Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

Builds, Repairs, Show Your Machines! => Metal & Wood Construction - Erector Sets - Meccano - Wood Structures => Topic started by: Nick on February 25, 2020, 09:08:26 am

Title: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: Nick on February 25, 2020, 09:08:26 am: I believe these usually sell in the $160 price range, so I've been watching ebay for a second-hand set...

This one came up with the description "missing pieces replaced by manufacturer"... Price was $80, I offered $50, expecting a counter-offer of $65-75, but to my surprise, it was accepted ;D

Box arrived yesterday and all I could hear was loose pieces inside... :-[

Luckily the seller had the set/box in a bag, but it wasn't 100% sealed... I spotted this loose washer, so all the newspaper was opened up and a few other small pieces were found

(https://www.officeofsteamforum.com/gallery/officeofsteamforum/0/6-250220090238-6061185.jpeg)

I pulled the box out of the bag, lifted off the lid and this is what I found :o ::)

(https://www.officeofsteamforum.com/gallery/officeofsteamforum/0/6-250220090239-616103.jpeg)

(https://www.officeofsteamforum.com/gallery/officeofsteamforum/0/6-250220090241-6171793.jpeg)
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: Hero on February 25, 2020, 12:30:07 pm: Is it all there?
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: Nick on February 25, 2020, 12:37:14 pm: Quote from: Hero on February 25, 2020, 12:30:07 pm
Is it all there?

Well, after nearly an hour of sorting and counting (yes I even counted the 800 nuts and screws!), I have found everything but 2 washers... I think I can live with that for $110 off new price ;) Looks like we'll see how far we can get on building it this afternoon...

(https://www.officeofsteamforum.com/gallery/officeofsteamforum/0/6-250220123435-6181469.jpeg)
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: Hero on February 25, 2020, 01:41:53 pm: You're a glutton for punishment, Nick.
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: Nick on February 25, 2020, 03:28:59 pm: Gonna be a long project, that's for sure... :D

(https://www.officeofsteamforum.com/gallery/officeofsteamforum/0/6-250220152713-620215.jpeg)
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: Nick on February 25, 2020, 04:11:46 pm: (https://www.officeofsteamforum.com/gallery/officeofsteamforum/0/6-250220161006-6211675.jpeg)

(https://www.officeofsteamforum.com/gallery/officeofsteamforum/0/6-250220161008-622745.jpeg)
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: RedRyder on February 25, 2020, 05:33:48 pm: Very well bought!

Looks like a good quality kit.
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: Nick on February 25, 2020, 05:45:02 pm: Quote from: RedRyder on February 25, 2020, 05:33:48 pm
Very well bought!

Looks like a good quality kit.

It's a long build, but far better working with this shiny new material than the usual rusty erector sets :D
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: Hero on February 25, 2020, 06:01:16 pm: Ah, but it will be a thing of beauty and a joy forever.
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: Nick on February 25, 2020, 06:16:22 pm: Quote from: Hero on February 25, 2020, 06:01:16 pm
Ah, but it will be a thing of beauty and a joy forever.

Haha, I'm about half way through and my fingers are starting to get sore, but I'm not giving up! And a joy forever is right, at least my forever because I won't be taking this one apart :D

I plan to bring this one for my display at Miniatureland later this year. I have a half-built Erector ferris wheel (ran short of parts) that I plan to finish as well and display them side by side, old and new :)
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: Nick on February 25, 2020, 06:30:50 pm: (https://www.officeofsteamforum.com/gallery/officeofsteamforum/0/6-250220182924-6241837.jpeg)

(https://www.officeofsteamforum.com/gallery/officeofsteamforum/0/6-250220182922-623243.jpeg)

(https://www.officeofsteamforum.com/gallery/officeofsteamforum/0/6-250220182926-6251258.jpeg)
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: St Paul Steam on February 25, 2020, 08:22:58 pm: Your progressing well Nick, these are impressively large & show very well , crowds love this.
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: Nick on February 25, 2020, 09:28:46 pm: Quote from: St Paul Steam on February 25, 2020, 08:22:58 pm
Your progressing well Nick, these are impressively large & show very well , crowds love this.

Thanks Bruce, I am getting there now, just have the 12 gondolas/cars to put together now... It seems like the general public is more interested in common engines running stuff like this, than seeing the rare/old engines that we are all interested in...

(https://www.officeofsteamforum.com/gallery/officeofsteamforum/0/6-250220212539-6271402.jpeg)

(https://www.officeofsteamforum.com/gallery/officeofsteamforum/0/6-250220212537-6262493.jpeg)

(https://www.officeofsteamforum.com/gallery/officeofsteamforum/0/6-250220212540-628660.jpeg)
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: txlabman on February 26, 2020, 03:57:05 am: Looks like fun. I have had one of these kits for over a year. I need to build mine soon.

Have you figured out how you will modify it to be Steam Driven?

Here are some pictures of how someone else did it (Rolling Boil) that I saved on my phone.

[attachimg=1][attachimg=2][attachimg=3][attachimg=4]
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: Nick on February 26, 2020, 08:37:10 am: Quote from: txlabman on February 26, 2020, 03:57:05 am
Have you figured out how you will modify it to be Steam Driven?

I'm going to keep this one stock and run it off a generator like Tim did and my Erector ferris wheel will be belt driven

https://youtu.be/j63WxtntXbI
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: txlabman on February 26, 2020, 06:17:12 pm: Neat idea!
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: classixs on February 27, 2020, 03:33:48 am: That is such a cool kit, congrats Nick !

Been wanting one for quite a few years now, from back when Bruce built his completely awesome Jensen 55 driven version.
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: Steamandoil (Tim) on March 03, 2020, 08:53:57 pm: Hello Nick! I am flattered you liked my generator set up to turn the Eitech. I was just getting ready to dig through my YouTube and find one of the videos of it. Yours is looking great. Thanks for the build pics. Post up a video down the road of it running.
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: Nick on March 03, 2020, 09:41:12 pm: Hi Tim, I finished it the night before the Global Power Up, then got too busy filming for that. Definitely need to get a video posted soon...
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: St Paul Steam on July 25, 2020, 06:26:20 am: any video yet Nick ?
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: Jim on July 25, 2020, 09:49:01 pm: Great find and great build thread.
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: Tadfafty on July 25, 2020, 10:59:43 pm: Are these compatible with original Erector pieces? (hole size, etc)
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: txlabman on January 12, 2022, 12:50:00 pm: Did you finish this and get it running?

Did you ever make a video?
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: St Paul Steam on January 12, 2022, 07:01:50 pm: Well , did you , did you , DID YOU ?.....LOL. 😃
(enquiring minds want to know)
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: Nick on January 12, 2022, 07:39:51 pm: Haha, no, never got a video of it. Sitting on a shelf in the dining room looking good though 😂
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: St Paul Steam on January 12, 2022, 08:30:56 pm: Unfortunately you have about 2 years for the new & shiny look , then it goes dull.
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: Nick on January 12, 2022, 08:31:39 pm: Quote from: St Paul Steam on January 12, 2022, 08:30:56 pm
Unfortunately you have about 2 years for the new & shiny look , then it goes dull.

I had about 2 weeks before it went dusty 😂
Title: Re: Finally found an Eitech Ferris Wheel
Post by: St Paul Steam on January 12, 2022, 08:36:43 pm: With mine , I do oil the 2 swivel bolts that hold each of the gondola's on , helps them rotate properly.