Building a 16mm Scale Live Steam Loco

[LisaP4]

Hurrah, the side frames and buffer beams are done. Now I've started machining the frame stretchers to length, I've done one, then bolted the frames together for a pic'. The lathe is setup now to be able to easily finish the others off to length. After that I'll do the bronze axle bushes, then make the axles. At that point I'll be able to work on the cranks and valve gear, while also machining the wheels. The wheels will take a while, as there's quite a bit of material to be removed from the backs of them.

 

But, here's the frames bolted onto a single stretcher, once again the buffer beams are just leaning in place for the pic'.

[Jock67B]

Evening(here!) Lisa,

Now it's beginning to look like the basis for a locomotive! I'm enjoying this, and with all you've got to contend with, just move at a pace that suits you.

Kind regards,

Jock.

[LisaP4]

Well, it seems the pace that suits has been somewhat slow of late. The main issue being that the humidity here makes spending long(ish) stretches of time in the workshop rather uncomfortable, even at midnight. So I still haven't finished the frame stretchers, though they are all machined to length. Still need to finish drilling and tapping them though.

 

I'm wondering if I shouldn't try a LED bulb in the lathe worklight. The current incandescent bulb is probably exasperating the situation with its heat, and I tend to lean pretty close to it when doing fine work; like drilling and tapping small holes in frame stretchers.

 

No more pictures yet, I'll post one when I finish the stretchers.

[LisaP4]

The stretchers are now done, and the frames bolted together. Mostly anyway, I still need to drill and tap holes to mount the rear buffer beam, which I'll hopefully do tomorrow.

 

 

A bit of aluminium underneath to lift the frames to about the right height, and the wheel blanks dropped in place. No the wheels won't be anywhere near that wide, a good half of the material needs to be taken off the width, leaving just a boss for the grub screws which hold them on the axles. If I'd thought about it at the time, I could have had the blanks cut closer to the wheel width, then pressed the bosses into the wheels. This would have saved some time, and meant less waste, but this is what I've got, so I'll just have to machine them from solid.

[Jock67B]

Lisa,

I can't help noticing some old but effective tools lying on the bench! Thought the wheels were a bit over scale thickness at first glance, then I read the words!

Kind regards,

Jock.

[LisaP4]

That swearing you heard was me breaking a tap.

 

So after a week of not being able to get into the workshop for a variety of reasons, tonight I worked on getting the rear buffer beam bolted in place; and promptly broke the M2 tap on the last hole (it's always the last one). Fortunately I was able to screw the broken bit out fairly easily, with no damage to the stretcher, so when I get another it'll be a fairly simple job of finishing the thread. As no one local stocks small taps (other than in cheap boxed sets that I wouldn't touch if they paid me), the chances of getting one before the year's out is slim due to all the holidays and such; but you never know, I may be lucky.

So here's the frames, with both buffer beams, sans one bolt.

 

While the broken tap is annoying (and basically comes down to me being thug-handed), it's not a show-stopper. I can finish attaching the buffer beam when the tap arrives, and in the meantime get on with doing the axle bushes, axles, etc.

[LisaP4]

I turned up a couple of experimental axle bushes, the axle material I have is ¼" bright steel, so I was hoping I'd be able to leave the outer diameter of the material as it is and drill the axle bushes to suit. Alas that was not to be. The material is a few thou over ¼", so a ¼" hole is too tight, but they're not big enough for 6.5mm to work either (¼" being 6.35mm). So it looks like I'll just have to turn the axles to 6mm diameter, which is what I was expecting to have to do anyway.

 

So here's a couple of axle bushes, though these are both destined for the scrap bin due to the axle holes being too big, as mentioned. The axle blanks are also visible in the background, along with the bronze rod for the bushes.

[Jock67B]

Morning(here) Lisa,

I'd like to wish you and dad the compliments of the season from my wife Joanna and I.

Thank you for sharing the loco build with us, in so much detail - I find it absolutely fascinating,

Kind regards,

Jock.

[LisaP4]

Thanks Jock, same to you (and Joanna).

 

Here's a bit of an in-progress shot of the bush material in the lathe, just after drilling. As the spindle bore on the headstock of this lathe is tiny, one can't just chuck the material and start turning, so the fixed steady is in use.

Three mostly finished bushes are in front of the lathe, once I've made the last one these will be put in the chuck and faced to length. Then it's onto the axles.

[polybear]

As the spindle bore on the headstock of this lathe is tiny, one can't just chuck the material and start turning......

 

 

I spy a Taig Lathe

Nice Lathes - some amazing work has been created on these.

 

Brian

[LisaP4]

I spy a Taig Lathe

Indeed, a Taig II (I've never heard of a Taig I, but I'm guessing it must have existed at some point) which dad bought back in the 80's. I also have just about every accessory ever made for it (including the vertical slide so it can be used as a mill) which makes tricky jobs easier than would normally be the case for such a small lathe.

 

Here's the axle bushes, with a close-up that shows that I did not perhaps de-burr them as well as I thought I had. These will get loctited into the frames, normally I'd aim for a light interference (press) fit, but I can just imagine the thin frames doing a banana impression should I try.

Next, axles.

[micknich2003]

Known as Peatol in the UK.