Author Topic: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)  (Read 242091 times)

Offline mal webber

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #330 on: March 27, 2016, 04:30:53 PM »
Nice work Kim,  my rivets had a formed head on to start with and I still managed to mess a few up, I think your doing a great job on your engine, won't be long and it will be standing on its own wheels  :ThumbsUp:

Mal.

Online Roger B

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #331 on: April 01, 2016, 08:25:45 AM »
Coming along nicely  :praise2:  :praise2: I'm still following along in the background  :wine1:
Best regards

Roger

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #332 on: April 01, 2016, 02:10:02 PM »
Very nice Kim. The radius on the bends looks totally prototypical to me so I wouldn't worry about that at all. More important that things look symmetrical and you certainly achieved that!! Well done.

Bill

Online Kim

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #333 on: April 02, 2016, 05:32:03 AM »
Thanks for the support Roger and Bill!
Kim

Online Kim

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #334 on: April 10, 2016, 02:36:20 AM »
Even though I didn't post an update last week, I actually made some progress. I just didn't finish anything.  I'll fill you in as my sordid story unfolds...

It was a nice sunny Saturday, when I started work on the Front Axle Fork.  I chucked up a length of 5/8" 12L14 in the collet chuck and went to work.

I started by turning a 7/8" length to 1/4". This part will fit through the perch bracket I just made.


Then I slid the steel out about an inch and turned down a section to 9/16" (I only had 5/8" stock to work from).


And cut it off at the appropriate length.


Before I moved to the mill, I held it in a 1/4" collet and drilled a 1/4" hole in the center.  I used this to help center things on the mill.


And here I am, centering the part on the mill using that hole, and a 1/4" rod in the mill!  I was careful to Square the collet block so that the part was truly perpendicular.


With things Squared and centered, I used a 5/16" ball end mill to cut the forks.


Laying the collet block horizontal, I shaved 3/32" off one side, flipped it over, and did the same to the other side.  This left the forks 3/8" wide, as specified in Rudy's drawings.


Here's where production on this stopped.  I needed a 3-56 tap to finish this up, and I didn't have one.  Happily, the UPS man brought me one during the week, so I decided to finish it up today.

Unfortunately, in my euphoria to have this completed, I drilled all the way through the fork with a #39, the size for the 3-56" clearance hole.   Oops.  One side needs to be threaded!  :wallbang:


So, I repeated all the operations today, to make another Front Axle Fork.

The only thing I did different this time around, is that rather than use the ball end mill, I used a standard 5/16" end mill and milled it on its side, rather than standing up.  Somehow, this hadn't occurred to me before.  This seemed more stable and a lot easier to setup - it was a lot easier to guarantee that the collet was horizontal, vs. Vertical, as I had to before.


After that fun little diversion, I CAREFULLY drilled one side for tapping, and one side for clearance, tapped the hole, and I was done!
This picture shows the completed Front Axle Fork (on the right), in addition to the 3-56 bolt I made to hold the Front Axle (on the left), and the Front Axle Fork Collar (middle).


I didn't take any pictures of turning the bolt or the collar as they were both quite simple exercises.

Kim
« Last Edit: July 08, 2017, 06:04:12 PM by Kim »

Online Kim

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #335 on: April 10, 2016, 02:43:51 AM »
Now for part two of my two week update:

Next I built the Front Axle Fork Reinforcement.  This is a diagonal brace that provides additional support to the Front Axle Fork.

The Front Axle Fork Reinforcement is designated to be made from brass.  The first element was a simple turning exercise - just a 1/4" collar to fit around the fork.  I didn't take any pictures of turning this. But here, I show where I have just milled a 3/32" hole in it at ~10 degree angle.  I'm holding the angle block in place to demonstrate how I set the angle.


I then soldered a 3/32" brass rod to the collar.  This is the pre-soldering shot, with the flux and everything prepared for the operation.


And here's the post solder shot.  A little too much solder, but I cleaned that up.


