Tender Build

Where users can chronicle their builds. Start one thread and continue to add on to it.

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NP317
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Location: Northern Oregon, USA

Tender Build

Post by NP317 »

I will soon be posting some photos from my tender construction project for the 1/8th scale 90-ton Mikado.

'Will take me some time to do this, as my healthy, athletic, independent wife had a stroke 5 days ago and we're in a Portland, Oregon, neuro trama hospital.
Right side paralysis and aphasia (loss of speech) rule the day. Brain surgery was successful and speech is returning.
My full-time employment is now helping her recover, so I'm uncertain when I'll be home to continue projects like this tender.
Patience, and hopefully I can soon entertain with photos and some explanations.
Enjoy every day we can experience this hobby/passion.
~RussN
Glenn Brooks
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Location: Woodinville, Washington

Re: Tender Build

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Russ, very sorry to hear about your wife's stoke. Thankful she is recovering. With your permission I will pass along to the old timers Wednesday bunch.

Regards
Glenn
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
Rob Gardner
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Location: Newbury, OH

Re: Tender Build

Post by Rob Gardner »

Russ, looking forward to seeing your tender progress. Sounds like you have much more pressing matters at hand right now. Praying for a full recovery for your wife.

Rob
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NP317
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Re: Tender Build

Post by NP317 »

Thank you for the good wishes and prayers.
Day at a time, just like building our large scale trains.
I'll get to posting actual build info as soon as possible. (It might even be interesting..)
Cheers all.
~RussN
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NP317
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Re: Tender Build

Post by NP317 »

I'm getting closer to being able to post my "tender work."

Medical update:
Three days ago my wife's right leg was still paralyzed. I just watched her working with her physical therapist.
She actually got up from her wheel chair, ditched her walker, and with only a guiding hand walked down the hallway several times!
Even her PTs are amazed at her rate of recovery, and we are both ecstatic! She will get home much sooner than originally anticipated.
This is better news to me that any locomotive tender build, so thanks for bearing with me.

And I promise I WILL post the construction info.
~RussN
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BAdams
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Location: Moreno Valley, CA

Re: Tender Build

Post by BAdams »

That is great news Russ!

Brook
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NP317
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Re: Tender Build

Post by NP317 »

OK. Time to get this started.
(First: Wife and I are now home, after she went from paralyzed to walking out of the hospital in two weeks.
Rather miraculous. And I'm ecstatic!)

I am constructing the tender for my Baldwin-built 90-ton 2-8-2 logging Mikado, Polson Logging Co., based on the castings and plans from Railroad Warehouse (no longer in business.) Polson #90 was kept operational by Rainier Corp. until 1968, working the SW Washington State forests out of Hoquiam.
I have visited the surviving prototype locomotive on display in Garibaldi, Oregon, in Tillimook Bay, taking photos and measurements.
Rayonier #90 2007 004.jpg
Rayonier #90 2007 006.jpg
The tender is based on a kit from LocoParts. This is a kit I acquired before Don Orr sold the business. These are excellent ways to build locomotive tenders, and I recommend these LocoParts kits to anyone interested. That kit builds a tender very close to the prototype in length and general dimensions. The rivet details are different from the prototype, but if anyone doesn't like this, I will invite them to build a "correct" one for me! ...for free...

First I rebuilt an older set of Allen arch-bar trucks, as detailed in another posting. These trucks now have sealed ball bearings, and leaf springs, to better represent those delivered on #90 in 1926.
NewBB ABTrucks-2 small.jpg
Next, I constructed the frame using Allen Models tender end sill castings, and drawings. I made sure the beam lengths matched the tender body base plate. I had the finished frame and base plate powder coated 90% gloss black.
TenderBase#90 small.jpg
I also machined the tender pump from a Locoparts kit. The red brass castings were gorgeous to work with! The final bore was done on my mill, using a long 63/64" diameter drill followed by an equally long 1" diameter spiral reamer. The spiral was required due to the mid-bore cutouts.
TenderPump#70-2 small.jpg
'Will continue this on the next posting.
~RN
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NP317
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Re: Tender Build

Post by NP317 »

Tender Build Continued.

