I finally finished the directions for building the N scale Hulett Unloader, so shipping starts on February 15, 2017. I first showed this two years ago. This is a challenging kit, with many parts and subassemblies, but at least no compound curves as in my ships. Prospective builders may want to view the kit directions at https://nscaleships.com/kit-instructions/hulett-unloader-directions/ I am not accepting orders for completed models, as the price would be very high. From Wikipedia (condensed): The Hulett unloader was patented by George Hulett in 1898. The first was built the next year. The Hulett machine revolutionized iron ore shipment on the Great Lakes. Previous methods of unloading lake freighters, involving hoists and buckets and much hand labor, cost approximately 18¢/ton. Unloading with Huletts cost only 5¢/ton. Unloading only took 5–10 hours, as opposed to days for previous methods. Lake boats became much larger, doubling in length and quadrupling in capacity. By 1913, 54 Hulett machines were in service, the vast majority along the shores of Lake Erie. A total of approximately 75 Huletts were built. They were used until about 1992, when self-unloading boats were standard on the American side of the lake. All have since been scrapped. More details are at https://nscaleships.com/n-z-scale-ship-index/hulett-automatic-unloader/
Does anyone read this forum, or should I post in the N scale forum? I've gotten zero replies on my past few posts here, and very few views--not typical. I suppose it's against the rules to post this in the N scale forum?
I read and look at most everything you produce (amazing products, btw), but unfortunately do not have a home layout, nor do I model maritime scenes. I'm sorry for your lack of feedback. I hope that you are able to reach a few more interested modelers, as your products deserve much more exposure. Thank you for all your hard work.
Thanks, Bryan! I'm not sure I'm going to do a Z scale Hulett. I'd have to redraw and re-tolerance many of the parts, and then build the monster to make sure it goes together--I'm too busy right now to mount the effort. Maybe when things settle down a bit. As I explained on my website, I usually build N scale in .020 styrene, which usually scales down nicely for .015 styrene in Z (75% vs true 72.727% reductions). But this was built in N scale in .015 styrene. .015 is pretty flimsy, so most pieces are doubled. I'd basically be starting over for a Z scale model in .015. And .010 styrene in large sheets is not available at a reasonable cost. I might do a Z scale model in brass, but I haven't seen much interest from Z scalers for this older piece of machinery.
Pete Do you have pictures showing the extras for the deluxe kit with the code 40 rails for the moving platform and ore larry tracks? Thom
Not yet, Thom. I'm putting them on the current build, if I can find my stash of code 40 rail. I do not have any Z scale wheels, which might work best. I should be getting to it later this week, as I've finally cleared a path to my cutter tables, and all the cardboard boxes and paper will be out Monday PM. It will be fiddly for a few days, and I may have to order in Z wheelsets to make it work correctly. I checked it out two years ago, and space for the ore larry was awfully tight. So I may have to narrow the larry--not a big deal as it is mostly hidden. And the correct gauge for the moving platform is about 5.5 mm. Z is 6.5 mm, which will fit handily. N gauge at 9 mm is at the very edges. The wheels scale out to 4.8 mm, which is about 30" in N. 36" Z scale wheels would probably look just fine. The base platform, which can move up and down the dock to align with the holds, is only a scale 8 mm. I would simply glue a 10 mm strip on the bottom to hold N scale wheels. I think that's better than trying to widen the base towers, which would look out of scale. With the last of the move, and my wife in the hospital for a while, and my busted up knee, I haven't had much time to just sit and think these things through.
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 is still hindering me.
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.
