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Four Axel Critter called "The Twins"

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Posted: 15 Mar 2023 08:08 am

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corv8
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Bernd,
I am eager to learn about resistance soldering set - bought one long ago ( think only 100W which is maybe not enough for serious work) but had little success with it. Part of the problem was that as a US product it was designed for 110 V and I had to use a converter.
Please post more pictures and info.

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Gerold

Posted: 15 Mar 2023 10:22 am

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slateworks
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Thanks Bernd. I now understand.

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Doug

Posted: 15 Mar 2023 02:04 pm

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Bernd
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corv8 wrote: Bernd,
I am eager to learn about resistance soldering set - bought one long ago ( think only 100W which is maybe not enough for serious work) but had little success with it. Part of the problem was that as a US product it was designed for 110 V and I had to use a converter.
Please post more pictures and info.

As I said earlier that once I'm done with the HO and On30 critter posts I'll do an SBS on the resistance soldering tool. Hint: save your "not working" microwave ovens.
Bernd

Posted: 15 Mar 2023 02:46 pm

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24^th Post

Bernd
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@Doug, You're very welcome.

On with the Critter Twins.

I was still contemplating as to whether to make one of each or both with the same under the hood power. I still hadn't decided at this point. But you all already know they both became internal combustion powered and not electric powered.

I drew up the doors in CAD and printed out the drawing in HO scale.

The printout got glued to a piece of .010" thick brass sheet and holes drilled for using a fret saw to cut out the window openings. It was easier to drill the holes in a larger sheet of brass than to cut the doors out first and then cutting out the windows.

Using a fret saw I cut out the doors. I didn't follow the lines. It's easier to cut wide of the line and then file to the line.

once the door has been cut out I line up the cut line and a vise and . . . . .

. . . . file to the line.

The end result (believe me the part is in there).

The result of the filed down side.

A comparison of the door soldered on to the engine on the left versus no door on the engine on the right.

Occasionally one has a minor disaster. Of course, some might consider this a major disaster where something goes wrong in a project. Now that all the doors have been fabricated and attached, it was on to the next detail, radiators. After finally coming up with a design for the boxcabs, drawing it out in CAD and converting it to G code and loading it into the machine for a "dry run" (not actually cutting material) Everything was going good. It was going to take quite a bit of time. I heard the wife call me for dinner. The machine would stop eventually when done. I went down after eating. The machine was still running. It should have stopped by now. I saw a large hole in the MDF spoil board. It had shoved the piece of brass aside and continued on down into the wood. Whiskey Tang Foxtrot?

I removed the brass and took a picture. The only thing that broke was the cutter, 1/32" in diameter. I checked my code and found that on the last final cut I had told the machine to cut to a depth of .650". Over half an inch deep instead of .065. The end result is it just kept plowing the cutter along, what was left of it, into the wood. At some point the cutter broke.

You'll have to wait till the next post on how I made the radiators and where I got the idea from.

Bernd

Posted: 15 Mar 2023 04:20 pm

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slateworks
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Oooops!!

Reckon we've all been there one way or another Bernd!

Last edited on 15 Mar 2023 04:22 pm by slateworks

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Doug

Posted: 15 Mar 2023 05:24 pm

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Reg H
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bernd:

I got sucked into live steam. Actually enjoying it a lot, but the learning curve is steep.

I have a thread in the Large Scale section on the build so far, along with a few photos of my Shop.

I have a Clausing 12 X 36 and one of the small imported mill/drills.

The eastern terminus of my HO layout is named Bridgeport. There is a lumber mill there. Because I always wanted a Bridgeport Mill.

Reg

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Posted: 15 Mar 2023 08:57 pm

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corv8
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Bernd wrote:

As I said earlier that once I'm done with the HO and On30 critter posts I'll do an SBS on the resistance soldering tool. Hint: save your "not working" microwave ovens.
Bernd
Bernd, you have all the time... there are countless other projects I may do without the resistance set, or even without soldering. I will be glad to learn from you whenever you have time to write about it. BTW... no microwave in this house as my wife is sure it is evil and may make us sick. But I will find one locally when the time comes.

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Gerold

Posted: 16 Mar 2023 03:54 pm

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Bernd
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Continuing on the Twins build.

Ok, in building a "prototype" or in my case "protolance" (free-lance design) engine you need to make it plausible. I was debating whether to go straight electric or gas/diesel electric. Going with a gas/diesel meant a radiator would be needed. But to build one like I had done on On30 boxcab only smaller to fit on the roof would be too time consuming. Then looking at pantographs that I would have to scratchbuild, I came to the same conclusion, it would take too long. And then the bulb lite when I saw the EBT M-1 on E-bay. It has a radiator mounted in the side of the car, not the roof like doddle bugs do.

My picture of the M-1 when I discovered the EBT back before 1999. I think it was more like 1971. I had my new car and I was on my first week of vacation from the newly started job. I finally had gotten around to scanning the slides.

