Author Topic: N Scale Hulett Unloader Now Shipping  (Read 6138 times)

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pnolan48

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Re: N Scale Hulett Unloader Now Shipping
« Reply #30 on: February 24, 2017, 07:42:21 PM »
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Working on the bogies for Z scale 36" wheelsets to carry the base platform and the moving platform on top. There will be 16 wheelsets on the base platform. Each tower has two D bogies, so it is 4 x 4. The gauge is too wide, but I think the compromise is worth it. The moving platform has a C bogie and an A bogie on each side, for a total of 8 wheelsets. Here the gauge is OK. 24 wheelsets will add to the price considerably, unless I get get a discount--not likely in my quantities, but I'll try. This has delayed production a week. I also blew out a knee a few weeks ago, and this will delay things more.

seusscaboose

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Re: N Scale Hulett Unloader Now Shipping
« Reply #31 on: February 24, 2017, 08:21:39 PM »
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Sorry to hear about your knee

Hope it's not to bad
"I have a train full of basements"

NKPH&TS #3589

Inspiration at:
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pnolan48

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Re: N Scale Hulett Unloader Now Shipping
« Reply #32 on: February 24, 2017, 11:17:03 PM »
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Thanks for the good hopes. Three weeks after, it's recovering by itself, with lots of rest and the aid of my walking stick--don't ever call it a cane!

Had one arthroscopic operation at approx three year intervals from 1994 to 2010 (three on each knee, alternating like clockwork). Should be the left one this time, but I skipped the 2013 on that one, so it's the right one again. Just keep grinding the inner edge off near the front. It's been very predictable at least. But there's not much left (or right?) in there. It just wears me down--I'm very tired at the end of the day. BB and tennis will do that. Doesn't help that I'm up to 240. But I've recovered quickly from all these ops. Ooops that probably jinxed this one coming up in 2020.

pnolan48

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Re: N Scale Hulett Unloader Now Shipping
« Reply #33 on: February 28, 2017, 11:09:39 AM »
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Installation of Code 40 rail and Z scale 36' wheelsets was pretty smooth. The base platform bogies are just a little wider than the towers themselves, but I think this is an acceptable compromise. The styrene bogies are not as sturdy as something cast from acetal plastic, but they are not traveling far distances. It takes 24 wheelsets in all.

Wheels up!



Moving platform mounted on base.



The side overhang of the transfer bucket (brown) rides on an .060 square plastic rod. It travels only 1/2 its length backwards, and the friction, with some careful trimming, is minimal.

The ore larry rides below the transfer bucket. There is no room for wheels in there, so it has slots built into the sides that ride on the brass rail. The slot is a U-shaped channel that fits the rails loosely, but keeps the larry in position. Again, friction is acceptably low, for me at least.

seusscaboose

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Re: N Scale Hulett Unloader Now Shipping
« Reply #34 on: February 28, 2017, 08:00:54 PM »
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so... (taking a deep breath) dare I ask...
do you make a ship like this?




"I have a train full of basements"

NKPH&TS #3589

Inspiration at:
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pnolan48

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Re: N Scale Hulett Unloader Now Shipping
« Reply #35 on: February 28, 2017, 09:28:27 PM »
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seuss--

I make Great Lakes freighters of the 614' and 735' classes. Sakadoc looks smaller, as it was earlier. I've been wanting to make a Laker in a smaller class. I haven't been able to find the specs for the Saskadoc. All I really need is the length, and I strangely haven't been able to dig it out.Give me a length and perhaps a width, and I'll be glad to add this class of steamer to my line. And I'd add the class quickly, as this seems just to be a scaled down version of later classes.

Again, be happy to do it, just get me a spec or two, and I can take it from the photos. Might sell a lot better than the big guys.

pnolan48

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Re: N Scale Hulett Unloader Now Shipping
« Reply #36 on: February 28, 2017, 09:37:23 PM »
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OK, her sister Ontadoc was 416' long, with a beam of 50'. Will be designing her on Thursday--I need a smaller Great Lakes boat.

seusscaboose

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Re: N Scale Hulett Unloader Now Shipping
« Reply #37 on: February 28, 2017, 10:44:15 PM »
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nice!

excellent

so... now I am just mulling over where in the basement to jam this scene in...