To make the other end, that screws to the boiler out casing, I flattened the end of the 3/32" brass rod.  I annealed it a few times while beating it into shape.  I also made a stack of spacer blocks the same height as my perch bracket so I could get the exact right angles on the reinforcement piece.


Then I drilled a hole in the flattened section.  Oops...


The drill bit grabbed while drilling the hole.  And I think my beating on the brass rod made it very brittle which didn't help it at all.  :hammerbash:
So I came up with plan B.

I used a 3/16" end mill to clean up the end of the rod.


Then made a 3/16" brass washer  to fit, and soldered it in place.  Again, here's the pre-solder picture, all preped and in place:


And the post-solder. Again, too much solder.  But I cleaned it up. 


And here's the completed reinforcement bracket, all cleaned up.


Now, to install it.  I got the Boiler Shell unit mounted on the mill, and used a piece of 1/4" rod to hold the Front Axle Fork Reinforcement in place over the perch bracket.  Using this, I located the correct spot to drill the hole for the 2-56 screw.


And then tapped the hole.


With that, all the parts for holding the front axle are complete!  I tossed in the front axle here, even though I made that a few months back.


Here's a shot from the front (upside down) after putting all these pieces in place.


And from the side:


And now, the family shot!  All wheels attached!  It's almost looking like a tractor!  :cartwheel:  Although my daughter continues to tell me it looks like a cannon to her... ::)


OK, one more shot cause I'm so excited to see it starting to look like something :whoohoo:


Thanks for looking in,
Kim
« Last Edit: July 08, 2017, 06:05:17 PM by Kim »

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #336 on: April 10, 2016, 03:13:23 AM »
And now, the family shot!  All wheels attached!  It's almost looking like a tractor!  :cartwheel:  Although my daughter continues to tell me it looks like a cannon to her... ::)

 :lolb: A philistine.

Great post. Fantastic family shot.

I can almost feel your excitement. Cool.
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
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Zee-Another Thread Trasher.

Offline joe d

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #337 on: April 10, 2016, 03:22:45 AM »
Great milestone Kim.  She's looking good!

Joe

Offline 10KPete

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #338 on: April 10, 2016, 04:10:28 AM »
Excellent! Really good progress and now it does look like a tractor. You can even roll it around and go 'pst pst pst chuff'.

 :cheers:

Pete
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SB 10K lathe, Benchmaster mill. And stuff.

Offline fumopuc

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #339 on: April 10, 2016, 06:10:32 AM »
Hi Kim, a great family shot. Good to see the progress. It is always a nice feeling  to archieve this kind of milestones.
Kind Regards
Achim

Online Kim

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #340 on: April 10, 2016, 06:43:43 AM »
Thank you Zee, Joe, Pete, and Achim for the kind comments! :)

Although my daughter continues to tell me it looks like a cannon to her... ::)

 :lolb: A philistine.

Great post. Fantastic family shot.

I can almost feel your excitement. Cool.
Thanks Zee!
She my yongest, and I'm quite sure its an honest observation from her.  Nothing intended to disparage :)

Excellent! Really good progress and now it does look like a tractor. You can even roll it around and go 'pst pst pst chuff'.

 :cheers:

Pete
Yes, I've done some of that this afternoon! And so has my daughter :)
Kim

Offline Jo

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #341 on: April 10, 2016, 07:59:50 AM »
 8) Well done Kim,

It does feel good getting them up on their own wheels.

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline mal webber

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #342 on: April 10, 2016, 10:31:26 AM »
Nice work Kim its looking really good, what part are you thinking of making for it next?

Mal.

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #343 on: April 10, 2016, 02:39:17 PM »
Thanks for the excellent update Kim. It really is looking every bit like a tractor. Well done, and still fun to watch too!!!

Online Kim

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #344 on: April 10, 2016, 03:56:17 PM »
Thanks Jo, Mal, and Bill!

I'm pretty much following along with the description that Rudy wrote for building his engine. And the next thing up will be more plate work on the platform in the rear.  I think that (and eventually a smoke stack) will move it out of the cannon category :)

Kim

 

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