Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)

[Kim]

Thanks Bill!

And just now I noticed in that last picture - I got the Front End Sill attached on the frame upside down!  I'll have to fix that eventually

Kim

[scc]

I'm quietly enjoying this one Kim,   nice work.        Terry

[Kim]

Thanks Terry!
Appreciate you following along
Kim

[Kim]

Today I started on the Front Steps for the tender.

Chapter 4.5 – Front Steps

There are two of the front step sub-assemblies, which are fabricated parts, made up of several small pieces of sheet steel, silver soldered together.  I’ve kinda been looking forward to this!  It seems like a fun thing.  I’ve done some fabrication before, but Kozo shows a lot of different techniques and this is one of the challenges I was looking forward to in taking on this project.

The pieces needed for this sub-assembly are 0.040” thick and 1/16” thick steel plate (I’m using 4130 steel plate, which seemed better than 1018 based on the descriptions I was able to find online).  They aren’t big pieces, but later in this build I’m going to need some nice large pieces of these sheets for the sides of the tender and the engine cab.  I believe I ordered enough material to cover all the needs for this project, but I’d been intending to do a bit of a floor plan for the stock to make sure I leave sizable enough pieces for what is needed later in the build. And I decided this was the time to do it. So, before I cut the bits-o-sheet I needed for the steps, I set down and planned out my material.

This, as is often the case, took a lot longer than I’d anticipated.  And while I was at it, I did a rough plan for the copper sheets too – basically, any sheet material where I was pushing using more than 60-70% of what I’d ordered, I made a floor plan.  And here’s the results of my work:


Not a lot to show for my time, but now I have confidence, that baring scrap (yeah, right!), I’ll be able to get by without ordering more sheet.

Not wanting to end the day having made no actual progress on the build, I did take the additional 30 min to actually cut the pieces I need for the step assemblies. 

In the top left corner are 4 pieces (0.04” sheet) that will become the sides. Then going clockwise you have 2 pieces of 0.04 sheet for the top step, 2 pieces for the bottom step (1/16” thick), below 2 pieces (1/16”) for the middle step, and the bigger square pieces are for the back (also 1/16” thick).  The picture in the lower left shows what the step assemblies will look like when completed.


Next time I’ll clean up the sizing of these rough cut pieces and assemble them!

Thanks for stopping by,
Kim

[crueby]

Great start on the steps, always worth it to plan out the sequence. Kozo is an amazing source if techniques.


 

[b.lindsey]

Interesting parts. Is there a jig or anything to hold all the parts together for the soldering?

Bill

[Kim]

Hi Bill,
For this assembly, Kozo's technique is to cut little slits in the pieces, which are a little oversized.  The slits nest together to hold things in place during soldering.  Then you cut (or file) the excess part away.  Hopefully that confusing explanation will become clear when I post progress photos in the next update.
Kim

[Roger B]

Still following along and enjoying     

[Kim]

Thanks Roger!
Kim

[Kim]

Continuing on with the Front Steps for the tender.

Last week I cut all the pieces from sheet steel.  Today, I started by milling the parts down to the correct size.

This is a stack of the six parts that need to be 7/16" wide.


I did the same to the 1/4" wide pieces (no pic – it pretty much looks the same!)

Then I used a slitting saw to cut a set of notches into each piece.  I did this in stacks, since I’m building two stairs, and each one has multiple pieces cut the same.  It saved a lot of time!  This is the 1/4" wide step pieces, all with two 0.040” slits cut 0.130” deep.


Next was the bottom steps, which also got two 0.040” slits, but these were 0.220” deep.


Finally, I notched the sides, which have 3 slits each – a 0.040” for the top step, and two 1/16” slits for the middle and bottom step.


Here’s a family shot of the Front Steps, all the pieces cut to width and with the appropriate slits.  I didn’t bother to cut them to length since as you’ll see, the extra length will be cut off later.  (Though, as I was slitting them, I realized setup would have been easier had I bothered to square them up nicely!  Ah well, one of those things I’ll do better next time )


This shows you how the parts fit together. 


After a thorough cleaning, I fluxed the pieces up and put a 1/4" piece of silver solder by each joint.


And here’s the first sacrificial offering.  Didn’t turn out too badly, though it slid out of position while I was soldering.  For the 2nd one, I used one of those weights to help hold it in place.  Worked much better.


After a pickle and a bit of a cleanup, I bent the sides and did a test fit with the bottom step.


Then I solder those in place.
Here’s the state of play when I got tired and decided it was time to call it a day.  Here are all the steps soldered in place, and below it is the back of the steps.  Next time I’ll solder the steps to the back and cut off all the excess.


Not a lot of progress this week, but ever bit moves me along!  And tomorrow, being Mother’s Day, will be spent with the family.  So maybe I’ll be able to finish the steps next weekend?  We’ll see.

Thanks for checking in!  I do appreciate the visit.
Kim

[cnr6400]

A tricky fab job very well done! 

[b.lindsey]

Nicely Done Kim. I can see now how the slits lock things together for the soldering.

Bill

[Kim]

Thanks Cnr & Bill,
Appreciate you stopping by to take a look at my glacial progress
I think I need a half dozen of Chris's elves to help me out.  Guess my cookies just aren't enticing enough 
Kim

[cnr6400]

Kim, I don't think it's actually the cookies that get the elves motivated in Chris's shop  - I think they found a way in to his spirit locker and found the Navy rum. Just my hunch  based on the egg nog fumes at Christmas time. 

So far the elves in my shop just swipe small parts and hide them, and stone off the sharp edges on my saws and cutting tools. Probably need a better grade of Navy rum! 

[Admiral_dk]

Well Kim, the fact that you are moving along at a human pace, does not make it less enjoyable for the rest of us to follow        

And on a side note about Chris and his elves - since he is more or less one himself - you might consider them his family