Author Topic: Chris's Marion 91 Steam Shovel  (Read 572086 times)

Offline crueby

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Re: Chris's Marion 91 Steam Shovel
« Reply #990 on: April 02, 2018, 02:41:31 PM »
Chris
I am intrigued by yout mention of Nicobraze, do you mean one of theri 'stop-off' grades?
Jerry
Yes - I am using the 'Green' stop-off version, the general purpose one. Here is where I happened to pick it up:

http://www.carbideprocessors.com/nicrobraz-green-stop-off-pen/

Someone on another thread a year or two back mentioned it, and I got some, works quite well. When I remember I have it before soldering, that is!

Offline crueby

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Re: Chris's Marion 91 Steam Shovel
« Reply #991 on: April 02, 2018, 02:49:56 PM »
This morning got the holes for the screws to hold all the pieces together drilled/tapped, and the main pivot hole bored into the base.

This hole is the center of the turntable that the main boom sits on. The pivot it sits on has a large hole through the center that the hoist chain comes up through, so that it does not change length as the boom swings. There is another of the chain sheaves lined up underneath on the frame rails to redirect the chain back to the winding drum in the cab.
All the mating surfaces of the parts were given a coat of Loctite retaining compound, screwed together and left to set. While waiting for that, I'll start making the lugs that will go on either side for the braces up to the swing plate on top. The countersunk screw heads holding things together from underneath will be filed off flush.

« Last Edit: June 16, 2018, 09:18:16 PM by crueby »

Offline crueby

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Re: Chris's Marion 91 Steam Shovel
« Reply #992 on: April 02, 2018, 06:16:59 PM »
Hi Chris, The HCEA has masses of detailed information in their archive. Which includes the 'Marion PowerShovel Company Archive'.
Being a few thousand miles away I'm not in a position to visit their Museum for myself but from whatI hear you may be able to find the detail you need. There might even be a member who has the information.  A recent article in 'Equipment Echoes' magazine by Don Franz the editor, whose father had been a craneman on the Marion 91 Panama shovel in the France quarry in Waterville Ohio.
The HCEA phone is(419)352-5616. Perhaps a call might be worthwhile?
Jerry
I have been through the listings of those archives, for the early years it appears that what they have are patent documents and sales brochures and such, all in very poor condition (dirty, brittle) waiting to be photocopied. For the early years, does not sound like they have much I have not seen elsewhere. The Marion County historical society got the other half of the old company documents. I've been in touch with them a few times, things are not organized but I may stop in there on my way out to Indiana this summer and see what I can find. Both places got boxes of documents when the company was shut down in the 90s by Bucyrus - by then, as in many old companies, early records were mostly missing as irrelevant to current operations. Same thing happened at Kodak - we had a museum room full of old cameras and products, and during the bankruptcy shutdown of the camera division, they were just giving the stuff away to anyone interested in a souvineer! For companies like Marion, every time they went through a building move, merger, or buyout, truckloads of stuff would be tossed that we would kill for today!
Update on this - I have been corresponding with the HCEA, and got in touch with the man there (Tom) who I think runs the archive portion - turns out I was wrong, they have LOTS more than what is cataloged online yet, including records of the early machine sales. So, back on that as a info source, seeing if I can arrange a research visit this August, stopping in on my trip to Indiana - Bowling Green Ohio is not that far out of the way for my drive, well worth a day or so to stop in. More info to come....

Offline crueby

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Re: Chris's Marion 91 Steam Shovel
« Reply #993 on: April 02, 2018, 07:31:48 PM »
Finishing up on the base unit, milled some brass down to form the strut lugs, using the fixture plate on the rotary table again to round the ends and take the sides to width. Both were done in one piece so there was an easy way to bolt them to the table.

After sawing them apart, a round post was turned into the base to give a way to mount them - the slot that will go in the end is too narrow to get a bolt in, so they will be cross drilled through the baseplate and held with a screw that way.

The slot was cut using a jewelers saw down each side and across the bottom, finished off with a file.

Here is the base unit all assembled - once the loctite has had a chance to set up well I'll file off the countersunk screwheads in the bottom flush with the base plate.

