Franklin Automatic Adjustable Wedges

This forum is dedicated to the Live Steam Hobbyist Community.

Moderators: cbrew, Harold_V

FLtenwheeler
Posts: 1594
Joined: Sun Jan 05, 2003 8:47 am
Location: Florida, on the Lake Wales Ridge

Franklin Automatic Adjustable Wedges

Post by FLtenwheeler »

Hi All

Has anyone installed Franklin Automatic Adjustable Wedges on a model locomotive?

Tim
He who dies with the most unfinished projects: Should of put more time into their hobby.
User avatar
LivingLegend
Posts: 2149
Joined: Sun Jun 11, 2006 3:55 pm
Location: The Boonies of Alabama

Re: Franklin Automatic Adjustable Wedges

Post by LivingLegend »

Not that I know of. But the question is.... Why would anyone want to? All it does is automatically take up and compensate for wear on the shoe face. Something you don't really have to worry about on a live steam model.



LL
Do it right.... Or don't do it at all
I have no life. Therefore, I have a hobby
It's not that I'm apathetic, I just flat don't care
An Intellectual is nothing more than an Over-Educated IDIOT
Blogs: Where people with nothing to say..... Say it
User avatar
LivingLegend
Posts: 2149
Joined: Sun Jun 11, 2006 3:55 pm
Location: The Boonies of Alabama

Re: Franklin Automatic Adjustable Wedges

Post by LivingLegend »

LivingLegend wrote:....But the question is.... Why would anyone want to? All it does is automatically take up and compensate for wear on the shoe face. Something you don't really have to worry about on a live steam model.
I should add....

My "why would anyone want to" statement applies to working automatic adjustable wedges. Franklin wedges, made as part of the frame/journal shoes in a dummy shoe assembly, would be a different matter. There are a few builders who have used shoes on their loco frames.... On frames having two straight pedestals, or one straight and one tapered per opening.

LL
Do it right.... Or don't do it at all
I have no life. Therefore, I have a hobby
It's not that I'm apathetic, I just flat don't care
An Intellectual is nothing more than an Over-Educated IDIOT
Blogs: Where people with nothing to say..... Say it
User avatar
Bill Shields
Posts: 10459
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:57 am
Location: 39.367, -75.765
Contact:

Re: Franklin Automatic Adjustable Wedges

Post by Bill Shields »

Just something else to be broken, bent or ripped off in case of a derail.. :shock:
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
User avatar
Harold_V
Posts: 20231
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2002 11:02 pm
Location: Onalaska, WA USA

Re: Franklin Automatic Adjustable Wedges

Post by Harold_V »

Bill Shields wrote:Just something else to be broken, bent or ripped off in case of a derail.. :shock:
And yet-----for a rivet counter---

Harold
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
User avatar
LivingLegend
Posts: 2149
Joined: Sun Jun 11, 2006 3:55 pm
Location: The Boonies of Alabama

Re: Franklin Automatic Adjustable Wedges

Post by LivingLegend »

Speaking as a rivet counter.... I'd probably install, as per prototype, the shoes on the loco frame. That said, there are some parts, or parts in an assembly which, dependent upon the scale being modeled, don't lend themselves to being a miniaturized working piece.

If the pedestal shoes were to be left off an outside frame engine, such as a DRGW K36, their omission would stick out like a sore thumb to someone knowing their way around the design of a full size locomotive. Particularly, if the model was built to a larger scale.... Such as 2.5". In 3/4" or 1" scale or smaller? That's another matter.

LL
Do it right.... Or don't do it at all
I have no life. Therefore, I have a hobby
It's not that I'm apathetic, I just flat don't care
An Intellectual is nothing more than an Over-Educated IDIOT
Blogs: Where people with nothing to say..... Say it
User avatar
Bill Shields
Posts: 10459
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:57 am
Location: 39.367, -75.765
Contact:

Re: Franklin Automatic Adjustable Wedges

Post by Bill Shields »

HEY...I count rivets like everyone else...I just count them differently..

Let's see, there are 100 holes to put rivets into and YUP, there are 100 rivets in the designated holes.

count is correct...

:shock:
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
User avatar
LivingLegend
Posts: 2149
Joined: Sun Jun 11, 2006 3:55 pm
Location: The Boonies of Alabama

Re: Franklin Automatic Adjustable Wedges

Post by LivingLegend »

Bill....

The are four types of modelers.... Regardless of what is being modeled. (Be it railroad, stationary/traction steam, aircraft, marine, automotive, or whatever)

1. The modeler who strives for an accurately detailed miniature built as close as humanly, and practically possible to the original.

2. The modeler who builds to a close, but lesser standard of detail of the original.

3. The modeler who only cares that it represents something close to remotely resembling the original.

4. The modeler who doesn't care what it looks like. Anything near to, or anything like an original. (In the case of live steam.... It has wheels, a boiler, runs on steam, and is painted black. In the care of "diesel".... It has a frame, wheels, an engine/transmission to power it, and a plain rectangular wood box body to cover the inner workings..... That's all that matters to them.)

Let the builder build the way they want, in the way that suits what they want.

LL
Do it right.... Or don't do it at all
I have no life. Therefore, I have a hobby
It's not that I'm apathetic, I just flat don't care
An Intellectual is nothing more than an Over-Educated IDIOT
Blogs: Where people with nothing to say..... Say it
hudson
Posts: 218
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2005 1:53 pm

Re: Franklin Automatic Adjustable Wedges

Post by hudson »

slightly off topic:

Hannes Paling, a well known South African builder and photographer uses
(manually) adjustable wedges on his plate framed narrow gauge 0-6-0:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alfav8/321 ... 827610727/

hudson
User avatar
Harold_V
Posts: 20231
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2002 11:02 pm
Location: Onalaska, WA USA

Re: Franklin Automatic Adjustable Wedges

Post by Harold_V »

LivingLegend wrote:Let the builder build the way they want, in the way that suits what they want.
Yep. For some folks, the point is the journey, not the destination. Some are detail oriented, while others are detail blind.
There is no right or wrong. We each dance to the music we hear.

Harold
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
Asteamhead
Posts: 582
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 1:59 pm
Location: Germany, Duesseldorf

Re: Franklin Automatic Adjustable Wedges

Post by Asteamhead »

Hey all,
The question was if anybody has developed (and used) working automatic franklin wedges. If yes, this could be of interest for some life steamers (may be for us rivet counters exclusively). An inspiration without question!
Simple wedges which can be adjusted in tapered slots by means of a thread and locked by counter nuts are very easily to be added. With my A frame I use these just for the main axle (right), please look on the photo.
In combination with roller bearings they will improve smooth and even running - no surplus at all!
Just my two cents ...
Asteamhead
Attachments
Wedges to be seen behind the main (right) axle. Bolt will be fixed by counter nuts from below.
Wedges to be seen behind the main (right) axle. Bolt will be fixed by counter nuts from below.
Asteamhead
Posts: 582
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 1:59 pm
Location: Germany, Duesseldorf

Re: Franklin Automatic Adjustable Wedges

Post by Asteamhead »

Some more pictures of my class 44, 1 in 10 scale showing some details
Asteamhead.
Attachments
44 axle with wedge removed.JPG
44 axle with wedge inserted.JPG
Post Reply