I finished most of the main structure of the JV Models Lucas Sawmill kit and am sorely disappointed in the instructions (or lack of them) for creating the interior machinery. The diagrams are actually for HO scale and much of the detail is not included. Are there any kits available for building an n-scale boiler and carriage track similar to the beautiful one available in HO? For example, see HO Scale- RUAL SAWMILL STEAM ENGINE w/ SAWMILL - kit I know there's a steam donkey available in n-scale, but don't know if it would be appropriate for a sawmill. Thanks for any advice you can offer. Modeler
Republic Locomotive Works is my suggestion. Try here https://www.republiclocomotiveworks.com/show_item.php?ID=548 "This item is the white metal and lasercut parts to make the machinery that was included in the Coon Gap Sawmill. It is also used for the Slatyfork Sawmill. Color instructions from the Coon Gap sawmill are also included to build the parts. Placement of the interior details depends on Sawmill that you build." Browse also parts on the catalog as he has several interesting details (steam boiler, winch, etc) https://www.republiclocomotiveworks.com/showPage.php?page=16 Good luck !
if you like that little sawmill,go for it. the carrage is about 2&7/8 in long. it would be a small sawmill in ho but in n scale that is about 38ft. the saw blade is about 7ft in diameter. the boiler is 25ft to the top of the stack. i have one of these kits and set the parts onto the jv models floor plan. it looks good and fills the main wing nicely. with a few modifications it would be very representitive of a small mill.
I have two of the Lucas kits which have been combined into one structure and then set on a cut stone base to be above and partialy in the pond. In my view the instructions are not all that good and obviously the supplied parts, what there are, could be far better. That said again I bought the structures for thier kitbash potential since I needed a bigger mill and the Walthers kit would not fit the bill. For the interior I used a lot of styrene for the tables and styrene rod for the rollers. The saw carriages are from Woodland Scenics Rural Sawmill part number D243. This is a small HO sawmill which works just fine for the bigger saw carraiges in the larger mills. My operation is modeling a sawmill that just cut wood cants that were flumed down to a larger mill at trackside were the wood cants were sawn into boards. Here is an unfinished photo showing the Woodland Scenics saws in place with their vertical boilers and machinery. Hopefully a much better shot showing the Woodland Scenics saw as installed in my modified Lucas sawmill kit.
