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Bridge on the River Kwai


Tecko
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Thanks fellows for encouraging responses. Much appreciated.

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My old table, now a worktable, has a bow to due to a history of supporting weight. However, I noticed, with the model base board on top of it, a huge gap. There was enough room for my pencil to roll under the base board! Closer examination revealed that the base board is also bowed.

 

To compensate, I cut another larger base, from the same resource, and glued opposing bows together, under weight. The next day I inserted screws to secure it.

 

Minder has poor safety sense. Here he is guiding my cut.

 

ZxWgCDP.jpg

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Looking GOOD! Wait.... about 30 kg weights on the boards....where are the missing 170 kg weights from your barbell? ;)

 

Ho ha. Yeah right! These weights are at least ten years old. As you can see, they have not been used much in that time. Got them for competitive road cycling. Since a bad fall in the World's Championships, I've put on weight. In fact, as much weight as what's on the boards. :blush:

 

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Exchanged the original base for the larger one. Now the first base will be referred to as a platform. The second base is larger to accommodate a display frame. Three millimeter clear Perspex will enclose the model as a display case.

 

Used scrap 3 mm Perspex, plus thin card, as a spacer between platform and framework.

I have no 45 deg cut jig.

Top-right: As it happens sometimes, it was the last option that was the correct one.

 

R04rIGr.jpg

 

As I was about to fill nail holes, etc., with wood putty, Minder noticed I drilled too many holes. The column at each end of bridge was not needed.

 

DS6Mzjh.jpg

 

A while ago I bought a cheap spatula for wood putty (to save me using my painting one). It broke while filling the drill holes. Had to use the painting spatula to finish the job.

 

CHzPvHc.jpg

 

After some sanding . . .

 

SJpH2wr.jpg

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Here is the movie bridge under construction in Sri Lanka (Ceylon), during 1957. This photo also reveals that the river water level is lower than shown in the movie. I am assuming that this is the drier part of the year, for they have not done anything to divert the river flow.

You may notice that the right-hand cantilever piers are inserted into the river bed. To do this, they used a cofferdam.

 

kPfGn4E.jpg

 

For those not familiar to what a cofferdam is. This photo ought to be self explanatory.

 

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However, there was no such advanced equipment for the POWs to build the bridge. They had to pile-drive the piers into the ground, and river beds, by hand.

 

ZtAJn86.jpg

 

Teams of POWs, at both sides of the trestle, hoisted the heavy weight up and then dropped onto the pier. They did this repeatedly, day and night, for months while building the various bridges along the 415 km railway.

 

m3us2ec.jpg

 

First real bridge (circled), on the river Kwai, is made from timber. The second bridge got constructed and then bombed by RAF. Soon afterwards the timber bridge got completely destroyed too. Afterwards, the second bridge got repaired. They used a different, simpler, design structures (not curved), to replaced the destroyed sections. Bottom photo is how it looks today.

 

gnYA3r6.jpg

 

xKEdaOn.jpg

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The movie bridge has really been slapped together in a 'near enough is good enough' approach.

 

Gkro4rp.jpg

 

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I had to come up with my own approach to making joints and at least try to be more consistent in using them.

 

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This plan go improved when I was about to add the horizontal beams.

 

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The central piers are easy to put in. A set square ensures accurate vertical installation.

 

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Both a set square and a profile template ensures correct angles for outer piers.

 

IJEgq8S.jpg

 

Altered the drawing to thicker horizontal beams with notches. Used the template to make sure the beams are level and at the correct height.

 

hM1LDXi.jpg

 

 

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Great project, research and absolutely splendid presentation Peter!

I very much look forward to more of your posts.

All the best,

Mike

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This looks like a lot of work, but well worth my time to follow your progress. Your research on this project is awesome.

 

Semper Fi.

 

Manny

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Thank you fellows for following and making comments of encouragement. Much appreciated.

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To lean-in the outer piers I had to take off a fair bit of wood of the dowel. I was not happy about that, so I re-drilled the outer holes at a slight angle.

Still needing to fashion the dowel for a lean-in, but not much whittling was needed.

 

NW6G6wF.jpg

 

Keeping various trimmings for possible later use in the diorama, such as sawing off-cuts, and debarking lumber.

 

Ivvy9Zr.jpg

 

Made another template, but made from card, so it could be fitted between the columns (Timber one was too thick). The card also has a profile drawing to signify which columns have horizontal beams.

 

NArYpsx.jpg

 

xDrBIGS.jpg

 

One step back too far.

 

6NvnoET.jpg

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Thank you fellows for following and making comments of encouragement. Much appreciated.

___________________________

To lean-in the outer piers I had to take off a fair bit of wood of the dowel. I was not happy about that, so I re-drilled the outer holes at a slight angle.

Still needing to fashion the dowel for a lean-in, but not much whittling was needed.

 

NW6G6wF.jpg

 

Keeping various trimmings for possible later use in the diorama, such as sawing off-cuts, and debarking lumber.

 

Ivvy9Zr.jpg

 

Made another template, but made from card, so it could be fitted between the columns (Timber one was too thick). The card also has a profile drawing to signify which columns have horizontal beams.

 

NArYpsx.jpg

 

xDrBIGS.jpg

 

One step back too far.

 

6NvnoET.jpg

:lol:

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Hello Peter, if you don't mind I'm going to tag along here 'cause this promises to be a lot of fun (actually it already is... :)). I'm impressed by the way you go about building the bridge and your thorough research.

 

Rene

 

 

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Thanks fellows for your humorous responses.

 

Yes, without Minder there would surely be more constructional hiccups.

 

I have always like watching all the Addams Family explosions.

 

GQsoaBl.gif

 

I have not seen this old TV series of Magnum P.I. where they blow up a model of the bridge.

 

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But besides blowing the bridge up, here as some basics in the cantilever design. Both the movie and real bridges used this design.

 

3tDbW9B.jpg

 

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Adding horizontal stiffening beams.

 

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Soon came across a problem. One of the re-drilled holes was too deep. Minder had a solution.

 

lmXZLdm.jpg

 

UEbWdrr.jpg

 

i4X48gb.jpg

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Great project and its wonderful fun seeing the planning and progress. I admire your workmanship and attention to detail.

 

I was thinking though, hasn't this model thing been done before?

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Thank you Dennis for supporting comments.

Never seen the Jerry Lewis movie 'The Geisha Boy'. Strange having to see Sessue Hayakawa in a comedy.

 

HsmCRlr.jpg

 

9wJjeHd.jpg

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Great project and its wonderful fun seeing the planning and progress. I admire your workmanship and attention to detail.

 

I was thinking though, hasn't this model thing been done before?

Thatttts Right, I remember that now, it was a like a spoof in the Geisha Boy movie.

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