Next I assembled the tender body pieces, which were supplied as a kit already cut to dimension, rivet holes punched, and corners bent. All internal joining strips are supplied. The two main side pieces required the addition of shaped plates to extend the top rails to match the prototype. I welded the thin pieces with my wire feed welder, using minimum heat to decrease warping of the plate. The welds were ground flat, pounded straight, and some auto-body filler was used to level out the surfaces. Then they were riveted together, hand setting each rivet against a form tool with several hammer whacks!
TenderTank#90-1 small.jpg
TenderTank#90-4 small.jpg
TenderTank#90-5 small.jpg
You can see the filler used over the welds on the extended top rail.

Next I soldered the formed brass 1/2-round strips all around the top rail, using low-silver-content solder, and a propane torch, and Cleco clamps.
The solder melting temperature was about 450 degrees F, which meant the final paint job had to be sprayed on automotive paint, and not powder-coated. The curing temperature for the powder coating might have melted the solder. Hmmm...

The tank was painted by a local professional, as I don't have the facilities or the skills. He did a great job using many thin coats to prevent runs off the 750 rivet heads. And the interior was primer-painted to leave a surface for bonding the interior sealant coat.
(I don't yet know what I will use to seal the interior. I need ideas please!)
Tender#90Painted-3 small.jpg
Now it is time to pop-rivet the tank to the base plate, and apply sealant to the interior.

And then next will be applying the lettering and pin stripes as the prototype was delivered with. This delivery photo (in Tacoma WA) should end the argument that logging locomotives never has white-painted wheels or pin-striping!
PLCo#90, Tacoma1926.JPG
I have computer cut vinyl lettering to apply. That will be for a later report.
To be continued.
~RN
Last edited by NP317 on Sat May 06, 2017 9:31 pm, edited 6 times in total.
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NP317
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Re: Tender Build

Post by NP317 »

Oops. Heres a missing photo of the unpainted tender frame.
TenderFrame#90-1 small.jpg
And another of the painted tank.
Tender#90Painted-1 small.jpg
To be continued, when I can get back to work on this project.
~RN
Glenn Brooks
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Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 1:39 pm
Location: Woodinville, Washington

Re: Tender Build

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Russ, very happy to hear your wife recovered so quickly and you are both back home. Your tender is a work of art!

One question: regarding your frame photo. Is everything bolted together? Or did you weld the end pieces and bolt some pieces? I need to build a tender for my Campbell loco, which will be a scratch build due to 3" scale, so looking for ideas.

Thanks,

Glenn
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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NP317
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Location: Northern Oregon, USA

Re: Tender Build

Post by NP317 »

Glenn:
The tender frame rails are bolted to the machined end castings. I fitted (machined) the pieces tightly together at the ends, so there is some mechanical interference inherent to the structure when the bolts are tightened. The 1/8" thick tender bottom plate provides the final strength, and is attached with 4 CS screws on each end. Some lengthwise frame twist is theoretically possible, but I can't produce it with my wimpy upper body strength (lack of...). The trucks should provide all the flexibility required.

I look forward to working on the final assembly and details. Those always make the day for me.
Stay tuned.
~RN
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NP317
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Re: Tender Build

Post by NP317 »

Notes on machining the tender hand pump:
You can see the aluminum mount plate I machined to hold the pump during machining. I was careful to machine the plate a true rectangle, so that I could flip the pump vertically to bore either end without losing alignment. The final bore was done with the drill/reamer longer than the entire bore. And the mount plate allowed holding the pump in the mill vise (Kurt) in various positions to machine all the other surfaces. The time to machine the mount plate was well worth the effort, and saved much time and alignment later.
TenderPump#70-1 small.jpg
And the new power feed on the mill knee made those final bore passes SO easy! Worth the installation effort, and saved my arms and shoulders from painful wear!
~RN
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