Spitfire's G3 Workbench

Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
Trevor
I usually use the mill to open up axle boxes, by raising the table, there is no risk of snatch.

I looked back at your Nielson coupling rods and they've come out really well. I wished the ones that I made for Lion came out as well. Even though the rod part is round, I expect that something could have been dreamed up for the ends by using etches.

Jon
My method for doing the axleboxes is to clamp them into a bulky C clamp I made during school and drill them slowly with a cordless drill. This one I had drilled to correct depth but needed to open the sides a bit as the axle was a little crooked. It bit down by accident and ripped straight through the front.

If you ever need complex coupling rods designed, Id be happy to help. Though dont expect them to go together easy. Mine certainly dont.
 

Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
Quick photo for the end of the evening.
Finally have aquired the final piece for the brakes on my American, the 3D cast brass brakebeam hangers.
Bolted it all together and its very satisfying to play with.
And with the very tight tolerances, it still has no issue going through 4.5' radius curves.
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Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
Whoops, another month of forgetting to say anything.
But some good progress over the past month of exhaustion.
First thing was the locomotive feed water piping is now complete on both sides.
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Crosshead pumps on each side and an injector on the fireman's.
Also the bell was epoxied in place this morning.

And a bit more work in the cab. (The front windows are masked)20191123_203928.jpg
The seat has magnets to hold the engineer in place.
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With his hand on the throttle and glancing at a pocketwatch.
The driver was modified heavily from IIRC a standing figure in a rather awkward pose. Think it was supposed to be a farmhand. Luckily this era was before American engine crews began wearing the signature blue pinstripped denim overalls, so random workclothes were the norm.

And just today some real work on the steam dome.
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Just a 3D printed shell, I had to mount the safety valve arms and whistle somehow. The insides were tapered, going from 30mm dia to 26mm dia in 20mm, I had to make up a plug with balsa. A couple plasticcard discs, a stack of balsa offcuts, and a spin in the dremmel and I had a nice smooth tapered cylinder to plug up the inside. Very good fit, self leveling, and a solid surface to stick a bunch of brass rods into.

Next on the table is to either sort out the roof, actually do the last of the backhead fittings, finish the lower pipe brackets on the rear, and a handful of tiny details and pipes.
 

Jon Nazareth

Western Thunderer
Trevor
Where did you get the forked brackets in the above picture and the small wheeled valves in the others? The engine is starting to look just the thing.

Jon
 

Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
Trevor
Where did you get the forked brackets in the above picture and the small wheeled valves in the others? The engine is starting to look just the thing.

Jon
By "forked brackets" you mean on the steam dome? Those are clevises from TracksideDetails.com, Item TD-195
The cast brass valves are also from Trackside. They make a few different sizes.
The flat valve handles on the sight glass are either 4mm etched brakewheels or extra parts from the London Road Models LNWR Cauliflower kit.
 

Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
Currently on the workbench is an antique clock.
Needed a bunch of wood fixing and some assorted love.
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Got the thing temporarily reassembled and just seeing if theres anything mechanically wrong I couldnt see before.
Slowly working on adjusting the crutch arm. But its been running on its own power for about 40 minutes now with a slightly off rhythm ticking. Ill have to sort that out.
 

Jon Nazareth

Western Thunderer
Trevor
I had two of these, both American, one of which I gave to my daughter, the other hangs on the wall in the kitchen. Once set up with the beat running at a steady tick-tock they seem to go along quite well. I never have the chime wound as it makes such a terrible noise when it strikes.

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This is my version, almost the same as yours.

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This copper clock I made last year or maybe the year before. I was inspired to have a go after seeing a tv series called The Victorian House of Arts and Crafts. Shiny copper is very difficult to photograph.

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This one I finished this Autumn and its my homage to Charles Voysey's clock which he designed in 1895.

I look forward to seeing yours when it has it's face and door replaced.

Jon
 

Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
Well a strange occurance.
After about 3 hours under its own power, ir suddenly...stops.
Im thinking the main weight is too big for the case as once its around half way down, it rubs against the backface and the friction is just enough to hold up the escapement.
Might have to cut it down a bit.
Set it back to the top this morning and it started going smoothly.
When I get home from work Ill see how long it ticked for. If the weight is at halfway and its stopped Ill know its that.
 

Jon Nazareth

Western Thunderer
Trevor
From what I can see in your picture, the weight is the correct size. If you cut it down, it may be that there isn't enough weight (oompf) to drive the clock. Your weight looks to be the same as mine. If the case isn't square, that could stop it working, hang it on the wall and try again. Also, make sure that the movement is fixed down properly on it's shelf. If you've not tightened up those little hook bolts/screws properly, the weight of the weight could pull it to one side and stop the clock from working. This happened to me a few months ago. When you hang it on the wall, place the chime weight in the clock case to balance the case. If there is only one weight in the case, it will skew sideways and fall out of level. If it's skiwiff, at an angle, the clock won't run. Once again, hang it on the wall and get it so that you get a good sound, an even tick tock. I wouldn't reduce the size of the weight as that is part of the design.

