3" Scale Narrow Gauge Combine

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Harlock
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Re: 3" Scale Narrow Gauge Combine

Post by Harlock »

metal freight door frame kick panels were made and installed per the prototype. Clerestory window frames have been started. Once again with custom cut glass from the local glass shop.

Hooks and chains for the trucks have been made up, similar to protoype. The trucks had chains to prevent them from going fully sideways in the case of a derailment.
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CGuards_3.jpg
CGuards_5.jpg
CStory_1.jpg
DSC00613.jpg
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Harlock
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Re: 3" Scale Narrow Gauge Combine

Post by Harlock »

Starting to fabricate end handrails. A friend is CNCing some tapered stanchions to go with them.

An outer window frame is built into the car. Once again, you can never be too young, too rich or have enough clamps, as the saying goes.
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HRails_1.jpg
HRails_4.jpg
Sides_18.jpg
Sides_19.jpg
Sides_21.jpg
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Harlock
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Re: 3" Scale Narrow Gauge Combine

Post by Harlock »

here are some updates on the interior. Looking very varnished.
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Sides_24.jpg
Sides_25.jpg
Sides_27.jpg
Sides_29.jpg
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Harlock
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Re: 3" Scale Narrow Gauge Combine

Post by Harlock »

Steps - I made a complete drawing package of the original steps (from the one corner of the prototype where they had not fallen apart due to neglect) and I made some 1:1 sawing templates. Unlike the real steps, the sides are aluminum for strength, but when painted you'll never know.

See photo descriptions for more.
Attachments
squares of aluminum with sawing / grinding templates.
squares of aluminum with sawing / grinding templates.
Gluing steps
Gluing steps
finished steps
finished steps
Hardware - more or less identical to prototype.
Hardware - more or less identical to prototype.
Finished steps waiting for paint.
Finished steps waiting for paint.
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Harlock
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Re: 3" Scale Narrow Gauge Combine

Post by Harlock »

Painted and installed steps.
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Steps_13.jpg
Steps_16.jpg
Steps_17.jpg
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Harlock
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Re: 3" Scale Narrow Gauge Combine

Post by Harlock »

Which brings us up to today. Currently being worked on is the door trolley system and the beginnings of the roof, which will be very complicated.

The trick with the door trolley is that it needs to dog leg the door up against the car side at the last second, to prevent a visible gap but prevent the door from scraping and scuffing along the side otherwise. So only part of the trolley guide is in at this time.
Attachments
18-03-17_combine-update-9858.jpg
18-03-17_combine-update-9866.jpg
18-03-17_combine-update-9877.jpg
18-03-17_combine-update-9885.jpg
18-03-17_combine-update-9894.jpg
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Harlock
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Re: 3" Scale Narrow Gauge Combine

Post by Harlock »

Here is a good shot of the 'sandwich' of the side frame. You have from left to right, the outside banner panel, the outside siding with their splines (every other one glued) then the main frame and its doweling described previously, then interior paneling. I hope that will put it all into perspective.

The car is very heavy and when finished will be very strong, once the roof is there to 'tie the room together'. The walls and the ends are all removable, the whole thing comes apart for future repair needs. They are held from up underneath by bolts in threaded inserts, as you can see in the last photo.
Attachments
18-03-17_combine-update-9876.jpg
Note the recessed bolts to hold the sides on, via threaded inserts.
Note the recessed bolts to hold the sides on, via threaded inserts.
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Short Line Tom
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Re: 3" Scale Narrow Gauge Combine

Post by Short Line Tom »

Woodwork Genius :!:
Fantastic work, which I do like so much.

Cheers!
Tom
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makinsmoke
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Re: 3" Scale Narrow Gauge Combine

Post by makinsmoke »

I love this kind of work on wood prototype cars.

Beautiful work Mike. Thanks for documenting!

The freight doors. Why not extend the width of the door frame into the car so the door buts up against it? You could make it L shaped to close it
up completely when shut.

Take care,
Brian
jcbrock
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Re: 3" Scale Narrow Gauge Combine

Post by jcbrock »

Wow I need to buy more clamps, I can see I am way under-clamped to do this kind of project.

Thank you Mike for posting these details. Your construction articles in LS&OR are great, but I appreciate the extra information you provide here. The car is coming along beautifully, hopefully we'll see it at the Triennial.
John Brock
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NP317
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Re: 3" Scale Narrow Gauge Combine

Post by NP317 »

Wow!
So much detail work nicely done.
Sculpture at its best.
~RN
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Harlock
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Re: 3" Scale Narrow Gauge Combine

Post by Harlock »

Here is some information on the types of wood used, from my dad:

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The car is made mainly of dry, fine Poplar. It is stable and long pieces keep their shape. The floor boards of the car are Hickory stained with Minwax Gun Stock to which I added a few drops of dark walnut stain to damp it down a bit.

The window frames are all 3/8" square dry Maple. After assembly and gluing, each is doweled with 1/8" dowels to make them all strong enough to handle, paint and install. All of the windows are stand-alone separate units and removable. There are extras of all in the car's dowry chest. The glass is standard, tempered window glass, 0.089".

The doors are all made of fine grain Mahogany, 1/8" Mahogany ply and Birch ply for model airplanes. Once assembled, they are all doweled for strength. Mahogany was used only for a number of the small parts, for its fine grain. Once exception are the car frame bolsters. These are old, dry dark Walnut and a two-layer build up.

There are a few other woods used here and there. The rest of the car is done out in Sapele and just varnished. This is all glued construction using Titebond III.

The car uses all these woods mainly because of availability. We have a lot of this stuff; it is dry, relatively fine grained and stable.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I also use poplar as the main wood for my flatcar based projects such as the 6ft gondola in my other thread. I try to avoid oak now except where it won't be seen or it is heavily painted. The grain is too large. mahogany makes for a good scale oak, hence my dad's use of it for the doors etc.

-Mike
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