Building Kozo's New Shay locomotive

[crueby]

It would be a bucket by now, and probably more to come. I have one, due to some swarf melting fantasy, no doubt. Great work, I'm really enjoying watching.
Hugh.

Hmm... Whats in my shopvac bucket....Couple alloys of brass chips, few types of steel, some wood shavings, little plexiglass and paper.... Melt all that down, should be a new alloy, maybe some adamantium or some unobtanium? Or cold fusion? Maybe I can get a government grant to study it..!

[PStechPaul]

Perhaps "Swarfium"?

Or it might engage in spontaneous recombination to create a "swarf monster"! 

http://imonster.bandcamp.com/album/swarf

[crueby]

The framework for the wheel trucks is done, ready for the journal boxes (which hold the axle bearings). The truck framework is made from 2mmX8mm brass bar, sawn down from sheet stock with a slitting saw.

Except for the diagonal bracing on the top all the bars are cut/drilled to the plans. The diagonal bracing is drilled one end, then marked for the other end - these bars have a slight bend to them so they can cross over each other.

Once the diagonal bars were all in place, they were trimmed to fit the outside corners. In the last photo, the wheel sets are propped in place as they will be in the final assembly. Still need to make the journal boxes to hold the wheel bearings - that looks to be a fun (complicated) set of steps....

[crueby]

Got a start on the journal boxes. The left and right side boxes are different shapes, but they share a lot of positions for the mounting holes and the bearing cover plates, so I started all of them, then will do one side's boxes at a time when it comes to the detail shaping. The 4 boxes for each side were first milled to overall size, then bored the holes for the line shafts in the right hand boxes, and the mount holes/cover plate holes in all of them. This part went pretty quick, since once a hole was located in the first one (using the edge of the milling vise as a reference point) the table was locked down, and I could repeat the same hole in all 8 blocks. Tapping 32 holes 3-48 and 32 more as 2-56 took a bit longer....

The next steps are for the right hand journals only - these are recessed for the bearing block and also to clear the bevel gear on the right hand wheels. To start bored for the bearing block (this hole will be squared up in a later step to match the square-outside bearings), then moved the 4-jaw chuck with the block still in place to the mill, and lowered the surface around the bearing 3mm, leaving the top edge for mounting to the truck. Then recessed to leave a ring that fits into the center of the bevel gear, and finally angled the area around the ring at the same angle as the bevel gears. At that point, the other 3 right-hand blocks are next up to be milled through the same steps.

Next time will have the sides and back of the journal block shaped, and can start on the left-hand blocks....

[Roger B]

That's a lot of bits to make    Looking good   

[b.lindsey]

Nice work on those!!  Have you added an extended column to your Sherline Mill?  I looks like it from the 2nd photo. If so where did you get it and how do you like it?  Headroom is often a problem on these small mills.

Bill

[crueby]

Nice work on those!!  Have you added an extended column to your Sherline Mill?  I looks like it from the 2nd photo. If so where did you get it and how do you like it?  Headroom is often a problem on these small mills.

Bill

Yup, got the extended column a year or two ago. When you stack up the rotary table and four jaw chuck, very little room left with long drills and reamers. This column is 15 inches high, measuring just the rail section. This is available from sherline and bolts in place of the original 11 inch column. Here is the part
http://www.sherlinedirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=212
Works great, ought to be ther standard part!

[b.lindsey]

Thanks crueby...guess I need to visit their site more often. Four more inches of headroom would be great!!

Bill

[crueby]

Next step on the right side journal boxes was to mill out the bearing recess square (was bored to size on the lathe first for position and depth). The bearings are rounded on the top/bottom/back edges, so that it can tilt - the left side bearings are sprung to let the axles tilt independantly on rough track.

After that, the back side of the box was inlet at the bottom, and recessed up the middle. This recess will be redone once the back side is angled - this cut keeps the end of the recess square to the face.

At this point, all the other shaping/drilling is done, so it is time to cut the recesses down each side, leaving the 'feet' where the boxes attach to the rails. I did the main cut from the back, then had to finish it from the front since I dont have a mill that small with long enough flutes.

Last setup was to angle the box in the mill vise (used a wedge to get them all angled the same, was quicker than setting up the tilt table) and milling the angled area on the back face.

That finished the right side journals - was not as complicated as I was afraid it would be, Kozo gives a very good sequence for them.

Last photo is the journals test fit into the trucks - the left sides are propped up since the left journals are not done yet.... Looking very different as each piece goes on - cant wait to get the left journals made now!

[b.lindsey]

Those aren't trucks...they are works of art Crueby!!

Bill

[PStechPaul]

  Nice looking parts! 

Soon you may have more brass than the Pentagon! 

[crueby]

Nice looking parts! 

Soon you may have more brass than the Pentagon! 

Keep the brass, I'd rather have thier budget!!

[crueby]

Cold couple days up here (wierd for mid-august, usually in the 90's now, been hanging around in the 50s and low 60s), so getting more done in the shop than usual.... Getting tired though, time to walk away for the day before I have a brain-fart and make a mistake!

Got the left side journal boxes done - started by milling out the rectangular center cavity, where the bearing slides up and down, then milled out the recesses on the back side - one goes through, the other does not.

After that, angled off the back side just like the right side boxes, and cut in the sides to leave the feet.
The completed boxes look simaler to the right side ones, except that the bearings are in a slot to move vertically. An adjustable-tension spring on top holds them down. The screw sticking out the top is the adjuster for the spring tension. The spring tension on the center bolsters is not adjustable, just the one on the axle itself.

Last photo shows a test fit of the front truck on the frame - major milestone for this project, really looking like a loco now (can you hear the smile from there?? ). The gears mesh well, and the suspension works too. Still a bunch to do on the trucks - brake assemblies to make, and the gears need to be drilled/pinned in place on the line shafts, plus a coat of paint to put on the truck framework.

[crueby]

got more shots of the frame with both trucks on now. That brings it up to about 21 pounds so far - enough weight for it to turn the wheels/gears easily with a push to the frame.

Looking more like a train (or a government designed lazy-susan??)

[b.lindsey]

Looking quite the part crueby.  Have you build a small stand yet with tracks for it to sit on as you add things to it?

Bill