So, to the CAD program. I drew up something that looked similar to M-1 radiator. And off to the machine to see what would turn out. Beginning the first cut.

Seven and a half hours later I have two radiators. I took it nice slow with the feed rate because I broke many tiny end mills getting the feeds and speeds right.

The first one soldered to to the shell.

A very close up of the radiator.

Next up will be the air, fuel tanks, and exhaust stacks.

To be continued.

Bernd

Posted: 16 Mar 2023 05:12 pm

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slateworks
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Lovely machine work Bernd, I'm most envious of your skills.

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Doug

Posted: 16 Mar 2023 07:16 pm

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Reg H
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I love learning something new!

I am really impressed by the setup that involves clamping the work to bit of wood (MDF?).

I can think of all sorts of tasks in which this approach would be useful.

A hack I learned from Andrew Whale (another Youtube machinest) was the use of ACC to hold small parts for machining, and then using heat to break the bond. Very useful.

Reg

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Posted: 16 Mar 2023 09:23 pm

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Bernd
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slateworks wrote: Lovely machine work Bernd, I'm most envious of your skills.

Thank you very much Doug.

My major in high school was machine shop. There was just something about taking a piece of raw stock, putting into a lathe or mill and making a part. I think what helped to was a father that was a tool-n-die maker by trade and having a lathe and mill in his hsop. I also worked in the machine tool industry for over 30 yeas. Skills are learned. If you have the desire you can learn also. There are several magazines out there on metalworking.

Bernd

Last edited on 16 Mar 2023 09:29 pm by Bernd

Posted: 16 Mar 2023 09:28 pm

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32^nd Post

Bernd
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Reg H wrote: I love learning something new!

I am really impressed by the setup that involves clamping the work to bit of wood (MDF?).

I can think of all sorts of tasks in which this approach would be useful.

A hack I learned from Andrew Whale (another Youtube machinest) was the use of ACC to hold small parts for machining, and then using heat to break the bond. Very useful.

Reg

Things I've learned over the years.

Yes, that is MDF. It's the best sub-table you can used if you need to go through the material. This way you don't cut into the machine table. MDF is pretty flat. Although once in a while it needs to be flattened or mill level.

Have used ACC and painters tape. That'll be something I'll show when I get around to posting the Suydam Two Stall Engine House.

Bernd

Posted: 18 Mar 2023 02:30 pm

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Bernd
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Continuing on.

After figuring out how to make the radiator I have moved on to the air tanks. Next, I need a couple of fuel tanks. They will be mounted on roof of the second unit. Since there is no room to sling them under the chassis or inside, I decided the roof would make a go place to mount said tanks. The air tanks mounted to the roof, minus piping.

Made the fuel tanks for the box-cabs. The ends on the fuel tanks a concaved using an end mill in the lathe. They are soldered into the .250" dia. tubing. The air tanks I filled with epoxy and concaved. I like the looks of the fuel tanks better. So a new set of air tanks will be made. Also after studying the pictures, I got to dislike the looks of the roof. Looks like a redesign is in order. I'll still use the same curvature but get rid of the large overhang on the sides.

The fuel and air tanks are just sitting there. They are not soldered yet pending a roof redo.

I contemplated how to power these engines. The direct link from motor to worm wheel would have made them a bit too fast for my liking. I was thinking of a belt and pulley drive but decided to try a friction drive. I had successfully tried this out on an On30 scratchbuilt chassis that never got finished. Worked pretty good too. Was able to push six On30 dump cars without a problem. So, I'm trying it on this HOn30 project. Luckily the original N scale engine came with two motors, so it wasn't necessary to try and locate a second motor of the same proportions. The parts for the motor drive.

The assembled parts. I wired up the chassis for straight DC to test the drive out. It will eventually be R/Ced.

The friction drive is not really my idea. I saw this on a product web site from Great Britain.

Photo courtesy of Nigel Lawton.

Here's a belt/friction drive system. Photo courtesy of Nigel Lawton

Here's where I got the idea of a belt drive system. They have a large site. But this picture illustrates a belt reduction drive on a single axle. The gauge is 9mm or O scale. But it gives ideas to try.

Link to Central London Area Group http://www.clag.org.uk/axle-hung.html

So I can't take credit for the original engineering.

An ECO went through, and the Kingstone Locomotive Works machine shop went to work and came up with this new belt drive. It's a 2:1 reduction to the worm gear.

I know what was wrong with my friction drive. I should have added a drive pulley with a "U" shape groove so it would grip the rubber O-ring in the driven pulley. Like I had done on this previous chassis build.

The X-acto knife is for size reference.

