The Home Machinist!

Work continues:

Frame taken to welder and access holes cut for firebox/ashpan and chain drive.



Frame cleaned up and painted on bottom side, ashpan completed and attached to frame.





I also attached facia on the sides to clean up the look of the frame.

Next I work on the brake rigging for the disc brake and cut/place the wood beams at the ends of the frame. Soon, with kind help of my neighbors, I'll flip the frame over as a complete assembly.

Thanx for looking.

_________________
George J. Becker
Lancaster, CA (formerly of Shandon, CA)
Model railroading is fun but the work expands proportionately to the track gauge.

WOW, it's really begining to take great shape!!

John B.

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http://www.ngshay.com/
Shay drawings and castings

I agree with your comment about Washington DC.


Bill

Got a little more work done on Friday:

I cut up, fit and installed the wood for the beam ends. I had redwood on hand. Installed chain. I'm thinking about adding a chain tensioner to the intermediate chain reduction stage. That part of the chain drive doesn't move and should be tighter. I tried to shorten the chain by a half link and it just wouldn't strech any tighter.



Started roughing in the brake rigging and a tractor handle I got on eBay while back.

_________________
George J. Becker
Lancaster, CA (formerly of Shandon, CA)
Model railroading is fun but the work expands proportionately to the track gauge.

Before I hit the rack, I thought I'd add more photos to the thread:

I finished installing the brake handle. Got a little wild with the drill. I'll have to glue in a plug later to fill in the hole.



The brake linkage is in place.




And, I started working on getting an idler sprocket set up.


TBC

_________________
George J. Becker
Lancaster, CA (formerly of Shandon, CA)
Model railroading is fun but the work expands proportionately to the track gauge.

I finished the chain tensioner. I shopped commercial tensioners and they start at about $50.00 and thought well, I got all this scrap material laying around and plenty of time. Might as well make use of it.
I did pick up a spare hinge this morning at Patton's Steel cheep and used it in my setup below:



Here's the other side:



I thought about using a couple of springs to make the setup a little more flexable, but I checked my wallet.

Now, I need to find a few strong neighbors/friends for help turning the frame right side up....

_________________
George J. Becker
Lancaster, CA (formerly of Shandon, CA)
Model railroading is fun but the work expands proportionately to the track gauge.

Got the beast right side up, painted (rattle can) and the motor mount started. Now I need to figure out a motor retension system.



I was thinking toggle clamps ( http://www.mcmaster.com/#cad-2d/=dr3fz3 ), straps cut from 18 or 16 gauge sheet metal and other end of the straps bolted to the opposite of the toggle clamps to hold down the motor. Am I on the right "track"?



The next project is to clean out the garage (famous last words? ) and free up the hydraulic loco lift. Happens to be another engine on it (needs work on the cranks). The clishay itself needs to go on a lower stand as it's weight is increasing and if I mount a fake boiler over the firebox, I'll never get the whole thing out through the garage door.

_________________
George J. Becker
Lancaster, CA (formerly of Shandon, CA)
Model railroading is fun but the work expands proportionately to the track gauge.

On the lighter side of life in regard to a more depressing thread on this board, I've been re-organizing the garage to fit more train projects in and move some none large scale train stuff out of the way.

I got a combination bookcase/bed head board rough sanded and it sure left a big mess and thick layer of saw dust over everything. I did manage to get a picture of a side view of the CliShay project.



Reason for rearranging the garage was to make room for a new (used) tool acquisation that I haven't told Momma about yet. It was a find on Craigslist last week. I picked it up after my trip to Lowe's last Saturday.



I still have to make another engine stand to get another engine on my hydraulic stand off and the CliShay on before the CliShay gets too heavy.

_________________
George J. Becker
Lancaster, CA (formerly of Shandon, CA)
Model railroading is fun but the work expands proportionately to the track gauge.

Latest update:

I strapped the motor into its cradle on Jan 1, 2012.



Next, I have some scrap masonite to fake the tanks as the tanks will hide the batteries. I'm thinking of using four six volt AGM batteries for this engine. I'm going to have to sell some stuff somewhere/somehow to raise the money for these puppies...

On the up side... Things are looking up job wise. I got into a "Fast Track" CNC Machinist class that will start on Jan 23rd and last seven weeks. Used to work in the machine shops when I served in the Navy and I've been seeing a big demand for CNC machinists in my area.

While I'm at it... Thought I'd ask the Question about articles of the Clishay in Modeltec. I'm working on a vertical boiler design for my beastie. I bought Martin Evan plans from Model Engineer last year and I was wondering what the plans for the steel Clishay boiler looked like I believe it was in the March '84 Modeltec? I tried Dan Smith's email tonight but it was kicked back at me. I think there was also something about regearing in a 2000 or 2001 issue? I'd like to put the articles in my project book.

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George J. Becker
Lancaster, CA (formerly of Shandon, CA)
Model railroading is fun but the work expands proportionately to the track gauge.

In the last week, the wind died down and the temperature was aggreable. I started spring cleaning in the garage. Although the tax gods were OK, but I had to canablize another poorly performing engine to get its batteries. Batteries will be hidden in the front water tank.



I bought 18 guage sheet metal to make tanks to hide the batteries and the speed controller on the back RH side of the engine.

I also need to free up the hydraulic stand and I had 2x4's laying around to make stands for the smaller and lighter projects.



This time, I remembered to wear gloves while working with that Gorilla glue... I built four pedestals last Wednesday and forgot the gloves. I went to a job interview for a machinist position with messy hands.

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George J. Becker
Lancaster, CA (formerly of Shandon, CA)
Model railroading is fun but the work expands proportionately to the track gauge.

Since sorting out the garage and inventoring the parts and pieces, Tonight, I ordered a pot-box, a 250 ohm resister and about half dozen diodes I need to wire up the Curtis motor controller (a 1209 rated at 500A).

While I'm waiting for the electrical stuff, I have some sheet metal work to do for the tanks. The big forward tank will hide the batteries and a smaller tank in back will hide the controller and other components. And, I took apart my old riding car a few years back... So, I'm going to finish one of the 20" wide car frames started several years ago as a flat car with a bobber caboose mounted to the back and one of my boat seats in front. The caboose will be big enough to store a small ice chest, tools and supplies.

_________________
George J. Becker
Lancaster, CA (formerly of Shandon, CA)
Model railroading is fun but the work expands proportionately to the track gauge.

I was bored and there was nuthun' on the old tube, so I went to work on a project tonight.

Was looking for a creative way of hiding the motor controls, so I roughed in some angle iron to hold all the parts.





When I'm satisfied of how the cage is going together, I'll bolt it all together and craft a fake tank out of sheet metal to hide the insides.

I'm sure glad I got that band saw while back, it made short work of cutting out my material and didn't blow circuit breakers like the HF chop saw does. Didn't hear any complaints from Momma or the OM tonight.

Thanks for reading my posts.

_________________
George J. Becker
Lancaster, CA (formerly of Shandon, CA)
Model railroading is fun but the work expands proportionately to the track gauge.