New York Central Streamlined Hudson

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JBodenmann
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Joined: Sun Oct 26, 2003 1:37 pm
Location: Tehachapi, California

Re: New York Central Streamlined Hudson

Post by JBodenmann »

Hello My Friends
Here are some snappies of progress on the streamliner. The top photo is the armature that the pilot will be made on. It will not be part of the finished product just a form tool that it will be made on. Also in the photo are a couple card stock patterns. One is the profile of the streamlined front and the other is a pattern for the pilot deck which will be hidden under the streamlined nose. The second photo shows the armature setting next to the engine so that you can see the profile. In the third photo is one of the 1/8" steel strips that will be formed into the pilot. It has been cut out using the bandsaw and squirted through the slip roll. It will have a compound curve, and at this point it just has a simple curve. Here in photo number four you can see a little form tool that was made up for the press. It will form the compound curve, and in this last photo you can see how this is done. Just a bit at a time and it is worked back and forth and mashed with the press. This is one of the delightful little puzzles that I enjoy so much.
Attachments
Armature1.jpg
Armature2.jpg
Armature3.jpg
Armature5.jpg
Last edited by JBodenmann on Tue Dec 01, 2015 10:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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JBodenmann
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Location: Tehachapi, California

Re: New York Central Streamlined Hudson

Post by JBodenmann »

Here is a bit more; the top photo shows the first two strips on place on the armature. They will be clamped in place and then some shrinkage action with the oxy acetylene torch will snuggle it up to the armature and relieve any stresses. This will be done while it is clamped in place on the armature. Then the next strip will be fitted up and once all is good they will be tacked together with the TIG welder. The last photo here shows todays progress. The strips have been welded and ground off smooth. At this point the work piece is a bit lumpy and it will get some fine tuning with a body hammer on the steel table to raise the low spots and if there are any high spots they will be shrunk down with hot metal shrinkage. Then tomorrow the final strip across the top will be made and then the wings out towards the ends. More to come.
See you in the funny pages…
Jack
Attachments
Armature6.jpg
Armature7.jpg
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Fender
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Location: Chattanooga TN

Re: New York Central Streamlined Hudson

Post by Fender »

Jack,
Is the dome-shaped nose a metal spinning?
Dan Watson
Chattanooga, TN
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JBodenmann
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Location: Tehachapi, California

Re: New York Central Streamlined Hudson

Post by JBodenmann »

Hello My Friends
To answer Fender's question, yes the dome is a metal spinning. It was made by a shop in southern California. Smaller spinning jobs are done here in shop but big stuff like this is beyond my capability.
Jack
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JBodenmann
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Re: New York Central Streamlined Hudson

Post by JBodenmann »

Hello My Friends
Here are some snappies of progress on the Hudson. Progress has been made on the pilot. The interface between the rounded part and the flat wings has been a bit of a puzzle where the flat part meets the curved part, especially at the top edge. The rounded part was made of several strips of .100" steel that were formed and then TIG welded together. But the top strip as seen here in the bottom photo was real fiddly little rascal to make. The ends of these pieces where it transitions from rounded to flat…..heavens to betsy! Lots of hammer and dolly work. Up next, the pilot deck and the fastenings to the frame, the holes for the steps and retractable coupler. No shortage of things to do!
Jack
Attachments
Pilot20.jpg
Pilot21.jpg
Pilot22.jpg
Pilot23.jpg
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JBodenmann
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Re: New York Central Streamlined Hudson

Post by JBodenmann »

Hello My Friends
Here is what been happening here at the shop. This first series of photos concerns making a little gadget to guide our old friend the fine point sharpie. This will guide the sharpie in a flat plane over a curved surface. The pilot on the Hudson is curved; but when viewed from the front, the lower edges describe a straight diagonal line with a curve to horizontal at the outer edges. In the top photo are the bits for the gadget. Two pieces of 1/4" plywood, a piece of 1/2" plywood glued to one of the 1/4' pieces. I just used the glue gun. This 1/2" piece with the rounded edge will be clamped in the drill press vise and will be the stationary part of the guide. The other piece of 1/4" plywood had a little block of wood glued to it. This block of wood has a hole drilled in it that the sharpie will jam into. This part will slide on the stationary part.
Now in the second photo the angle is being set with a sliding T bevel. This angle was picked up directly off the drawing. The third photo shows our little Rubie Goldberg in action, marking a diagonal line on the curved front of the pilot. This little part with the sharpie slides on the stationary bit. This line was cut with the bandsaw and then cleaned up with the disc and drum sanders. The last photo shows the pilot cut and sanded to the line. You can see the diagonal outer edge, this was what was marked with the gadget.
Attachments
Guide1.jpg
Guide2.jpg
Guide3.jpg
Guide4.jpg
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JBodenmann
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Re: New York Central Streamlined Hudson

