Jump to content
Anglo Traction

Downsizing in Metalwork

Recommended Posts

Been a while since I worked on this. Weather extremes have delayed setting up for paint preparation etc.

Managed to finish the 4 tiny 1/4" square lidded Oil Boxes which was a 'Jewellers Job' Silver Soldering the tiny hinge tubes in place. The hinge pins are 0.5mm hard wire.

The one in the picture is of the R/H 3rd Shaft, where I had to work around the standard bearing design and the additional steam valve I made and fitted there.

The Oil Box is linked to the bearing by a short 1/16" dia copper tube. proper hex head bolts will be used in final assembly 

All the other Oil boxes not shown fit directly into their respective bearings-

DSC01851.JPG.e27fad9714f059c32b35adcb3b9107ac.JPG  

 

Changed the upper Steering Shaft bearing design with a more correct style version out of Gunmetal.

Also fabricated and added the Tool tray on inside of the Hornplate to hide the dowel end of the steering shaft bearing. Steering shaft is 5/32" dia (nearly 4mm) -

DSC01853.JPG.4298290747150cfe376b3ec0292da188.JPG

 

So till plodding on with this when opportunity arises.

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Just to bump this topic to say that this engine has been dismantled for more jobs to be finished prior to painting and running.

I have also decided to make something to accompany it in 1 inch scale.

Over the last 3 months, I've been researching Water Carts as well  as referring to my old Model Engineer magazines from 1980's.

So I've got enough info and images to reproduce an example of a Wallis and Steevens Ltd of Basingstoke Cart of the late 1890s.

Wary of copyright issues, so here is a link to google search results. The black and white image is mainly what I'm working to-

Wallis & Steevens Water Bowser

Want to get these two models done so I can set up for painting at the same time and am making good progress. A few pics of what I've done so far-

Machining the 'T' section wheel rims fron thick walled steel tube 4 1/2" dia x 1/4" thick (114mm x 6.3mm)-

DSC02131.JPG.c2331c9690d31694a49f0096319282b3.JPG

 

Finished 'T' rings with the hubs-

 

1543097974_Trings.JPG.4d711877c68d6d7db4f01fd5e59f57bd.JPG 

 

............and the wheel building jig  with the finished axle/hubs  -

858600953_WheelbuildingJig.JPG.5ac08bc539455e3fd0235303f9cdbb7e.JPG

 

Side plates with associated parts ready for silver soldering-1442430369_sideplates.JPG.d09daac712a2b99c43883a66078e3c57.JPG

 

The side plates silver soldered up and trial fitted along with the lifting pump-

DSC02143.JPG.fe5a24c1581ea4da590cfc2b3b91c426.JPG

 

 

DSC02144.JPG.04d0b13834c4338f16b31180fdd9888a.JPG

 

Happy with the progress.

Regards

  

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Wheels are taking shape. Lot of monotonous work machining 20 spokes 1/8" (3.175mm) wide from 1.2mm sheet, then bending to two different shapes to fit-

DSC02145.JPG.ac3522a4cae8210906ca5851f06fa2f4.JPG  

 

Spokes are fixed to hubs with 10BA c/sunk screws. Still lots of work before these are riveted to the rims and finished-

 

DSC02146.JPG.396d90b84ec800b34479e254c920d315.JPG

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Forgot how so very complicated it is to build wheels in this manner. Last lot were 35 years ago!. Happy with progress though.

With the spokes secured in the hubs in the right places, the covers were soldered in place first, then I began meticulously setting each brass letter in place around the Hubs

to replicate the 'Cast In' lettering. I had planned it out way back when I first made the hub parts-

Hubs.JPG.0887225698f7f15cd0e65a1560c84652.JPG

 

I used a dirty steel washer to hold the letters in place and bolting it all up to keep the hub parts lined up while I 'cooked' it to sweat the letters into a thin bed of solder.

After removing the retaining bolt/washer-

DSC02151.JPG.2ba5746e72cd64ff155997b2e86ae83f.JPG   

 

After an initial clean up and bonding check-

 

DSC02148.JPG.e69bb692475ecf68a27b838c2d5ac049.JPG

 

Still more machining to do before finally riveting them up 

 

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks Expeatfarmer (and Alan). Glad to say the Wheels are finished :wacko: :hdance:. Lots of time spent shaping the Hubs to represent castings like the originals.

Glad I made a few riveting tools many years ago. Shown here is one I made especially to suit the Traction Engine Wheels with tight spaces to get into.

Worked a treat on 1/16" dia copper rivets-

DSC02157.JPG.a2fe40d7826357db5da878a4e963e4b5.JPG

 

Even more detail with the Oiler Tubes with screw on caps-

DSC02156.JPG.6d6c0db6ca6c47ceb0a2bba1c5862032.JPG

 

Barely a perceptible wobble in these, but will ream the bores again to run perfectly true.

Back to working on the Tank and fittings. An example of pics I use as reference (courtesy of a T/engine Forum user)-

1523334094_WAxlelayout.JPG.6a9edfb11d8b8a2aaa8b853d1aff84d7.JPG

 

Helps me with scale and detail. I'm making the outlet valve and lever exactly the same as an original, so hope works ok.

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 11/5/2019 at 6:30 PM, Cub Cadet said:

Outstanding work as ever!

Thanks Ewan.

                       I fancied a change last few weeks, as it has been a bit cold.

So I turned my hand to learning to steam bend and shape some hardwood for the shafts, even though I'm making a steel framed drawbar to connect to the T/Engine.

