Lift-span Bridge

[Peter HausamannParticipant @peterhausamann71795]

Then I had the fiddly job of painting the railings.

I do not plan to paint the bridge to appear weathered, but as if brand new and unpolluted. It is something I learnt to appreciate from doing some architectural rendering in my youth. So, I gave the rest of the bridge a cement grey colour. The road will be painted to appear as concrete (with gravel).

[Peter HausamannParticipant @peterhausamann71795]

Throughout this project I continue to do Internet research. A friend emailed me a photo taken of a computer screen by her iPhone. It revealed a few things I was still not clear about. There was the matter of what did the swing-gates look like. The scale of the cars is known, but how did they look in comparison to the whole bridge. Finally, what did the concrete road look like from above.

Decided to splatter dark grey paint onto the cement colour. It turned out horrendous. So then I used the dry brush method to lighten up the dark patches. Afterwards, I kept alternating between dark and light paint with a fine brush until I was happy with the results.

Painting the span took longer than painting the rest of the road. It was difficult to get into the central areas. The edges of the span and bridge have a metal plate (silver painted area). The hole you see on edge of road is for the fine (0.7 mm) bridge cable which goes through the display table.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Peter,

Inspired by your friend's screen-shot; I had a look on Google Earth

There is a lot of detail available in the 'Street View'

Keep up the great work !!

MichaelG.

.

For iOS users: https://earth.app.goo.gl/QKWni #googleearth

 

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 26/01/2018 21:38:37

[Peter HausamannParticipant @peterhausamann71795]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 26/01/2018 21:37:17:

Peter,

Inspired by your friend's screen-shot; I had a look on Google Earth

There is a lot of detail available in the 'Street View'

Keep up the great work !!

MichaelG.

.

For iOS users: **LINK**

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 26/01/2018 21:38:37

Hello MichaelG.

Thanks for response. For some reason I could not open link. I have seen the Google earth views, and they are getting better in time.

My main research was the gates. They were in many years ago (now replaced with boom-gates), and I only had a few shallow angle and long distant shots of them. My friend new I was searching for those gates, and sent me the photo. It's just that this photo also revealed other features too.

[Peter HausamannParticipant @peterhausamann71795]

[Jeff DaymanParticipant @jeffdayman43397]

Hope no one was hurt in the multi car wreck seen in your 4th pic Peter!

Just kidding, the bridge looks great.

[MWParticipant @mw27036]

This is superb model work. I admire it, thank you.

Michael W

[Billy BeanParticipant @billybean67480]

This is indeed a superb model, a most interesting build thread.

Nice to see something a little different.

BB

[Peter HausamannParticipant @peterhausamann71795]

Wow, thank you Jeff Dayman, Michael W, and BB for your kind words.

[Peter HausamannParticipant @peterhausamann71795]

Since the console is to be a wiring diorama of sorts, I decided to dramatize it a bit by adding some paint here and there.

[Peter HausamannParticipant @peterhausamann71795]

Creating a new wiring harness for the console.

[Peter HausamannParticipant @peterhausamann71795]

Added wiring harness to console control panel. Since it is the underside (not easily seen) it was pointless to dressed it up.

Connected control panel and harness to console.

Made small harness between terminal strips and the two D-Connectors to the back of console (these connect to control box under display table).

[Peter HausamannParticipant @peterhausamann71795]

Added Passive Infrared (PIR) sensor for detecting any museum visitors approaching the display.

Dyed some felt a grey color and lined the console edges of front panel.

Drilled holes in the thick Perspex, allowing heatwaves to reach the PIR sensor. A portion of the front panel was used as a kick board to protect the Perspex.

[Peter HausamannParticipant @peterhausamann71795]

The PIR sensors movement in its vicinity. When it does it will turn the console lighting on. The only times it turns off is when the PIR no longer sensors movement for 10 seconds, or when someone starts working the console.

[Jeff DaymanParticipant @jeffdayman43397]

How's the bridge project going Peter? Haven't seen any pics lately. Hope all is well. JD

[Harry WilkesParticipant @harrywilkes58467]

Brill look forward to seeing it working !!!

