Lights" switch. Once the span reaches its upper limit, and only then, does the green light for the boat comes ON. The bridge operator will be talking to the vessel captain via radio/mobile phone, making sure that the vessel will traverse under the bridge. Once the vessel has cleared the Fender piers, and no other vessels need to pass under, the bridge operator turns the NAVIGATIONAL LIGHTS switch to OFF, which turns the vessel traffic lights back to red for both up and down stream.
Time to lower it down.
1. Navigation Lights off.
2. Lower the span, changeover switch to off.
The span lowers to about the 60% point and switches OFF. The INCH push-button needs to be used to lower the bridge in several slow stages before docking. The model will only use one stage, at about the 80% point and the remainder will be lowered, via the INCH button, at half speed.
Once docked, of full down, the LIFT SPAN LOCK OPERABLE lamp turns ON.
Note: The STOP button is only used for emergencies. The power to the span and boat motors will be switched OFF, and a buzzer will be enabled to allow museum staff know that the STOP button was used. This is in case there really is an emergency need to stop the bridge operations.
3. Extend the span locks, switch to off. LOCK (not shown in diagram)
4. Open the off-going traffic gates, switch to off.
5. Open the on-going traffic gates, switch to off.
6. Turn the traffic lights green
7. Once traffic is moving, secure the board by turning the control switch to off.
The "Lift Span Motor" meter is an amp meter to tell how hard the bridge is moving. Without it you have no idea if something is binding until the parts start flying. The last bridge I did, a 4 leaf double bascule, had 8 drive units producing 1.2 million foot pounds each. If something goes wrong that'll
leave a mark. :o The "Changeover" switch is to select the back-up drive incase someone wasn't paying attention to the Lift Span Motor meter. Another useless tidbit. Drawbridges are overcorrected, if the brakes are released they fall slowly UP due to the too heavy counterweights. Bob H.
The Ammeter could not be used to the model. Instead, I took out the meter movement, and had the needle stuck at 75% full-scale mark, and installed two white LED lights behind the cover. The meter lights up when power is turned on via the CHANGEOVER switch, the first step in operating the bridge.
Bob, you did a good summation of how the bridge works. There are still a few things I did not mention, like when the green and red gate panel lamps turn on and off, and when other lamps turn off also.
Took the front panel away to see what was involved and what could be serviceable for the model.
(https://i.imgur.com/Pb3bSQJ.jpg)
Using the iPhone to take photos in awkward positions, I was able to decipher the switch connections.
(https://i.imgur.com/nAkV3lG.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/FgoljiV.jpg)
After all of this, it became clear that much of the wiring needed to be re-routed. So I decided to strip it all down and re-wire it to serve a completely different service to operating a DC model.
The museum workshop did not have enough room to accommodate the display table. So it is being assembled in my lounge room.
The timber arrived and so I started building the display table and the control box.
There is a 3 mm gap across the table. This is to accommodate the boat vane and pulley system.
(https://i.imgur.com/QsknQrz.jpg)
The control box has two doors for accessing the motors, pulley-cable system and electronics.
(https://i.imgur.com/6CPrckF.jpg)
There's a new lift bridge under construction here in Portsmouth NH.
The most recent photo is in an article about a truck that blew off a span under construction :-) http://www.fosters.com/news/20171030/70-mph-gust-blows-truck-off-bridge
dave
Peter
I thought you may be interested in this lift bridge - it is between Houghton and Hancock across Portage Lake in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The upper level is for vehicle traffic and the lower is for railroad traffic.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/18-191217210854.jpeg)
Peter,
Welcome to the Forum. Looks like a neat project. Need to learn some carpentry and bridge building skills so will follow along.
Tommy
Quote from: deemery on December 19, 2017, 04:02:24 PM
There's a new lift bridge under construction here in Portsmouth NH.
The most recent photo is in an article about a truck that blew off a span under construction :-) http://www.fosters.com/news/20171030/70-mph-gust-blows-truck-off-bridge
dave
Thanks Dave for interesting info.
You would think that they would not work in any conditions prone to gale force winds. I am quite sure that truck will be written-off.
Quote from: S&S RR on December 19, 2017, 09:11:45 PM
Peter
I thought you may be interested in this lift bridge - it is between Houghton and Hancock across Portage Lake in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The upper level is for vehicle traffic and the lower is for railroad traffic...
Great photo. If I ever build a model bridge for myself, I would build this one, because it involves all three modes of transport.
My first impression was "That bridge is very low. The railway would get flooded on a king tide." Then I re-read your post... Ah, its on a lake.
