D'ni mining winch-thing?

[BenB]

An idea for a thing miners would use to haul tubs of rocks and stuff from a pit. They'd load it up with rocks, in the pontoon parts, to wiegh it down and then also pound in the stakes at the sides to hold it in place when they used the winch to drag stuff up out of the mines on the cable.

It could also be used to haul rocks around by letting out the cable and tieing it somewhere. Then the winch would pull itself toward the tie-up place.

The thing behind the cable reel is the motor. I don't know how the D'ni power thier motors, so it's just a cylender right now.

[Emor D'ni Lap]

That's a very cool device, Ben!
Actually seems like it would work, as long as the pontoon sliders would hold up to the constant scraping of rocks on their bottoms!

Do you have plans for using this design?

[BenB]

I read somewhere the D'ni had some super-tough material they could make stuff out of. The ponttoon bottoms must have that stuff on them!

I don't have plans to use it right away, but something I'm working on in a couple months might have a place for it. If anyone feels like modeling this winch-hauler, that would suit me just fine!
(hint, hint)

[Emor D'ni Lap]

If anyone feels like modeling this winch-hauler, that would suit me just fine!

I'll see what I can squeeze in over the next couple weeks, Ben!

Just for texturing, about how big do you think this device is???
I mean, you can resize it somewhat later on, but if I know approximately I can scale the textures to about the right detail level....

And if you have texture files in mind, you can either upload them here or PM me a note, whichever you prefer.

[BenB]

Emor, I think this it is pretty big, maybe about fifteen feet high at the top of the winch.

I only have two texture files that might work for it. I will PM those to you.
Thank you for working on this, I am excited to see it!

[Emor D'ni Lap]

Ben, here's a start on it; I wanted to show you the work at an early stage so I don't have to alter textures or detailing if things change.
Haven't started on the "motor" device yet, either.
I just tried to hold true to your drawing...let me know if I got what you were aiming for, okay?
   

[BenB]

I like it!

Thank You!

Can I ask for two things, though?

1. I think I drew the frame thing that holds it all together to sloppy! I meant it to be just straight lines. I see where you made it all curvy, but that was not what I meant it to look like. Is it possible to just make the curve parts straight?
   
2. The top edges of the ponttoons should maybe be thicker than the rest of them. Like a lip on a boat?
   

If this is too much trouble, don't worry. I can do something with it if you just want to send me the file.

[Emor D'ni Lap]

Sure, I can do those things, it's not a problem.
But it may take me a while before I can get to this...like maybe until the end of the year!
I don't mind continuing work on this. But if you're in a hurry for it, then it may be best to send you the file...just let me know!

[BenB]

THE END OF THE YEAR????

haha, i'm only joking! Our project is going so slow, it won't matter if the winch is not done until the end of NEXT year! We are just happy that it is still going ahead at all! Thank you!

[BenB]

Hey Emor! We built the place where the winch-thing is going in to! There is still not a big rush for finising it. But do you still want to work on it?

Ben