First locomotive build ~ Kozo a3 narrow gauge bash

[KidAmato]

Hello everyone,
In this series of posts I will be building a 3.5" gauge Kozo a3. I just acquired the beginnings of an a3 from our fellow member Mike Massee. So as of right now, I have the tender wheel sets, journal bearings, half completed journal boxes, cylinder and driver castings. This will be my first locomotive that I will be building from the ground up. I plan on making the locomotive 1.5" scale narrow gauge so it will model 30" gauge full size. Similar to the bash that Eric M. did to his O.S Krauss for those who followed his work... I am only 16, so as you all can imagine I am in the hardest part of High school. I am fortunate enough to be the shop manager at my school which gives me a lot of free time in the shop when I am not supervising anyone or machining parts for the robotics team. I am also very fortunate to have such great access to the very extensive collection of tools.

Throughout the series, you will notice that I do not work at the fastest pace, but at a steady pace (academics allowing of course). Today I managed to mill out the grooves for the tender journal boxes. Nothing spectacular, but that is all the time allowed. Below I have attached several images of what I own and what I have managed to accomplish today.

The half completed Journal Boxes sitting in the nifty little tool box.

What I was going to do today.

Taking the first pass with the 2 flute 5/16" endmill.

Just a little action shot.

2 down, 6 to go.

[KidAmato]

Just a few more shots from todays work.

Filing of all the little pesky burs.

And finally all 8 Journal boxes sitting in their little tool box awaiting the journey back home.



Hope you all enjoy my work over the course of this build.


Best wishes,
Nico Amato

[Harold_V]

Nico,
I'm very impressed with your project and efforts. I wish you the greatest of success.

Harold

[Hudson Honey]

it is delightful to see a member of our younger generation creating instead of being buried in a video game.

I wish you all the best on your journey and may your tender always be filled with coal and you have a full head of steam.


best wishes,

Pamela

[jschoenly]

Great Stuff! As a friend of mine said (and I need to follow better), It's not about speed but working away at it steadily and trying to get something done each day or as time allows. Don't ever think a few milled grooves in a block was "nothing" for an accomplishment.

More importantly you need to enjoy what you are doing and it seem you have that down! As HH said, great to see chips flying rather than pixels of a video game screen. Keep up the good work!

[SilverSanJuan]

Hi Nico,

Great work! I'm at the same stage with mine. Just finished milling the grooves in the journal boxes. This weekend I will spend some time drilling and tapping the 32 holes in them.

Todd

[KidAmato]

Harold, Pamela, and Jschoenly,
Thank you all for the kind words, I believe patience is key in a locomotive build instead of rushing and trying to get things done quickly. Accuracy and precision pay off. Pamela, I can definitely pick that up from your work on the marvelous Hudson.

Todd,
I am glad to have a fellow builder and quite coincidentally at the same stage as I am! Are you building yours in 3/4" scale? If so, we should be in touch. PM me so I can reply with my email. I will be making quite a few alterations since I am "building it up" to 1.5" scale. But things such as valve gear, journal boxes, tender trucks and some of the frame will remain to spec as seen in Kozo's book.


Lots to do! Going to make the Jigs today for the remaining operations on the journal boxes.

Keep on building everyone!


Best wishes,
Nico

[steamin10]

Hey! Punching buttons on puters is very satisfying! I once Scored over 2 million on Munch Man, and it is more fun than watching Ricky and Lucy!

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.Ok, now thats over with, The most valuable lesson IS patience. Accuracy probably next, and solid planning mixed in. When it comes down to it, congrats on the parts execution, but knowing and learning the right path to success, and wieghing all the critical judgements, is something you will never get out of a book. Dont get me wrong here. Books are good, some better than others, but they can only open the door, you have to make the trail. Again, repeated parts that are the same, is a major consideration. Kudos!

Remember that when things go right or inna ditch, YOU are your best critic, and should understand what went wrong, carry on and win, quit and lose. Hard is only a challenge, mastery is power.

[Harlock]

nice Job Nico the beginning of a very fun project. I am glad it could go to a good home. Here are some pictures I took of the wheel sets when I first finished them. They were the first thing I made on a lathe for live steam.

I was overcome by events when we decided to take on the Chloe and then the MEG, and now I'm interested in the K-27, so the A3 project has gone to a good home.

[KidAmato]

Hello everyone,

Very little build progress this weekend as I have been busy with teenage things and homework of course. We can all thank mike for doing a wonderful job on the wheel sets, I really appreciate the work and effort that was put into it. And you all better believe that it has found a good home! Lots of love will be put into the process of this build . Oh, I crack myself up...

Anyhow, getting back to the actual work part of this, I managed to cut out the main setting jig for the Tender journal boxes. This acts as a parallel that leaves the journals at a 30 degree angle while you are facing the remaining profiles. Now, Kozo calls for 2 thin setting jigs, but I just decided to use one thick chunk aluminum. Granted, that was the only slab of metal I had lying around.

Next on my to do list is make the drilling jig for the screw holes on both the top and bottom of the journal boxes. Then I can go back to using the setting Jigs for the profiling.

Now, on my free time at home (while I'm out of the shop), I will be working on designing things like the; new tender frame, tank, plumbing, etc. Then it will be onto the locomotive. Once I have a completed frame design for the locomotive, I will sketch it up in solidworks and send it to the laserjet cutters to have them cut out.


Always so much to do! I'll keep you all posted as time allows. Keep on building!

A couple of snappies of the setting Jig.

Showing that the wheel sets are in a good home . Already had to put them on the granite countertop for a quick pic.


Best wishes,
Nico Amato

[kvom]

Are you going to use steel vs. brass for most of the parts? Using brass as Kozo did will be very costly.

[Benjamin Maggi]

Do you plan to build a tender for your narrow-gauge conversion, or have it become a saddle tank engine? I ask because the tender is space keeping you apart from your engine's cab, and it might be easier to operate if you didn't have a tender in the way.