Quote from: tom.boyd.125 on December 20, 2017, 03:40:56 AM
Peter,
Welcome to the Forum. Looks like a neat project. Need to learn some carpentry and bridge building skills so will follow along.
Tommy
Thanks Tommy for your welcome.
I had enough of wood-work for a while and decided to work on the console.
The first requirement for most electronic projects is to build its Power Supply Unit (PSU). From this point, often the PSU is used for further construction and testing.
This project will require three different voltages, 5, 12, and 24 volts. Each capable of handling 2 amps. Here is the circuit I finally settled with.
(https://i.imgur.com/xE3326f.jpg)
Made the circuit boards and tested well on first go.
(https://i.imgur.com/1V7riNV.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/zaSyP8I.jpg)
Peter,
Just getting caught up on this thread.
First, welcome to the forum. We are very happy you joined and are sharing your project with us. wonderful stuff and I'm one of the many interested followers.
Again, welcome and great stuff on the lift bridge.
Tom ;D
Thank you Tom for your welcome and support.
to continue:
Time to start building the bridge.
First drilled and glued bamboo skewers, as doweling, for where the bridge footings go.
I could not source 32 mm dowel cheaply, so I cut and shaped the bridge footings from scrap board.
Drilling center-holes into the footings allowed me to position them accurately via the bamboo doweling. Glued all the footings to the table.
(https://i.imgur.com/UBgGvOS.jpg)
To eliminate any shadow line between footings (bridge) and table (river) I used wood putty around the edges. Hoping that when I paint the river the bridge won't look like it is floating on top of the water.
Glued the piers into place, each set has a different length, for the bridge arches across the river.
(https://i.imgur.com/zjIRCop.jpg)
Then I attached the plywood girders. The end with a box end has a street (Bridge St) passing under the bridge. The loose board will be the base for the span.
(https://i.imgur.com/jOtjoDh.jpg)
Very nice work.
Peter, that is one heck of a project. The bridge alone would be a huge undertaking, but all the electronics, well, that's where I get lost. My hat's off to you, mate. I'll be interested to see how the bridge goes together.
Tony
Thank you Curt and Tony for compliments.
to continue:
I thought I better give the bridge an undercoat before applying any road base. While I was at it, I gave a few coats where the river water will be.
The holes you see along the girder edge where the span sits in, is for contact wires. These wires, eight in all, will serve the span electronically. Part of which is to provide DC power to its 9 volt rechargeable battery for when the span is being in motion (not docked). Other contact points are for signal data, such as vessel traffic lights.
(https://i.imgur.com/ICaPQhR.jpg)
Up and down stream from the bridge are several sets of Fender piers. the outer sets contain navigational lights. Their center piers have a hole drilled through them to accommodate the LED and wiring.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZdEn7bj.jpg)
Collected all sorts of electronic junk from friends and neighbours. Spent a week stripping down old analogue TV sets, computers, video recorders, disk drives, etc. All for the purpose of obtaining parts and components. From this, I obtained a good set of TV speakers. They will be used for the sound effects (alarm bell, boat sounds) for the diorama. However, these speakers were set in a plastic mould, and as a consequence the speaker cannot be mounted without a bracket. This is needed to keep the speaker's diaphragm from touching something (dulling the sound output).
(https://i.imgur.com/a3SiAKf.jpg)
I returned to the museum to cut out the holes, for the speakers, in the back of the console. The museum staff made the suggestion to take photographs of the console interior so the young visitors could get an idea what went into the workings of a console. I suggested to replace the front panel with a thick sheet of perspex. So now the console interior is to become a sort or wiring diorama, with interior lighting. The interior got cleaned up and painted with a dark bluish grey in the hope of contrasting the proposed coloured wiring.
(https://i.imgur.com/exk7G08.jpg)
Made a new set of numbers for the terminal strips, and mounted the Power Supply Unit to the side plate.
(https://i.imgur.com/cU6i5lF.jpg)
Great build thread! I'm following along.
Quote from: MAP on December 23, 2017, 06:39:03 AM
Great build thread! I'm following along.
Hello
Mark, thanks for following.
to continue:
Back to the bridge, I decided to focus on the more complicated part of the bridge - the lift span. I need to have this section built so I can build and position the bridge towers to suit the already made lift-span.
The first thing I did was to attach the road base, kerbing and footpath to the span base.
(https://i.imgur.com/cp6Rt6Z.jpg)
Then on the underside I cut trenches for inlaying wiring for the navigational beacons and for eight contact points (not yet shown).
(https://i.imgur.com/QdeyJy2.jpg)
Then I drew a full-scale template of the span framework. I am using 6 mm square Tasmanian Oak for the bridge frame. I know the bridge is a steel structure, but the timber version is both more convenient and cheaper. I used bamboo skewers for doweling the framework.
