Michael Edge's workbench

[New Haven Neil]

Thankfully constructing a 13 is way beyond my skills, as it would never be able to run on my layout's curves!

 

Where are the motors on 13?  Are they above the axles geared down to the quill drives?  Might take a lot of space up inside the centre of the body?

 

That 10kV loco is rather thought provoking.

[Michael Edge]

No problem fitting these motors in the EE1.

They are about the same size as No13's traction motors, I could easily fit all six like this but three of them will provide more than enough power. This axle is rigid so the gearbox is just soldered to the side frame, gears are .5 module 1:1, the pinions are just big enough to bore out to 3/16" and there's just enough clearance for them. The other two axles are compensated so the gearboxes will probably be attached to the compensating beams just inside the frame plates. 

I've got another installation of these in the 7mm EE/HL test, this time geared down about 2:1 and fastened to the frames. The compensated axles can move up and down enough without going out of mesh as long as they are fitted exactly on the horizontal axle centre line - another benefit of restricting axle movement as much as possible.

[MJI]

That would have looked magnificent on the Woodhead route.

 

 

[sir douglas]

will there be any attempt at the special wheel pattern?

[Daddyman]

1 hour ago, sir douglas said:

will there be any attempt at the special wheel pattern?

It's an etched overlay I believe - and google images seems to confirm. 

[Pebbles]

There was at one time a Sharman/Precision Paint wheel.

[Michael Edge]

Yes, I’ve used the Sharman wheels before - but this one is O gauge….

[Michael Edge]

This is how the wheels are made - if David White is watching please look away now...

This is the etch from the kit, same as the 4mm one but bigger.

This what you do to a perfectly good Slater's driving wheel. All but three spokes cut away along with the crank boss, a wheel with a number of spokes divisible by six would be better but this is quite strong enough. On the left is the etch overlay with the spring detail added, this is a bit thin and flat, maybe mouldings or castings would be better but there are 36 of them.

The completed overlays are epoxied into the wheel with Super Steel and left under this weight to cure. The etch was taken directly from the 4mm kit where it matches a Gibson wheel, it's a bit small for the Slater's 7881F, I'll adjust it for future production. In the meantime the gap is filled with Plastic Padding and cleaned up.

All six driving wheels on the inner frame now, this was most of yesterday's work, partly because of having to wait in between operations for the epoxy to cure sufficiently - in the end it turned into a sort of production line job.

Fitted back into the loco now, parked on the 6ft radius test track.

Next week it's either this to finish or the second 1361, see what I feel like.

I've come to the conclusion that I really enjoy starting and finishing jobs - but there's a boring bit in the middle which I don't much like, I think this explains why I don't seem to be able to work on just one at a time.

 

[St Enodoc]

Nice to see the vee block being used for its proper purpose.

 

I enjoy starting jobs, can tolerate the bit in the middle but usually rush the finishing, because I've got fed up with it by then.

[Michael Edge]

I’m not sure that V block has ever been used for a proper purpose…..

[Barclay]

On 04/12/2021 at 21:25, St Enodoc said:

Nice to see the vee block being used for its proper purpose.

 

I enjoy starting jobs, can tolerate the bit in the middle but usually rush the finishing, because I've got fed up with it by then.

Agreed - you reach the point where it looks done, but you then realise there are a dozen fiddly jobs to do before you can paint it.

[Michael Edge]

The second 1361 finished today.

This one in slightly later condition with a tall chimney and steam heat, also the later steel cab roof. It will also go to Ian Rathbone for painting.

Back to the EE1 next week to get that finished.

[Staffordshire]

Absolutely beautiful, but what about the C14 and the 1520x diesel shunters ?     PLEASE 

[Michael Edge]

Wrong thread, this is my workshop, not Judith’s…..

 I‘ll be back with the SR 350hp soon.

[Michael Edge]

A bit more on No13 today.

Insulators, pantograph rails and wiring fitted now - unlike the EF1 very little of the wiring is exposed on the roof. The hutch in the middle appears to be the air intake for the traction motor blowers, the louvred slats fitted better than in the 4mm version.

All the component parts roughly put together, pantographs tomorrow and the remaining moulded details when the new moulds have cured. I'm hoping to get this finished by the end of this week.

[Michael Edge]

Pantographs

Initial assembly is done with the components taped to the drawing, there is a jig on the etch to ensure that all the top arms are the same length. These are bent from .7mm n/s wire and flattened at the ends after passing through the etched holes, bracing wires made from the same wire flattened at the ends and soldered on with the drawing as a guide.

The finished pantograph is attached to the rails with wires passed through the pivots, not fastened yet as I still need to be able to take it off the roof but the lower arms need to be soldered to the spring carriers. I'm still trying to work out a way of making this removable for painting but I didn't with the other NER electrics I've built before.

[Enterprisingwestern]

3 hours ago, Michael Edge said:

I'm still trying to work out a way of making this removable for painting but I didn't with the other NER electrics I've built before.

 

Instead of wire through the roof, could you use, say, 14BA threaded rod, and make it unboltable in a similar fashion to the cabs etc on your other kits?

 

Mike.

[Daddyman]

That looks like a very difficult bend to make at the cantrail, Mike - very nicely done on yours though. Particularly hard to get the bend right with so little to grip at the door aperture - or is the roof one piece with the sides?

 

At least this is brass, so easier to bend, but will the production ones be too? 

