Chris's Mann Wagon Build

[crueby]

Awesome work!!!.....




 
Don

Thanks Don!   

You've been framed! (at least on one side) 

I didn't do it!   ... Wait, yes I did... 




Timing on the soldering was perfect, shortly after a big line of thunderstorms moved in. We really need the rain, so no complaints.
First side rail is soaking, too long for the normal pickle container I have, I found a long box, actually an arrow storage box, poured in some vinegar and tilted box to cover the rail. Slow, but works fine.

[cnr6400]

The arrow box is a good idea for the pickle. Another thought - On a job where I had to make a long quench tank for heat treat on an odd very long gearshift linkage part I used aluminum eavestroughing, with the end caps siliconed on. That worked well and of course you can get eavestrough any length you need - afterward you can use the shop slogan "our best work is done in the gutter". 

[crueby]

The arrow box is a good idea for the pickle. Another thought - On a job where I had to make a long quench tank for heat treat on an odd very long gearshift linkage part I used aluminum eavestroughing, with the end caps siliconed on. That worked well and of course you can get eavestrough any length you need - afterward you can use the shop slogan "our best work is done in the gutter". 

Actually, I do have a 4 or 5 foot length of plastic gutter up in the shop that I used several times to soak white ash frames in water, to get them pliable enough to bend into canoes that I was building. Great wood for that, well soaked they could be bent into very tight curves, they were 1/4" or maybe a little more. Thought of using that, but it is at least 20 years old, and I don't trust the rubber lined seals in the endcaps to hold. The arrow box is one molded piece, so it got trusted. Now, next year when I get arrows out, I'll be wondering why they smell of vinegar!!   

[Firebird]

Hi Chris

I don't want to dwell on this too long in your topic, perhaps we can start a topic elsewhere. Tried  Metal Supermarkets UK but they don't do 303 in bar



Cheers

Rich

[Jasonb]

M-Machine have 303 in hex and square along with the usual round, Flat is 304

[crueby]

Interesting that the 303 in flat bar is very common on this side of the pond, but not at all in UK. Its nice to work with, I like it better than the others. It must be used in Japan, Kozo uses it in his books.

[crueby]

It was too blustery outside today to do the silver soldering on the other frame rail, so instead got the inside edges tapered on the first one. Set up the tilt table at 10 degrees, and worked my way down the length with an end mill to taper the sides.

[crueby]

Nice weather again today so got the second frame rail silver soldered up, and milled the inner edges on that one too:

Now can start laying out the crossmembers...

[Brian Rupnow]

I wish I had your new ring roller for a couple of hours. I have to make four bands that go around the cladding on my Stephensons Rocket.

[crueby]

What dimensions? Thin enough to just bend by hand around a pipe or piece of round rod? For a non-functional boiler, they could always be out of plastic or card stock too.

[Brian Rupnow]

The rings I need have to be aluminum. They are 3.258" inside x 1/4" long x .048" wall thickness. I haven't really even figured out yet how I'm going to attach them. There is a good chance that since they are only cosmetic, I may Loctite them onto the boiler. I'm making this up as I go along, and have a rather vague idea that I can probably find a piece of aluminum tube that is close enough to be "hand persuaded" to the right shape.

[crueby]

For thin ali aheet, should be able to hand roll it around a slightly smaller pipe or rod.

[cnr6400]

Your frames look great Chris. Do they bolt up to pads on side of the boiler of the Mann, or is there a sling or stirrup crossmember bracket under the boiler that connects the frames to the steering axle mount bracket? 

[crueby]

Your frames look great Chris. Do they bolt up to pads on side of the boiler of the Mann, or is there a sling or stirrup crossmember bracket under the boiler that connects the frames to the steering axle mount bracket? 

Both - there are sets of bushings in the boiler for frame mounting studs - two each side for the lower cab frame, one each side for the end of the main frame, one pair on the backhead for the front main frame crossmember. The main frame also ties into the cab subframe in two places each side and there are cab frame crossmembers side to side to tie it all together, so the boiler can sit in a cradle.  The front axle post has a single rod coming back to the bottom of the firebox as well. The horn plates attach to the front of the main frame and overlap for several inches, that will also stiffen up the whole assembly. I've got some 1/16" steel plate coming for the horn plates, which will hold the crankshaft and the transmission shafts. Just like a typical traction engine, there is a lot of machinery packed into a small space - wonder how many dozen times it will get taken apart/put back together to add the next component!

[crueby]

This morning cleared off some space on the workbench (moved the stack of books out to the other room) so I could lay out the boiler and frame rails to get a better idea of the size:

The ends of the frame rails will be trimmed an inch or so each end, but it shows the rough outline of the truck. This morning started work on the bracket that goes across the back of the boiler to connect it to the frame....