Building a 31/2" Gauge Locomotive Engine

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CrewCab:
Stew,
Great thread, really entertaining, great pics and we're all (well, most of us) learning something :thumbup: your making the intricate parts look waaaaayyyyyy too easy :clap:

Keep up the good work, and the posts

CC

PS: ............ what's a "filing button" ............... I think I can sort of imagine and I tried a quick google, but that only seemed to find obscure computer and office related links :scratch: ............ just curious.

sbwhart:

--- Quote from: CrewCab on June 04, 2009, 05:18:15 PM ---
PS: ............ what's a "filing button" ............... I think I can sort of imagine and I tried a quick google, but that only seemed to find obscure computer and office related links :scratch: ............ just curious.

--- End quote ---

Thanks Chaps

CC

A filing button is just a sacrificial guide that you work up to with a file to get nice neat rads, you just turn them up to the required size out of any scrap material and fasten them on like a nut and bolt.

Her's one in use on the mill, you just mill down until your just about kissing it, and your down to size.

Nick

I'm retiring after 45 years with the same company I started with RO when I was 15, In this day and age I don't think there will be many people staying with the same company for as long, also as you know final salary pensions are now a thing of the past, I count myself very lucky to be retiring at 60 with a good pension and good health (touch wood)

Have fun

Stew

NickG:
Stew,

It's well deserved. I'm paying into a final salary scheme at the moment but have my doubts about how long that'll last! It's a great company to work for though and hopefully I will be able to do the same.

Nick

sbwhart:

--- Quote from: NickG on June 05, 2009, 04:36:47 AM ---Stew,

It's well deserved. I'm paying into a final salary scheme at the moment but have my doubts about how long that'll last! It's a great company to work for though and hopefully I will be able to do the same.

Nick

--- End quote ---

Nick

They've had one bite out of the cake, I lost out a little bit with that and I know younger guys like you lost out a lot, I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't come back for a bigger bite.

Cheers

Stew

sbwhart:
Well thats the valve linkage done, with the exception of the case hardening, I,m running a bit short of the powder so I've just ordered a kg off Chronus goodness knows when it will get to me with their delivery record.

So making a start on the reversing mechanism, this works by winding a handle in the cab which changes the relationships of the valve linkage. Because of the linkage, winding the handle clockwise would put the loco in reverse, this is counter intuitive so to put it right the drawing calls for a 3/16 BSW left hand thread:- BSW is a course thread so you don't have to give a lot of turns of the handle.

I got them from Tracey Tools http://www.tracytools.com/

The first bit is the activiating block, and I'm making it out of that old rail spike.

Square the material up and bring it to size 1/2" * 1/2" * 3/8"

And again as its one of those square jobs where its easy to get features in the wrong place, mark it out.

Then mill out the first slot with a 1/8" slot drill, flip it round making shure the orientation is right and mill the second slot 3/16"

Then drill No 26 tapping size for 3/16 Whit

Then tap 3/16 BSW left hand:- now her's a funny thing I knew it was a left hand tap and I kept telling myselve it was left hand, so guess which way I tried tapping it

Correct right hand :doh: it realy is strange how the mind works:- well my mind anyway. Who decided that threads were to be right hand in the first place, it just seems so natural to have right hand threads is it something in humane nature :scratch:.

Now for a bit on filing buttons, this block has a rad on one corner, to do this nice and neat I made a 5/16 dia button. I make them out of mild steel as I need them, it only takes 1/2 hr, and depending on their condition when I've finished with them I often throw them away, you can use them three or four times before they become US, they can be made out of silver steel which you can harden, but catching the hardend button with your file will take the edge off the file.

This is how its used.

And this is the completed job with the button.

That was a nice interesting bit to make.

Have fun

Stew

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