Author Topic: Steam Fire Pumper 1869  (Read 12320 times)

Offline J.L.

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Re: Steam Fire Pumper 1869
« Reply #60 on: March 24, 2020, 07:57:53 PM »
Thanks fellows.

I was going to take a break from metal and let some paint dry when I noticed that I was missing one part of the front axle assembly. It's a fishplate that slips over the axle pivot to hold the retaining chains that limit the amount of axle turn.

Thank goodness it wasn't a casting and that the parts sheet was full size.

I glued a photocopy of the part onto a piece of metal before shaping.


Offline J.L.

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Re: Steam Fire Pumper 1869
« Reply #61 on: March 26, 2020, 01:27:03 PM »
It's back to working on the wheels again.

The heads of the escutcheon pins which represent bolt heads were out of scale on the inside of the rims, so they were removed and filed down to 3/32" dia. on the lathe.

They were also interferring with the scalloping of the recesses on both sides of the rim between the spokes. I read somewhere that on some wheels this was done to prevent mud from buiding up on the rims. I assume the negative curve let the mud slide off rather than cacking on the flat surfaces of inner rim.

 If anyone has another answer as to why this was done, do let me know.

Offline J.L.

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Sanding Spokes
« Reply #62 on: March 27, 2020, 05:10:20 PM »
I purchased a jig from Amati some time ago, but never found much use for it - until today.

A sandig stick can round the edges of the spokes on each side, but the curves may not be consistent when you look at the entire spoke.

This jig can hold round circles with its rubber ringed pins. You can place them anywhere until you get them to hold the ring until you gently close the jaws.

3/8" strips of fine sandpaper ride over the spokes and round both sides at once. This assumes that you have first knocked back the edges to begin with by carving or using a sanding stick.

This technique leaves a nicely rounded spoke edge.

Online wagnmkr

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Re: Steam Fire Pumper 1869
« Reply #63 on: March 28, 2020, 12:43:17 PM »
Looking Good John!

Tom
I was cut out to be rich ... but ... I was sewn up all wrong!

Offline J.L.

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Re: Steam Fire Pumper 1869
« Reply #64 on: March 28, 2020, 06:52:50 PM »
Thanks Tom.

I attempted to paint the first wheel using the gloss spray paint I have been using on all metal surfaces.  The result was absolutely dreadful!

 :-[

It had an 'in your face' gloss that was very unnatural to wooden surfaces. The gloss was fine for the metal. Needless to say, firemen are very proud of their equipment and would carefully wipe down the metal and bring all brass to a gleaming shine.

But wood is different. I should have known. This photo shows the shine removed with steel wool. The wheel will be painted again with a more gentle satin finish. The aluminum hub will also be painted red. It was covered up during the first attempt to prevent overspray as the paint passes over it several times while spraying the spokes and rim.


Offline J.L.

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The Front Axle Assembly
« Reply #65 on: March 28, 2020, 08:18:18 PM »
I am amazed that the Britannia casting of threads is so good.  The first photo shows a thread being tested effortlessly into a #1-72 die. This rod is the Front Axle Brace. It will attach itself to the boiler lower wall with the Brace Bracket.

The second photo shows the front axle assembly with the Hitch pin dropped into the Hitch Pin Locator.

Offline Don1966

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Re: Steam Fire Pumper 1869
« Reply #66 on: March 28, 2020, 11:12:53 PM »
Lovely work JL, I have wheels to put together on my coach and taking notes on your thread!...... :Love:



 :cheers:
Don

Offline J.L.

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Re: Steam Fire Pumper 1869
« Reply #67 on: March 29, 2020, 03:20:39 PM »
Thanks Don.  I hope I don't lead you astray. There are many ways to go about this wheel making business. But for me, getting that rim fastened down firmly to a pattern and having a firmly fixed hub works.

There are many, many small parts to this model. Trying to file, sand, prime and paint them all at once is overwhelming.  So I choose to do five or six a day - set them aside for 24 hours and go on with something else.

Photo 1 shows parts ready for painting held by alligator 'grip sticks'. Some parts that can't be held in a clamp are stuck to a rolled over piece of masking tape.

Photo 2 shows some painted parts in a nice little plastic tray with partitions. This tray came with an Occre kit.

One complaint I have with the Trailways Kits is the fact that they simply dump delicate white metal castings into plastic bags (Photo 3).

