Juneco/ Keystone Danby sawmill

[cnrglen]

I was looking for a small sawmill for my logging camp and found an old issue of Keystone's Dandy sawmill. The was however copied here in Canada by Juneco and that's the model I bought. The kit was advertised and started but complete.

   

However when I opened the box I had my doubts.

   

The wood content in the box seems a bit thin. I do believe that all the metal castings are present and that's what it most important.

   

It is a pretty small sawmil. The footprint is about 4 X 7". Mostly I'm thinking it's a rough-cut sawmill that supplies the logging camp's needs and sends surplus rough cuts to other customers.

   

The first step is to build the foundation beams. A quick inventory of the wood strips  and I found that all those parts were missing. 

   

I did have a pack of scale 8X8 from Mt. Albert scale lumber that fit that was the same size. 

   

I cut all the parts needed and thay went into an Alcohol and India Ink bath. They're currently drying before I start assembly.

[Ensign]

Glen, it looks like another interesting project to watch.
Thanks for sharing it with us again!

Greg

[cnrglen]

Thanks Greg. This will be a fun one I'm sure.

   

I built the nine foundation assemblies using a photocopied set of the plans to build a jig. 
   
and I made a plywood base to build it all on. I painted the base in a tan brown and added Woodland Scenics blended earth ground cover as a basic scenery primer to build on.

   

I glued the foundations to the base. The plans come with a spacing template. to keep the foundations straight I stretched a rubber band around the base a little more than an inch from the edge to give me a non-permanent straight line. 

     

Then I added the sawdust chain. This was used to drag sawdust out from under the main saw while the mill was in operation. There is a pulley under the mill where the saw will go and the other pulley attached to the tree stump. I theaded the chain around the two pulleys.

   

And then I added sawdust and wod chips around the chain and a pile by the stump. Easier to do now than later.

   

I also discouvered that the floor planking was missing as well but I was able the find some scale 2X10 that was almost the same size. I'm starting to wonder just how much of this project I'm going to have to fabricate myself.
I've stopped for now as I'm also missing some of the carridge track and will have to make that myself as well.

[LiveSteamer]

Looking good so far Glen. Can't wait to see the finished building.

[cnrglen]

Thanks Matt.

Another day, another missing part(s)

The next step is to install the carridge ways and rails but I found that 2 of the six parts were missing. They are all cast metal, representing the beams (ways) that the carrige rails ride on. I made some quick measurments and found that the ways are 8X8 so I had that from the foundation parts. I then used some brass rod to fabricate the rail.

   

It's not exactly like the original parts but not a bad stand-in.

   

I painted the brass rod with some oily steel 

   

I then finished the floor planking. Next is the sawmill machinery.

[cnrglen]

Some more progress

   

I installed the boiler and the  boiler foundation

   

I painted the brick foundation in a primer greay, then semi dry-brushed the bricks in three brick colors. I also painted the boiler in polly-s tarnished black followed by a light brush over of engine black.
The floor is cut to insert the foundation and everything is glued down.

   

Next is the two cable pulley's. But wouldn't you know, they're also missing. 
I was going to full-on scratchbuild a pair but I found this in my parts box:
   
I think it's from a crane kit but it has a pulley on either side so I can just cut them off and use them instead.

[TMo]

It's amazing how many pieces of this kit were not included. The seller got a much better end of the deal that you did, Glen! Great way to innovate, however!

[LiveSteamer]

The seller sure did make out on this but you are making out better with it. The progress you've made so far is awesome. You can add your own touch to it with making the parts that are missing. That's the fun part in my opinion I think.

[BR60103]

Someone in Britain described "making a locomotive using parts from X's kit".