Western Gold Mine 2
I have started to construct my old wooden mine cart.
The mine cart, to me, is a tool that uniquely symbolizes the old west. These are the gold rush days with mining towns and saloons and lawlessness and the development of the frontier.
This actual wooden ore cart dumps from the end but it can also rotate so that the rock can be dumped along the side of the rails.
The dimensions of a full size cart were 39 inches high by 48 inches long by 24 inches wide. When I scaled the dimensions and factored in an 8 degree inward slant on the sides and accounted for the wheel mechanism height I created a wax model for the box that was about 1.7 inches high by 2.6 inches long by 1.7 inches wide.
At the same time I created wax models for the water wheel and the tower. The water wheel at full size would be 5 feet tall as is the water tank. I also constructed a scale water tower which would stand about 6 and 3/4 feet tall at full size.
My first casting was for the ore card, wheel caps, water wheel, and water tower. All the wax parts are textured as wood. The ore cart wheels are rough cast 3/8 inch rod to fit bearings with 1/8 inch shafts by 5/16 inch caps. One end of the ore cart will open to dump the rock.
My second casting was for the water tank and the wooden supports for the water wheel and tower. This also included the wheel base for the ore cart. I also cast a bronze box but this is planned for another sculpture.
I soldered a 3/16 inch diameter shaft through the centre of my water wheel. This wheel is not expected to turn perfectly true or be exactly balanced, but this is not absolutely required. The wheel is intended to be mounted on bearings.
The ore cart wheels were constructed such that the cart rests on a 1/8 inch shaft for pivoting to dump, and rotating so that the cart can dump to the side of the tracks if necessary.
The ore cart is finished now. The wheels are on bearings and should turn easily on the tracks. The cart dumps from one end that will pivot open. The end can be secured closed with a steel pin. The cart can be rotated to dump from the side and there is a little pin underneath to stop it from tipping backwards.
Holy kaka! That’s me in the picture! Lol this is awesome to see you reconstructing one from scratch. The one we found i wish so much it was preserved in a museum but Jesus is that thing in the middle of NOWHERE. But, that’s why it IS still there and unmolested.
Where Justin and I usually document mines in Northern California we were always hoping to come across mine cars but after almost ten years into our expeditions we’ve found very, VERY few sites with them. That is until I really started to dig deep into the equipment ledgers and paperwork for old mines in Sierra and Plumas co. There were always the car wheels but no cars. I was like wtf?! What are they doing with the cars?! Then it hit me like a pimp slap. Metal binding strip was also on every list!
We actually had been coming across cars all along but had no idea because the mines here are so wet the wood is the first thing to go, leaving a pile of metal straps we had no idea what they were from! Of course site pickers or other miners and scavengers had taken the wheels long ago but the cars were there all along!
A facepalm moment for sure! Lol
If you have any questions about anything please feel free to ask any time. It looks like you’re doing a fine job as is imo!
Glad I stumbled across this page!
Take care Chuck McBride aka ADIT ADDICTS on youtube
Hi Chuck,
Thanks for this comment. Your picture of this old ore cart was my motivation for this sculpture.
As described on the finished work, this sculpture first began as a simple casting to build an old ore cart. From this it expanded into a casting for a working ore cart on tracks. Next came a working ore crusher which then required a water wheel with a water tower to power the crusher. A mine office was then created to hold all the mechanics and electronics to operate the system. Working with the electronics was a really fun blast from the past as it brought me back to my late teens.
I presume you have seen the movie of the sculpture crusher actually operating that is on my last blog posting for this work?
This sculpture is finished, but I also have more work to do. It’s also my plan to cast an old miner who is pushing the cart, just as you and your friend Justin did. Stay tuned, I might have the miner cast and finished by summer 2021.
Best wishes.
Absolutely outstanding work you do sir! Breath taking is an understatement in fact. The detail is impeccable and whomever this gem is going to hopefully has the knowledge that this is such a rare piece and in my humble opinion, priceless.
I applaud you.
Chuck McBride