Beginners LE 4-4-0 American

[jschoenly]

That's definitely something to be proud of! keep up the good work. It is a great feeling to make progress on your goals and the parts look great!

[Pipescs]

Will this work

I am on the suspension right now with plans to move to the wheels after that. Is this set up to face the backs of the wheels and boring the axle holes safe or is there a better way?

[Harold_V]

Is this set up to face the backs of the wheels and boring the axle holes safe or is there a better way?

A great deal depends on the surface you're holding. Any draft? If so, the wheel may be inclined to slip under the pressure of a cut (assuming you aren't gripping the parting line of the casting).

It's unlikely you could use a 4 jaw, gripping the OD, but you may benefit by using it instead of a 3 jaw, gripping inside. I'd recommend that unless the jaws are too wide to permit gripping the parting line. You'll be able to center the wheel to the best condition, and it should offer somewhat better gripping capability.

Harold

[Pipescs]

While reserching the machining of castiron wheels I have managed to make the brackets for the equalizer bars. I am not happy with the first one due to hole placement and am remaking it.

I am one of those people that learn by doing and after laying out the holes made the mistake of swithing reference points on laying out the block. holes are not centered up.

More practice though.

[Pipescs]

To other Beginners. The original Taig Vice while nice to have, tends to lift the edge of the piece being clamped. I ended up being frustrated trying to do square blocks for the Journals and Bearings.

I ordered this vice from Enco and it came in today.

I recommend it over the original after only one set up.

[JBodenmann]

Hi Pipescs
You are making good progress. And you are correct in that the best way to learn is to just get out in the shop and get after it! Your skills will improve every day, and by the time you finish your engine you will be a good model builder.
Jack

[Fender]

Is this set up to face the backs of the wheels and boring the axle holes safe or is there a better way?

Pipe,
I've given this question some thought and have a different suggestion. I think the fundamental problem is that your lathe and chuck appear to be undersize for the diameter of the drivers you are turning. Not to say that it isn't possible, just that an alternative approach may make it easier.

I suggest you turn your driver castings clamped to a faceplate, with the clamping bolts going through the spokes of the wheel and an arbor to keep it centered. The faceplate has much less overhang than a chuck, and you should be able to get a more secure mounting of the casting. In order to get a smooth surface between the faceplate and the hub of the driver, mill the back of the hub flat in the milling machine. Then loosely mount the wheel, roughly centered, with the machined side against the faceplate. Cast iron against cast iron is slippery, so use some aluminum foil in between the faceplate and driver. When the faceplate is mounted on the spindle, you can tap the wheel this way and that with a deadblow hammer to get it running truely. Then tighten the clamps.

Before you drill and bore the first driver, get one of these Morse taper extension sockets:

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PART ... A=214-8613

Be sure to get the unhardened kind! (I'm assuming your lathe spindle taper is MT3.) What you want to do is mount the socket securely in the headstock spindle, and then turn the extension part to a diameter about .001 under the size of your axle bores. The extension will also need to be shortened somewhat. Then, set the extension socket aside. Later, it will be used as a plug gage for boring the hole in the drivers, and also as an arbor to keep the drivers on center when mounted to the faceplate.

Next mount the faceplate and wheel in the lathe, and drill and bore the hole in the center of the driver to the desired size. Don't attempt any other operations until the hole is completed. The plug gage will assist in making the holes the correct diameter. When gage just barely fits, reverse it and install into the spindle taper (it is now an arbor! You might have to take off the faceplate to do this.) When the faceplate and driver are installed with the arbor sticking through the hole in the driver, you will now be ready for the turning and facing operations on the periphery of the wheel. At this point you can also part off any excess length from the arbor.

When you have finished one side of the wheel, unbolt it from the faceplate and turn it over, reclamp, and proceed to machine the other side. The arbor will keep it centered.

Hope this makes sense.

I suspect you will have to turn the compound around 180º, and use a boring bar to reach the outside tread and flange of the wheel.

[Pipescs]

Makes perfect sence. Thanks

I had already decided to try the faceplate as I had done the Journals. It just dosen't feel good mounting them on the chuck.

I will order a couple of the morris tapors.

[Pipescs]

Bringing the son on line

My 13 year old has been looking over my shoulder and showing interest. I have set him up the Taig Lathe and after thee demos he is now cutting bolts out of 3/16 hex stock. I am going to let him start making a few small parts to try to keep up his interest

These are his first three with a nut. I am trying to show him there is more fun out there than a Gameboy.

Also a question.

Making the bars for the equalizer I milled a 1/4 thick piece of CR down to 3/16 and I have use a slotting saw on the mill to cut a piece of 3/4 inch wide cold role steel down to two 3/8 wide pieces. I realise it is curving due to stress in the steel.

Not too much trouble to hammer it back straight as it is only six inches long.

Is there a method to releave the stress and stopping the bending prior to cutting it

[Harold_V]

Is there a method to releave the stress and stopping the bending prior to cutting it

The general procedure for dealing with movement is to rough parts completely, leaving material for finish passes. By doing so, the error that results from movement is eliminated. For greatest stability in the end product, it's desirable to rough as close to finish size as possible, so the finish cuts remove only small amounts of material. That minimizes any secondary movement.

Cold rolled tends to be far worse for movement than hot rolled material, but material of any description has internal stress, with few exceptions.

One of the tricks you can use is to keep the cuts uniform from side to side (when possible). If you remove an equal amount, movement is minimized. You can also pursue the process of annealing or normalizing your material prior to machining, although the best of all worlds would be to rough, then follow up with the heat treat process.

If a substantial amount of material is to be removed, it's not uncommon to take alternating passes, side to side, to keep movement in check.

Harold

[Pipescs]

made the first equalizer bar last night. Headed out to take the kids to the golf course and to purchase a few parts I need to mount the bar.

Ordered the 100 feet of .025 X.25 blue spring steel for the spring set ups. It is coming from McMaster Carr with a price of 75.00.

As each spring has to have a hole punched in the center and the shackles need the same hole size I am making a fixture to try and punch the wholes with a 1/8 inch punch.

[Pipescs]

Became very impressed with McMaster Carr today. Placed an order for the blue spring steel for the leaf spring build up on Wednesday and received it today.

I worked up a punch fixture to punch the 1/8 inch holes in each leaf by putting a slot in a piece of brass and drilling it for the punch. Seems to work well

Pulled out the saddle castings with come two to a casting. They will need to be sawed apart.