Re: gauge railway workshop to yard

"Jim Wilkins" <muratlanne@gmail.com> writes:

"Richard Smith"  wrote in message news:m1jzj0bgsv.fsf@void.com...
>
Hello all
>
Yup really niche question this.
>
Friend re-concreting his workshop floor, and intends to lay
mine-railway tracks in it.  Which runs out into the yard and enables
machines which make a mess to be wheeled-out from stored safe and dry
in the workshop to working some distance away given associated dust
when running....
Anyone know of an argument to choose one gauge over another?
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>
After thinking about it more, I'd much rather have a level paved
walkway wide enough to allow rotating machines for long stock
clearance or putting cut marks in sunlight and letting one pass
another, inside and out. Indoors machines on swivel casters can be
pushed sideways against each other, like my welding equipment. My
basement (cellar) is at ground level in front and I roll the equipment
into the driveway to make sparks or sawdust. (Not "and")
>
Currently I'm cutting 6"x6"x16' oak beams that are difficult to
maneuver even outside in the yard, around the house and up the hill
into the woods to store them under cover. I suppose the best answer
depends somewhat on the size/weight of his equipment (hammer-mill?)
and what he makes, for me the longest steel assembly to be hoisted,
drilled and handled is the 24' sawmill track. The heavyweight chip
makers are the lathe and mill which are top heavy and spread sharp
metal chips I don't really want scattered outdoors. "Mice" such as
these are available to roll seriously heavy industrial machinery:
https://www.ronmillsandcompany.com/products/mighty_mouse/
>
Heavy duty wheels of custom width can be made from large pipe tires
and small pipe hubs, bored smooth and to size (after welding the
spokes) for needle bearings cut from gas welding rod. I made stainless
ones for the platform stacker that shares a damp dirt shed floor with
the tractor.
>
A shop crane can become a self-loading trailer by putting planks to
support the load across the legs and a trailer coupler on the mast
end. Mine lifts 2000 Lbs and has larger added wheels to roll on
dirt. One might be the simplest way to move the hammer mill or
anything similar you might be tempted to acquire.
>
The peril of having narrow gauge tracks:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leicestershire-54118244

Advantage of railway tracks over castors/wheels is can go far beyond the
shed without big civils - tonnes of concrete making level roads, etc. ?

Hammer mill 15HP drive and definitely "industrial".

There is left-over mine-gauge equipment seeking a good home here, and
maybe some nostalgia in actually having a bit of line.

This is driven by my wanting to actually experience the realities of
mineral processing.
Start with a heap of "rocks" and end up with some metallic minerals.
I'm getting better at spotting things.
Beach walk Saturday - saw some "dirty" quartz and took samples to mine
museum.  Yes is mineralised - lot of iron.  Someone guessed where it had
come from, saying there was a drift mine off the beach (saw it - thought
it was a drainage adit) which got about 50 tonnes of lead (?) before being
abandoned.
Some folk have piles of ore where can process some every now-and-again.

Red River flowing clear these days despite South Crofty pumping-out -
treat the water coming out of the mine to essentially drinking water
grade, which dilutes down what's going into the adit from other mines.
Great County Adit still runs very "ironey" - comes out near where I
live.

Volunteering at mine museum - they want to make some replicas as best
possible given photos of equipment around the headframe.  Given they are
putting up a conserved timber headframe at the museum - last one used in
Cornwall.  The cage for the main shaft, etc.

Best wishes to all,
Rich Smith