Author Topic: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)  (Read 327562 times)

Offline Dave Otto

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #195 on: January 20, 2019, 12:44:58 AM »
Nice work Kim!

Dave

Offline Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #196 on: January 20, 2019, 05:09:18 AM »
Thanks for stopping by for a look Bill and Dave! :)
Kim

Offline fumopuc

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #197 on: January 21, 2019, 08:32:28 PM »
Hi Kim, again a lot of progress.
Kind Regards
Achim

Offline Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #198 on: January 21, 2019, 10:59:01 PM »
Thanks Achim!
Slow and steady progress is about the best I can do!  :embarassed:
Kim

Offline Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #199 on: January 21, 2019, 11:04:54 PM »
Today, I made the side bearings.  These are little blocks that slide along the underside of the tender frame to keep the trucks from flopping around.  They will also limit the rotational movement of the trucks.

These are made from 1-3/16” lengths of 3/8”x3/4” 1018 bar.  I cut four pieces, then milled the ends to length.

Next was to cut the rotational limiting tabs on each end of the side bearings.  These are supposed to be 1/8” thick, and 1/8” tall. I started by taking a swath out of the middle of the bearing.  I used this operation to set the depth of cut.


With the depth set, I just needed to finish off each end.  So I set the x axis so that it left 1/8” tab on the far end, like so:


Then I flipped the piece around and, using exactly the same settings, did the other side.


Next we need to make mounting holes.  I used a #37 drill for a close fitting 3-48 clearance hole.


And finally, I made a 3/8” counter sink with a #3 drill.  For both of these operations, I did one side, then flipped the part around to do the other side.


And here’s all four side bearings complete:


And now a family shot of all the truck parts I’ve made so far.  Going clockwise starting in the upper right hand corner we have the journal boxes, then the axle bearings, the lower bolsters, the upper bolsters, the columns, and the side bearings (in the center top).


And that, my friends, is all I could do today.  Doesn’t seem like so much, but it sure takes me a while to do it!

I’m getting pretty excited – all I have left for the trucks are the Arch Bars and the suspension springs!  And then, of course I have to paint them.  But it’s getting close!
Kim

Offline Dave Otto

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #200 on: January 21, 2019, 11:38:53 PM »
Nice family shot Kim.
Everything looks great!

Dave

Offline Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #201 on: January 26, 2019, 11:57:04 PM »
Thanks Dave!  Didn't mean to ignore you there, guess I just forgot to reply!


Chapter 3.5 – Tie Bars and Arch Bars
Next up are the Tie Bars and the Arch Bars.  There are 3 different types of bars: the Tie Bars (7), the Lower Arch Bars (8 ), and the Upper Arch Bars (9). I thought I'd include this picture here since I know I couldn’t begin to imagine how it all came together without a picture:


Since there are 2 trucks, and each truck has two sets of wheels (one set on each side), we need to make 4 copies of each bar.  This will make for a total of 12 bars.

I made the bar blanks several weeks ago, back when I started the columns, since they needed some of the sheet stock cut to the same size.  You can look back in Reply 157   if you want to see that.

Before attacking the bars, I need to make the bar bending and drilling jig.  Now, this Jig doesn’t exactly help you to bend the parts, but it does help to make sure you bend them to the correct angles. To make the bending jig, I started with a 4 5/8” length of the same metal bar that will be  used for the Arch bars (3/32” thick).  I drilled 6 holes in it.  The two in the middle are for the columns, the 4 on the outside ends are for the journal boxes.


Then I shaped, drilled and tapped the upright pieces.  There are two of these.  One for the Tie bar and the upper arch bar.  They have a 5/16” rise.  The other one is for the lower arch bar, which has a 1” rise.


Here are the completed jig pieces, with it assembled for use on the 5/16” rise bars.



For bending the bars, Kozo makes a more elaborate punch and die type bender that replaces the jaws in your vice.  I chose to just go ahead and use the soft jaws directly.  This won’t work for all parts, but it should work just fine for these.  I’m using the aluminum covered jaws on the vice, and a cheap pair of sheet metal hand seamers to bend the bar.


This shows how your supposed to use the bending jig; It indicates how much bend to put in each side.  You have to make sure that the bar crosses the jig at the scribed line on both sides.


Next I’ll bend the ends of the bars and then drill holes.  Oh yeah, and make another dozen of them!

Thanks for taking a look!
Kim
« Last Edit: January 27, 2019, 05:22:33 AM by Kim »

Offline 10KPete

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #202 on: January 27, 2019, 12:42:34 AM »
 :praise2:

 :popcorn: :popcorn:

 :cheers:

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

Offline Tennessee Whiskey

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #203 on: January 27, 2019, 01:44:24 AM »
Ain’t said much, but, I’m really enjoying all this. These builds are definitely like the old “eating an elephant “ references: it’s just one bite at a time. Great work Kim.

Cletus

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #204 on: January 27, 2019, 02:13:01 AM »
I remember reading the installment for making those arch bars......Yup   Eating the elephant!    coming along great Kim!

Dave
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Offline b.lindsey

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #205 on: January 27, 2019, 03:30:35 AM »
Great progress Kim and that assembly picture helps a lot, though I am still looking forward to seeing them assembled and functional. Very impressive though!!

Bill

Offline Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #206 on: January 27, 2019, 05:29:25 AM »
Thanks Pete, Cletus, Dave, and Bill!
Appreciate the comments.

Though I can't claim to have actually eaten an elephant, the description sounds pretty apt.  One bite at a time.  :Lol:

Great progress Kim and that assembly picture helps a lot, though I am still looking forward to seeing them assembled and functional.
I looked at my original post and apparently my number 8 came out as a sunglasses guy (8), so I had to go back and add a space to keep the parser from turning into an emoji!  (I'd put the numbers in parentheses which is what created the emoji, like ( 8 ) but without the spaces).  Anyway, hopefully that makes a little more sense than the cool sunglasses guy  :embarassed:

And I'm looking forward to seeing it assembled too! Just a few more bites of the elephant, and I'll hit that milestone! :cartwheel:
Kim

Offline Steve17

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #207 on: January 27, 2019, 08:34:38 AM »
Looking really good and you've made it look so easy  :praise2:
Can't wait for the next instalment  :popcorn: :popcorn:

Steve.

Offline Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #208 on: January 27, 2019, 05:38:09 PM »
Thanks Steve!
Kim

Offline Roger B

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #209 on: February 04, 2019, 05:28:11 PM »
Still following along and enjoying  :praise2:  :praise2:  :wine1: I like your stress relieving oven  :ThumbsUp:  :ThumbsUp: I must buy a few more insulating bricks  :)
Best regards

Roger

 

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