Draw Bridge
- Thread starter Nick8564
- Start date
Bascule Bridge
Bascule, or other form of moveable bridges, require some
experience , and skill with both making and finding already manufactured components; as well as with fitting it into the layout. They are not a beginning scratch builder's project, unless you bring the skills from another area (e.g.woodenship model building, cabinet making, model engineering,etc.).
The Walthers' kit does not go together easily. To produce
a reliably operating model requires reëngineering the mechanism, which generally puts it out of the skill range
of the novice modeller. However, carefully assembling it
as a static model can be done. So if you want scenery as opposed to a working Scherzer lift bridge go for it!
As such, it provides the components that would take work
to scratch up, so it would be easier than starting there.
Please understand, even as a static model, it will require
you to" file and fit" the kit, in manners not explained in the
instructions (unless they have revised them lately).
Good-Luck, Peter
Bascule, or other form of moveable bridges, require some
experience , and skill with both making and finding already manufactured components; as well as with fitting it into the layout. They are not a beginning scratch builder's project, unless you bring the skills from another area (e.g.woodenship model building, cabinet making, model engineering,etc.).
The Walthers' kit does not go together easily. To produce
a reliably operating model requires reëngineering the mechanism, which generally puts it out of the skill range
of the novice modeller. However, carefully assembling it
as a static model can be done. So if you want scenery as opposed to a working Scherzer lift bridge go for it!
As such, it provides the components that would take work
to scratch up, so it would be easier than starting there.
Please understand, even as a static model, it will require
you to" file and fit" the kit, in manners not explained in the
instructions (unless they have revised them lately).
Good-Luck, Peter
Build your own. Study bridges as much as you can and learn why different bridges are placed at different locations. If you have access to AutoCAD, you can print your own drawings on sheet styrene and cut the patterns out. Or you could print on paper and laminate it to cardstock. There are many ways to do it and do it cheaply. With anything that moves, precise measurements and cuts are required, so take your time and do it right. Good Luck!
Nick, here is my solution to this problem. It IS a project, one that I probably would not want to do again. It has been in place for about 8 years, used almost every day, and has required very little in the way of maintenance or repairs.
The secret to one of these things is to first determine exactly how it functions by studying pictures and drawings, if you can find them. Then you probably should make a scale drawing of the bridge you want to build. Next step is to purchase the materials (I used Plastruct ABS, but now they have finer-scale Styrene I-Beams, Angles,Tees, etc. Then it's a matter of cutting and fitting. One thing that must be exactly correct is that all pivot points must be in the same plane and aligned exactly. I hate to keep using the same word over and over, but EXACTLY is the key word. I didn't necessarily get it right the first time, or the third time, but eventually, it worked. Perserverance is another key word, come to think of it!
But when you finish it, you'll have built something very few others have done.
And I think it's something to be proud of!
Angus Macdonald
http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=9937
The secret to one of these things is to first determine exactly how it functions by studying pictures and drawings, if you can find them. Then you probably should make a scale drawing of the bridge you want to build. Next step is to purchase the materials (I used Plastruct ABS, but now they have finer-scale Styrene I-Beams, Angles,Tees, etc. Then it's a matter of cutting and fitting. One thing that must be exactly correct is that all pivot points must be in the same plane and aligned exactly. I hate to keep using the same word over and over, but EXACTLY is the key word. I didn't necessarily get it right the first time, or the third time, but eventually, it worked. Perserverance is another key word, come to think of it!
But when you finish it, you'll have built something very few others have done.
And I think it's something to be proud of!
Angus Macdonald
http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=9937