Next up is to start the framework that goes around the top of this unit that holds the swing circle plates (the turntable surface)...
« Last Edit: June 16, 2018, 09:18:34 PM by crueby »

Offline crueby

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Re: Chris's Marion 91 Steam Shovel
« Reply #994 on: April 03, 2018, 12:56:43 AM »
More on the swing circle (what I've been calling the turntable, trying to use the terms they did), which will sit on top of the saddle assembly just made. They attach to each other with some heavy angle-iron pieces. I have some smaller brass angle stock, but nothing this size, so I figured it was time to see if I could make some from flat steel stock. I cut some strips a bit longer than needed and clamped them at the ends for silver soldering. The extra length worked out well, as I suspected the clamps acted as heat sinks and the stock would not get hot enough to melt the solder at the ends. Here are the two side bars needed, plus another shorter one that will become some angled braces:

Not the neatest solder job, but it is well joined, and the paint will hide the color change on the surface!   O:-)

Just cut the surface plates from the offcuts of flat stock used on the main boom - cut with a saber saw and smoothed the edges on the grinder. Here is how they will go together (bottom view)

The three plates will be riveted to the angle stock, which bolt to the base assembly. On the top, there is a cross beam, plus the rounded angle rim that the chain wraps around - that will be a interesting one to solder up. First need to bore the large holes in the plates.

Here are some pictures of what it will all look like (minus the boots, weeds, dirt, etc!)




« Last Edit: June 16, 2018, 09:18:41 PM by crueby »

Offline Steam Haulage

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Re: Chris's Marion 91 Steam Shovel
« Reply #995 on: April 03, 2018, 08:04:14 AM »
Glad you're getting some joy with the HCEA,
Dogs look up to you, cats look down on you, pigs treat you as equal.

Offline crueby

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Re: Chris's Marion 91 Steam Shovel
« Reply #996 on: April 03, 2018, 03:33:29 PM »
More on the swing circle parts - laid out the holes in the plates and first cut the large hole in the rear plate:

The clamped the two side plates together and bored the three holes in it together, so they would match:

The smaller hole in the middle will be used for the shackle which holds the turnbuckles at the base of the main boom. The other larger holes are for an unknown reason - for slings when lifting the assembly on and off?
Here are the plates so far:

There is still a narrow slot to cut in the two side plates to take the angle brace up from the base - going to cut that later once the base is fitted to the plates, just in case it needs some adjustment in position. I think the next step will be to fit the angle iron pieces to the plates and base.
« Last Edit: June 16, 2018, 09:18:49 PM by crueby »

Offline crueby

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Re: Chris's Marion 91 Steam Shovel
« Reply #997 on: April 03, 2018, 10:31:19 PM »
This afternoon I got the angle-iron strips bolted to the sides of the base, and started fitting the top plates. The side ones were lined up and clamped to the strips, then drilled and riveted on. Then clamped the rear plate on and did the same.

Here are the parts so far. Note the hole in the right end of the vertical angle strip, a rod gets bolted across there to help brace the open end of the circle, and there is also a pair of braces that run from that end down to the base piece.

The rivets at the outside ends were left off for now, they will be done with the outer circle plates that hold the swing chain around the edge of the circle. Also, note that there are three rivets left out in the center - there will be a box beam across the middle, where the ruler is set in this photo:

Also, still need to trim off the angle strips at the back end:

Coming together pretty well, starting to look like the final assembly.
« Last Edit: June 16, 2018, 09:18:56 PM by crueby »

Offline Steamer5

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Re: Chris's Marion 91 Steam Shovel
« Reply #998 on: April 04, 2018, 12:10:27 PM »
Hi Chris,
 Just sent off for ANOTHER truck load  :popcornsmall:

At this rate you should be digging snow come THIS Christmas !!!!.......the shovel clearing a path for the Lombard pulling a load of Xmas trees.......with a bunch of elves yahooing on top!

Great work Chris!

Zee.....you reading this thread???.....now you are unemployed ...... :stickpoke: or has T got the list of jobs out now the weather is improving your side of the globe, I feel your pain!!  :lolb:

Cheers Kerrin

Get excited and make something!

