Chris's Mann Wagon Build

[crueby]

Been sitting here this evening with some cider and my copies of The Traction Engine Archive books (have the first three volumes), and noticed that a lot of the steam wagons with cargo flatbeds used side panels with large strap hinges to let them fold down. Makes sense, allows easy side loading as well as from the back. Some did have stake sides, but usually with chains between the posts and fewer with planks. The hinged panels also lend themselves to signage down the length.


So, I think I will go that route.


 

[steam guy willy]

 Hi Chris, looking good and coming along nicely..I have a 1920 motorbike with 2 gears  that you have to stop to change gear !! also its quite easy to change gear without using the clutch, with helical gears in the box...!!

[crueby]

Hi Chris, looking good and coming along nicely..I have a 1920 motorbike with 2 gears  that you have to stop to change gear !! also its quite easy to change gear without using the clutch, with helical gears in the box...!!

On the bike, do the gears slide on parallel shafts into mesh? Is a helical gear better at that than straight tooth gears?

[MJM460]

Hi Chris, great progress as usual.  Really coming into shape now with a tray on the back. 

These days when so many vehicles have automatic gear boxes, it is easy to forget that when many of us started driving, all cars were manual, most did not have synchro on first gear.

I also learned to drive 6x6 Studebaker trucks in military service.  These had five gears plus reverse, and a second lever to give high and low ratio.  No synchro anywhere.  The technique was to depress the clutch and shift into neutral, release the clutch and accelerator to allow the engine to slow in neutral, then press the clutch again to shift up.  Shifting down involved revving the engine up a bit in neutral.  A bit of fancy coordination required.  The five gears weren’t evenly spaced and first was a very low, even in high ratio, good for about 5 miles per hour in high ratio at max engine revs from memory.  Made for some fancy foot work changing down on a gear on a steep hill, especially in low ratio.

I assume the gear clusters all slid on splines, but never had one apart.

MJM460

[kvom]

When I was in basic training in the Army in 1971, a few of us were picked to be drivers of 2.5T trucks, as it was necessary to cart provisions to remote areas of the base on occasion.  The "driving test" was to start the motor, shift into 2nd gear, and drive for 100'.  First gear is so low we never used it.

In what time period were these steam trucks used?  I assume late 19th century.

[pgp001]

Hi Chris, great progress as usual.  Really coming into shape now with a tray on the back. 

These days when so many vehicles have automatic gear boxes, it is easy to forget that when many of us started driving, all cars were manual, most did not have synchro on first gear.

I also learned to drive 6x6 Studebaker trucks in military service.  These had five gears plus reverse, and a second lever to give high and low ratio.  No synchro anywhere.  The technique was to depress the clutch and shift into neutral, release the clutch and accelerator to allow the engine to slow in neutral, then press the clutch again to shift up.  Shifting down involved revving the engine up a bit in neutral.  A bit of fancy coordination required.  The five gears weren’t evenly spaced and first was a very low, even in high ratio, good for about 5 miles per hour in high ratio at max engine revs from memory.  Made for some fancy foot work changing down on a gear on a steep hill, especially in low ratio.

I assume the gear clusters all slid on splines, but never had one apart.

MJM460

What you are describing is called "Double De Clutching" in the UK.
I used to drive our old 1946 chain drive Scammell lorry that had a four speed "crash" box, changing gear on the move was an art form that I will never forget.
Even now I sometimes use the technique in my Morris Minor even though it is not really needed, it is just a habit.

Phil

[crueby]

When I was in basic training in the Army in 1971, a few of us were picked to be drivers of 2.5T trucks, as it was necessary to cart provisions to remote areas of the base on occasion.  The "driving test" was to start the motor, shift into 2nd gear, and drive for 100'.  First gear is so low we never used it.

In what time period were these steam trucks used?  I assume late 19th century.

These trucks were made from late 1800s up through early 1900s. By WWII they faded out, gas and diesel took over, but some lived on till 1960s in construction, especially the road rollers and tar sprayers.

[ddmckee54]

Chris:

If you're going with hinged sides don't make them too high, remember it's only one person/elf that's going to lift that sucker back up after it's been flipped down.  It used to take 3 men and a mule to lift the sides of the truck we had on the farm - and it wasn't that big of a truck.  Of course they were solid wood sides with boards 3/4" thick.  The sides were 4-5' tall and probably 12-14' long, with a flip up 2' stock rack on top of that.  It's been 50 years since I had to work on that truck and the memories fade a little, I do remember that they were HEAVY.

Don

[crueby]

Chris:

If you're going with hinged sides don't make them too high, remember it's only one person/elf that's going to lift that sucker back up after it's been flipped down.  It used to take 3 men and a mule to lift the sides of the truck we had on the farm - and it wasn't that big of a truck.  Of course they were solid wood sides with boards 3/4" thick.  The sides were 4-5' tall and probably 12-14' long, with a flip up 2' stock rack on top of that.  It's been 50 years since I had to work on that truck and the memories fade a little, I do remember that they were HEAVY.

Don

The tricky part was getting the mule to wear the overalls and hat... 


I was thinking about that, after noticing that the ones in the pictures were often fairly low. I have them cut and glued up, they work out to just two feet tall at full scale, should look good with some scale bags of grain and hops, barrels of beer.     Shopelvin Stout, Elfensteiner, yum!

[crueby]

Glue set up, so I propped the sides in place for a look:

So far so good - ready for some final shaping, and can start making all the hardware: hinges, latches, braces...

[cnr6400]

 

[Don1966]

I..........likeeeeee............ 


 
Don

[crueby]

After so long with the open frame, getting the cargo bed on looks SO different!

[Kim]

With the bed on it, it sure looks a lot more trucky!  The front is still missing something - I can't wait to see it with the cab!
Amazing work, as always, Chris!
Kim

[tghs]

so are we going to make some jig blocks and form some strap hinges,, brass sheet and some "blacken it" would work nicely,,
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLtksqAz5Fs" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLtksqAz5Fs</a>