In case some of you haven't heard of Nigel Lawton. Here's the link to Nigel Lawton's website for that Simplex. Ones a 7mm and the other a 4mm.

http://www.nigellawton009.com/7mm_20HP_WD_Simplex.html

http://www.nigellawton009.com/20HP_WD_Simplex.html

I redid the curved roof and added the tanks. I did the piping for the air tanks on the roof. To hold them down I'm drilling .015" dia. holes for phosphor bronze wire. Drill two holes, loop the wire, pull through and twist together underneath. One is done, a second pair of holes are drilled for the next wire hold down. Ten more holes to drill. Hope the drill don't break. :w:

After finishing drilling 22 .015" diameter holes and not breaking the drill I finally got the part done I dreaded the most. Adding a bit more detail and the grab irons. Plus I heated my fingers beyond comfortable a few times. So with that said I believe it's time to send the units to the paint shop for a coat of primer. The air pipes on the roof are now secured down.

I simply twisted the wire together underneath. Also shows the new roof design.

The exhaust stacks are complete. The units are coupled together in semi-permanent arrangement. Why is it you always notice in a picture that you forgot to make the model look good. Note roof not properly seated. I was too lazy to re-take the picture.

Up next are the windows. To be continued.

Bernd

Posted: 18 Mar 2023 07:18 pm

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slateworks
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Splendid metalwork Bernd. So much nicer when you can use metal rather than styrene. Under the paint they may look much the same but the styrene doesn't add any weight for traction.

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Posted: 19 Mar 2023 12:16 am

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Bernd
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slateworks wrote: Splendid metalwork Bernd. So much nicer when you can use metal rather than styrene. Under the paint they may look much the same but the styrene doesn't add any weight for traction.

Thank Doug, much your comment is much appreciated. That's one reason I like working with brass or any other kind of metal. I have many more projects to post.
I think one more post on the Twins will wrap up this project.

Bernd

Posted: 19 Mar 2023 12:24 am

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Kitbash0n30
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See y'all later, Forrest.
Screw the rivets, I'm building for atmosphere

Posted: 19 Mar 2023 11:40 am

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Bernd
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Kitbash0n30 wrote: Here's where I got the idea of a belt drive system. They have a large site. But this picture illustrates a belt reduction drive on a single axle. The gauge is 9mm or O scale. But it gives ideas to try. Link to Central London Area Group http://www.clag.org.uk/axle-hung.html
That is some fascinating engineering.

To me the Brits have always been ahead in the model engineering of building models.

Bernd

Posted: 19 Mar 2023 04:30 pm

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Bernd
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Continuing on. This will be bringing the end of this thread of the "Twins" build. But before adding the windows they need a paint job.

I used Baking Soda as an abrasive to clean up the brass tarnish. I think I'll need to do this outside next time around or I'll have to build a media blast cabinet. I have a large fog in the basement. Didn't have time for a cabinet then so I the garage had be the place to do the soda blasting. Here's two pictures. Notice the difference.

I spray painted the models with a rattle can primer. I really don't care for the thickness of paint that got applied but I'll stick with it for now. After a day for drying time (couldn't smell the paint) I went for the main color. The roof will be black with the body in "depot olive". Should go good with the gold color decals.

Two things that need to be fixed. First is a total paint strip and redo because the paint dried to a powdery finish. I used to high a pressure and the paint had dried some before sticking to the shell. Second is I have to provide a white background for the decals because of the green pine trees would disappear. So, a white circle needs to be added to the repaint for the decals. You'll see this in a later post about the decals.

After I stripped the paint from the two engines by just dumping them in a jar of Acetone, you can do that with brass. :shocked:

I discovered I still had a jar of Floquil Primer. I painted them with the primer and then set them on top of the coal stove to sort of bake the paint on. In three days there was no smell of paint. I used some "Refer White" and painted the side that is to receive the decal. Again a couple of days on the stove to cure the paint faster. I then cut out some circles of green painters tape and stuck it to the side.

Then a spray of Depot Olive. Let the paint dry for a couple of minutes and the piece of circle tape was removed. (I think the painter had one to many and didn't make a perfect circle. :bang:

)

I had contemplated for something fancier like a two tone paint job with a belt rail, like my first kitbashed caboose.

I finally got brave enough to apply the decals to the engines.

Got the handrails painted and the window glass installed.

About as complete as I could get. Still needs a bit of touch up, a whistle or two and perhaps the pilot painted black. I did discover I need a better spray gun before attempting any more paint jobs. I also decided I didn't need the decal setting solution since the decals settled down nicely. Both engines got a spray of dull coat to seal everything in and keep fingerprints off. I did a quick how to for doing my windows. A premium card stock called Neenah. I found some at Wally-World. I used that to make the window frames. I used my CAD program to draw them up and then printed them out on the card stock using a laser printer.

I used a brand new #11 X-Acto blade to cut out the windows and then glued clear .010" thick styrene on the back using canopy glue after painting them.

And the finished product. This whole project was a tribute to a fallen forum member on another forum. The giveaway was a set of decals from his railroad, Willani Lumber & Mining Company. His name was William and his wife's name was Anita. I photoshopped their names on the sides of the engines.