(https://i.imgur.com/ikSlg78.jpg)
While I was building the frame I came up with a solution to the cable anchoring points to the span. I cut small fishing swivels in half and soldered them to the heads of 3 mm bolts. This should also unravel any twisting of the cable during its use.
(https://i.imgur.com/AjhbnvI.jpg)
This is just to show how the span looks on the bridge.
(https://i.imgur.com/kOfyNt8.jpg)
Then I laid the wiring into the trench work. Attached contact points made from a sort of silver-tin plate which had a bit of a spring to it.
The wiring got routed towards the vertical sections of the framework. The wires will then follow the framework towards the span hut atop of the span.
(https://i.imgur.com/mAVlEmM.jpg)
After making a continuity check of all the connections, I covered the trench work with wood putty. Sanded it down and then painted it with white acrylic undercoat.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZRV2fyJ.jpg)
Peter,
WOW, this is really quite the project and expertly done as well. Love the thread.
Tom ;D
ACL 1504,
I'm perplexed to why you are so impressed with Peter's amazing build. This is the same type of building process you show to others on your daily layout A&S builds. It's nice to see even a master builder like yourself is wowed by another master builder like Peter.
Now if we can fast forward a couple years and we all can have two master builders with tonnes of cool building pictorials to entertain and learn from. I'm still riveted here! Thanx Thom...
Keep building boys, keep building!
:o Wow!
Awesome project and presentation...I feel smarter just for following along.
John
Amazing work.
This thread is getting better and better.
Thank you Tom, tct855, John, Curt Webb, and Janbouli for your encouraging and kind words.
Hope you and other members had a wonderful Christmas Eve and Day.
to continue:
More framework was added to the top of the span. Then I drew up plans for the Hut base, balconies, and gangways to the hut. There is a caged ladder outside the bridge tower for the operator to access the hut. However, I decided to delete this detail to keep the aesthetics of the structure of the bridge clean and simple.
3 mm MDF board was used here.
(https://i.imgur.com/Q1BQHUh.jpg)
Used matchsticks for the railing posts. The stepped base area is the hut floor, plus an edge for me to attach the hut walls to. The rectangular hole is for feeding the wires into the hut from under the base plate.
(https://i.imgur.com/o2rt8RA.jpg)
The top left photo shows the cable anchoring point, longitudinal bumper rollers (modified microswitch actuators), and an opto-coupler https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opto-isolator (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opto-isolator) for signalling the hut electronics when the span has been raised to its upper position.
(https://i.imgur.com/BAqm5wH.jpg)
Here you can see how the wires got routed to the hut. The side of the span, which has the wiring attached to the vertical beams, is not seen by the museum visitor. Once the framework gets painted, it will be even less noticeable.
(https://i.imgur.com/5wRtZYX.jpg)
Made lateral bumper rollers to stop the span from swinging across the bridge.
(https://i.imgur.com/YpoSHLp.jpg)
Then added vessel traffic lights. They are centrally located on the span, and on the railing of the hut balcony.
The wiring is routed under the balcony and back up into the hut.
(https://i.imgur.com/TXvfN9p.jpg)
There are storage and service boxes on the span balconies.
(https://i.imgur.com/z80z2tZ.jpg)
Bottom photo shows them drying on my window sill.
Peter....
This is a very, very impressive build you are doing.
A lot of the construction from "scratch" so to speak ?
You are one clever guy. What scale is this being built in ?
Cheers
Bagman
Thank you bagman for kind words.
The scale is 1/72.
Peter
Very interesting build - I love all the attention to detail. Great thread.
Thank you John for your support.
to continue:
The hut wall were made from 3 mm MDF board, 2 mm clear Perspex sheet for windows, and white card for window trims and doors.
(https://i.imgur.com/oRjN655.jpg)
Wishing you all a...
(https://i.imgur.com/n9c3BIx.gif)
to continue:
Added split bamboo skewers for railings, and fly screen for mesh. Started to paint the span with a home mixed, Bridge Grey oil enamel.
(https://i.imgur.com/8sYEch2.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Qqemo4W.jpg)
Found some washers that fit over the LED nav; lights. Now they look more like beacons.
Added railings for the road and footpath. Gave that a paint. Will paint road later.
(https://i.imgur.com/nmFaoRX.jpg)
To be honest, at this point of model making I felt really good on how the span turned out.
Your build is fascinating to watch. The details are great. Keep those progress photos coming!
Just saw this thread. That is some really nice work and some fine details.
Jerry
Very intricate and professionally done.
