Steel / Timber sandwich Buffer Beams

Osgood

Osgood

Western Thunderer
In the world of 12" to the foot, could anyone recommend a suitable timber for use as a packer between steel buffer beams?
It should impart some cushioning effect so perhaps not too hard, but needs to be durable.
What remains of the original appears to be fairly soft.
The steel plates are 10" deep and the timber 5" in thickness.

F08.png

Ideas?
 
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Eastsidepilot

Eastsidepilot

Western Thunderer
From an old chippy's point of view good old oak would be ideal, it will last for ever..........longer than us at any rate !

Col.
 
simond

simond

Western Thunderer
Mmm, I think I’d be scouring the architectural reclaim yards for a suitable chunk of something aged and tough. I’d be thinking oak, but maybe too hard. What about pitch-pine? It doesn’t want to be crushable.

Sleepers tend to be coated in horrible tarry stuff, full of nails, and maybe have shakes, so probably not my first thought given that whatever it is will need to be sawn / drilled / bored to suit.

Conjecture is free. Hope it’s helpful
Best
Simon
 
Osgood

Osgood

Western Thunderer
Thanks.
Foreign sleepers are much tougher than our own sleepers but I have discounted them through need to machine to size with gloop and embedded ballast bits.

Wondered about pitch pine - a friend cut up some huge ancient pitch pine harbour wall baulks (around 18" square) for floor boards for a customer - the smell was divine!! Flippin' expensive wood though - job to find in this size.

Oak would be fine and not too costly but the bolts through each beam would need protection. On the other hand they would see me out I guess....
Also I can't really see any timber needing to do much in the way of cushioning - it won't be banging coal wagons around at high speed!
I think I'd be more concerned about softwood rotting up before the warranty expires.
Perhaps the red wood they make truck floors with - Keruing? Whilst not cheap it is really tough.

Just trying to think what they might have used back in 1934.....

Tony
 
Overseer

Overseer

Western Thunderer
Oak is the most likely to have been used and is probably the best option. Make sure it, and any steel in contact with it, are well primed and painted before assembly. Jarrah would also be good but may only be available as secondhand sleepers. I would avoid softwood in this situation as dry rot is likely. For the Fowler the timber probably doesn't need to be in a single piece the full length of the buffer beam.
 
Ian@StEnochs

Ian@StEnochs

Western Thunderer
Tony,

I have just made a pair of wooden buffer beams for the loco I am building just now, a James Stirling 2-4-0 of 1868. The information I have is that the wood used on the original was Oak flitched on both sides with wrought iron plates, 1/4” thick, secured with coach bolts. Given the date of construction it was probably home grown but nowadays American oak is more easily sourced.

For the miniature I used Boxwood salvaged from a broken carpenters rule with nickel silver for the flitch plates.

Ian.
 
Osgood

Osgood

Western Thunderer
Peter - up a little and about as far over as you can get!

Thanks Colin - but there's something special about timber that you know has been dragged out by a Matador :thumbs: . But they are great value and quality - especially for treated structural softwood (beat the big builders merchants).

I was going for some redwood in two planks glued together until I saw this (well, and the quote) - I will not condone truck abuse

Redwood truck abuse.png

The boys at my local yard reckon they have some reasonably well seasoned oak so I'm taking a chance it won't shrink too much smiley sweat.gif
 
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G

GrahamMc

Western Thunderer
It might be worth talking to your suppliers about larch. It could be a lot less expensive and it can be almost as hard as oak. Here's a quote from Wikipedia.
'Larch wood is valued for its tough, waterproof and durable qualities. Top quality knot-free timber is in great demand for building yachts and other small boats, for exterior cladding of buildings, and interior paneling.'
 
Osgood

Osgood

Western Thunderer
Well as it happens Graham, they did mention larch as being a cheaper option. But I didn't pick up on it - more through lack of knowledge.
They're going to be having a rummage around for something well seasoned (not easy above 4" thick) so I'll talk to them about larch.

Thanks
Tony
 
F

fenman

Active Member
Osgood said:
Well as it happens Graham, they did mention larch as being a cheaper option. But I didn't pick up on it - more through lack of knowledge.
They're going to be having a rummage around for something well seasoned (not easy above 4" thick) so I'll talk to them about larch.

Thanks
Tony
Click to expand...
Tony,
Must be balsa wood on the lorry.
Peter.
 
Osgood

Osgood

Western Thunderer
Well the oak turned out to be not seasoned well enough when they cut into it - same with the larch :rolleyes:
So ended up using 2 thinner planks of sapele for each beam that has proved quite stable - kind of club sandwich buffer beam construction?

Anyway, its all done now banana.gif and soon to have some trial runs:

News from MSLR - Mid-Suffolk Light Railway Museum

P.S. If all goes well the Fowler can be seen working at the Middy's Diesel Day on Sun 30th June.
 
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