I have a friend that, to my mind, is an expert model builder and we have a mutual buddy that is very physically handicapped but loves model railroading also. Our friend bought a oil derrick kit that was waaaaay beyound his capability to construct so my friend did it for him. Since we’re all in a modular club and the derrick would be transported around now and then, my friend built a custom wooden case for it also. I photographed it for the two of them and here are some of the pictures…
the gear mechanism in the picture above was made with cigarette lighter parts
Good morning, getting closer to the weekend!! I reconized the ‘‘cigarett lighter parts’’ Isn’t it amazing what we as modelroaders can come up with when we let our eyes and mind see and think in HO scale? Love the derrick, I think it is great that you would do it for a friend. Seems to many people in this world think only of themselves and the money. Thanks for sharing. Mike
Great model and effort for a friend. Wait a second we can’t say all this some troll will think we are just running up our post. This is why I like the fourms. Phil
As a modeler of steel mill architecture/machinery, I rely heavily on discarded household items. In fact, at our annual conference we have a “Freytag Award” contest (named for our icon, steel modeler Dean Freytag) to see who can dream up the most ingenious conversion of a household scrap item into a believable-looking model. I’ve never seen the cigarette lighter trick though…
It’s great that your handicapped friend has people willing to help him share enjoyment of this hobby, kudos to the builder! [tup] (and the photographer too of course)
Ahh. I didn’t know that AMB was doing a derrick. Those etched brass ones kind of “scare” me, but they are tab and slot, and are supposed to go together fairly easily. I just can’t see using any sort of glues to hold the whole thing together. Time to learn how to solder. Why am I even going on about this?
I don’t think you can see it from the angles of the pictures, but the pile of ‘pipes’ is made of cut sections of wire coathangers with only the upper layer made of actual brass tubing.
Wow! Tell you friend that’s some beautiful work! [tup] You just gotta love those AMB laser kits. Got three of them on my layout: An interlocking tower, a boxcar shed, and ??? (can’t remember the third [%-)])
What a great kit, I assume it is brass? Well now the secret is out ! ! I’ve been using lighter parts for a couple of years now, there are great small brass nozzles, hoses, brackets, gears etc etc. 1/2 the equipment on my fire train is from discarded lighters, one of my biggest sources of “stuff” came when I dismantled my old computer, I now have enough crap and enough small screws and attachments to last 50 years.
This is really excellent work, I am quite taken by it. I’m especially taken by the fact a friend would go to so much trouble to do this for a friend. Thanks for sharing.