Offline crueby

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Re: Chris's Marion 91 Steam Shovel
« Reply #999 on: April 04, 2018, 12:29:44 PM »
Hi Chris,
 Just sent off for ANOTHER truck load  :popcornsmall:

At this rate you should be digging snow come THIS Christmas !!!!.......the shovel clearing a path for the Lombard pulling a load of Xmas trees.......with a bunch of elves yahooing on top!

Great work Chris!

Zee.....you reading this thread???.....now you are unemployed ...... :stickpoke: or has T got the list of jobs out now the weather is improving your side of the globe, I feel your pain!!  :lolb:

Cheers Kerrin
Wish I had the drawing talent to paint that scene!

Offline crueby

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Re: Chris's Marion 91 Steam Shovel
« Reply #1000 on: April 05, 2018, 07:49:54 PM »
Well, after most of a couple days dealing with wind storm caused power outages at mine and my mother's houses (local utility company is now owned by some overseas conglomerate, they outsource all the repair work to idiots,  :Mad: :cussing: :rant: who kept closing out the repair tickets when they fixed a nearby block, never got near her house), back in the shop again.

So, got more done on the swing circle, fitted and riveted on the seam doublers where the main plates butt up to each other:

Again, leaving the outer rivets off for now, till the upper plates for the chain guides are on,

and also the angled brace and crossbar that goes on the front:



Then its time to make the chain guide which runs around the outside of the swing circle:

It is made up of a series of horizontal plates and a single curved vertical plate. Still not sure how I am going to hold the vertical plate in place for silver soldering - want to do the vert/horiz plates together, then rivet that assembly in place, since clamping it all to the main circle would make for a huge heat sink - need to whip up some kind of holding jig. Anyway, rought cut out the segments of the horizontal plates, and drilled the stack for locating pins to repeatably be able to clamp them to the tolling plate for milling the arcs, outside

and inside

Here is the first one set on the circle to show where they go - they overlap the circle slightly on the outside edge. once all the arcs are milled, I'll cut the ends to all aim at the center of the circle.

« Last Edit: June 16, 2018, 09:19:10 PM by crueby »

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: Chris's Marion 91 Steam Shovel
« Reply #1001 on: April 05, 2018, 09:19:40 PM »
Zee.....you reading this thread???.....now you are unemployed ...... :stickpoke: or has T got the list of jobs out now the weather is improving your side of the globe, I feel your pain!!  :lolb:

Read what thread? This one? It's a hole from which I won't get out.  :Lol:
Trying to catch up on a lot of things but T hasn't provided a list yet. I think she's letting me wind down.

1st on list is to get more popcorn (and cookies more to my taste  :Lol: )

I'm liking your speed Chris. Stanley's just around the corner. Next week I'm thinking.
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
"To work. To work."
Zee-Another Thread Trasher.

Offline crueby

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Re: Chris's Marion 91 Steam Shovel
« Reply #1002 on: April 05, 2018, 09:26:05 PM »
Zee.....you reading this thread???.....now you are unemployed ...... :stickpoke: or has T got the list of jobs out now the weather is improving your side of the globe, I feel your pain!!  :lolb:

Read what thread? This one? It's a hole from which I won't get out.  :Lol:
Trying to catch up on a lot of things but T hasn't provided a list yet. I think she's letting me wind down.

1st on list is to get more popcorn (and cookies more to my taste  :Lol: )

I'm liking your speed Chris. Stanley's just around the corner. Next week I'm thinking.
Yup, next week. Maybe the week after...!  ;D

Reminds me of what we called an Adobe Two Weeks - they always promised us everything in two weeks. Two weeks later, its 'Oh, another two weeks'!

 :cheers:

Offline Gas_mantle

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Re: Chris's Marion 91 Steam Shovel
« Reply #1003 on: April 05, 2018, 09:52:38 PM »
It's looking great Chris  :ThumbsUp:

I'm sure a good doctor could cure your fetish for making 1000's of rivets and studs though  ;)

Offline crueby

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Re: Chris's Marion 91 Steam Shovel
« Reply #1004 on: April 05, 2018, 09:57:16 PM »
It's looking great Chris  :ThumbsUp:

I'm sure a good doctor could cure your fetish for making 1000's of rivets and studs though  ;)
He tried. I riveted him into a box!    :LittleDevil:

 

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