Peter,
Crap crap crap! Copycatting other modelers, taking out of focus off-center photos, literary misspelled commentation, with ridiculous out of scale modeling with unbelievable horrendous modeling skills and technique. I'm sorry sir, but none of the aforementioned comments can apply to you and this absolutely stunning & incredibly professional build pictorial thread.
I felt I should add to this totally original build you are sharing with a commensurate original reply. I'm all eyes! keep on truckin' Thanx Thom...
(https://memegenerator.net/img/instances/400x/62362970.jpg)
Well, what a response. Thank you fellow modellers, Mark, Jerry, Curt, Thom... (ha ha ha), and Janbouli.
(https://i.imgur.com/ymtkpf9.jpg)
Doweling the framework.
(https://i.imgur.com/QwKYNd4.jpg)
Over 11 metres of timber went into building the towers.
(https://i.imgur.com/1ZnQQA2.jpg)
The pulley wheels I wanted were too expensive (to buy ten of them). So I came up with an alternative by solder-sweating different sized washers together.
My first attempt had too much solder, but got it right after that.
(https://i.imgur.com/EfO5SWD.jpg)
Designed and constructed pulley wheel brackets.
(https://i.imgur.com/pM97P0Q.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/miHv7AB.jpg)
The towers are not actually in place in these photographs. They are just positioned to see how it will look, and how close the span bumpers would get to the towers. The towers have to be installed at the same time as the road surface.
(https://i.imgur.com/tOgN4rQ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/vRZSbx8.jpg)
That sure is a beautiful piece of engineering, Peter.
Vince
Thank you Vince for compliment.
Decided to add the gangway atop of the towers. Then gave them a paint.
(https://i.imgur.com/ocYXjMw.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ENP6Oxa.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/OePqrfx.jpg)
Altered a figurine to make it wave. Will have him, and others, in work clothes positioned here.
(https://i.imgur.com/pZq7GIl.jpg?1)
Awesome modeling.
This is some awesome modeling work - I'm really enjoying your thread.
Thank you Curt and John.
Created traffic lights with large 5 mm LEDs (easier to see from a behind point of view).
They turned out over scale, but I am sure the Ballina Museum can live with it.
(https://i.imgur.com/hi4t5uE.jpg)
Peter,
This is just wonderful. I'm amazed at all the work going into the build. What a fantastic display for the museum.
Tom ;D
Thank you Tom.
to continue:
I discovered before installing the towers that once they are in, the span cannot be removed for repairs. There won't be enough room to pass above the pulley wheels. So I cut off the lateral bumper rollers (the hidden side) and replaced them with removable ones.
(https://i.imgur.com/pC14Tqz.jpg)
Prepared road base. Installed the necessary span and traffic lights wiring along bridge girders. Assembled road, towers and traffic lights in one go.
(https://i.imgur.com/8JY8D2R.jpg)
Peter,
This just gets better and better. WOW!
Tom ;D
Quote from: ACL1504 on January 22, 2018, 06:11:08 PM
Peter,
This just gets better and better. WOW!
Tom ;D
Can't argue with that....OUTSTANDING!!!
Thanks Tom and Donato for your kind words. Glad to know you are enjoying the build.
to continue:
Took me a few days to add all the matchstick posts and split bamboo skewer railings.
(https://i.imgur.com/fX2dNag.jpg)
Peter that is just some excellent modeling. The attention to detail and making your own parts outstanding.
Jerry
Thank you Jerry for compliment.
____________________
Had to tie up the loose wiring under the table, mainly to log and keep track of the wiring. So they got terminated, and extra wires were added for connections to the Control Box.
(https://i.imgur.com/1mXH0XE.jpg)
Beautiful wiring. I have always thought neat, organized wiring is its own art form.
Peter,
Enough is enough! All this perfect wiring, sharp cut wood edges, pristine painting, perfect focused pictures, proper lighting, blah, blah, blah... I know you are human, so make a mistake or something.
At least leave a pile of debris in the shot on the floor in the background or show a scratch the bottom of the legs or something! I bet all your records from the 70's don't even have a scratch.
You know what, I'm going to sit here perusing your fabulous work a little while longer before I get back to my perfect modeling mistakes. ??? Thanx Thom...
Quote from: vinceg on January 24, 2018, 06:39:46 PM
Beautiful wiring. I have always thought neat, organized wiring is its own art form.
Thanks vinceg.
You will be seeing some more from the console, but it may not look so arty ;)
Quote from: tct855 on January 24, 2018, 08:09:21 PM
Peter,
Enough is enough! All this perfect wiring, sharp cut wood edges, pristine painting, perfect focused pictures, proper lighting, blah, blah, blah... I know you are human, so make a mistake or something.
