# Bucyrus



## Oldmechthings (Jan 18, 2008)

Yesterday I posted a couple pictures of my first engine. Today I'll skip ahead to the present project under construction. A scale model of a 1912 Bucyrus Steam shovel. A print was obtained from the daughter of a deceased model maker friend, Ken Lloyd, of Lopez Island Washington. Ken was going to build one, but the Grim Reaper got him first. The print shows an overall general arrangement, with a few critical dimensions. It is drawn to scale which helps. It is impossible to show many details on a drawing like that, so it provides plenty challenge. The first problem encountered was that the swing and crowd engines were of the "reverse porting" type. That means that they reverse without changing any mechanical linkages with the eccentrics, which is the normal method of reversing. I could not figure how they worked and research did not help. I do not know why something like that has not been put in print or on the Internet or someplace. Construction was held up about 2 years while I was looking, then one day another friend Lyle Parker who lives in Sandy (Salt Lake Suburb) told me he had a Soule sawmill carriage engine that he thought worked by the same principal, and invited me to examine it. Although not constructed quite the same as the Bycyrus, I got the inspiration to figure it out, So I was off a running. That was in June of last year. By July the undercarriage was put together.






By oldmechthings at 2008-01-18

The lathe dog attached to the vertical propeller shaft was to test (play with) the ground travel motion. It works! Steering is similar to that used on a steam traction engine, but look at the location of the steering wheel. Inside the frame at the rear. A helper or someone had to crawl in under there to turn the wheel. Looks like a good place to get ground up into catfish bait, but then maybe helpers were cheap and expendable.





By oldmechthings at 2008-01-18

Crankshafts for the two small engines (swing and crowd) were turned out of a solid bar of 416 stainless. It took about a week and was a real exercise in off center turning. The crank journals are spaced at 90 degrees so the engine never stops on dead center and a flywheel is not required. It would be similar to a steam locomotive.





By oldmechthings at 2008-01-18





By Oldmechthings at 2008-01-18

Above are a couple pictures taken at the present state of development. Everything is built and functional up to where you see it. Yesterday I started cutting parts for the boom and shovel. And then that of course will be followed by the boiler and a cab. I'll try to keep you posted on the progress, but don't hold your breath waiting because I move pretty slow.

There you have it from my first engine yesterday to the present project today. There were a few others (maybe 50) in between, but I' not sure how much interest you would have in them.


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## rake60 (Jan 18, 2008)

Amazing work Birk!



			
				Oldmechthings  said:
			
		

> There were a few others (maybe 50) in between, but I'm not sure how much interest you would have in them.


Are you joking? 




Please continue posting them! 

Rick


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## Kactiguy (Jan 18, 2008)

Hey, you got the photo's to work. Looks great. For everybody that is looking at the photos, let me just say that they don't give it justice. It looks even more impressive and amazing in person. I been following the progress of this thing from the very beginning and every step has been neat to watch. Mind boggling really. I've learned tons just watching the progress. Birk is really the reason I got interested in this hobby in the first place. His mind is a giant vat of information. Sorry Birk, but it is. I find myself making any excuse to stop by for another visit. This steam shovel is just one of the wonders you find at Birks. Can't wait to see more.


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## 1Kenny (Jan 18, 2008)

Those crankshafts are trick. How in the world did you get the off-set in the center to look like they were casted?

Kenny


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## Powder keg (Jan 18, 2008)

1Kenny  said:
			
		

> Those crankshafts are trick. How in the world did you get the off-set in the center to look like they were casted?
> 
> Kenny



The man is handy with a file:O)

Wes


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## Oldmechthings (Jan 18, 2008)

Wes is correct. I used my "Mill" file. Actually I roughed most of the metal off with the milling machine, then finished up with a file, and smoothed it slightly with a strip of abrasive cloth, you know, like polishing your shoes. You do polish your shop shoes, don't you???


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## BobWarfield (Jan 18, 2008)

Looks like a job for one of those tiny air belt sanders. Those are the coolest little tools.

Neat looking part tho. The whole assembly will be amazing. 

Best,

BW


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## Bernd (Jan 20, 2008)

Nice work Birk. I have a book that I picked up at a model railroad show that has the line of Bucyrus steam shovels in it. The one I remember had a different steering system. If I can find the book I'll be able to explain how it worked better. 

regards,
Bernd


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