The shafts came out well as a matched pair and have nearly finished all the 'Ironwork' fittings which were a bit fiddlely to shape in a small size-

DSC02168.JPG.5f8e913dfcf29fe8c1c782299dc1eb91.JPG

 

DSC02169.JPG.5bd16b571fd5ffaf92604736d6edb19e.JPG

 

I'm a bit slow on the tank work, as I need to plan the stages before I begin to rivet/solder up the sections......then there is Xmas!.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks Norm, Nigel. 

Soldered the 2 halves of the tank together, but left the end plates for now, as need access. Much of the work over the last 6 weeks has been doing fiddly parts.

Because this project is all 'Scratch Built'', I want to keep the parts as scale size to the original.

The water outlet/valve is an example and is a simple 'Bottle' style valve running in guides. The joint faces are metal to metal (no seals)-

 

DSC02178.JPG.519e3a9f2d097c7dca31a03052dd421f.JPG     

 

The faces that contact the inside/outside of the tank are contoured to a close fit.

The weighted lever sits 'over centre' when closed,  which applies pressure on the Spring Stainless rod and so on the valve face/seat to improve the water tight seal.

Another view to show the valve/seat and the fabricated outlet with correctly bolted (12BA) flange. This will lead to a Sprinkler Bar as per original-DSC02180.JPG.7b9e5783a6ca1110a6bf0b7f47144d9f.JPG

 

Hardwood support legs finished to size. A range of steel coach bolts with square/hex nuts, and an alternative flanged outlet elbow for supply to the Traction Engine tank.

The ball on the end of the pump handle is 1/16"  (1.6mm) diameter- 

 

DSC02186.JPG.86252da37f331cd8a95c0b0b1952d50c.JPG

 

Hose hooks are 0.010" (.25mm) shim steel annealed for drilling and bending, then re hardened and tempered to spring grade. Screws are 14BA-

 

DSC02187.JPG.26c6f859798f9b46e087acd35e837f0d.JPG

 

Finally got the wheels done last night and are retained by blind 'Top Hat' caps with a cross pin, as per the full size. Pins are 3/64" (1.25mm) -

 

DSC02184.JPG.f659c602d7e6b28d281825c8a1622bc4.JPG  

 

Going to be a shame to cover this in paint :mellow:

 

 

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi all, thanks for the positive responses. Certainly a different way of working when producing scale models without plans or castings etc. Everything takes longer and a lot of thinking.

Managed to reach a point of trial fitting the spray bar parts today  which I've been working on for a while-

DSC02191.JPG.1ece00db2914b68d3d3e0713ac8a7f03.JPG

 

I stripped the chrome off of a 60s car aerial section which was the right size in hard straight brass (5/32" or <4mm). 

I failed with reproducing the flanged connecting pipe, as it should be straight and I had to 'dog leg' it to line up.

Probably as a result from having to work from a basic drawing for sizes of a similar make of cart. Still, it's a reasonable representation until I can get to M.E.R.L to inspect the company's  original drawings.

The retaining brackets were an excercise in miniature milling and retained with 12ba coach bolts/nuts-

DSC02192.JPG.c58786e545e295dc2beeba444a98d53c.JPG  

 

Time to start drilling loads of tiny holes............I may be some time !.

Regards  

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello again all,

                          Long time, no post !. I've been busy during this absence, honest !. Lots of preparation for painting the T Engine, only managed to get to the etch primed stage on most parts.

Temp, weather and humidity has halted progress.

I have been working on the Water Cart for some time. Glad to have finished the 130 holes for the 1/32" (0.80mm) rivets.

Broke 2 drill bits and had to get the pieces out by dissolving them over a few weeks.

Have reproduced the raised 'cast in' lettering on each of the tank ends by individually soldering them in place after fitting and sealing the tank end plates in position.

The letters are 3mm and 2mm in height and had to make the Ampersand out of bits-

 

1C9F395B-9EE2-404D-A0CB-362D7F545C0D.jpeg.f598999eab05847c1523cbc5cc7f0f64.jpeg

 

Just finished making and trial fitting the wooden board work, tank lid and have revised the pump outlet nozzle .

The latch bolts are under way, with just the handle to make before fitting.

So just waiting for a 'weather window' to get the 2 part etch primer on-

 

A0BBF6F8-781B-461E-8C3D-B7E56ACA184A.jpeg.f1d630e60c79724475a1ec8aafc8d0f5.jpeg   

 

Regards

 

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello all, and thanks for the positive comments. Finally got to a point where I could get the tank primed during a dry and low humidity weather window.

Had been busy making the (tiny) tank lid furniture out of mainly Nickel Silver.

The latch bolts are 3/64" (1.2mm) dia silver steel with 1/16" (1.56mm) stainless balls brazed on and fixed with 1/32"(0.8mm)rivets-

 

 114B3FA5-70B0-4949-A03C-3151E12C1966.jpeg.2a964b41645dedfc78c3710e878c06c2.jpeg 

 

Next job is permanently fix the woodwork to the tank and finish ready for paint

Not completely successful with the soldered lettering, as a couple had moved slightly in the process...never mind!, just glad to get past this stage-

 

1EA971B1-ED73-4B5E-AE34-9FF58429C825.jpeg.bdbda30b856e7e7b304bda87a0584857.jpeg

 

I really need good, dry painting weather now, as I have to paint and assemble this and the T/Engine to fix the dimensions for the towing bar frame for the Water Cart.

 

Regards.

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...