The Shay, Part 1: The Crankshaft

Although the 1:1 Ely-Thomas Lumber Company No. 6 sits in storage awaiting repairs (below), which could take years, I didn't think it made sense to model her just the way she is now—for one thing, being indoors, she can't be seen. So, she'd have to be modeled in operable—or at least cosmetically restored—condition. As to whether or not I will power the Shay remains to be seen; I will if I can, but a great many challenges must first be overcome.

Bad enough that No. 6 is 3-foot narrow gauge; a 32-ton Shay is all of 33 feet long—in Z scale, that's less than two inches, shorter than a typical boxcar. Worse, I'd be attempting to build an impossibly small model with no lathe, mill or other sophisticated tools or equipment that would otherwise be considered necessities for such a project; nor did I have the resources to obtain any such tools. The only powered tool I own is a Dremel!

But I've never been one to shy away from a modeling challenge for lack of tools. So, my first task was to figure out how to make some very complex parts entirely by hand, and the first component on the list is universally considered the most difficult one to make: the crankshaft. Mine would be (gulp!) about three eighths of an inch long.

At this point I'll spare the reader all of the gory details of making seven Shay crankshafts—and counting. Those few modeling masochists genuinely interested in the process may wish to peruse the painfully-detailed accounts of my attempts to make a reasonably accurate 1:220 crankshaft.

• Crankshaft 1
• Crankshaft 2
• Crankshaft 3
• Crankshaft 4
• Crankshaft 5
• Crankshaft 6
• Crankshaft 7

So far it's taken nine drill bits, four jeweler's saw blades, around a foot of steel music wire, about twelve square inches of 28 gauge nickel silver sheet, and nearly four months of spare time. And it's not over yet; while my last attempt (above right) may look like a disaster, the two intact crank assemblies are in fact very close to being right; now it's just a matter of keeping everything in one piece. So, how many will I make? As many as it takes to get it right!

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