Wichendon Machine Shop (restart)

[deemery]

Several forums (fora?) ago, I did a thread on the Laser Modelers 3 Winchendon Machine Shop kit.  That project stalled, in part because of "analysis paralysis", and in part because I was waiting for some parts to come in.  So I've decided to dig this one out and continue work. 

Here's what I'm starting from:

That's -4 boxes- of stuff.  So the first order of business is to inventory what I have in each, and figure out which boxes have parts for the ground floor, which boxes have parts for the 2nd floor, which boxes have walls and roofs, which boxes have parts that I -might- want to use but don't have a specific purpose yet.  The kit came in 2 flavors, just the building, and the building plus the machine tools & interior parts.  I got the base kit and bought my own machine tools, engine, boiler, etc.  One part I completed (more or less) was the boiler house, with a scratchbuilt boiler.

What I remember was that I had worked out the position for each machine tool on the ground floor, and the belt runs for those tools.  As I recall, I think I was waiting for some figures to use as machine operators.

Stay tuned!  (But don't expect daily updates...  As someone else said, "Watching me model is like watching grass grow."  In my case, it's more bursty.  There'll be a lot of visible activity, and then quiet while I either get my mojo back, wait for parts, wait for glue/paint to dry, etc. )

dave

[swisstrain]

I will be following this with interest.

I too started the project (quickly after I purchased the kit) and then ended up in "analysis paralysis", researching how machines would have been arranged etc.

After a while, I just installed machines to create an illusion that there would be a well organized machine shop behind the windows.  My building is well lit, so it can be seen.  It turned out to be a very rewarding project.

Curious what you will make with it

[deemery]

First, a photo from the kit instructions, to get a sense of the structure:


When I stopped, I had the ground floor and its framing done.  Here's a laydown of the ground floor, with the 4 walls oriented.  I put tape to show where doors, etc, were, i.e. where tools could NOT go.   TRACK SIDE IS UP here. 

There's a hole in the upper left corner of the floor, that's where the steam engine will go.  To the bottom right, there's a tool room and office. 

Here's the layout I recorded the last time I worked on this:

The steam engine is in the upper left corner.  The tools are, left-to-right:  Top row: large lathe, small lathe.   Bottom row:  large drill press, shaper, 2 small drill presses, 2 screw machines.  These are a combination of SS Ltd, Rio Grande Models and (old!) Model Masterpieces kits. 

I think this tool layout will work, but I'll want to go back and check it out again.  Next step will be to understand and plan the belt runs.   The shafts here run left-to-right above each row of tools.   The steam engine will drive the top shaft, and a belt between the 2 shafts will complete the power transmission. 

I'll also need to add shelving, tools, etc along the walls. 

dave

[Zephyrus52246]

Your post reminds me I have one of their kits for a coal business.  I think the company itself has gone by the wayside.  Looking forward to your build

Jeff

[ACL1504]

Dave,

I'll be following along as well. I almost bought one of their kits at one of the Expos. 

Tom

[Larry C]

Dave nice to see you've dug out the kit and looking forward seeing your twist on it; looks
like a nice kit. I think we all over think projects from time to time. Enjoy and have fun.

[deemery]

The first step here is to dig out the machines and recreate the layout I had in mind when I put this away.  I have a piece of paper (printout) showing a layout but I can't find that on the computer.  I went back to the 3-in-1, scanned the second story floor, printed it out at 100% (took 11x14 paper, it's slightly longer than will fit on regular letter paper), and now I'm trying to recreate that layout on the 100% template. I'm also selecting shelving units to place against the wall, and did some trimming on those to get them to fit. 

The other thing I remember about both this kit and the Motrak "Bisgeier Building:" that goes on the other side, is how to make one wall removable.  I remember looking at tiny magnets for that. 

dave

[deemery]

Your post reminds me I have one of their kits for a coal business.  I think the company itself has gone by the wayside.  Looking forward to your build

Jeff

It looks like they're still in business, but only as custom model makers.  https://www.lasermodeling3.com  They got out of the kit business.

Based on the photos I took of the original construction, I started on this project in 2012!

dave

[friscomike]

Howdy Dave, nice start.  The machines look terrific and will add a lot to the structure.  I'm following along.  Good luck and have fun, mike

[Philip]

Nice Kit!

Four score and seven years ago you scored a hell of a kit! 

Philip

[Rick]

Dave, it looks like this kit will keep you busy for a while.
Have fun with it and I'll be checking to see how you progress.

[Zephyrus52246]

Dave, here's a couple of pics from their display at one of the Expos.  I'm sure yours will look even better.  

Jeff

[deemery]

Thanks, Jeff!  That gives me a good idea how the structure looks all lit up.  (Nice big windows...)

dave

[jbvb]

I remember your original post; I thought about buying the kit for the prototypical look, but by that time my layout plan no longer had room for it. Note that the city in MA is Winchendon.

I remembered a Live Steam Magazine article about a surviving belt driven machine shop in California. Google won't tell me which issue it was in, but they know it as Knight Foundry in Sutter Creek, CA. Another surviving belt driven operation is the Soule Steam Feed Works in Meridian MS. Searching for Winchendon Machine Shop reveals the name of the actual prototype for the kit, via a picture of one machine shop's building. Sadly, Godspeed Machine had shut down sometime before April 2023 and while the blueprints of every machine they had ever manufactured were still in the building, they and the few remaining machines were to be ousted by a "rehab" of the building. Google claims it was at 133 Grove St., but Street View doesn't show either a building I can associate with the old photos or an obvious demolition/replacement.

[jbvb]

The 133 Grove address appears to be whoever owned Godspeed Machine during liquidation. The prototype for the kit seems to have been at 15 Summer Dr. in Winchendon. Street View looking roughly North from Summer St. (G's car didn't go down Summer Dr.) shows the building with Godspeed Machine still visible on its walls. But G's car didn't cover all of Pond St. or any of Elm St.  The building isn't visible in Street View of Central St. (US 202) but I don't find news stories about its demolition either. I'll try the HUB Division list...