# Steam Donkeys



## Zonk (Feb 20, 2008)

Does anyone know if there is a place to get a 1:20 scale model of a steam donkey without having to pay an arm and a leg for the kit? 

Maybe there is a plastic or molded kit out there??? 

THanks 

Matt


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Some of us have been known to get creative with a simple shampoo bottle. Can't get get much cheaper than that.


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## R.W. Marty (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Matt, 
Nothing out there really in the catagory you discribe. 
There is a brass two drum engine that falls in the very expensive end 
then the Ozark kits that are very good but expensive. 
The main problem with the Ozarks is they don't measure up for 1:20 scale. 
They sell as "G" scale (1:22) but are probably 1:24 which makes them look about 3/4 size 
in 1:20. Also they are of very small prototype vertical and horizontal 
single and double drum engines.These used sleds that were like 6'wide and 14'long. 

Basically if you want anything in F scale you will have to build it yourself.and if 
you want anything newer than 1900 you will have to design from pictures and build 
it yourself. 

If you feel like searching the archives check under my name for my 
American Hoist & Derrick (AH&D) thread for the one I scratched. 
Good luck 
Rick Marty


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Matt,

Regarding Rick's topic, I can save you a bit of work in digging it up. The following is a link to a PDF file that I made of it.

*Growing a Donkey*
By R. W. Marty
(File Format: PDF - File Size: 1MB)
_(Left-click to open, Right-click to download)_

Hope this is found to be of help.
SteveC


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## jlcop (Jan 2, 2008)

Rick: 
Fantastic workmanship, I am jealous! 

Steve: 
thanks for the pdf file! 

I also scatch built a donkey in 1:20.3, although not up to the quality of Rick's. Mine is a Tacoma wide faced yarder based on plans in Merv Johnson's book "In search of steam donkeys". 










John


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## Zonk (Feb 20, 2008)

wow those both look real nice! John where did you come up with your parts?


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## jlcop (Jan 2, 2008)

The sled was cut from wood scraps I had around the garage. The NBWs are from Ozark. The gears are from the "robotics" section at my local hobby shop. The cone shape on top is from a kids cup top I snagged at The Old Spagetti Factory some time ago. Sadly they don't have them there anymore. The rest is plastic pipe and styrene. 
John


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## R.W. Marty (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi John, 
That is one nice yarder. Make a great flat load into or out of the woods. Have you started a Lidgerwood Tower skidder yet?? 

Steve C. 
Thanks for that PDF link 'cause I couldn't find it either/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/whistling.gif. I am pleased that someone found something I did worth saving. 

Later 
Rick Marty


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## Chrisp (Jan 3, 2008)

Matt - DIY, donkey's make a fun project. I used a recycled whipped cream can mated to an old funnel for the boiler and a Schilling pepper tin for the tank on this: 










and a potpouri fragrance can (it still smells like pumpkin!) and a pulley wheel for this one: 










Doing the research on them is half the fun - they were all basically kitbashed, so just about anything you model, no matter how weird, probably has a real precedent. Ozark makes many useful detail parts to add realism, but most of the stuff for making them you probably already have laying around.


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## Guest (Jun 16, 2008)

maybe it is a stupid question... 
but i don't understand, what these donkeys where for. 
i see, that they could draw themselves. but what for? 
when they reached their destination, what were they used for?


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Posted By kormsen on 06/16/2008 1:07 AM
maybe it is a stupid question... 
but i don't understand, what these donkeys where for. 
i see, that they could draw themselves. but what for? 
when they reached their destination, what were they used for?





Hi Kormsen, 

Logging! they were the portable motive power, and winches for moving cut logs in the forests. Equally they were also used in factories before electric power was available. 

Many sizes were available, and some were modified by the loggers to be small locomotives as well.


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## chrisb (Jan 3, 2008)

I experimented with copper pipe for a boiler and copper flashing and brass pipe for the stack and plenum. Never finished it but it was a good exercise for soldering. Also made a boiler out of copper step flashing and soldered the seam. Emerory paper then Blacken it 
and a rust finish.


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## Guest (Jun 16, 2008)

thank you, Peter!


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## jlcop (Jan 2, 2008)

No tower skidder yet Rick! A little big for my railroad and I don't know of any made for narrow guage. Although this is what I am working on now. I am thinking about using this for a unit skidder: 










John


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## chrisb (Jan 3, 2008)

speaking of yarders and donkeys, has anyone been watching Axmen? What a way to make a living.


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## R.W. Marty (Jan 2, 2008)

John, 
That is going to be a beauty. 
A standard 2 drum yarder with extended firebox. 
Willamette, right? 

