I have just signed-up for evening classes in the use of
AutoCAD. I'd like to start using it to design rolling-stock and
then get the parts laser-cut by a company in Hamilton. This is
the way that Paul Middleton at
Ride
on Railways produces his 5" gauge equipment. OK, so a 6 week
introductory course it not likely to have me churning out
rolling-stock in 5 minutes, but it is a piece of software you
need some training on because it is so complex.
After slaving over a hot PC for several hours, I managed to draw
this:
I don't reckon that's bad for for just two lessons. In case
you're wondering what it is, it is the beginning of a chassis for a
petrol-hydraulic loco.
I have always had a soft spot for the classic V-tippers that were
built in the thousands for industrial use all over the world. They
are also very practical for construction purposes on a railway.
Giles Favell has a
drawing of a 10¼" gauge version I could scale-down for 7¼"
gauge. All I need to figure out is how to make one. The biggest
problem I can see is how to make the curved chassis - I don't like
rectangular chassis on V-tippers.
I have spoken to John Bremner
(owns an engineering business in Hamilton) and he reckons the best
way to build the chassis would be to fabricate it; obtaining the
right size steel and then rolling it is going to be really
difficult. Assuming I can find someone with
sheet-metal rollers, getting the curve to the bottom of the skip
shouldn't be too much trouble; then I just need to
weld it up.
I scanned this in from a copy of the 7¼" gauge NEWS (the
publication of
The 7¼"
Gauge Society). It is a
photo of a bogie made by
The Engineer's Emporium (though it is not on their website).
I reckon I can make something like this - it'll save on a heck
of a lot of shipping costs from the UK and be a good exercise
for AutoCAD, my new lathe and laser-cutting.
Footnote: I received an email from the guy for whom Engineer's
Emporium made these bogies. It turns out that they are 12¼" gauge,
but even so, the design is still usable.
Illustrations of mounted bearing units of most use to model
engineers.
Information from KML's website.
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 |
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| 4-bolt flanged unit |
2-bolt flanged-unit |
Pillow block |
Take-up unit |
Many years ago when I was at college and involved with the
Merstham Valley
Railway, I bought a Honda petrol engine (similar to above) and an
Eaton hydrostatic transmission for a loco I wanted to build.
As with many projects like this, nothing ever came of it, and
they have sat languishing in the back of my parent's shed for
years. I know I
damaged the hydrostatic unit in my over-eager youth, but Eaton
still repair them so I should be able to get it fixed. It'd
still likely be cheaper to get it repaired in the UK and sent to
me here than trying to buy a new one (they are £500, or around
NZ$1200 new).
I have asked a good friend of mine in the UK to see if he can
resurrect the engine and gearbox from my parent's shed and get them
checked out. We have some friends bringing a 20' container over from
the UK when they emigrate and there would be plenty of space for
these.
I won a (new) 6.5hp petrol engine on TradeMe for half
its retail price, which frankly was too good a deal to pass up.
I can always park it in the back of my workshop until a project
comes along to use it on. If I can get the Eaton hydrostatic
transmission fixed (see above), these will make the core of a
petrol-hydraulic loco.
Food for thought
Twenty 2' gauge General Electric Model UM6B diesel-electrics,
were imported from USA in 1973/74. There are still eighteen running.
Click on either image to view full-size
This works out at 3196mm long - perhaps slightly TOO large for
7¼" gauge! See also:
http://www.sa-transport.co.za/train_modellers/ngloco/91.html
Atlas 10" lathe
After buying a Hercus 9" lathe (Aussy copy of a Southbend), I was offered an Atlas 10" lathe with
a milling attachment and a lot more accessories than I got with
the Hercus. All up, the Atlas was better value and I sold the Hercus.
Only occasionally would I need a larger lathe as
10" will handle wagon and coach wheels easily enough. "Tinkerbell" wheels
are
10¾" so if I ever decided to build something that large I'd
need to contract-out the machining of the wheels; which
wouldn't be a major issue, or decrease the size of the
wheels - which would give more tractive-effort anyway.
NOTES:
-
Griffiths Engineering
is an excellent source of information on older machine tools;
the sort of thing you'd buy as an amateur or model engineer.
-
CLICK HERE for a link to information on the Atlas
10" lathes.
4½" metal-cutting bandsaw
Other tools
I also have the usual bench-grinder, pillar-drill, etc.
