# Mangling a cheapy toy crane.



## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

This is just an exercise in taking an ugly toy and making it usable. If you're expecting to find something on Mr Maschwitz's level, you might want to look elsewhere....

In the beginning there was a cheap crappy plastic crane toy off evilBay. Wrong scale, too modern, and garish










The first step was to decide on a prototype. I WAS going to do it as a steam crane, but Kimmee strongly suggested infernal combusted, instead. This mid 1930's Erie gas/air unit is at the National Pike showgrounds at Brownsville, Pa.


















The crawler tracks got new sideplates and some detailing. I also cut 2/3 of the cleats off while I was at it.










I threw most of the top part in the junk box except the base. I'll also re-use the boom. 










The engine is one of those Larry G Scale generator units with the gen box cut off. Yes, it's a diseasel not gas, but it was here. It's actually pretty close to a Cat D11000. If anyone asks, it was retro-fitted after the original one crapped out. 











Coming along.... At some point almost every modeller asks himself WHY they are spending a bunch of time making details that nobody is ever going to see. This piece won't have a LOT of things it should. But I think it will look okay from a couple feet away.










The fuel tank is a 55 gallon drum. Actually a rather prototypical replacement part when the original rusted though. I haven't decided whether to model the hand pump filler. The brown thing on top of the engine is a horizontal muffler.










Side view with the cab wall in place..... it starting to SORTA look like an Erie, now... isn't it?









More in a bit


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Very nice...is it still motorized?...or wasn't it to start with?


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Nice conversion. I kept mine to the new mode to use as a flat car load for newer equip. Nope they are non motorized mike. Later RJD


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks great Mik


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Very interesting conversion!


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## Bob Baxter (Jan 3, 2008)

Very well done! A case of turning a sow's ear into something that will be a credible model with some clever model making. Can't wait to see the finished product.


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Mik,

Really nice job! Thanks for the pixes.

I keep eyeing one of those green crane booms off an AF crane car. Keep thinking it'd make a small unit for around the machine shop building.

Waiting for mo' pixes.

Les


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks everybody for the kind words. As an object lesson in measure twice and cut once, I had to lower the roof (shorten the sides) by 1/4"-- Which actually made the proportions look better. I added the doors glued in the open position. IMO The contrast between the interior and exterior colors makes it look real sharp. I also added an air intake for the radiator since it was kind of cozy with the cab wall.









The rear door is also open. I decided to install the counterweight from the original crane. Might not be entirely prototypical for a '30's era Erie, but it looks like it belongs there.










I boxed in the front of the roof and added the exhaust pipe.... next project is installing the boom. I still need to figure out the rigging from the spool to the upper bar....


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

I got off work early today, so I accomplished a bit more on this thing

Boom installed and properly rigged









Control stand.... needs a seat yet, and the running board.









Next installment, building a clamshell bucket


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Great project! I love what you did to it; looks so much better than the shiny toy crane!


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Mik,

Great work. I can't imagine a crane w/o a counterweight; that one looks just fine.

Les


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

FINALLY, a bucket. I had this metal clamshell thingy from a coin operated candy crane in my junk box for a while. It was a start but needed major surgery to look "right". Part of the hold-up was I couldn't figure out how to do the support rods. They are angle iron on most of the ones I'd seen. Today I figured it out. I used bent steel wire to actually support the bucket, and some glued Plastruct angle to it for looks.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Clever idea with the wire/angle iron. I'll store that one.


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## Grimm (Oct 5, 2009)

That is very cool Mik. Reminds me of a steam shovel we have here in Fairbanks. It's a Busyrus from the twenties I think (1928?). Here are some pictures of it. Those are my two sons in the first picture, this was about 9 years ago, they are much bigger now. 

Busyrus 1


Busyrus 2

Busyrus 3

Busyrus 4

Busyrus 5

It's such a cool engine, maybe someday I will create a model of it. Your model is turning out very nice. I'm looking forward to the finished model.


Jason


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

99% done. But now I have to move the mine. (and it's screwed down!)


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Hey, that looks good!


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Great Jom Mik 

It looks great! 

Randy


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## tj-lee (Jan 2, 2008)

Very nice indeed.


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## Ted_Roy (Jan 2, 2008)

Great Job, beautiful result from a sow's ear....


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## Grimm (Oct 5, 2009)

Mik - That turned out really nice. Very cool.  

Jason


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## Eric M. (Jan 3, 2008)

Mik,
 
Nice job.  You nailed the proportions on the crane body, and the clamshell looks great.  I have the parts for a clamshell crane on my workbench and I am contemplating the project now.  Oh and thanks for the plug, BTW.
 
Regards,


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

Very nice Mik! With some weathering it will look like the real deal!


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Super transformation! 

Greg


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