At least leave a pile of debris in the shot on the floor in the background or show a scratch the bottom of the legs or something! I bet all your records from the 70's don't even have a scratch.
You know what, I'm going to sit here perusing your fabulous work a little while longer before I get back to my perfect modeling mistakes. ??? Thanx Thom...
Ha ha ha. Thanks for kind words so humorously presented.
Then I had the fiddly job of painting the railings.
(https://i.imgur.com/EYcEFnh.jpg)
I do not plan to paint the bridge to appear weathered, but as if brand new and unpolluted. It is something I learnt to appreciate from doing some architectural rendering in my youth. So, I gave the rest of the bridge a cement grey colour. The road will be painted to appear as concrete (with gravel).
(https://i.imgur.com/ZwY6l12.jpg)
Gorgeous.
Thanks Curt.
_______________
Throughout this project I continue to do Internet research. A friend emailed me a photo taken of a computer screen by her iPhone. It revealed a few things I was still not clear about. There was the matter of what did the swing-gates look like. The scale of the cars is known, but how did they look in comparison to the whole bridge. Finally, what did the concrete road look like from above.
(https://i.imgur.com/7s7ENmt.jpg)
Decided to splatter dark grey paint onto the cement colour. It turned out horrendous. Originally I wanted to start again, but a part of me knew it could be turned to my advantages. So then I used the dry brush method to lighten up the dark patches. Afterwards, I kept alternating between dark and light paint with a fine brush until I was happy with the results.
(https://i.imgur.com/4PJPXx8.jpg)
Painting the span took longer than painting the rest of the road. It was difficult to get into the central areas. The edges of the span and bridge have a metal plate (silver painted area). The hole you see on edge of road is for the fine (0.7 mm) bridge cable which goes through the display table.
(https://i.imgur.com/A2wkhWF.jpg)
Peter,
Whoa! You dotted all that? (I must of missed something). Anywho, I wonder if gluing down an appropriate rough sandpaper (rough side up) painting the correct base color and dry brushing the highlight grit with the darker color and finish up with dry pigments for the traffic flow marks? I'm thinking would be less tedious than dotting?. Nice job without question the way you did it.
Thanx Thom...
Quote from: tct855 on January 26, 2018, 04:50:49 PM
Peter,
Whoa! You dotted all that? (I must of missed something). Anywho, I wonder if gluing down an appropriate rough sandpaper (rough side up) painting the correct base color and dry brushing the highlight grit with the darker color and finish up with dry pigments for the traffic flow marks? I'm thinking would be less tedious than dotting?. Nice job without question the way you did it.
Thanx Thom...
Thanks Thom... That is a great idea. Will try that method in future.
(https://i.imgur.com/KOctwSW.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/54wDkEe.jpg)
Love the wreck!
Tom ;D
Beautiful.
Thanks Tom and Curt.
_________________________
Since the console will be a wiring diorama of sorts, I decided to add a touch of drama by painting bits here and there.
(https://i.imgur.com/GUCFOsK.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/he7RHPX.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/5EHhTbE.jpg)
created new wiring harness for the console.
(https://i.imgur.com/A3M8mSh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/nayJlYi.jpg)
This just keeps getting more amazing - thank you for sharing it with us.
Thanks John.
_______________________
Added wiring harness to console control panel. Since it is the underside (not easily seen) it was pointless to dressed it up.
(https://i.imgur.com/9b71VmH.jpg)
Connected control panel and harness to console.
(https://i.imgur.com/0kNQOq6.jpg)
Made small harness between terminal strips and the two D-Connectors to the back of console (these connect to control box under display table).
(https://i.imgur.com/dtjoT8H.jpg)
Oh !!!!
Now this is REALLY cool.
thanx
Bob
Thanks Bob for your response.
__________________________
Added Passive Infrared (PIR) sensor for detecting any museum visitors approaching the display.
(https://i.imgur.com/DH8hDvO.jpg)
Dyed some felt a grey color and lined the console edges of front panel.
(https://i.imgur.com/zWYEMeD.jpg)
Drilled holes in the thick Perspex, allowing heatwaves to reach the PIR sensor. A portion of the front panel was used as a kick board to protect the Perspex.
(https://i.imgur.com/7tF4G3U.jpg)
The PIR sensors movement in its vicinity. When it does it will turn the console lighting on. The only times it turns off is when the PIR no longer sensors movement for 10 seconds, or when someone starts working the console.
(https://i.imgur.com/LtmqOTI.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/OpmxkoK.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/9uOmqAO.jpg)