[Michael Edge]

The roof is half etched leaving the gutter standing out, it turned out to be quite easy to bend but the cutout round the door led to some distortion which had to be worked out. The beading added later did a lot to hide this though.

I think I've worked out how to make the pans removable by soldering the spring retainer etches to the lower arms and leaving the pivot wires loose for now - they can be slid out and the pan itself taken off, rails and pads remaining on the roof.

[Michael Edge]

No.13 finished and assembled today.

A few photos of the component assemblies.

The completed inner frame with all three motor/gearboxes, 1:1 drive on to the axles with .5 module plastic pinions.

Again from underneath, some rather creative work with the brake gear and sandpipes to hold everything together. The exact brake rigging isn't clear from drawings or photos so there's just a pull rod down each side. The sandpipes can't very well be attached to the sandboxes or the inner frames wouldn't come out so they are soldered to the nearest brake hangers with a strap across to the brake pull rods to hold is all together. The tops of the sandpipes will locate in holes in the bottom of the sandboxes - the NER seems to have been obsessed with providing huge quantities of sand in all their electric locos.

The footplate and inside details (as far as I can identify), the compressor looks a bit lonely but it's the only one I can definitely identify and looks just like the one fitted to the ES1s. The box in the middle encloses the traction motor blowers, the air intake for this comes from the louvred box on the roof.

I managed to work out a way of making the pantographs removable, the four pivot wires are threaded in to locate the lower pivots. The small hooks are to catch on the lower arm cross braces to hold the pans in the down position.

The end corner handrails were left off until final assembly to avoid damage, they can only be soldered to the top brackets, at the bottom they locate in holes in the buffer beam and footplate. Buffers are from Invertrain, GE were the nearest I could find, the oval heads are on the etch - not visible in the photos but the heads are prevented from rotating by a small plate soldered to the tail running against the inside face of the outer frame. Vacuum pipe (horizontal) is on the left in this picture, air brake and steam heat hoses on the right.

Underside view of one of the bogies, I modified these slightly to allow for the inner frames to be bolted in - two 12BA screws seen here either side of the pivot bolt

[Sandhole]

23 hours ago, Michael Edge said:

No.13 finished and assembled today.

A few photos of the component assemblies.

The completed inner frame with all three motor/gearboxes, 1:1 drive on to the axles with .5 module plastic pinions.

Again from underneath, some rather creative work with the brake gear and sandpipes to hold everything together. The exact brake rigging isn't clear from drawings or photos so there's just a pull rod down each side. The sandpipes can't very well be attached to the sandboxes or the inner frames wouldn't come out so they are soldered to the nearest brake hangers with a strap across to the brake pull rods to hold is all together. The tops of the sandpipes will locate in holes in the bottom of the sandboxes - the NER seems to have been obsessed with providing huge quantities of sand in all their electric locos.

The footplate and inside details (as far as I can identify), the compressor looks a bit lonely but it's the only one I can definitely identify and looks just like the one fitted to the ES1s. The box in the middle encloses the traction motor blowers, the air intake for this comes from the louvred box on the roof.

I managed to work out a way of making the pantographs removable, the four pivot wires are threaded in to locate the lower pivots. The small hooks are to catch on the lower arm cross braces to hold the pans in the down position.

The end corner handrails were left off until final assembly to avoid damage, they can only be soldered to the top brackets, at the bottom they locate in holes in the buffer beam and footplate. Buffers are from Invertrain, GE were the nearest I could find, the oval heads are on the etch - not visible in the photos but the heads are prevented from rotating by a small plate soldered to the tail running against the inside face of the outer frame. Vacuum pipe (horizontal) is on the left in this picture, air brake and steam heat hoses on the right.

Underside view of one of the bogies, I modified these slightly to allow for the inner frames to be bolted in - two 12BA screws seen here either side of the pivot bolt

That's Bloody Superb, Mike.
It'll have true presence when running.
Merry Yule and Lady's Blessings to you and your family.
Best wishes and a happy new year,
Chris.

[Michael Edge]

Next 7mm job is a 7mm Janus, this is a test etch from our 4mm kit.

With the experience gained from the EE1 the logical way to drive this YE DE was with a traction motor and gearbox on each outer axle - exactly as full size. The n20 motors are so small they easily fit inside the frames which will leave both engine casings empty - since this model will be radio controlled they will be excellent battery space.

It has my usual compensation system with twin beams at one end and two swinging arms at the other. The restricted movement with this system means that the motors can be frame mounted, the gear wheels can move up and down without disengaging.

The view from underneath, the n20s are fitted to the frames with the screws holding the motor to the gearbox, the one at the left of this picture has been swung out of engagement by removing one screw. The other end is still engaged, this one can be freed by sliding the pinion along the axle (can't be done at the other end because of the knife edge) - one of the few difficulties with these gearboxes is that they can't be driven backwards.

This picture also shows the straps I use to stop the beams floating inwards, the additional bearings have yet to be added to the inside of the beams. Because the gears (.5 module) are so small the gearbox plates have to overlap the beams so no straps necessary here.

Footplate and buffer beams next.

 

 

[AlfaZagato]

As it sits, I can't tell if this chassis is coming or going.

[Michael Edge]

Why do think it was named after Janus? The Roman god of beginnings and endings.

[Bucoops]

Oh I assumed it's because 006 was Janus and that's a mixup of 0-6-0

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alec_Trevelyan