Author Topic: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)  (Read 327631 times)

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #525 on: January 01, 2020, 06:45:13 PM »
Very nice Kim. Excellent job as well through the pictures and words of each step you take. Going to be a fine looking tender for sure!!

Bill

Online crueby

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #526 on: January 01, 2020, 06:53:44 PM »
Lot of fiddly steps, but it came out great!
 :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

Online Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #527 on: January 02, 2020, 05:23:36 AM »
Thanks Bill and Chris!
Kim

Online Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #528 on: January 03, 2020, 06:22:05 PM »
Chapter 5.8– Top Plate

The Top Plate was cut from the larger brass 0.040” sheet using my Rigid reciprocal saw.  This works quite well, but it’s not overly accurate.  It cuts fast, but you have to leave a good margin.


I’ve fixed a couple of pieces of steel bar to the edge of the bench that I use to clamp larger thin sheet while filing – anything too big for my vise.  It’s not perfect, but it works OK.  I wish I had a way to clamp it in the middle, but I haven’t figured that out yet.
Anyway, using this, I cleaned up the edges, squared up 3 sides, and took it to the correct width.


I then lined it up and used a scribe to mark the shape of the cut out for the front end.


Like so (this is the bottom side that I scribed).  I then took that mark and transferred it out 0.080” – this is the aprox line that I’m aiming at for this cut-out.  (The 0.080” comes from the thickness of the vertical board and the verge board.)


I then proceeded to cut the shape out using the scroll saw.


And then slowly filed it to shape, test fitting frequently between filings.


One thing to point out: despite all my carefulness, the back end of the Front Plates came out slightly different lengths.  One side sticks out a tad more than the other (see the red arrows).  I shaped the top plate to match this.


After getting the cutout to fit, I bent the top plate to shape.  I had to do this in order to know exactly how long it needed to be. As I bent it to shape, I also shortened the length till it fit.


This took a lot of twiddling and adjusting, but I’m pretty pleased with the fit at this point.
 

Next, I need to make an access cutout in the top of the tender.  The Tender Manhole will eventually be fitted into this cutout.  There are also a few holes for mounting the Headlight Base. Here’s the layout for the cutout and the holes for the headlight base.
 

Since the corners of the cutout are supposed to be 1/16” radius, I used a 1/8” drill in each corner.  I’ll saw out the opening between those holes.  I used the mill table to accurately locate each corner of the cutout, and to locate and drill the headlight mounting holes.


And here’s our state of play at the moment:


Thanks for taking a look.
Kim
« Last Edit: January 03, 2020, 06:31:11 PM by Kim »

Offline Admiral_dk

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #529 on: January 03, 2020, 09:06:59 PM »
Quote
Thanks for taking a look.

It is us who should be thanking you for all the work - we are just enjoying the Journey from a safe distance  :)
 :cheers:     :popcorn:

Oh and before I forget - very nice work Kim  :praise2:

Best wishes

Per

Online Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #530 on: January 03, 2020, 10:12:28 PM »
Thank you, Per!
I appreciate your comment and the moral support you and other people following my build.  I've learned so much from people commenting on better way's to do things or offering helpful hints on how they did it.

You and people on this forum have taught me everything I know about machining! :)
Kim

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #531 on: January 03, 2020, 10:26:07 PM »
Quote
Thanks for taking a look.
It is us who should be thanking you for all the work - we are just enjoying the Journey from a safe distance  :)
 :cheers:     :popcorn:

 :ThumbsUp: Indeed.
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
"To work. To work."
Zee-Another Thread Trasher.

Online Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #532 on: January 03, 2020, 10:30:44 PM »
Thank you Zee :)
Kim

Online Jo

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #533 on: January 04, 2020, 07:31:31 AM »
Nice bit of plate work Kim  :)

I have always struggled with those reciprocating saws. I found they had a mind of their own  :paranoia: I see you used a timber clamp to hold the large plates vertically for filing - I use a long thick bit of steel angle clamped in the vice and then clamp the plate to the extended piece of angle to the side of the vice, it brings the work a little higher for finishing ;)

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Online Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #534 on: January 04, 2020, 05:52:32 PM »
Thanks Jo,
Good idea on using some angle iron in the vise for holding the plate.  I'll have to see if I can find a couple of chunks of angle iron to use for that!
Kim

Offline scc

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #535 on: January 04, 2020, 10:03:04 PM »
Some great work on the plates Kim, something I've not needed to tackle on small scale  yet....it's good to see it all coming together. :popcorn: :popcorn:       Back in my classic car days I regularly used lengths of thick angle clamped together with deep throat clamps for forming awkward chassis sections, mostly out the side of a heavy vice as Jo mentioned.
Much of the time I'm just quietly following along and enjoying the ride.             Best Wishes            Terry

Online Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #536 on: January 05, 2020, 05:21:03 AM »
Thanks for the comments, Terry!
Kim

Offline Steamer5

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #537 on: January 05, 2020, 07:21:21 AM »
Hi Kim,
 Looking good! Been enjoying the journey.

You just want to be careful, all that gold & you will have Don come visit with his polishing gear........


Cheers Kerrin
Get excited and make something!

Online Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #538 on: January 05, 2020, 02:54:43 PM »
Thanks Kerrin!

Yeah, I've thought about that.  My plan to avoid that is to plaint it soon.  Cover up all that pretty shiny brass with a nice black powder coat! :)
Kim

Online Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #539 on: January 05, 2020, 03:00:27 PM »
Moving on with the top plate, I used the scroll saw to cut out the square section for the manhole:


Then I cleaned up the edges on the mill.  I didn’t want to cut out the entire thing on the mill because this setup for holding the top plate wasn’t that secure – it caused some bowing in the middle of the top plate.  I figured it was OK for skimming a few thou off the edge, but that a more challenging cut could be potentially error-prone, so I did it on the scroll saw.


Next up was embossing all the rivets.  And boy, were there a LOT of them!
I whipped up a little rounded guide to use for the inside corners here. Seemed to work pretty well.


I had to get pretty creative with clamping the guide.  Since I’d bent the plate first, it caused some interesting interference with various elements of the mill.  But I worked around them all.  My backup was to flatten the plate out somewhat for embossing, then re-bend like I did with the front plates.  But I’m glad I didn’t have to do that!


And here’s the completed top plate:


In situ on the rest of the tank (still not attached though).


I’ve had some time off work over the holidays, but starting tomorrow, I’m back at it. So, things will be returning to their standard glacial pace now.  While it is a good thing that I’m employed, I will certainly miss being home and having the flexibility to work in the shop when I want to!

As always, thanks for stopping by!
Kim

 

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