# Steam Donkeys



## hunteman (Dec 27, 2007)

I am planning to build several version of 20.3 steam logging donkeys. Does anyone know if there are 20.3 donkey kits available? One of the challenges will be the number of gears and other related components in each donkey. Resin casting would seem to be an approach to making these parts. Does anyone have any advice on trying to cast the large geared components for a donkey?


----------



## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Have you checked out Ozark Miniatures? They have some beautiful kits, such as: 
http://www.ozarkminiatures.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=564 

As for casting, Garden Railways had a great series by Burl Rice (a member here) that I've been using, for which you can get reprints. The issues were Aug 07 - Feb 08. 

Cliff


----------



## hunteman (Dec 27, 2007)

I have looked at the Ozark kits but they appear to be 1:22.5. They could work but I thought I would try for a full 20.3 version. I understand the resin casting process for items that can lay flat, e.g., window frames, during the molding and casting. My question was about the more complex items such as gears. Thanks for the GR information.


----------



## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi, 

Here are a couple of photos of my steam donkey before painting;' it is on a new longer set of skids, and a scratch built water tank. otherwise is as the Kit.




















As you can just about see there are not many gears - this is a model of an early one, there is a gear on the back of the vertical cable drum and a set of gears on the shaft in front of that drum - as the first photo.

The entire model is 16.75 inches long and will fit onto a 30 (scale) foot flatcar.

There are quite a few bits left after assembling the kit.

Yours Peter.


----------



## Homo Habilis (Jul 29, 2011)

What about starting with a Bachmann Skidder? There are, however, a few discussions regarding its rubber ruler scale and it's not really 1:20.3, but it might provide a basis for bashing.


----------



## hunteman (Dec 27, 2007)

Peter. The addition of the longer skids makes a great model. Good work. You are right that the Dolbeer donkeys don't\'t have many gears. While I want to build a Dolbeer donkey I also want to build some models of yarder engines. The Bachmann skidder is a yarder engine and is undersized for 20.3. If it is convenient, can you check the boiler dimensions in the kit? Thanks


----------



## Homo Habilis (Jul 29, 2011)

Hunteman: 

I'm here (work) and the skidder is there (home). I'll try to do it this coming weekend unless someone else beats me to it.


----------



## jbwilcox (Jan 2, 2008)

I have two of the Bachmann skidders for flat car loads. I thInk they look great. However I am not a rivet counter.

John


----------



## JohnKK (Jan 15, 2014)

I too have been considering building a 1:20.3 skidder. In fact, I started building a Willamette road engine years ago, but haven't finished it yet. I used 2"x3" lumber for the skid runners, and 1 3/4" 1/2 round dowels for the cross-pieces. I built my boiler from 1 1/2" or 1 3/4" pvc pipe. I can't remember which, and I have the unfinished boiler put away with a few other unfinished projects, so I can't measure it right now. I have quite a few large pillow block bearing castings from Western Scale Models, and I plan to use gears from my local R/C hobby shop. Some of the monster truck gears should work just fine. Hmmm, now I may just be inspired to get back to work on this donkey engine. Hope this is of some help, and Thanks.


----------



## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

The Ozark boiler is 48mm diameter, say 1.9 inches or in 1/20th scale just over 3 feet - I agree is small - it is a very early model. In the book 'In Search of Steam Donkeys' by Timber Times (well worth buying ) the first one in the book has a boiler diameter of 36", and an open horizontal winch, so it is close. I suspect that any larger boiler casting would have raised to cost of resin, thus the kit.



The Bachmann one is tiny - it is much better as a O gauge model, and even then it is small - its better used as a 'power source' (before electricity) for a small factory or saw bench. Mine is packed away at the moment but the boiler diameter is about 30mm or so I think. 

Yours Peter.


----------



## hunteman (Dec 27, 2007)

Peter: Thanks for the Ozark kit dimension information. I have a couple of the Bachmann skidders and they look OK (using the 10ft rule). I have several pieces of logging equipment on my list of things to build, and decided to try to build them to 20.3. Since almost all of the equipment on my list need some form of a donkey engine, I decided to try casting to make as many duplicate parts as possible. The 'In Search of Steam Donkeys' is a great reference source.


----------



## JohnKK (Jan 15, 2014)

Ooops, my rememberer must have been taking a break. I built my boiler from a 3" OD piece of pvc to represent a 60" boiler. I too have the 'In Search of Steam Donkeys' book and it is, indeed, a wonderful resource for building the LARGE donkeys used in west coast logging. Another great resource for logging equipment is 'The Logging Modeler's Planbook'. I have scratchbuilt the Short Bunk Car in 1:20.3 from that book. It is a 24' long car, so actually looks ok with narrow gauge equipment. However, I have now acquired some standard gauge trucks from The Iron Creek Shops, and a couple of 6' lengths of dual gauge track from Cumberland Model Engineering. I am now retro-fitting the SG trucks to the bunk car. I had to lower the car by .6" to get it back down to the proper height. I am almost ready to start the interior of the car. I plan to build the Tool Car (a 34' 7" long car) from that book next. Both cars were on the Crown Willamette Paper Company roster. John


----------



## Homo Habilis (Jul 29, 2011)

Bachmann Boiler - all measurements are as close as I can measure with my rather crude rulers and caliper.

boiler dia. - 1-1/2" 
stack dia. - 1/2" 
boiler height - 2-15/16" - to bottom of cone/stack
stack height - 1-25/32 " - stack to top of cone
total height - 5-13/16"


----------



## hunteman (Dec 27, 2007)

The Bachmann boiler is about the correct dimensions for a 20.3 dolbeer donkey (small boilers). Could be time for a kit bash.


----------

