A gantry crane - Printable Version

A gantry crane - Printable Version

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A gantry crane - cnw1961 - 03-28-2009

I don’t need a gantry crane for my layout, but I needed a break from working on my layout. I wanted to do some modeling, so I decided to build a gantry crane, the obvious choice, isn’t it? Goldth

. A while ago I saw this pic of an old gantry crane http://www.gingerb.com/CNJ%20Wilkes-Barre%20LV%2030-Ton%20Whiting%20Crane%20to%20D&H%20FEB%201968.jpg and ever since I wanted to build something like that. For first attempt I wanted to use styrene to build the crane. I started with doing a drawing for the legs of the crane.

[Image: crane_leg.jpg]

Next I glued a printout to a .020" sheet of styrene, cut the sides of the leg out and assembled the leg. It looked like that.

[Image: crane1.jpg]

To tell the truth, I did not really enjoy doing this leg and it did not look good enough. And besides, after working a lot with styrene for the structures of my layout, this was not the new challenge I was after. So I decided to try to build the crane from brass. I have only done some detail parts from brass so far, not a whole structure. So this would be a completely new experience.

Re: A gantry crane - cnw1961 - 03-28-2009

I did some some shopping and got these brass wires and profiles.

[Image: crane_m.jpg]

From the left to the right: .020" and .035" wires, .040" u-shaped profile, .060" and .080" T profiles, .200" x .120" and .400" x .160" I profiles.

For cutting and grinding I use a dremel with a thin fibre cutting disc.

I started with cutting two pieces of the .200" x .120" I-shaped profile and glued them to my drawing to fix the in the right position. Now I could solder all the braces to the two big girders. After some cutting, grinding, soldering and filing, it looked like this.

[Image: crane5.jpg]

Compared to the plastic leg, I though the score was 1:0 for brass.

[Image: crane4.jpg]

Re: A gantry crane - cnw1961 - 03-28-2009

After the first leg went alright, I wanted to see if I could do the railing of the walkway on top of the crane using .020" and .035" wires. Again I did a little drawing and fixed the wires to the the paper for soldering.

[Image: crane6.jpg]

I still had some etched n-scale bridge railings from when I was into modeling N, and I thought it might be a good walkway.

[Image: crane8.jpg]

Started to look like a gantry crane.

[Image: crane9.jpg]

To make it easy to fix the walkway to cross girder, I drilled holes for the supports of the walkway.

[Image: crane14.jpg]

Re: A gantry crane - bdw9535 - 03-28-2009

Kurt,
Your modeling skills and abilities continue to amaze me Thumbsup

. Curious as to where you would place this on the Miami layout?

Bruce

Re: A gantry crane - cnw1961 - 03-28-2009

Now it was time to build the second leg. Went much quicker than the first one. Still has to be cut to length, filed and sanded.

[Image: crane11.jpg]

For the rails on top of the beams I used my .040 U profile. This pic also shows that I changed the walkway. I made it a little narrower. The first version looked too wide when attached to the beam.

[Image: crane15.jpg]

Re: A gantry crane - cnw1961 - 03-28-2009

Thank you, Bruce. The crane will not be placed my Miami layout. As I said in my first post, it is a kind of distraction I needed from building my layout.

Now it was time to solder the legs and the cross girders together. I thought a while about how to align and fix the legs in a perfectly parallel and upright position for soldering. I came up with this jig that I made from .120" cardboard. This should do the trick. Now I only had to put some cardboard strips between the girders to press them to the legs.

[Image: crane12.jpg]

I was quite nervous about soldering the legs and the girders together. If I’d fail to do it right, the whole project would go down the drain.

Re: A gantry crane - Trucklover - 03-28-2009

HOLY SMOKES Kurt!! That is absolutely freaking awesome work!!! Eek

Man you do some amazing beautiful work Kurt, i look forward to seeing some more! Cheers

Re: A gantry crane - cnw1961 - 03-28-2009

Fortunately, it did not get close to the drain! Goldth

While the soldering iron was still hot, I added the braces from the legs to the cross girders.

[Image: crane19.jpg]

Now it took some filing and grinding to remove excessive solder.

Re: A gantry crane - cnw1961 - 03-28-2009

Josh, my friend, thank you for your kind comment.

To give the LPBs access to the walkway, there has to be a ladder. The pic shows how I fixed the .020" and .035" wires for soldering.

[Image: crane20.jpg]

After sooooome filing the ladder was ready to be attached to the crane.

[Image: crane21.jpg]

Re: A gantry crane - cnw1961 - 03-28-2009

Here is the last pic for now. The bridge of the crane is almost finished.

[Image: crane22.jpg]

Re: A gantry crane - Sarge - 03-28-2009

Great work Kurt Thumbsup

Since you are not going to use it, you could always send it to me Big Grin

Re: A gantry crane - Jesso - 03-28-2009

Absolutely spectacular! Thumbsup

I love watching you build things, you give such good step-by-step pictures that is as fun to see it being built as to see the finished product! Can't wait to see more of your wonderful progress!

Re: A gantry crane - eightyeightfan1 - 03-28-2009

Man....I envy you guys that work in brass.
Makes me wish I was that talented.

Re: A gantry crane - steinjr - 03-28-2009

Bravo!

Smile,
Stein

Re: A gantry crane - nachoman - 03-28-2009

Fan-freaking-tastic!!