Chris's Marion 91 Steam Shovel

[crueby]

WOW   

There's a King's ransom in brass and nuts and bolts in that thing!!

Been watching from the beginning, first-time posting

Ron

Hi Ron, nice to have you along.  I bought a big bag of the 2-56 nuts, and for the studs am cutting them from 3 foot lengths of threaded rod from McMaster Carr, lots cheaper than cutting down screws. I am purposely Not tracking costs on this model, going to be a bunch by the time its done for sure. I weighed it this afternoon, about 20 pounds of parts so far. Final model is gonna be quite heavy.

[crueby]

I guess by having multiple engines they are a modest size and wont be huge on the finished model if they are at the same scale as the structure.

The main engines will be 3/4" bore by 1" stroke, not so huge.

[Kim]

Wow, Chris!  Great progress.  Really enjoying watching this come together! 
Kim

[Jo]

for the studs am cutting them from 3 foot lengths of threaded rod from McMaster Carr

 

[Jasonb]

Must admit on the smaller engines I'll thread up some rod and make the studs from that and loctite the nuts on so they can be put in like bolts and all have the same amount of thread showing. When the stud may only be holding a part that is 1 x diameter of the thread the area left plain would be so minimal it's not worth trying to leave, longer ones like those on a valve chest will be done with a plain middle section as they are easier to hold and it would tale longer to thread the whole thing..

Also makes for good progress and you can get the studs made and fitted rather than having a load of engines sitting about almost finished but just needing the studs

It's coming together very well Chris.

[crueby]

for the studs am cutting them from 3 foot lengths of threaded rod from McMaster Carr

 

Ah. So Jo would rather hand thread both end of 450 studs for the booms. Noted.   

[Jo]

for the studs am cutting them from 3 foot lengths of threaded rod from McMaster Carr

 

Ah. So Jo would rather hand thread both end of 450 studs for the booms. Noted.   

Been there, done that on the DTC amongst others: I am not a lady who aims for adequate . I only woose like Jason on studs under 8BA (2.2mm = 85 thou dia). 

Jo

[crueby]

for the studs am cutting them from 3 foot lengths of threaded rod from McMaster Carr

 

Ah. So Jo would rather hand thread both end of 450 studs for the booms. Noted.   

Been there, done that on the DTC amongst others: I am not a lady who aims for adequate . I only woose like Jason on studs under 8BA (2.2mm = 85 thou dia). 

Jo

Ah - so 2-56 are .086, thats a whole thou over your limit. Sorry!  I didn't feel like threading yards of 2-56.   

 

[Jo]

Ah - so 2-56 are .086, thats a whole thou over your limit.

I said under, we don't normally use 9 BA so next is 10BA = 1.7mm = 67thou.

Jo

[crueby]

Ah - so 2-56 are .086, thats a whole thou over your limit.

I said under, we don't normally use 9 BA so next is 10BA = 1.7mm = 67thou.

Jo

Okay - so when the casting set comes out for the Marion, I'll be watching your build. After a decade of casting fondling, anyway!   

[crueby]

Back on the model, the lower chain sheave was turned up this morning from some steel bar, with a bronze bushing:

Here it is in place between the front subframes:

The swing circle and subframe assembly have gotten a coat of paint:



Short video of the hoist chain in action, with the chain routed down through the subframe and back towards where the winding drum will be:
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeVg_RVpRdQ" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeVg_RVpRdQ</a>

[Tennessee Whiskey]

That’s sweet Studley  . You’ve mentioned the finish on the chains: are you wanting a state of “as new” or “used in the field” finish? Back in my “industrial period” , while working in paper mills, there were tons of chain used for many tasks. When they came in new, they were a matte grey. Once they were being used, the “rubbing surface” turned an almost polished pewter and the inside of the links became darker and darker. Now mind you, this was the eighties, so, move it back near a hundred years and I would suspect that “new” wasn’t as “matte” as it was then. I did come up with some “ black oxide” treatments when I restored my Cyclone that if not left to fully soak, would produce NOS chain, well close, well I think  Super job and will be here until the end ( lack of popcorn, cookies, banter, or death don’t count  ) BTW: I just read on the UEU (United Elves Union) website, that they are getting ready to picket Zee’s place. Something about substandard cookies and abuse of power  .  Keep up the great work Chris 

Cletus

[crueby]

That’s sweet Studley  . You’ve mentioned the finish on the chains: are you wanting a state of “as new” or “used in the field” finish? Back in my “industrial period” , while working in paper mills, there were tons of chain used for many tasks. When they came in new, they were a matte grey. Once they were being used, the “rubbing surface” turned an almost polished pewter and the inside of the links became darker and darker. Now mind you, this was the eighties, so, move it back near a hundred years and I would suspect that “new” wasn’t as “matte” as it was then. I did come up with some “ black oxide” treatments when I restored my Cyclone that if not left to fully soak, would produce NOS chain, well close, well I think  Super job and will be here until the end ( lack of popcorn, cookies, banter, or death don’t count  ) BTW: I just read on the UEU (United Elves Union) website, that they are getting ready to picket Zee’s place. Something about substandard cookies and abuse of power  .  Keep up the great work Chris 

Cletus

I guess the greyer finish or darker would be better looking. The chain as bought was very smooth and shiny, possibly had a chrome or similar finish on it, which was too glossy for a forged chain. The chain on the machine now has had decades to sit and age to a blacker surface. The torching burned off the gloss, but left it a mix of colors. What did you use for the treatment on your metal? I've never had good results with most chemical blackening, and not knowing what this surface is makes it tough.

[crueby]

Starting to prep the bars for the A-frame uprights. They are fairly thick, nearly 1/2" wide on the thickness and 3/8" on the depth down the center section, both ends open up into larger diameter circles, and one end has about a 20 degree bend. So, its either piece it up or hog it down out of a bigger chunk. I have some 1/2" x 3/4" steel bar, which is big enough to make the center section plus one end, the other end where it changes direction will be pieced up of another length of it.
You can see the shape in this render, the bar goes up inside the head casting where it has a larger round end for a cross pin, and the base end bends over just before going into the sill beam, so that end is vertical.

I started with the base ends, milled a slot and the end face at a 19.6 degree angle. The slot is narrower than the finished beam will be, so the silver soldered joint will have 5 faces - should be plenty strong.

The ends of the long sections were milled with a shoulder so it was a close fit to the slot in the ends.

With the parts held together with a long bar clamp (handy clamps, have sets of them of different lengths from my ship model work, think they are sold for musical instrument makers), drilled through the shoulder of the slot and just into the end of the tab on the long part. Took them apart and tapped the short end. The shallow hole in the tab will act as a detent for the tip of the screw to hold the parts aligned for silver soldering.

Parts screwed together, ready to solder them up..

After soldering, I can start milling them down to shape. Will start with the end holes (which are the critical bits, they need to be the right distance apart) and rounding the ends, then do the straight center sections.

[Tennessee Whiskey]

More sweet work. Best recollection it came from Eastwood; I’ll see if I can find a link

Cletus