Offline J.L.

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Re: Steam Fire Pumper 1869
« Reply #68 on: March 30, 2020, 08:20:25 PM »
Back to some spoke shaping...

In the first photo you can really see the difference drawing a thin slice of sandpaper down both sides of the spoke at once makes.

I was rather slow in picking up on some other advantages of this jig. You can grip the inner rim of the wheel and expand the jaws outward. The pins are machined with three grooves. I've been using the factory set o-rings set in the top groove. But if you move them down to the middle groove, the rubber grips the rim nicely.  :slap:

Slow to pick up on that.  ::)

Offline J.L.

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Re: Steam Fire Pumper 1869
« Reply #69 on: March 31, 2020, 04:14:11 PM »
Before carving the scallops and rounding the spokes on the 4th wheel, here's a little time out to have some fun and tell a little bit more about this pumper.

The little badge was totally painted a gloss black as a first step. It was then sanded with 800 grit to reveal the lettering. This badge will fit up on the back of the stainless steel boiler.

About the engine...

The fire department's horses were replaced with motor vehicles in 1919, but the horse-drawn Allerton remained at the station as a back-up until the mid 1930's. By the 1950s the steamer was taken out of service and put into storage. Practically forgotten, it was eventually sold to a scrap dealer.

But the story does have a happy ending.  Let's finish the story when the wheels are on.  ;)

Offline J.L.

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Wheel Painting Jig
« Reply #70 on: March 31, 2020, 06:58:14 PM »
A couple of years ago Tom Saunders (aka Wagnmkr) gave me a number of little threaded clamps for attaching ship planking to hull frames. A hole is drilled in the frame and a knurled aluminum handle with a very small 1/32" threaded screw passes through a retaining lug and the lug is drawn into the frame securing the plank.

These threaded devices without the lugs provide a nice way of holding a wheel in position on a square box jig.

I Haven't tried it yet, but it should work. The trick is to get an even coat of paint all round. That what the lazy susan is all about. Also the painted wheel can be picked up and flipped over to paint the other side.

On my first attempt, holding the wheel on a dowel with one hand and the spray can in the other didn't work out that well. Painting both sides at once was a chore with a lot of overspray.

I suppose  I could paint these wheels with a brush like I did with the primer, but I like the smooth, clean look of a spray job with no brush strokes.

We'll see...

P.S. The hubs will be covered again to prevent overspray, but only covered with a paper disk that can be easily removed to finish painting the hub.

Offline mklotz

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Re: Steam Fire Pumper 1869
« Reply #71 on: March 31, 2020, 07:16:51 PM »
Speaking of turntables, I recently built a motorized one that will serve multiple purposes in my shop, including painting.  More details here...

https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/miniature-powered-turntable-78196#post153861
Regards, Marv
Home Shop Freeware
https://www.myvirtualnetwork.com/mklotz

Offline J.L.

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Painting a Wheel
« Reply #72 on: April 01, 2020, 04:27:49 PM »
The deed is done.  The first wheel has been painted a satin Red Colonial. It's shiny now, but hopefully in 24 hours it should have a nice satin sheen.

Notice the two brass tubes. Before I started to paint, I realized that I would want to grab two of the knurled handles to flip the wheel over to paint the other side. They masked those handles.

I think keeping the wheel flat and rotating the turntable really helped control the process.


Offline tghs

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Re: Steam Fire Pumper 1869
« Reply #73 on: April 01, 2020, 05:09:33 PM »
watching and absorbing,, I'll need this info shortly,,looking great..
what the @#&% over

Offline J.L.

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Re: Steam Fire Pumper 1869
« Reply #74 on: April 02, 2020, 02:05:59 PM »
I wanted to share one more tip about painting these wheels.  Than that's it. No more wheel pictures until all four are done.

This is a model engine making site.  ::)

The hub gets too much paint applied as you rotate the turntable and spray the spokes and rim. But convering them with sticky masking tape can make it impossible to remove with wet paint everywhere. But if a paper disk is used that can easily be removed, painting the hub can finish the job.

I punch a hole in the paper disk a bit smaller and cut four slits around it. It slides over the hub flange and holds firmly - but can be removed easily.

Probably too much information, but there you go.  :)

Back when we get back to some metal assembly...

 

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