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| arnoldb:
Shop time has been limited and slow the last couple of weeks, and I suffer from an overload of projects as well... A while ago, I finished the basic layout for my "garden railway" - well, to give it a better name, it is a stoep (porch) track. Absolutely MASSIVE :lol:: When I got the tracks last year, there were no joiners; the supplier in South Africa I ordered the track from excluded the joiners even though I specifically asked for them :bang:, and I ended up making a crude handful using M2 screws: For now I have the track loop loosely laid and joined together - except for the points and siding which I will make at a later date. I gave Fred the loco a run around the track, and soon learnt that plastic track ties and his spirit fired pot boiler does not mix well :doh: So I started on a Cracker locomotive that is a simple build - normally - and have been making a tiny bit of inroads on it. First up were the gears. I used the rack "hob" method, and was going to do a full how-to write-up, but things didn't quite work as planned, so for now the how-to is on hold. I know where the problems raised their heads, and the next time around making gears should be a lot better - and then I can hopefully do a write-up. I did end with a serviceable set of gears though. The toolbit to cut the hob, the hob and the gears: Yesterday I started off on the frames and footplate for the loco - just bits of steel plate sawn from an old UPS cover that I had to introduce to the blowtorch to get rid of the powder coating, then a wire wheel in the drill press to remove the gunk that was left, and finally drilled and filed to size. I could have used the mill to trim them to size, but setting up and holding thinnish plate (1.6mm) takes a lot of effort and time, so the files were quicker, and besides, it is terribly cold here and there's nothing like a stint of filing to warm one up :lol: So this is where things stand for now: The plates are nice and straight; it's camera lens aberration that makes them look curved :med: This build might be a bit slow; some work projects look like interfering with my hobby time - and I can't stand the cold in the shop... :beer:, Arnold |
| andyf:
What gauge is the track, Arnold? And how cold is it, really? If no ice on the inside of the windows, it's just a bit on the cool side of temperate. Andy |
| DaveH:
Andy, It's not really cold, wuzies in Namibia :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: ( Don't tell Arnold) :) :beer: DaveH |
| Rob.Wilson:
--- Quote from: DaveH on June 14, 2011, 08:59:27 AM ---It's not really cold, wuzies in Namibia DaveH --- End quote --- :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Tart,, is the word i would use Dave :lol: :lol: :lol: :) Nice going Arnold ,,,,,,,,,,, i have never tried cutting gears that way :med: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: Rob |
| arnoldb:
:lol: :lol: :lol: - aye; us Namibians are scared of the cold; must be partly cold-blooded, as I can't work at 10C or less :doh: Seriously though, last week for a couple of days it dropped down to -3C by 5pm and one night down to -13C - Really not used to that! Andy, it's 0 gauge (32mm) track. I wish I could have 2.5" so I could build a real loco to drive, but my yard is too sloped for that. Rob, cheers mate; I need to refine a few things for the gearcutting still. :beer:, Arnold |
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