3/4" Scale J1e

[JBodenmann]

Hello My Friends
Greg is absolutely correct. Most folks have no clue. One of the things I enjoy, is when displaying a model I have made is to just stand off a ways and watch the reactions it gets. Many walk right by, only giving the model a glance. But some, and these are the ones I will go and chat with will stop in their tracks and really give the model a good looking over. They ask intelligent questions and not dopey ones like, "Dude, how fast does it go". I also like to watch the expressions on their faces. These range from a broad smile, to shock, and even a scowl... Good work, be it a painting, landscaping, music, or our models will evoke emotion. That is one of the payoffs for me. I am very fortunate that I can, and am allowed to make these really cool models. I have been blessed with many wonderful clients over the years that have had confidence in me and have given me the opportunity to build these models. And sometimes I even get to make one for myself, like this little Hudson.
Happy model Building.
Jack

[Greg_Lewis]

And even the dopey questions deserve a straight answer. They just don't know. The know-it-all jerks can just be ignored.

[ccvstmr]

And even the dopey questions deserve a straight answer. They just don't know. The know-it-all jerks can just be ignored.

Something like..."Hey Mister...what's that round wheel for on the back of the caboose?" "Well son, that's to help steer the train around sharp curves!" Some times it really feels good to rip off a good zinger! Carl B.

[JBodenmann]

Hello My Friends
Once in a while someone will show up that never knew anything like this even existed . They will be completely blown away and marvel at the models people make. These are often gear heads that build hot rods or other mechanical things. I have seen a couple become absolutely hooked, and end up becoming a real asset to the hobby, building or buying something cool. We should always welcome newcomers to our great pastime. You can never have too many friends.
Jack

[JBodenmann]

Hello My Friends
Here is one of the running board supports ready for mounting to the boiler. There is a 1-1/8" disc substituting for the air reservoir for now. This was used to fit up the strap that will hold the reservoir in place. The brass tube should arrive tomorrow, McMaster. I thought for sure I had a length of this tube on hand...never assume nuthin'. The pipe clamps are also in place. The top clamp also functions as a spacer for the running boards. This is the front support on the engineers side.
See you latter alligator.
Jack

[JBodenmann]

Hello My Friends
Been having fun with the little Hudson. Todays focus was on the running board supports, both the castings and some bar stock ones that were made up. As these fit up against the curved boiler and then have a straight bit that the running boards set on they can be a bit of a fiddle. So here is something you may find useful. These bar stock supports are tiny and are .060" thick and .250" wide, but the routine is the same for larger scale ones which are usually 1/8" thick. The prototype supports were usually 1" or 1-1/4" thick and four inches wide. The first photo here shows a support sitting on a length of round stock. My boiler is over 5" in diameter and the round stock we have here is 4". This will work just fine as it will spring back a bit. Also in the photo is a hardwood form tool with a curve in the bottom. This curve was just sanded in with a drum saner in the drill press. In photo 2 you can see the brass strip has a nice curve in it. This is after the hardwood piece was given a couple serious smacks with a large hammer. Then we have all our work pieces in a tray. Notice they all have a gentle curve that will fit against the boiler. The holes were drilled before forming the curve. Then on to the mill vise where they are clamped and formed over with a hammer and piece of brass. Try to hammer on the curved bit as little as possible.

[JBodenmann]

Now here we have a little gaggle of running board supports. They will all have the angle adjusted upon fitting to the boiler, and they will all be labelled as they only fit in one location. There are eighteen of the little rascals. And then we have some of them in their natural habitat, stuck to the side of a locomotive. There are still a couple running board support castings to be made. These support the running boards in front of the cab and hold the big steam lines to, and from the booster engine. The bracket on the engineers side also holds another large pipe. I'm not sure what this was. On some Hudsons this pipe has been removed but there is a cut out in the casting where it was clamped in place. I'll model it with the pipe, it disappears under the cab floor and on the other end runs up under the smoke box. I'm looking forward to getting the running boards buttoned up. Then the Franklin power reverse put together. Then it will be time to make masters and molds again. The Westinghouse distributing valve and auxiliary reservoir, the stoker engine and also the booster engine along with it's large flexible steam lines. There will also be an air operated fire door. These engines had HT stokers which had an integral firedoor which included the steam table and elevator casing. This door doesn't really lend itself to a hand fired model so I think I will be making a Franklin Standard Butterfly door. I'm going to look at some other doors first, but I am familiar with the Standard door having made a couple in the past. The more baloney I hang on the engine the better she looks. It just goes on and on... too much fun!
Jack

[Andy R]

Very timely on the running board supports, Jack.
I'll do that for my Virginia.
Thanks for posting the details!
Andy

[JBodenmann]

Hello My Friends
First off a thank you to Andy. I try to post things that modelers can use. Here is something you may find useful. Most steam locomotives had air reservoirs so here are a few tips on making them. These are 1-1/8" in diameter but the routine would basically be the same for larger tanks. The New York Central Hudsons used two varieties of air reservoirs, the early Hudsons had riveted tanks with a riveted seam that was placed at the back upper side with riveted pressed steel ends. Later engines and replacements were all welded, with a welded seam and welded pressed steel ends. 5344 came from ALCO with riveted tanks so that is what I will be describing here. First a end cap form tool was made up, just a lathe bit ground to shape. This is used to form the curved part of the end cap along with the boss for the piping. The first two snappies show the form tool and it being used to form the end. Next the O.D. that fits into the tube is being turned, and then the tank ends were parted off. Last photo, the tanks with the ends fitted up just for a look.

[JBodenmann]

The tank tube was placed in the spindex and spotted with a center drill, 36 divisions were used. Then the holes were drilled through. Now that the ends are made it's time to make the drain plug bushing and soft solder it in position. In our first photo the tank has had a hole drilled in it and a drain plug bushing made up. The bushing will be installed from the inside and the next photo shows it in position. The tank was set up so that gravity held the bushing in place. It was fluxed and Stay Brite solder was used. A small piece of solder was placed inside next to the bushing and the whole mess was heated until the solder flowed.

[JBodenmann]

Here we have the drain plug soldered in position and it's now time to solder the ends in place. The tank and the ends were fluxed with Stay Brite flux and small pieces of electronic rosin core solder were cut and placed on the end. I used this solder for the second operation as it has a lower melting point than the Stay Brite solder. It also has very good flow characteristics. Then the pieces of solder were placed on the end as shown in the first photo. The tube was placed over the end and given a spin to throw the solder bits out against the outer edge. I have a lazy Suzan with some fire brick on top that is often used for soldering. It can be rotated while heating for even heat.

[JBodenmann]

After the ends were soldered in place the holes in the tube were drilled through the ends and now it's time for rivets. A special rivet set was made up from a small scrap of steel. It has to get up inside the tank ends to form the head while the air riveter zooms the rivet from the outside. These are really tiny rivets so the air pressure was set at around 15 P.S.I. I have a couple air riveters. One is an actual riveter, but the one used for these tiny rivets is a very light duty air hammer. A holder was made for it to hold a variety of rivet sets. For riveting these soft brass rivets the sets don't need to be hardened. A round end end mill is used to form the recess for the rivet head in the rivet tools. A 5/64" round end mill was used for these tools. I'm still fiddling around with the length of the rivets to get an acceptable head on the inside. Too long and the rivet just lays over when you zoom it. Too short and you don't get a good head. No shortage of things to do!
Jack