Chris's Mann Wagon Build

[crueby]

Got started profiling the eccentric followers, beginining with the bottom end which is a simple arc. Used the expanding arbor on the rotary table to hold them:



Once all four had the bottom ends shaped, turned them around and milled in the slot for the arm going up to the reverse link. These arms will be steel, and silver soldered in place.

Oh, and when tightening in the end mill to the holder, my trusty old t-handle hex wrench apparently was possessed by an angry shop gnome - it broke at the top bend and bit me, the little bugger!



Do shop gnomes carry rabies?   

[cnr6400]

Ouch! that looks sore. You should see the shop elf nurse, Polly Sporin, about it. Not sure about whether elves carry rabies, I've mostly seen them carry boxes of Elfensteiner beer....... 

[ddmckee54]

If only this were something simple like being bitten by a werewolf, vampire or zombie.  We could probably find any number of people able to deal with this disaster, but SHOP GNOMES????

Do we need to start worrying about you changing into a shop gnome with the coming of the full moon? (Or was that the Mooning of the Full Swarf Bucket, I can NEVER keep them straight.)

[crueby]

          

[gary.a.ayres]

Oooyah!

Commiserations...

 

[crueby]

At least I have a good excuse to do some tool shopping!   

[Art K]

Chris,
Sorry to hear about the attack on your finger by that notorious shop elf named Metal Fatigue.
Sorry I couldn't help myself. Try the drink pint I'm sure that'll help.
Art

[crueby]

Chris,
Sorry to hear about the attack on your finger by that notorious shop elf named Metal Fatigue.
Sorry I couldn't help myself. Try the drink pint I'm sure that'll help.
Art

The Elfensteiner therapy does seem to be helping. Just wish the cans weren't so darn small!   

[ddmckee54]

Yeah, popping the tops on those 1.6oz cans has got to be a pain with that finger. (1:12 scale pint dontchaknow.)  But then you've probably got a custom machined 1:12 scale church key dontcha?  Any pictures of that church key, maybe with one of the cans?

Don

[crueby]

Yeah, popping the tops on those 1.6oz cans has got to be a pain with that finger. (1:12 scale pint dontchaknow.)  But then you've probably got a custom machined 1:12 scale church key dontcha?  Any pictures of that church key, maybe with one of the cans?

Don

Had one, but the elves took it. I haven't been able to find it in their kitchen either.

Now, today I was making up a batch of Christmas cookies. All going well, when I turned around from putting the last tray in the oven and saw THIS:

Didn't even wait for them to be iced and decorated! Guess they could smell it from thier room down the hall....

[cnr6400]

Back 1000 years ago (it seems like it) at my Dad and Grandfather's service station we used a heavy duty large funnel with a built in can opener for fast oil changes. All oil for cars came in metal 1 quart cans at the time. You put the funnel in the engine's valve cover oil hole, jam the first oil can in, check the belts, jam second oil can in, check battery electrolyte levels (or the blue eye, later) and coolant, jam third oil can in, check air filter and heater hoses, jam fourth oil can in, clean windshield. Check oil level. All done in 8 min or less. (assuming you remembered to put the drain plug back in before adding the new oil) 

Through the power of Goog L I found a pic of one of these now-antique funnels, showing the opener inside it, the pic is attached.

Anyway, the thought - if you made a miniature version of that funnel, you could hold it in your mouth and jam the tiny beer cans into it to open them! (hope the shop elves aren't reading this)

[crueby]

Catching up on some work on the eccentric followers, I had finished shaping the outside profiles and drilled the oil passages. The end of the hole was counterdrilled out larger to form a little cup to help the oil drop go it (I have a needle tipped oiler that is handy for these sorts of spots).

Here are the followers along with the blanks for the steel arms. The end of the arms at the follower is rounded to closely fit the slots, the other end is left long to take the yoke for the reverse link.

To hold the arms in place for soldering, drilled for a 1mm brass rivet:

which holds it well for the next step:

Never tried taking photos while silver soldering before, but here goes. Held the end of the arm with a clamp so I could hold the torch under the part, fluxed the joint and put a little u-shaped piece of silver solder wire on top. The flux is Harris Black, the solder is Easy Grade 20 gauge wire, 65% silver. With the torch underneath, started heating the part. The flux first boils off the water, requiring a poke with a pointed rod to shove the solder back into place.


Here the part is getting up to temperature, and the flux has gone clear:

Solder starts to melt and flow into the joint:

Added a little more solder from the coil end for good measure, and heated till the solder was liquid all round - stopping too soon will give a weak joint.

Did all four, let them cool, and started to clean them up. For these parts, which are steel and bronze, I did not want to use the Sparex 2 pickle that I use for brass since the steel will contaminate it, and the solution will transfer some of the brass color onto the steel. So, I put some white vinegar (common grocery store stuff) into an old cup (which is used only for this) and put the parts in to soak.

I gave them an hour or so, rinsed and wire-brushed them, and put them back in for a while longer, pics later when they are clean. I like using the vinegar, cheap, safe, easy to dispose, just takes longer than a stronger acid does, but that is a good tradeoff.

[crueby]

Back 1000 years ago (it seems like it) at my Dad and Grandfather's service station we used a heavy duty large funnel with a built in can opener for fast oil changes. All oil for cars came in metal 1 quart cans at the time. You put the funnel in the engine's valve cover oil hole, jam the first oil can in, check the belts, jam second oil can in, check battery electrolyte levels (or the blue eye, later) and coolant, jam third oil can in, check air filter and heater hoses, jam fourth oil can in, clean windshield. Check oil level. All done in 8 min or less. (assuming you remembered to put the drain plug back in before adding the new oil) 

Through the power of Goog L I found a pic of one of these now-antique funnels, showing the opener inside it, the pic is attached.

Anyway, the thought - if you made a miniature version of that funnel, you could hold it in your mouth and jam the tiny beer cans into it to open them! (hope the shop elves aren't reading this)

Slick (  ) funnel! Dont think I ever saw one of those, do remember seeing a lever-operated gizmo that punched the holes in the oil can lids for pouring.

And great, now the elves can drink MORE of the Eagle Mountain Brewery stock that much faster!    The eagles are angry, now they need to brew more batches per week. Your car windshield may get a visit after they have lunch...   

[Kim]

For these parts, which are steel and bronze, I did not want to use the Sparex 2 pickle that I use for brass since the steel will contaminate it, and the solution will transfer some of the brass color onto the steel. So, I put some white vinegar (common grocery store stuff) into an old cup (which is used only for this) and put the parts in to soak.

Interesting... I also use Sparex and find that my steel parts come out with a copper/brass color coating on them.  It's very thin and easy to buff off, but I never really thought about where it came from.  So is that just from the Sparex? Or from the brass parts that have been in the pickle before them?

Very nice in-process shots of your silver soldering, Chris!

Kim

[crueby]

For these parts, which are steel and bronze, I did not want to use the Sparex 2 pickle that I use for brass since the steel will contaminate it, and the solution will transfer some of the brass color onto the steel. So, I put some white vinegar (common grocery store stuff) into an old cup (which is used only for this) and put the parts in to soak.

Interesting... I also use Sparex and find that my steel parts come out with a copper/brass color coating on them.  It's very thin and easy to buff off, but I never really thought about where it came from.  So is that just from the Sparex? Or from the brass parts that have been in the pickle before them?

Kim

I think its some coper or brass residue from the parts before them. Sparex makes a nbr 1 version that is meant for steel parts. Harder to find but its out there. I try and keep the Sparex just for the brass/copper/bronze parts - I did pick up some of the Nbr 1 version but never got around to mixing it up in another container.