Help with Walthers Crane

[Green_Elite_Cab]

I didn't like the way the too-light hook hung on the thread, and created a new sheave for it by punching discs out of sheet brass and soldering them together. However, I didn't build mine to work, as there are too many other things which would need to be corrected.
Regardless of whether you want the crane to work or not, it would be wise to place some tension on the boom, either by adding weight to its outermost end or by use of a spring.
I opted for a spring, as it would be difficult to conceal much weight on the boom's tip, and would then require additional off-setting weight at the rear of the cab.

The spring is simply a piece of .015" music wire. One end is bent upwards and inserted into the bottom of the cab's floor, while the outer end is bent up and then out again, so that it rests atop the lower crossbracing of the boom. I cemented a strip of styrene on each side of it, as the built-in tension gave it a tendency to move laterally.




Wayne

As it turns out, Walthers must have heard this piece of advice before, as my model actually already has such a wire built into it! Right now though, I might need to strengthen that wire.


Not surprisingly, opening up my crane to solve one problem made everything else foul up. It doesn't help that the whole thing is glued together out of the factory!

apparently, the little spool that pulls the boom up and down broke (how, I don't know), and so I tried to flip it around, but I think this now made the threads rub the wrong way or something, and now the boom has trouble lowering. I now remember why I have had any new cranes on my roster for so long!