H

[Peter HausamannParticipant @peterhausamann71795]

Posted by Jeff Dayman on 06/04/2018 16:13:21:

How's the bridge project going Peter? Haven't seen any pics lately. Hope all is well. JD

Bridge project continues, but no longer so for this website.

Why? Over two months ago I completed a major portion of the bridge project _ the wiring diorama of the console. Yet it took until now to get a response. And even so, the response has nothing to do with the console.

This is a model engineering website, and I feel that my modelling posts don't come up to the expected standards of most forum members. It is as if I need lathe to become accepted. So I have bowed out of here.

Sorry if you are disappointed in me, but it won't be half as much as I am.

[John PenfoldParticipant @johnpenfold74932]

Hello Peter

I have been watching with interest as you took (what I thought would be a simple project) into something really impressive.

Maybe I should have commented (?), but you were doing well enough and I was hoping for a final video of the system in action.

J

[I.M. OUTAHEREParticipant @i-m-outahere]

Hi Peter ,

Sorry to hear you feel this way , i also thought you may have been taking a break or working on something else for a while – this happens a lot on this forum .

There is a strange sort of quirk with the forum in that if your post sits idle for a day or so it can slide off onto page two or three very quickly and as many only check the new posts they only see page one so that post that has dissapeared from page one gets forgotten .

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Hello Peter

Whilst I can't speak for others, I would like to make my own position clear:

I was the first to comment on your opening post, and told you that I looked forward to reading your story.

Then, on page 3 of this thread, I tried to give some practical support; by mentioning how much detail of the structure could be seen on Google 'Street View'. … Your response suggested that you already had everything you needed.

… so, since then, I have just quietly admired what you are doing.

Keep up the good work, and please keep posting.

MichaelG.

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Sorry to confess that I'm another silent admirer.

The forum is at it's best answering questions, making suggestions and offering encouragement when it's obviously needed. The downside is that really good work is often received with a stunned silence. Unfortunately the forum doesn't have a 'Like' button, which is the best way of signalling approval.

There are four ways you can wake the forum up:

1. Ask a question that someone can answer.
2. Ask for help or suggestions
3. Have a glaring mistake in the photos or narrative
4. Tell us you've done 90% of the work and have run out of enthusiasm, and need encouragement!

Please keep it coming – this thread has attracted 7993 views since you started it!

I'm very impressed by the console; not a model bridge controller – it's a real one!

Dave

[Stuart BridgerParticipant @stuartbridger82290]

Very interesting project and thread, have been following silently. Please keep posting progress

[I.M. OUTAHEREParticipant @i-m-outahere]

Posted by SillyOldDuffer on 07/04/2018 09:34:57:

Sorry to confess that I'm another silent admirer.

The forum is at it's best answering questions, making suggestions and offering encouragement when it's obviously needed. The downside is that really good work is often received with a stunned silence. Unfortunately the forum doesn't have a 'Like' button, which is the best way of signalling approval.

There are four ways you can wake the forum up:

1. Ask a question that someone can answer.
2. Ask for help or suggestions
3. Have a glaring mistake in the photos or narrative
4. Tell us you've done 90% of the work and have run out of enthusiasm, and need encouragement!

Please keep it coming – this thread has attracted 7993 views since you started it!

I'm very impressed by the console; not a model bridge controller – it's a real one!

Dave

 

 

 

Or tell everyone you hate Myfords ! That gets 'em going i can tell you !

 

Edited By XD 351 on 07/04/2018 13:45:45

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

To be a model engineer you don't need a lathe, a lot can be done with scissors and cardboard, the material can be anything, metal not require unless you are making something that actually is a working model. I was watching your progress, and taking in you methods.

Ian S C

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

Please reconsider, don't stop posting on your bridge build, I'm fascinated with it & am looking forward to seeing a video of it in action. As mentioned you don't need a fully tooled up workshop to be a model engineer, anything that has been used to make a model, working or not, can fit under the umbrella of ' model engineering ' to me. As it seems you are extremely delighted with what you have produced so far, & so do nigh on 8000 forum readers, most of whom are looking to your next progress posting it would be a great pity for you to stop posting on this super project.

George.

[Author]

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