Chris's Marion 91 Steam Shovel

[crueby]

Chris, you are an incredible machinist. Every piece of metal that touches your hands is destined for precision and purpose.

Everyone is running out of superlatives!

John

Thanks very much John! Your dioramas are exquisite!


 

[crueby]

I am back from Indiana from the RC submarine meet - if any are interested, here is a thread with a bunch of photos that one of the other guys posted:


https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOD1R9ilPSMxw8cntS3rROGpC2v3RGvrpxjcC6lS7P4aLjKxDc2c48rFbgPqIhssA?key=T2xJbkpCYlIzOHVHbmNQak1Wa2JaTFJGdjROTEVB
Below is the group shot of all us bubbleheads:

[zeeprogrammer]

Loved the photos. 

Would have liked a photo of the supporting staff (i.e. wives/partners/sons/daughters). 

[Ye-Ole Steam Dude]

Hey Chris,

Great photos and it looks like you'll had a good turnout. Beautiful location and the water looked a clear as drinking water. Thanks for sharing.

Have a great day,
Thomas

[crueby]

Loved the photos. 

Would have liked a photo of the supporting staff (i.e. wives/partners/sons/daughters). 

A couple of the wives and daughters were there too, some are rabid submariners too, one took that photo, others were camera shy.

[crueby]

Hey Chris,

Great photos and it looks like you'll had a good turnout. Beautiful location and the water looked a clear as drinking water. Thanks for sharing.

Have a great day,
Thomas

Its a huge pool, concrete, couple feet deep, nice and clear. Its the veterans memorial park and pool in Carmel, wonderfully maintained place.

[crueby]

Finally, last of the cuts down the sides of the track plates is done!

 
Now, on to the next cut, rounding over the bottom corners on the hinge fingers...
 
At least these are a single pass each, with the left/right on the table locked down, will go quickly... 

[zeeprogrammer]

Finally, last of the cuts down the sides of the track plates is done!

"done" 
gasp, oh man..."done" 
You're breaking my ribs.

[crueby]

Finally, last of the cuts down the sides of the track plates is done!

"done" 
gasp, oh man..."done" 
You're breaking my ribs.

I'll take any done I can on these! There are 81 parts, two sides to each, each side had 5 passes. Do the math! That one operation set is done, time for cookies!

[crueby]

An hour or so this morning, and the rounding over of the bottom hinge corners is done.
Since Zee is so fond of the 'done' word, thought I'd mention that. Next I can do the next step of shpaing the bottom lugs, until that is done. At least its not dun.   More steps until it is all done.   Done, Da Dun Done, DONE!
 
At least I didn't get in his head by making him think of the Oscar Myer song. Oops! Too late! Its stuck in his head now!   

[Craig DeShong]

Just goes to show, machining is just converting large perfectly good bars of metal into small useful parts and large piles of chips!

Or in my case... sometimes.... converting large perfectly good bars of metal into small USELESS parts and large piles of chips!   

In this case however, VERY nicely done !!!

[crueby]

Just goes to show, machining is just converting large perfectly good bars of metal into small useful parts and large piles of chips!

Or in my case... sometimes.... converting large perfectly good bars of metal into small USELESS parts and large piles of chips!   

In this case however, VERY nicely done !!!

Yup, that happens too - I use those parts as ballast in my RC boats....

[crueby]

Started the next operation, undercutting the ends to form the curved ribs that will come out to the sides of the tracks. Doing this with a 1/4" ball nose end mill and several lighter cuts in from the side.

Hmm, hard to see details in that photo, here is one from making the prototype that shows it better:

[crueby]

And finished the undercuts on the track segments, have started making the 'finger' cuts in the ends.

I looked back, and found that I started the track segments (top halfs) back on July 13th, now august 17, and the sign pointing to the turn to the final straight to the finish line on the tracks is almost in sight!

[crueby]

The cuts to form the fingers are all done, that step went quickly since it was going through a thin wall, tomorrow will start on the cuts to form the drive lugs on the bottom of the parts...