Building Jerry's Donkey
- Thread starter Captain Jerry
- Start date
Help Support Home Model Engine Machinist Forum:
Jerry--Has this project been discontinued? You made such marvelous progress for the longest time, and then it kind of faded away. I am contemplating a similar build and after watching a number of videos of steam donkey engines on Youtube I realize that there were many different types and configurations of steam driven donkey engines.----Brian
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2008
- Messages
- 971
- Reaction score
- 8
Brian
This project is packed away in a drawer, waiting for an increase in skills. It was my first attempt to build a model to scale. Up till then, I had just built little machines that worked. There is a big difference. I found that there were some parts that would be needed that I had no clue as to how I could make produce. I'll get back to it some day.
I had thought that the internal friction clutches would be a big challenge, and they were. I was able to design a working mechanism without regard to scale because the clutch shoes are hidden inside the drum. The external, contracting brake bands brought me to a halt. They are exposed to view and I could not find a good method of production or the right material or the right idea. I sometimes find that a problem like this will solve itself if I don't concentrate too hard and a new approach will come to me in a dream.
There have been 423 nights since I put this away and more than a few ideas have come to me in my dreams but I'm not hearing anything from the donkey. Maybe this little reminder will nudge something into action.
Thanks.
jerry
This project is packed away in a drawer, waiting for an increase in skills. It was my first attempt to build a model to scale. Up till then, I had just built little machines that worked. There is a big difference. I found that there were some parts that would be needed that I had no clue as to how I could make produce. I'll get back to it some day.
I had thought that the internal friction clutches would be a big challenge, and they were. I was able to design a working mechanism without regard to scale because the clutch shoes are hidden inside the drum. The external, contracting brake bands brought me to a halt. They are exposed to view and I could not find a good method of production or the right material or the right idea. I sometimes find that a problem like this will solve itself if I don't concentrate too hard and a new approach will come to me in a dream.
There have been 423 nights since I put this away and more than a few ideas have come to me in my dreams but I'm not hearing anything from the donkey. Maybe this little reminder will nudge something into action.
Thanks.
jerry
Jerry---I am going thru your post in detail this morning, and when I try to watch any of the videos I get the message that they are password protected. Can you possibly share the password with me please.----Brian
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2008
- Messages
- 971
- Reaction score
- 8
Brian
Thanks for the heads up. There is no need for these to be protected. That must have happened when I wasn't looking. Photobook has done that before. I will remove the protection if I can figure out how. 20576
Jerry
Thanks for the heads up. There is no need for these to be protected. That must have happened when I wasn't looking. Photobook has done that before. I will remove the protection if I can figure out how. 20576
Jerry
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2008
- Messages
- 971
- Reaction score
- 8
I thought that I had resolved the 'protected' status of videos on this thread but this morning, I was reviewing the status of this project and because I had not logged in to Photobucket, I found that the videos were not available. I also found that some of the links were broken and I think that I have them all fixed now. If you find that they are still unavailable to you, please post a 'Heads up" and I'll keep after it.
Here is a new video of the main winch with the clutch in action. It is being driven with the headstock of my little Unimat with variable speed control so that pinion shaft rotation is about 200RPM. The clutch is being operated my the operators control lever just as it would be in real operation. It is very responsive and requires only a light touch. It is quite easy to lift, lower, and hold the load without needing a brake, even though I am sure that doing so would be bad practice. Wear on the clutch friction pads would need to be kept to a minimum since the pads are not easily accessible. The entire drum would need to be lifted out of the bearings to separate the gear and clutch drum. Easy to do on the model, 4 bolts and it only weighs a few ounces vs. a couple of tons in the real world. Excessive slipping of the clutches would surely have been discouraged.
Please let me know if this video is not available to you.
Jerry
Here is a new video of the main winch with the clutch in action. It is being driven with the headstock of my little Unimat with variable speed control so that pinion shaft rotation is about 200RPM. The clutch is being operated my the operators control lever just as it would be in real operation. It is very responsive and requires only a light touch. It is quite easy to lift, lower, and hold the load without needing a brake, even though I am sure that doing so would be bad practice. Wear on the clutch friction pads would need to be kept to a minimum since the pads are not easily accessible. The entire drum would need to be lifted out of the bearings to separate the gear and clutch drum. Easy to do on the model, 4 bolts and it only weighs a few ounces vs. a couple of tons in the real world. Excessive slipping of the clutches would surely have been discouraged.
Please let me know if this video is not available to you.
Jerry
Jerry---the video works just fine now. There is something very fishy about Photobucket. I have a paid subscription to Photobucket, have had for a few years now.---And yet---If I go back to look at some of the links I have posted on this forum to various videos I have made and posted, Photobucket opens and a window pops up saying "video not available". I don't know why this is, and I should probably get ahold of photobucket and rag on them, but I haven't.----Brian
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2008
- Messages
- 971
- Reaction score
- 8
Brian
That's the same message that I got, even though the file were intact and in the proper folder. So I edited the posts and inserted a new link. I compared the old link to the new link and they were exactly the same but the new link worked --- go figure. I think the problem is cleared up now.
Jerry
That's the same message that I got, even though the file were intact and in the proper folder. So I edited the posts and inserted a new link. I compared the old link to the new link and they were exactly the same but the new link worked --- go figure. I think the problem is cleared up now.
Jerry
Come on Jerry!!! I can feel your interest starting to percolate!!! I know that you left off this build because you thought your skill level wasn't up to it, but after succesfully building the overcrank single and the vertical table version thereof, I'm sure you have progressed a great deal in your machining abilities. You did such a bloody amazing job up to this point, I think you should carry on with this build. Everyone who agrees with me say "AYE"----Brian
chuck foster
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2007
- Messages
- 704
- Reaction score
- 2
AYE
chuck
chuck
Harold Lee
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2008
- Messages
- 236
- Reaction score
- 2
Brian Rupnow said:
I agree with Brian. I would love to see you pick you project back up. You know Brian, there might be more to this Tom Sawyer thing than we thought
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2008
- Messages
- 971
- Reaction score
- 8
Brian, Chuck, Tel, Harold, Ron and nsfr1206,
Thank you for the vote of confidence. This project has been under the bench for over a year and has needed looking at again. I am reviewing the situation and the status of the work so far. I got the parts out of the drawer yesterday. There are some parts that I am satisfied with and indeed very proud of. There are other parts that don't quite cut it. And there are some parts that just plain stink. Every mistake is an opportunity to learn and I have had plenty of opportunity so maybe I have learned a thing or two.
In the next day or two, I'm going to redesign and remake some of the parts and see if I have learned anything useful. I would really like to get this back on track.
20985
Jerry
Thank you for the vote of confidence. This project has been under the bench for over a year and has needed looking at again. I am reviewing the situation and the status of the work so far. I got the parts out of the drawer yesterday. There are some parts that I am satisfied with and indeed very proud of. There are other parts that don't quite cut it. And there are some parts that just plain stink. Every mistake is an opportunity to learn and I have had plenty of opportunity so maybe I have learned a thing or two.
In the next day or two, I'm going to redesign and remake some of the parts and see if I have learned anything useful. I would really like to get this back on track.
20985
Jerry
Great news Jerry. So glad to have you picking up the torch once again.---Brian