Great work 
Rick Marty


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## Don Howard (Jan 2, 2008)

Here is a link to the upcoming National Narrow Gauge Convention in Portland Oregon with a picture of a part of what I believe to be a donkey. 
It is located at "Camp 18" restaurant(and museum) 
http://www.28thnngc.com/mediagallery/media.php?f=0&sort=0&s=20080108020617779


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Posted By Don Howard on 06/17/2008 7:11 AM 
Here is a link to the upcoming National Narrow Gauge Convention in Portland Oregon with a picture of a part of what I believe to be a donkey. 
It is located at "Camp 18" restaurant(and museum) 
http://www.28thnngc.com/mediagallery/media.php?f=0&sort=0&s=20080108020617779


Hi 
Quite right Don, and the other photos (there is a slide show of 10 photos) show more of it - that one is quite a size; most of the the skid beam chassis appears to have rotted away but it is still visible. 

One of the photos (number 5) is of another (triple)winch unit by itself. 

Thanks for the link, there are some nice photos there.


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## Eric M. (Jan 3, 2008)

I just noticed this thread. I thought it might be appropriate to post a couple pics of the the functional live steam donkeys that a couple of friends and I built. It was a multi-year project. We built four of these machines. Each one has working brakes, clutches, throttle, sight glass, etc. The machines are capable of loading real logs onto log cars. We typically use LGB log disconnects because they can take the beating. Here are some pictures from one of our steam logging sessions on Jack Verducci's layout. 









































A couple more pics of some details:
http://wegmuller.org/v-web/gallery/albums/EDH-Lumber-Co-1:20-3-scale-Donkey-Engines/DSC03077.jpg 









_









NOTE: Good grief-- sorry I cant get these image tags to work properly right now. I'll try to fix it later but you can cut and paste the url's for now._


Regards,


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

NOTE: Good grief-- sorry I cant get these image tags to work properly right now. I'll try to fix it later but you can cut and paste the url's for now.
I fixed them for ya.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Rather that repost everything, here is a link to a similar discussion a month or so back in the model making forum 
http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/forumid/8/postid/75619/view/topic/Default.aspx


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## scooby (Dec 22, 2008)

WOW great link and topic I'm sooo glad to find this


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Posted By R.W. Marty on 06/13/2008 8:03 PM
Hi Matt, 
Nothing out there really in the catagory you discribe. 
There is a brass two drum engine that falls in the very expensive end 
then the Ozark kits that are very good but expensive. 
The main problem with the Ozarks is they don't measure up for 1:20 scale. 
They sell as "G" scale (1:22) but are probably 1:24 which makes them look about 3/4 size 
in 1:20. Also they are of very small prototype vertical and horizontal 
single and double drum engines.These used sleds that were like 6'wide and 14'long. 

Basically if you want anything in F scale you will have to build it yourself.and if 
you want anything newer than 1900 you will have to design from pictures and build 
it yourself. 

If you feel like searching the archives check under my name for my 
American Hoist & Derrick (AH&D) thread for the one I scratched. 
Good luck 
Rick Marty 








Steve,

Tried to download this PDF but got a 'could not open site' error. Is this one of the archived ones that can't be gotten to?

Can I create a link, somehow?

Thanks,

Les


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## R.W. Marty (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Les,

See if this link works for you, although it is not the PDF format. 
http://archive.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=26816&whichpage=1


Later.
Rick Marty


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Les on 03/10/2009 10:22 AM
{snip...} Steve,
Tried to download this PDF but got a 'could not open site' error. Is this one of the archived ones that can't be gotten to? {snip...} 

Les

I don't know if you're talking to me or someone else, about a link that I provided to a PDF file that I created of Rick Marty's archive topic that Rick mentions above and provided a link to. However if you are the PDF file is still present on the MLS server and can be viewed or downloaded from the link below.

*Growing A Donkey.PDF*
*File Type: PDF / File Size: 1MB*
*Left-click to view - Right-click to download*


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Steve:

Thank you for your concern. I really don't know exactly what I'm doing, after getting the error msg as descibed priorly, which I admit, shook me.

I realize this must be a PIA, and I apologize. Your--and the other moderators' courtesy-- is very much appreciated.

All I want is that file on my desktop. I think I can handle it from there.

I HAVE NOT at this time tried the link. It's late and I don't do well at this hour, so I'll wait until tomorrow.

Again, thank you for your concern. And please don't send directions. I have difficulty with that, so I'll get one of my kids to do the trick, if not tomorrow, in a few days.

Thank you again for your courtesy, concern and patience.

Les


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## FloridaSteamer (Feb 5, 2017)

SteveC said:


> Matt,
> 
> Regarding Rick's topic, I can save you a bit of work in digging it up. The following is a link to a PDF file that I made of it.
> 
> ...


SteveC, I know it's been a lomg time ago but the link doesn't seem to work or I am doing something wrong. If your still around could you help a fellow out please?


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