Post by JBodenmann »

Here is a bit more. In the top photo the armature has been extended upwards. This is what the top portion of the pilot will be formed on. It's not actually part of the pilot. Just like the prototype, this top portion which we'll call the intermediate piece is formed out of much lighter material than the actual pilot. In this case it's .040" cold rolled sheet. Just like the pilot this assembly is made of strips that have been run through the slip roll and then worked with the curve die and the press. In the second photo the first strip has been clamped in place. Here is a little secret. They don't fit quite right on the first clamp up. But that don't matter as when its all clamped in place just heat the edges to a dull red with the oxy acetylene. Let it cool completely before releasing the clamps, and Bob's yer' uncle. It will snuggle down onto the armature. This works especially well on something like this where you want to shrink the edges of the strips to form a rounded surface. One reason why the armature is made so stout, you don't want it to deform when you heat the work piece. They have to fit pretty good before you heat them though. And remember this is just like pattern making. The part will only be as good as the armature! Then time for the second strip. Cardstock patterns were made and then transferred to the sheet metal. This is one of them times when you have to just get it close and make the part, and trim to fit. Clamp, heat, trim to fit. When everything looks good tack the strips together making sure that the edges are carefully aligned. A TIG welder comes in handy for this. C clamps were used to help align the edges. The edges were also gently worked with a round face steel body hammer to align them as tacking proceeded. Then the seams were completely welded.
Attachments
Pilot21.jpg
Pilot22.jpg
Pilot23.jpg
Pilot24.jpg
Pilot25.jpg
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JBodenmann
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Re: New York Central Streamlined Hudson

Post by JBodenmann »

Now we are getting somewhere. The hole for the retractable coupler has been cut into the pilot. The pilot deck has been made and the parts that connect it to the frame. The intermediate piece is mostly done. After welding it was a bit lumpy as the welds tend to shrink. This shrinkage is easy to deal with as the metal can be stretched out with the body hammer on the steel table. This just requires a good eye and patience. Also a straight edge and a card stock pattern to work to. Hammer out the lumps and then hammer out the hammer marks. A little zoom with a flat file shows the high and low spots. Hammer some more. Now this isn't really hammering away, more like gently tapping. Have a look and tap some more. It takes very little stretching to effect the compound curves. The intermediate piece still needs a strip across the top; but that part wraps around the sides and tucks over the air compressors…. So it would probably be a good time to assemble the compressors and their cool mounting bracket. Then plunk the compressors in place and fit the sheet metal to what is, rather than what should be. Also the retractable coupler mount, the steps cut into the pilot and the intermediate piece, and the cover for the coupler. There is also a little door in the intermediate piece. I think it was for the air hoses or maybe the latch device to hold the coupler up.
See you in the funny pages…
Jack
Attachments
Pilot26.jpg
Cary Stewart
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Re: New York Central Streamlined Hudson

Post by Cary Stewart »

Hi Jack,
Did your property sustain any damage in the big rain storm Friday? Hwy. 58 is still closed. Cary
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JBodenmann
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Re: New York Central Streamlined Hudson

Post by JBodenmann »

Hi Cary
Quite a lot of rain but no damage.
Jack
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JBodenmann
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Re: New York Central Streamlined Hudson

Post by JBodenmann »

Hello My Friends
Been busy here at the asylum. The air compressors are mostly done and now that they are in place the cowling can proceed along with things like the drop coupler. This coupler has to tuck down through the opening in the pilot. Now I have a question for you all. Does anyone know what color the compressors were painted. They were probably gray, bit we're not sure. Fuzzy old black and white photos can only reveal so much.
See you in the funny pages..
Jack
Attachments
Front1.jpg
Front2.jpg
DropCoupler.jpg
Andy R
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Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2007 2:18 pm
Location: So. Calif.

Re: New York Central Streamlined Hudson

Post by Andy R »

Hi Jack,
I'm really enjoying these posts.
Your techniques will be applicable to my P7-d (someday!)
Andy
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