Author Topic: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)  (Read 327724 times)

Offline Tennessee Whiskey

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #135 on: December 29, 2018, 07:25:49 PM »
Looks like a great production run to me Kim. Seems like you are getting along with the new mill quite well. Do you have a DRO on it?

Cletus

Online Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #136 on: December 29, 2018, 08:02:31 PM »
Thanks Cletus! :)
DRO?  Oh yes, definitely! That was part of Santa's treat LAST year about this time :)

Loving the Mill, and love the DRO.  The Vise on the mill is great too!  It's a 4" South Bend vise from Grizzly. Really nice quality, easy to use and it works so smooth and slick. I just love using it.  Made the hundred+ insertions easy to do.  And as I mentioned, they were repeatable and accurate!  What more can you ask for?

Thanks,
Kim

Offline Steve17

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #137 on: December 29, 2018, 08:11:06 PM »
Looking good, you sure are making progress. I never use flute less taps, are they any better as sometimes the threads tear with me if I use structural steel.

Steve.

Offline Dave Otto

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #138 on: December 29, 2018, 09:33:41 PM »
Nice looking vise Kim, you are going to enjoy using it; can't go wrong with a Wilton, I have four of them! :lolb:
The A3 parts are also looking quite nice.

Dave

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #139 on: December 30, 2018, 12:50:40 AM »
Wow, impressive progress Kim. The boxes look great!!!

Bill

Offline steamer

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #140 on: December 30, 2018, 01:56:14 AM »
Coming together great Kim!

Dave
"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

Online Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #141 on: December 30, 2018, 02:05:15 AM »
Thanks Steve, Dave, Bill, and Dave!

Steve,
I do like the roll form taps. They don't have the flutes, so my theory is that they have a little more beef to them to help keep them from breaking.  Secondly, you don't make chips, so you don't have to worry about reversing to break the chips.  I've heard that the roll form taps can be difficult to use in steel, but I've not had any problem in 12L14, or even 1018 steel.  Maybe if I spent as much on the cutting taps as I do on the forming taps I'd have as good of luck with them too.  Most of the cutting taps I have are cheap imports.

Anyway, I like them :)

Thanks for the comments on the vise Dave.  I'm pleased with it, and hope to be more pleased as I start using it!

Bill, I can make a little more progress than normal since I've got a few days off here.  I've got family in town, but still getting some time to play! :embarassed:

Kim

Online Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #142 on: December 30, 2018, 05:06:49 AM »

Chapter 3.2 - Journal Bearings

Today I started the Journal Bearings.  These were made from 1/2” C932 Bearing Bronze.  The 1/2" is a little big, but there was no 7/16” rod available. Besides, it would have probably been more expensive to purchase two rods when I can just  whittle down a little bit of 1/2".  Wouldn’t even save work since I’d have to cut the 7/16” down too, just not as much.

These bearings are a bit complicated.  Kozo makes them barrel shaped, not just a cylinder.  To do this, you have to cut a slight taper on both ends of the bearing, as you’ll see below.

First step was to drill and ream a 1/4" hole in the bearing for the axles.


Then I cut a short length down to the specified 0.393”.  This will just fit inside the holes bored in the Journal Boxes.


To make it easier to cut the barrel shape, I used a black sharpie to color the bronze rod.  That way I could see what I was shaving off more easily.


I made little marks at 0.125”, 0.145”, the important points on the bearing. Then I used the compound, set at 3o to taper the outside of the bearing.


And then adjusted the compound to 3o the other way and tapered that side.  It’s hard to see in the photo, but there’s a slight taper on each end.  The black band in the middle is about 0.020” wide and is kept flat.


Finally, I cut off the bearing, a little oversized.  In a later step, I will face off that side to the correct width.


Here’s a picture of two completed.  The marks on the end are to help me remember that this is the ‘cut off’ end that needs to be faced later.


Here’s how it will all go together; the bearing on the axle:


And the Bearing will slide in the Journal Box.  And here is what all that extra work making the barrel shape buys you: the axle can tilt a little bit relative to the bearing box.  This shot shows one direction:


And this shot shows the other.


Makes sense.  Seems like a pretty smart technique :)

Kim

Offline 10KPete

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #143 on: December 30, 2018, 06:09:05 AM »
Smart as paint and sharp as a tack! That's a really simple, good, way to take care of axle oscillations. No muss, no fuss, cheap and easy.

I need to take the book down and go through it again. I'll never build it but I'll read that porn...  :naughty:

Nice work, Kim. This adventure is off to a great start!!

Pete
Craftsman, Tinkerer, Curious Person.
Retired, finally!
SB 10K lathe, Benchmaster mill. And stuff.

Offline Steve17

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #144 on: December 30, 2018, 09:19:05 AM »
Looks very sharp Kim. I find it interesting that Kozo changes a lot of the smaller details as his trains evolve. On the Climax journal boxes there is no provision for the axel to tilt. Everything is size for size with square edges and true cylinders. I did do a small mod on mine and put an easy radius on the journal box slots. Fingers crossed and time will tell.

Steve.

Online Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #145 on: December 30, 2018, 05:51:49 PM »
Thanks Pete and Steve,
Interesting to hear how Kozo's plans evolve over time.  Wonder what order his plans developed? I think the Pennsy is fairly new, but the New Shay is most recent.  I'd guess the original Shay book is oldest, but I don't really know. I'll have to look.  Should be able to tell by the copyright dates on the books.

Kim

Offline Admiral_dk

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #146 on: December 30, 2018, 07:51:38 PM »
You're really moving with this one Kim - but then again, with the amount of parts needed for this loco - it will still take some time before you reach the end of this journey. Oh - and nice parts too  :ThumbsUp:

I will follow your progress along with the others  :cheers:  :popcorn:

Online crueby

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #147 on: December 30, 2018, 08:20:41 PM »
Kozo's books:


Shay, 1982
Hiesler, 1986
Climax, 1988
A3, 2001
New Shay, 2007


He currently has a new one being serialized in Live Steam magazine, Building The Rio Grande K-27, which will be a book afterwards, currently on part 28, throttle.


His methods have evolved during the series, fantastic reference for all sorts of methods.


Chris

Online Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #148 on: December 30, 2018, 11:26:56 PM »
Thanks Chris!  You saved me the trouble of looking them up  ;D

Hi Admiral,
Yes, this is going to be quite a journey for me!  But I'm excited about it and just keep plugging away.  I won't always get this kind of time to make progress, but since I've got some time, I'm going to make hay, as they say.  Or I guess, make A3 parts :)

Thanks,
Kim

Offline Tennessee Whiskey

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #149 on: December 31, 2018, 12:09:42 AM »
It ain’t the destination, it’s the ride  8) ;)

Cletus

 

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