Safari Bridge

[DRW-FJ40]

Well.... I have a box of bamboo poles... so...

I sort of kinda started a scale bridge. I've built a number of bridges in my scale RC park:

I soon learned that functionaly scale bridges are... well.... sort of boring to drive over. so I created some "unscale" bridges that were a lot more challenging to navigate.

All of them, I've made from 2x2 preasure treated wood with 1x2 slats. Not to scale looking but they served the purpose.

What I'm going for here is a safari type suspension bridge. I have recolections of going over such a bridge in south east asia in a early 60's land rover 20 some years ago and was even able to locate the picture but it wasn't quite as interesting a bridge as I remembered.... just a crude functional slab of bamboo poles. So Google to the rescue and a little bit of imagination:

 

[DRW-FJ40]

Here is a start: you can see the two rocks I'm connecting & the approach from the left is up that big slab & you'll make a hard right to get on the bridge.

Put a truck in there for size reference & you can see the approach a little better:

I'm going to have to either widen it or cut the top off & extend some posts for the susspension. My bridges are all about 10-12" wide but with no railing of any kind, you can swing the front over the edge & with the susspension, that won't be possible.

 

[Numbcrawling]

I really like this idea. You could even make it with some of the boards broken and falling down to give it the look of wear and tear. Just an idea for you, but I really like where this is going already.

 

[ejohnson]

nice start, your park needs some scale trees though

 

[DRW-FJ40]

nice start, your park needs some scale trees though

Last fall I started doing some hacking, giving the art of bonsai a bad name in general:

I have several more in the house that won't come out till spring but plan to add more as budget allows. The way I will probably go in the future is not bonsai, but just pruning the hell out of dwarf species of spruce/cedar. The little one without leaves is a bonsai maple & it's really cool. little tiny maple leaves & it had nice fall color. I don't generally like to take pictures in the winter... looks so bleak.

This is a mature maple bonsai (far beyond my skills and budget at the moment, not to mention it takes years to get a tree to look like this & stay 18" tall unless you want to spend several $100 per tree. I go to lowes & get smallest dwarf spruce I can, usually about $8 a tree & prune them to look like miniature trees, most are inside right now.):

 

[BadRockNoCookie]

Subscribing...Can't wait to see this come together. Sounds very cool. "thumbsup"

 

[DRW-FJ40]

Really wasn't happy with the bridge. I didn't take my time & started with the spans & tried to build the supports down to the ground. A real bridge, I would think, would start with the supports & then add the spans. It also needed to be wider. 12" is good when there is nothing above the bridge decking but I need more room to swing into it with the suspensions.

So I started over, took a little more time & added more detail & rope wraps:

 

[ROLANDROCKSHOP]

very nice start!

did you add the sand on the ground in your rock garden..?
it looks good.

 

[DRW-FJ40]

very nice start!

did you add the sand on the ground in your rock garden..?
it looks good.

Yea, I like it. once it sits all winter & get's a little dirty, it will blend in better.

 

[DRW-FJ40]

I worked on the other set of supports last night. no point in posting photos of that. I did create a little sign that came out sort of cool. Not something you would really see on a bridge but... my stuff is sort of 50% scale - 50% fantasy. I put a map from Alfred Wallace's book, "The Malay Archipelego" behind the text & framed it with small diamer bamboo.

 

[DRW-FJ40]

P.S. I need some scale rope. What I've been using for lashing is "bead cord" from a local art supply store. I want the suspension ropes to be 3-5 mm 3 strand hemp type rope. I've looked at Michaels, walmart, joann's & can't seem to find anything I like. Anyone have a source for scale rope?

 

[hotrodsonoma]

P.S. I need some scale rope. What I've been using for lashing is "bead cord" from a local art supply store. I want the suspension ropes to be 3-5 mm 3 strand hemp type rope. I've looked at Michaels, walmart, joann's & can't seem to find anything I like. Anyone have a source for scale rope?

looking good man.and for the scale rope.what about lowes or home depot and get some masonary string,or buy a chalk box and use the line out of it.

 

[DRW-FJ40]

looking good man.and for the scale rope.what about lowes or home depot and get some masonary string,or buy a chalk box and use the line out of it.

Yea, I have some & may use it. Trouble is, I found what I want it's just expensive, .50/ft. $12 shipping and they don't take paypal so my wife would see $54 for scale rope on the CC. Don't want to go there....

I did order some stuff from UK on eBay. It should be good for the larger diameter & I may use the masonry string for smaller stuff. What you want is a super high quality 3 strand hemp cord. high quality makes for small strands which look more scale.

 

[DRW-FJ40]

A friend was recomending a technique for soldering brass tubing to make it stronger by putting a solid piece inside the hollow tube to splice the joint. So I tried it on the bamboo spans:

 

[DRW-FJ40]

I'm really starting to like it.

 

[DRW-FJ40]

Just a little update. lashing on small diameter poles for bridge surface. I plan to put planking down where the tires would go. You see this a lot in 3rd world jungle bridges. crossing the structural pieces makes the bridge deck stronger & the planks make for a smooth surface to drive on. But even rough cut planks can be hard to come by in the outback so their use is limited to the driveable surface.

outside railing will support the suspension ropes.

 

[Ramination]

This will be a very nice addition, good work.

 

[JJBTEXAS]

very cool! I see a lot of detail which is always a plus.

 

[DRW-FJ40]

Thanks, yes the details will be what make or break this project. Here are some updates:

 

[AX10wannabe]

man this thing is cool!!!!!!! very nice work! i wish i had half the patience that you do! i have a hard time building stuff like this because i have the attention span of a squirrel.. i'll work on something for an hour, get bored or tired say fawk it go inside take a nap have the intentions of going back outside but never actually do..:shock: