3/4" Scale J1e

[JBodenmann]

Hello My Friends
Here is a bit of an update on the little Hudson. Waiting for castings from the foundry so I haven't posted anything for a while. Here is a start on the covers that fit over the feed water heater. This is where the exhaust steam lines from the cylinders goes. Also the cold water line from the centrifugal pump on this side, and out to the check valve on the other side. As this engine doesn't actually have a feed water heater or a functional centrifugal pump the injector on the fireman's side will feed the check valve on that side of the engine. The injector will be hidden in the dummy stoker engine. These stoker engines had a exhaust steam line that ran forward and joined the exhaust from the centrifugal pump at a Y fitting. This exhaust steam line then ran up under the running board and and on down to the smoke box. This will make a great injector delivery line. It will have scale dummy check valves. Making scale checks that are dependable....good luck. So the actual check valves will be hidden. On the engineers side the check will be in the turret casing. On the fireman's side it will be under the running board. These will be poppet valve type check valves with an O ring seat. This is what was done on the streamliner. Had some earth quakes here the other day. No damage here but over in Ridgecrest where the Sagebrush Shoreline is they had a terrible time of it. Oh Boy, nothing will flush out the old adrenal glands like an earthquake.
Jack

[NP317]

Glad you are OK, post earthquake. I wondered how you fared.
I grew up in the south San Francisco Bay Area and by age eight I had learned to tell the difference among three types of 'quakes. Always unsettling.
I moved to volcano territory north, and find it more comfortable!
Stay healthy and entertained.
~RN

[JBodenmann]

Hello My Friends
It's been hot here lately, a good time to hang out in the shop and make little baloney. So here we go...some little baloney. The smokebox has two of these shrouds that fit over the lower extremities of the Coffin feed water heater. These are a bit of a sheetmetal puzzle, as the flanged bit that bolts to the smoke box is curved. You can see this in the first photo. So a form tool was made up, you can see it setting next to the work piece in photo #2. The work piece has a 90 degree bend in it. In photo #3 the work piece is against the form die and is being marked with dividers and a sharpie. This marks the width of the flange. Next photo, the flange being trimmed with a nibbler. This nibbler is a handy little trinket. The bottom photo shows the work piece clamped to the form die with a c clamp. There is a tapered piece of brass between the clamp and the die and work piece. Now it's ready to be whomped over with the rawhide mallet. Don't use a metal hammer for this or it will cause stretching of the metal. Sorry I didn't get a photo of the whomping process.

[JBodenmann]

Here is some more. This top photo here shows the shroud with one end formed. You can see that the flange is curved to fit the smoke box. The last two photos show the cover fitted up to the smoke box with the exhaust steam line that connects the feed water heater to the cylinders. Towards the end of these engines lives the covers were often left off, exposing the end of the feed water heater and two rows of studs and bolts that held it in place. Also some cool piping. I thought about modeling this clutter, but I want to build 5344 as it was when new. I really like the front ends on these engines. The New York Central Hudson had such a distinctive look, but then, distinctive equipment was a hallmark of the days of steam. Unlike the cookie cutter diesels we see today.
Happy Model Building
Jack

[JBodenmann]

Hello My Friends
Today I worked... sometimes worked just doesn't seem like the right term for this, play seems more appropriate. Well I played around with the mount for the air compressors and shields. This engine had the air compressor mounts cast integral with the frame. So I am trying to make them look that way. This baloney isn't quite ready for photos yet but here is something you may find useful. Making cylinder jackets is always a bit of a fiddle. Fitting up sheetmetal around a curved object with blobs and bits sticking out here and there. In the top photo you can see a cardstock pattern (actually just a piece of an old file folder). This pattern was fitted up just by trial and error. If you mess it up toss it and get another piece. It had to fit around the branch pipe and the outlets for the trailing truck booster steam line on the left side and the cylinder vent valve on the engineers side. Once the paper pattern fit OK it was transferred to the .015" brass stock with our old friend the Sharpie as in photo #2. The brass sheet needed to have some holes poked in it, one 13/16" and one 7/16" each. Here is a little trick that comes in handy for this. A normal drill bit will destroy thin material like this (.015"). So in photo #3 you can see a drill bit ground for this. It has a point that will guide it while the outer edge does the cutting. They require you to drill a pilot hole, just a but smaller than the point. The center point must also project further than the outer cutting edge. They are not too difficult to grind. As you can see by the next couple photos they work really slick and will drill a perfect round hole.

[JBodenmann]

Here is some more. The top photo shows the two cylinder jackets with the holes drilled. Now they need some trimming and fitting. In the second photo the cylinder jacket is being nibbled away with a hand nibbler, a very handy little trinket. The holes were joined up using the nibbler and then finessed with a couple small drum sanders and files. This is one of them fussy jobs where patience pays off. Test the fit, maybe a mark or two with the sharpie and back to the sander and file. Re test the fit, file some more....This is a very prominent part of the engine so it should fit nicely. Still to be added to the cylinder jackets are the little slide up doors. Most modern steam had these doors. I'm not sure what they gave access to, probably something to do with lubrication. But they are a fun cool little bit to make. Three quarter inch scale is a real hoot to build. Not a lot of material to buy. A big fastener is a number three. Lots of 0-80 and 00-90 fasteners. Having fun here, see ya' later alligator.
Jack

[Pontiacguy1]

Jack: What did you use to seal up the smokebox where the steam pipe comes through the sides and down to the cylinders?

[JBodenmann]

Hello My Friends
Pontiacguy asked what to use for sealing the branch pipe smoke box area. I have used muffler and tail pipe goop from the auto parts store. I have also used fiberglass insulation mixed with non hardening permatex. I'm sure there are other ways of doing this.
Jack

[JBodenmann]

Hello My Friends
Here are a couple snappies that were taken today. I have been wanting to make the compressor shields for some time. They are a prominent feature on the Hudson. First the casting that holds them in place had to be made. As stated earlier these engines had cast steel frames and the shield supports were a part of that. Still some holes to be cut in the shields. The engine is starting to get "The Look" of a J1e. Currently waiting for castings from the foundry, main and auxiliary stacks, head lamp mount, and hand rail stanchions. Too much fun!
Jack

[Sandiapaul]

Jack,
I may have missed it but did you fabricated the door hinges or are they castings? Castings of those would be great to have, and usable on other locos too!

[JBodenmann]

Hello My Friends
To answer Sandiapaul's question, the Okadee smoke box door hinges were purchased fro Brian Keim. Also the marker lamps. They are both fine products.
Jack

[JBodenmann]

Hello My Friends
Here are a few snappies of what I have been up to. Yesterday a package came from the foundry, kind of like Christmas in July. The stacks, the headlamp bracket along with its grab irons, the smoke box door dogs, the smoke box lifting brackets, and the handrail stanchions were in the box. The door dogs were quickly fitted up with their #0-80 studs and nuts. Then the headlamp bracket had it's gab irons stuck on and then the whole mess was fitted to the smoke box front. A little work was done on the headlamp. New feet were made as the originals didn't fit the bracket. Then the number boards were fitted up and the front bezel and hinges were made. I will cut down a curved glass from the 1-1/2" scale headlamps. And then some fun, how small a wing nut can I make? There will be three of the little rascals on the headlamp, one to keep the bezel closed and two for the number boards. The smallest screws and tap that I have are #000-120. These will still be quite a bit oversize, go with what you got! I am thinking about how to simulate flex conduit for the wire to the headlamp. I am going to try coating some #26 gauge wire with spray adhesive and then wrapping it with string. Then a shot of silver paint. I don't know, the silver paint may not be flexible enough. I'm going to give it a try and see what happens. Having too much fun here with the little Hudson.
See you in the funny pages...
Jack