I expect to place my order in mid-april... but the scene won't even be started for 6 months to a year...

it will make Op's a bit more exciting...  and give us a bit more to do on the 3rd trick other than hauling coal up and down the mountain from Thomas WV and Glen Alden PA to Bellevue OH and points beyond.

"I have a train full of basements"

NKPH&TS #3589

Inspiration at:
http://nkphts.org/modelersnotebook

pnolan48

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Re: N Scale Hulett Unloader Now Shipping
« Reply #38 on: February 28, 2017, 11:04:41 PM »
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Nice to hear that! Already got the deck plan done, and the hull bottom. Next is the keels and hull sides, then the superstructure. I've been avoiding TV tonight.

Cajonpassfan

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Re: N Scale Hulett Unloader Now Shipping
« Reply #39 on: March 06, 2017, 11:03:17 AM »
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I have zero need for a Hulett, but following this with my mouth open :o
Wow! Fascinating. Hope the knee heals soon.
Otto K.

basementcalling

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Re: N Scale Hulett Unloader Now Shipping
« Reply #40 on: March 06, 2017, 12:00:50 PM »
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Awesome model.

Wonder what it costs to ship the kit!!  :D

No need, but heavy industrial models are definitely a need in N scale.

I think that you can cut almost all the parts on a Criquet or Silhouette type craft cutter is the truly impressive part.
Peter Pfotenhauer

pnolan48

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Re: N Scale Hulett Unloader Now Shipping
« Reply #41 on: March 06, 2017, 12:45:10 PM »
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Kit can ship in a mailing tube or flat envelope, so shipping is economical. The Cameo is just a little overmatched--it often cuts out about 3/4 way through the kit. My Black Cat cutters handle it easily. Shipping a completed model would be expensive. I think it would have to be partially disassembled. I'm not too keen on building completed models.

basementcalling

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Re: N Scale Hulett Unloader Now Shipping
« Reply #42 on: March 06, 2017, 12:54:08 PM »
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Kit can ship in a mailing tube or flat envelope, so shipping is economical. The Cameo is just a little overmatched--it often cuts out about 3/4 way through the kit. My Black Cat cutters handle it easily. Shipping a completed model would be expensive. I think it would have to be partially disassembled. I'm not too keen on building completed models.

Where did you find a Black Cat? Cougar or other model from them?
Peter Pfotenhauer

pnolan48

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Re: N Scale Hulett Unloader Now Shipping
« Reply #43 on: March 06, 2017, 03:45:37 PM »
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BlackCat seems to have moved on to other things, or lost some interest in the cutters. There was a woman in Kentucky who was the US distributor--don't know if she still is. Got my first one about 3 years ago, and a bigger 18" one about 18 months ago. She probably has some still in stock. Haven't really followed that market for a while. It's a nice machine, with a pretty steep learning curve. The Cameo is easier to learn, but not very powerful. It seems to overheat and shut down under heavy use (such as 3/4 way through the Hulett kit), but is a good tool to learn on. I've found independent sources for blades, which has reduced that cost by 90%. I also use a piece of .020" styrene as a cutting mat--cheap and very expendable. 4 x 8 sheets of styrene are about $10 plus shipping--I found a plastics dealer near Cincinnati who would sell me five sheets. Now I'm buying 20 sheets at a time. Styrene is not easy to cut, and not as uniform as it might seem. Some .020 styrene is actually .023, and that makes a big difference with these cutters. Oh, the Cameo takes 4-5 passes with .015 styrene, where the Black Cat can do it with two for .015, and three with .020. You cannot use anywhere near max force on the Black Cat or the styrene walks. Lots of friction there between the knife and the styrene--the knife more or less plows through it, rather than cutting, even with a new blade.

pnolan48

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Re: N Scale Hulett Unloader Now Shipping
« Reply #44 on: May 13, 2017, 11:29:36 PM »
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Six weeks to develop the Saskadoc was pretty quick.