Author Topic: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)  (Read 242176 times)

Online Kim

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #315 on: March 14, 2016, 03:07:29 PM »
Thanks for the input Jason and Pete.

I'll have to give some thought to rounding over the head on the bolts.  That'd make it much more like a carriage bolt, though they usually have a square length just below the head to help keep them from turning when tightened.  I could just take my chances here and just round over the heads.

Any other thoughts from anyone?
Kim

Offline Don1966

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #316 on: March 14, 2016, 05:52:32 PM »
Kim I bet your getting excited to see it starting to come together. The family shot looks great........ :cheers:

Don

Online Jasonb

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #317 on: March 14, 2016, 05:54:47 PM »
If you are worried about the rounded off bolt turning you could leave a very small amount of teh hex remaining, similar to the nuts in the photo below which are supplied by a maker of traction engine "kits". Or use roundhead setscrews and fill the slot with epoxy before painting.

J

Offline 10KPete

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #318 on: March 14, 2016, 05:55:53 PM »
Naw, don't round 'em over. Leave the nice hex. Otherwise they'll just look like rivets or something.

Pete
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Online Jasonb

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #319 on: March 14, 2016, 06:01:33 PM »
I thought that was the whole idea as the real thing used rivits and rounded over stays

Offline 10KPete

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #320 on: March 14, 2016, 06:10:42 PM »
I thought that was the whole idea as the real thing used rivits and rounded over stays

Well pardon me. I have mis-read something somewhere. I thought hex heads were the desired item. If not, then why
make 'em in the first place?? :headscratch:

Pete
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Online Jasonb

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #321 on: March 14, 2016, 06:31:39 PM »
Quote
So, unless you guys have some real guidance, it seems that it's down to an aesthetic choice.  I'd love to hear your thoughts either way.


 ...............or alternately, looks more prototypical?................Kim

Rivits or stays are more prototypical than bolts that is why I was suggesting the best way to get a prototypical look by using an alternative to hex fixings.

It should be bourn in mind that the full size engines did not have separate horn plates, the sides of the boiler firebox were continued up above the water space to give teh two plates that the shaft bearings were fixed to. As modelers we have to do the best we can to make these separate hornplates look like they are part of the boiler that is why it is common practice to use the methods mentioned in my previous posts rather than just nuts and bolts.

J
« Last Edit: March 14, 2016, 06:57:29 PM by Jasonb »

Offline 10KPete

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #322 on: March 14, 2016, 07:36:19 PM »
Aahhhh! Thanks for the enlightenment, Jason. I'll have to discover how that end of the machine was fabricated, in full size.

Pete
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Online Jasonb

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #323 on: March 14, 2016, 08:07:44 PM »
Although this is a partable (does not move under its own power) it gives a good idea of how this part of full size engiens is made to give a waterspace around teh sides and over the top of the firebox.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.414820928588609.94055.360405337363502&type=3

And this one shows how the sides carry on up top support the bearings

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.776888275715204.1073742069.360405337363502&type=3

Lots of other good traction engine construction work in Bartlett's albms

https://www.facebook.com/BartlettEngineering/photos_stream?tab=photos_albums

J

Offline 10KPete

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #324 on: March 14, 2016, 08:57:14 PM »
Mr. Bartlett certainly has a right proper shed, he does! Reminds me very much of shops I've worked in back when. Oh I miss having proper equipment to fabricate things like that. Too old now....

Thanks Jason, that answered the question. The horn plates are applied to the sides of the boiler at the fire box so they are riveted through into the water leg.

Have you visited Mr. Bartletts' establishment?

Pete
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Retired, finally!
SB 10K lathe, Benchmaster mill. And stuff.

Online Kim

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #325 on: March 15, 2016, 06:20:29 AM »
Thanks for the kind words Don!

And thanks Jason and Pete for the fascinating interchange.  I found it very educational!  I'll now have to consider the rounded over hex too!

Thanks for the information on how the real traction engines were made Jason. This is exactly the kind of information I was looking for.  Very educational!

Kim

Online Kim

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #326 on: March 27, 2016, 02:04:11 AM »
It's been a couple of weeks since my last update because I haven't had much to show.  But today I got some shop time and was able to finish up the Perch Bracket, and that is what this installment is all about.

The Perch Bracket was cut from a piece of 22GA steel, then filed & sanded square, as I've shown before. 

I marked it up, and put a punch mark where the axle yoke is supposed to go.  I'd recently picked up a step drill from HF in hopes that it would do a better job of drilling the holes in the sheet metal than my previous experience using the twist drills.  So I drilled a 1/8" hole as a place to start, since that was the smallest step on the step drill.


Oops... missed the mark completely! That's what I get for trying to do it free hand.  So, off to the mill, where a used a 1/4" 2 flute mill to drill the hole in the correct spot.  That worked much better.


Then off to the brake where I bent one side of the bracket:


Then the other:


Unfortunately, I couldn't figure out any way to do the next set of bends with my brake, so I used a hand seamer to make the bend.  This didn't produce quite as crisp of a bend as the brake did, but I was able to clean it up using various methods.


And here's the Perch Bracket, perched in its new spot, using a 1/4" drill to align the holes for the Axle Fork (the next item on my list).


Unfortunately, there are some rivets right under where this bracket is supposed to go.  So my next order of business was to remove those rivets.


After milling the heads off the offending rivets, I drilled rivet holes in the Perch Bracket.  Then I clamped the Perch Bracket on to the boiler shell and drilled matching rivet holes through the boiler shell.  That first rivet in the bracket isn't really installed, it's just sitting there to help keep the holes aligned while drilling the other two.


After setting those three rivets in place, I turned the boiler shell around and drilled the holes for the other side.  Again, the two escutcheon pins shown are just to help keep things aligned while drilling.


And here is the final shot, with the Perch Bracket riveted in place. My rivets don't look anywhere as good as Mal's!  But they are doing their job, so I'm pleased with that  :embarassed:


Thanks for taking a look,
Kim
« Last Edit: July 08, 2017, 06:03:27 PM by Kim »

Offline Dave Otto

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #327 on: March 27, 2016, 02:14:08 AM »
Very nice Kim!

In full sized practice the steel plate would most likely had a generous radius in the bends to help with strength; so I think that you did well.

Dave

Offline fumopuc

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #328 on: March 27, 2016, 07:04:54 AM »
Hi Kim, I like your fabrication work.
Kind Regards
Achim

Online Kim

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #329 on: March 27, 2016, 03:20:11 PM »
Thanks for the kind comments Dave and Achim.
Kim

 

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