Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)

[b.lindsey]

Those look amazing Kim. Nice idea using the abrasive discs for cleaning up the inside of the wheels too!! From the looks of it they did a nice job of clean up too.

Bill

[Bearcar1]

Fine looking set of wheels you made there Kim    I also like what you did with the abrasive scrubbing disc, well done. If and when the time ever comes, make a note to yourself. In the cosmetics department at Jewel or the like, one can find an assortment of foam based emory boards that the ladies use on their finger/toe nails to assist in keeping those talons razor sharp. They are just right to conform to curves and what not and the grits are fine enough that one does not gouge the underlying material.  The ultra-fine ones can almost provide a polished surface. Tally HO!! 


BC1
Jim

[b.lindsey]

Here is the link to what Jim is noting. I was put onto them by Don and they work great. You can buy individual grits or assorted grits in sets of four. I wouldn't be without them now!!

http://micro-surface.com/index.php/products-by-type/dual-angle-detailing-files/dual-angle-micro-mesh-regular-files.html

Bill

[Kim]

Thanks Joe, Bill, and Jim!

Those look like helpful little items to have around!  I don't know if I'm willing to commit to that level of shine for this project, but its always good to have more tools. You never know when it will come in handy!

Thanks,
Kim

[Don1966]

Apparently I didn't get a picture of it in action (hard to do by myself) but it worked fairly well to clean up the harder to reach spots.  Not to Don's standard of metal jewelry, but it passes my (fairly lax) QC department!

Kim the wheels are a treat buddy, they came out great and your well on your way. You are right practice makes perfect and the more you solder the easier it will get.
Now about you standard it does not have to be like mine. It's what your comfortable with that counts. You have to set your own standards as to what quality you are happy with after all it's your project. I find that as I progress in building that I want things at higher standards then my last project. By taking on more and more challenging projects I want better standards, if that makes any sense.

Don

[Dave Otto]

Hey Kim,

The wheels cleaned up and look great, nice work!

I completely agree with Don; I believe that it is good to push yourself and work on more challenging and difficult projects as you progress. I'm working on projects and doing things that I never believed possible a number of years ago. You are doing just this by tackling the traction engine project, and you will no doubt be completely successful in this project.

Looking forward to seeing more.

Dave

[fumopuc]

Hi Kim, some nice looking wheels. As Dave said already, today I am doing/making things, which I thought some years ago, would be impossible for me.

[Kim]

Thanks Don, Dave, and Achim,
Appreciate the encouragement!
As you say, I'm learning a lot with this project and having a blast at the same time. What could be better?

KIm

[Kim]

It's been several weeks since my last update, but I've been plodding along. So this will be a fairly big update.

To make the grouters, I use 22GA sheet metal. Placing my HF bandsaw in the vertical mode, I cut two strips 1.5" wide and about 12" long.


I double-sticky tapped those two together and milled them to 1.5" wide - the same width as the rear wheels.


Then I cut a ~67.5 degree angle on one end, and trued it up on the disk sander.


Using that angle as a guide, I cut a 1/4" strip off the end.


I did that a whole bunch of times. While the band saw cut wasn't exact, it was pretty close.  And to help out, between each cut, I cleaned up the end of the stock on the disk sander to make sure my angle was staying true.

Here are 28 double thick grouters.  I only need 24 per wheel, but I wanted some extras for the mistakes I'm bound to make.


After separating the double stacks, I drilled holes in each end of all 48 (plus the extra) grouters.  I carefully set the hole 3/32" in from the edge.


Here's a big pile of them after drilling the holes, but before clean up. You can see the wicked burr around each hole.


After FAR too many hours filing and cleaning up the grouters, I divided them into 'left' and 'right'. The wheels are 'handed'. The grouters point opposite directions in each wheel, and I picked the 24 that looked best on one side for the left wheel, and the 24 that looked best on the other side for the right wheel.  The spares laying about randomly.


Then I took one of the wheels and drilled 24 rivet holes carefully spaced around one side of the left wheel.


And started riveting the grouters to the wheel...
First step, countersink the edge around the holes in the grouter to give the rivet something to hold onto. These rivets will be filed flush after I'm done attaching all the grouters.


Then rivet one side onto the wheel. (no picture, oops!)

Then, using the grouter as a guide, drill the hole in the far side of the wheel for the 2nd rivet.


Now rivet the second side.
My process for riveting each side is, of course, the same.
First, set the rivet, so that its up close and personal with the far side:


Then using a thickness gauge, as was recommended, I cut the rivet to lenth: 

Here it is cut to length:


Then I use an intermediate punch to tighten things up some, and the final snap. For these, I'm not actually forming a rivet head, so I'm using a very FLAT punch for the final step to get the rivet down in the coutnersink.


I was humming along, not setting any speed record, but making pretty good progress - I was on my 12th or 13th grouter thinking I'd do just one more before I went in for dinner. And wouldn't you know it, the little drill bit I'm using for the rivets snapped . And I couldn't get the tip of the bit out of the wheel.  I tried all sorts of tricks.  It hadn't drilled all the way through, so I couldn't punch it out.  It broke off flush, so I couldn't pull it out. Try as I might, I couldn't get that sucker out of there.

So I resorted to destructive means.  I finally used an end mill to cut around the broken bit enough that I could finally break it out.  It's far uglier than it looks in this picture.


At least I was careful not to mill all the way through, and to keep my 'mess' small enough that it could be hidden under the grouter (I thought that was pretty smart ).  So I went ahead and tried to rivet the grouter in place.

Alas, with that big gaping hole behind the rivet, things squished all over the place as I started to hammer the rivet in place.  So I stopped.


See how its all askew?  I think my next attack will be to mill out a nice round hole and solder a piece of steel in place.  Then I should be able to drill and rivet.  Hopefully it won't look too bad.

So here's where I'm at.  The good part:


And the ugly part:


I'll be sure to let you all know how it comes out.  I'm sure you'll be 'riveted' to my build log just waiting to find out how it all works out!

Thanks for following along,
Kim

[fumopuc]

Hi Kim, the wheels are looking nice. Tommorrow with a fresh brain, you will find your best solution to fix the mishap with the ugly hole.

[Roger B]

Looking good  until the broken drill 

Can you drill and tap for a plug, silver solder in place and then smooth off?

[Johnmcc69]

This is coming together nicely Kim. I'm sure you'll get the kinks worked out.

 John

[b.lindsey]

I have faith in you Kim!  You will figure out how to plug the hole so that no one will ever know. Bummer about the drill though. The wheels are looking great though even so.

Bill

[Kim]

Thanks for the vote of confidence Achim, Roger, John, and Bill!

Roger, that's pretty much my plan, thought I don't think I'll bother threading the hole.  I think I'll just make it a lose fit and solder it in place & clean it up.  I'm hoping I can get by without drilling all the way through the rim, so the plug will only be 3/32" thick anyway.  And the plug doesn't have to be super structurally sound - just hold the rivet for the grouter in place.

Kim

[Tennessee Whiskey]

I hate it when that sh$t happens.  I've had decent luck busting out small drills with a good prick punch and a BFH, but,  that's Monday morning quarterbacking  . Don't forget about the one and only,  JB Weld,  I think it'll blend in fine,  fill in the oh no,  and no chance of the heat affecting anything else.  I am watching,  , and  .

Cletus