Author Topic: Started, Fire King fire engine but is it a toy  (Read 4241 times)

Offline geoff5269

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Started, Fire King fire engine but is it a toy
« on: June 03, 2018, 12:18:26 PM »
I have been thinking of building the Merryweather Fire King model originally published in Model Engineer in 1908 and now skilfully redrawn in metric by Julius.
What inspired me where the wonderful pictures of the originals and the model made Cherry Hill. but now I realise the 1908 plans are rather simplified and in some ways a little crude. As soon as I started building the frame and suspension I could see where the compromises had been made. What do you think?
There was a 2" scale model made by Mr. Jonas Francis a fireman who worked with an original and could measure it when needed, and then Cherry made her model in 3/4" scale from measuring this model so they both have very good heritage, and are removed from the plans in Model Engineer 1908
I  suppose there will be a lot of redesigning or just accept it for what it is.
Here are some pics to illustrate.
Geoff

Offline Steamer5

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Re: Started, Fire King fire engine but is it a toy
« Reply #1 on: June 03, 2018, 01:21:13 PM »
Hi Geoff,
 Cant really help, but will be following along.
Its a pity that Ms Hill doesn't make her drawing available, understandable but I'm sure there would be a demand!

Cheers Kerrin
Get excited and make something!

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: Started, Fire King fire engine but is it a toy
« Reply #2 on: June 03, 2018, 03:36:30 PM »
Geoff, do you have access to plans other than the ones Julius did? Just trying to figure out what your choices are.

Bill

Offline michaelr

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Re: Started, Fire King fire engine but is it a toy
« Reply #3 on: June 03, 2018, 04:35:34 PM »
You may have seen this thread on the Model Engineer forum it shows construction of a Fire King by a German member.

http://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=127994


Mike.

Offline geoff5269

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Re: Started, Fire King fire engine but is it a toy
« Reply #4 on: August 02, 2018, 11:56:55 AM »
Yes I am still working on this project after a pause to make a new display cabinet for my other models, with so much time invested already I thought I had better carry on. So I have been making the wheels and trying to be a little more authentic than the original plans. I have done plenty of woodworking in the past so I don't mind tackling this but there are lots of pieces to make up a wheel. The small wheel is 95mm and the rear wheel is 127mm or 5" and has 16 spokes.
Rather than being mortised into a hub they are arranged around a central core and clamped between 2 plates and this seems to work very well.
I have some pics if you what to know more please ask.
Geoff

Online crueby

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Re: Started, Fire King fire engine but is it a toy
« Reply #5 on: August 02, 2018, 02:06:27 PM »
Beautiful job on the wheels!


 :popcorn:

Online Kim

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Re: Started, Fire King fire engine but is it a toy
« Reply #6 on: August 02, 2018, 07:40:55 PM »
Wow!  I'll say! That's some mighty fine wood working there on the wheels - 12 spokes and 16 spokes.  That's a lot of fine joinery work there.
Very pretty!
Kim

Offline geoff5269

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Re: Started, Fire King fire engine but is it a toy
« Reply #7 on: August 12, 2018, 08:43:05 PM »
I've been working hard this week to complete the suspension and steering which has been the most challenging items so far, especially the king pins which are very 3 dimensional. but I got there and have a rolling chassis. There's still a lot of tinkering to do but I am pleased to get this far.
Geoff

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: Started, Fire King fire engine but is it a toy
« Reply #8 on: August 12, 2018, 08:50:55 PM »
Looks amazing Geoff. You are making some good progress!!

Bill

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: Started, Fire King fire engine but is it a toy
« Reply #9 on: August 12, 2018, 09:17:48 PM »
Looking great.

I'm curious about the leaf spring. Is that made from solid? And if so, how did you make it appear to be made from individual pieces?
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
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Offline Dave Otto

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Re: Started, Fire King fire engine but is it a toy
« Reply #10 on: August 12, 2018, 09:24:22 PM »
Looks very nice Geoff!


Dave

Offline geoff5269

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Re: Started, Fire King fire engine but is it a toy
« Reply #11 on: August 13, 2018, 12:29:54 PM »
Zeeprogrammer
I thought about making proper springs and bought some spring steel for clocks but found it difficult to work with, so I decided to cut from solid Ali as in the original plans. I used a engraving cutter and mounted the blanks on a jig to get the radius needed. I only have this one picture.
Also I'm looking ahead for the driving chain in scale size and all I can think of is the chain used in Sturmey Archer gears, but I need a long length.
Geoff

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: Started, Fire King fire engine but is it a toy
« Reply #12 on: August 13, 2018, 01:51:05 PM »
Thanks Geoff  :ThumbsUp:
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
"To work. To work."
Zee-Another Thread Trasher.

Offline fumopuc

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Re: Started, Fire King fire engine but is it a toy
« Reply #13 on: August 13, 2018, 08:30:40 PM »
Hi Geoff,  very nice.
Kind Regards
Achim

Online crueby

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Re: Started, Fire King fire engine but is it a toy
« Reply #14 on: August 13, 2018, 09:37:57 PM »
Some of the robotics places have chain, like bike chain links, down to fairly small sizes, what pitch (pin to pin) do you need for it?

 

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