Jon
 

Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
Trevor
From what I can see in your picture, the weight is the correct size. If you cut it down, it may be that there isn't enough weight (oompf) to drive the clock. Your weight looks to be the same as mine. If the case isn't square, that could stop it working, hang it on the wall and try again. Also, make sure that the movement is fixed down properly on it's shelf. If you've not tightened up those little hook bolts/screws properly, the weight of the weight could pull it to one side and stop the clock from working. This happened to me a few months ago. When you hang it on the wall, place the chime weight in the clock case to balance the case. If there is only one weight in the case, it will skew sideways and fall out of level. If it's skiwiff, at an angle, the clock won't run. Once again, hang it on the wall and get it so that you get a good sound, an even tick tock. I wouldn't reduce the size of the weight as that is part of the design.

Jon
I found this clock originally in a crumbling mass in an attic. Careful disassembly and...distraction over several years have led us to now. I just wanted to finally fix it up. Im not trying to set it in a permanent spot, just make sure there isnt some lingering mechanical issue. I realize in a more permanent position it will require readjusting again, but thats for later. Right now I just want to make it work where it is.
The hook bolts are definitely holding the mechanism steady. Ill recheck them when I take it apart again but I dont think theres an issue there. Might have a go at replacing/beefing them up with some U bolts. As its currently been sitting on a table, not on a wall, I dont see how it could have gone uneven over the course of a few hours. I also dont have the wallspace to hang it currently, though I would like to.
Its a pretty chunky weight. My grandmother was telling me how she once rebuilt this clock years ago and there was something wrong with the weight. Either too heavy or not the right shape or what. She could recall exactly what it was. The chime weight is definitely incorrect but it works so whatever.
I dont mean to change the overall mass, just the shape. Or I could look at melting up some lead in a mold to make a new one without the cone shape that I believe is causing issue. Id like to keep the case as original as possible but with wood this old its bound to have its issues.
 

Jon Nazareth

Western Thunderer
Trevor
One last thing and then I'll shut up. The movement may not be square to the case which is why it needs to be hung on a wall. It's possible then to listen to the beat and move the case left or right until there is an even tick tock.

Jon
 

Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
Well after another adjustment to the crutch arm, I think its ticking fairly evenly. Been going over "3 hours" now tonight. Weight started at about the top and is now about a third down.

But aside from clocks, I realized something at work today.
I need to sort out the smokebox door on my American.
At this point in time we still used darts over here, so I need to make the locking bar across the smokebox.
A quick check of my solid model files, a renewal (and download of the newest version) of my student license AutoCAD, and a print out and now Im slowly cutting it out of 1mm steel with a coping saw.
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Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
On the clock front,
From my readjustment yesterday afternoon it has been running continuously since. Though I did have to restrain the chime hammer overnight so I could sleep.
Tomorrow I may time it over a day and begin adjustment of the pendulum.
Sadly I dont have much space for such a clock so it will have to go back into storage. Shame.

But onto the locomotive.
Locking bar was a little too flimsy with just some .6mm steel so Ive soldered it to a half mil brass sheet and then resawn it using the steel as a guide.
Much stiffer now and should hold the door nice and tight. Bonus that the bar fits very firmly into the smokebox and is self aligning across the center and level thanks to those notches and some exposed rivet tails.
Next is the dart and handles.
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Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
Today was a productive day in an indirect way.
Over a year ago I purchases some wood boards for display plinths and have put off starting them.
After buying some new router bits and extra clamps the weather was just good enough to work outside for a bit. A decorative edge and a sunken center section for foam.
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Playing with a few ideas for the foam section. May still be a little on the tall side.
 

Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
Well the Christmas season is upon us, so in true American tradition Ive got my prewar Lionel out and under the dying tree proped up in the living room.
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This year Ive also included the Lionel tinplate diner turned beer garden my grandfather made now lighted with an internal 9V battery.

And a bit of work on the G3 flatcar I started back in April.
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Functional trussrods from brass rod and deck from 3mm balsa scored to represent planks, and couplers of my own design.

Anyone know a good way to seal balsa to stop it marking up so easily?
 

Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
I hope everyone is having a pleasant holiday season.
Still early afternoon here on the last day of the decade.
To round out the year, Ive pretty much finished the last two sixteenmills kits. Only following this picture did I realize the LBSCR wagon still needed internal irons painted.
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The tippers are rather nice little kits. A couple issues overall, notibly the door catches being poorly planned and the instructions being unclear on some parts underneath the body. But besides that they went together well.
Ive even added some chain to the underside to keep the body from tipping.
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Hopefully this new decade is good to us all.
 
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