3/4" Scale J1e

[JBodenmann]

Here's a little more. Now this one is definitely one of the little puzzles that I often blather on about. This is the rear air reservoir bracket on the engineers side. It's got a bunch going on. It has piping brackets on top, it holds the back of the air res. The Franklin power reverse bolts up to the large flat plate, and the Westinghouse distribution valve fits to the small plate. The whole mess bolts to the boiler right above the right rear driver. These are all just sort of piled together for now. They still need a bit of shaping and finessing and then they will be soft soldered together. I will do this in the morning when I'm not tired and my mind is firing on both brain cells. I have quite a bit of time these little assemblies of brass and silver solder so before the final soldering I want to look them over pretty good. Then after final soldering they will need a bit of filling and metal finishing. Some primer and sanding and then time to make molds. I'm still scratching my head on how to make the mold for the one that holds the power reverse. Another fun little puzzle?
See you in the funny pages...
Jack

[NP317]

Beautiful detailing!
And not likely to be seen except with close inspection.
Making such invisible detailing is what defines The Masters!
Thanks for your continued inspiration.
RussN

[JBodenmann]

Hello My Friends
Thank you Russ. Here is a bit more. The running board support masters are mostly done and its time to hold them up against the boiler and have a look. Now remember card stock patterns were made first and checked for fit...but things don't always come out quite as planned. In this instance things worked out just fine. In our top photo here we have the rear mount on the engineers side. The large round cut out is for the air reservoir, the vertical flat plate closest to the camera is where the Franklin power reverse will bolt up. The horizontal plate at the rear is for the Westinghouse distributing valve. There are also some locations on top for piping. The bottom photo shows the right front mount. It's relatively simple and has piping locations at the top and lower backside. At the top will be a pipe clamp that also acts as the support for the running boards. I didn't get a photo of the support master for the other side as it's just more of the same. The parts still need a bit of metal finishing and primer. Tomorrow I will start on the molds. I'm still thinking about the mold for the right rear mount. That's the most complicated mold I have made so far. Another little puzzle.
Happy Model Building
Jack

[Greg_Lewis]

Jack:
If you're starting with a card stock pattern, then a master and then a mold, I presume you've accounted somehow for casting shrinkage? And how much do you expect to get?

[JBodenmann]

Hello My Friends.
Shrinkage was taken into consideration. I usually plan on about two percent. Although on tiny parts like this it isn't much of an issue. One place where it was a concern is where the air reservoirs will fit. I will be Ising 1-1/8" brass tube for the reservoirs and I don't want to have to machine the brackets.
Jack

[JBodenmann]

Hello My Friends
Making progress here, the waxes for the running board- air reservoir supports are at the foundry. Molds were made for a gaggle of goodies, the running board supports, the bell and yoke, the Franklin precision power reverse, and a few other little trinkets. The castings should be here in a couple weeks. Meanwhile the cab is getting some attention. Fortunately there are some good drawings on hand. This cab has some cool features such as rounded vertical corners. Our first two snappies here show a die for the bending brake and one of the corners. The radius is .125 on the inside. These corners will be riveted in place with .052 esutchion pins. Other cool features are three cab roof ventilators, cab window openings with rounded corners, and prime ventilator cab doors heading out to the running boards. The cab front and back are roughed out and can be seen here in the last photo. Other progress has been made on drawings for the dummy HT stoker engine. It's a tiny little guy, the crank case is only 1-7/8" long x 1-5/16" wide. Hopefully I can hide one of Anthony's small scale injectors inside. Having fun here.
See you in the funny pages...
Jack

[JBodenmann]

Hello My Friends
I hope you are all well on this Fourth Of July. Things are fine here in the high mountain desert. Here is a little dodge that you may find useful. Sometimes we are presented with drawings or illustrations that have no dimensions. Illustrations of locomotive appliances are an example of this. In this case there were drawings of a stoker engine. Both side and end views, but no dimensions. I also had a sectional drawing of the J1e that showed the back of the cab and the stoker engine. This drawing had some dimensions and using them it was determined that the stoker engine had an overall side dimension of 46 inches. This one dimension allowed me to develop a scale to dimension the rest of the stoker drawings. The original stoker drawing was lifted from the 1941 locomotive cyclopedia using the copy machine. It was enlarged a bit and then any unwanted markings were done away with using white out. Then another copy was made and the scale was developed from that. Two marks were made on a piece of card stock showing the overall dimension and then some small dividers were used to mark out 46 divisions. Easy peasy! Then the rest of the drawing was dimensioned using the home made scale. I have used this method for many years and although primitive it is very effective for an old Luddite like me . The top photo shows the scale partly done with the dividers. The second, the finished scale, and the third, the dimensioned stoker drawing. A pencil certainly is a handy thing to have, isn't it. The stoker drawing is dimensioned in 3/4" scale so it will be easy once out in the shop. Now it's time to hit the shop and make things!
See you in the funny pages...
Jack

[Bill Shields]

This can now be done electronically direct from photos .everything scales from a known dimension...assuming the focal plane is 'normal' to the plane being dimensioned. Even if not. It is a quick way to get rough dimensions.

Where's a pencil?...sitting in drawer with my set of proportional calipers that I have not used in 40 years

[Asteamhead]

Hello Jack,
My recommendation: Don't mind such statements! It's common knowledge that everything one did or still is doing could be done digitally for years.
But to tell something and to show such outstanding results as you do permanently for years are absolute different things
I heard those statements for years now: "Just give me (digital / CAD) drawings to to make things by means of CNC work". Results were nonexistant or poor in most cases . What about such things of (model) working air pumps, brake stands, turbo generators and such?
Bill,
There are exeptions of course, but still added by lots of brain and sweat to get things working.
Jack,
Carry on (by means of a pencil as long as you like my friend, apologize not necessary - I do the same!
Asteamhead

[JBodenmann]

Hello My Friends
Thanks for the tip Bill. I have a computer and a scanner, and have done this that way, and in certain circumstances I still do. But I just like my pencil and dividers. To me it's just fun to do things the olde timey way, the way them old cats at American Locomotive might have done it. Now I don't think these primitive methods have diminished the quality of my work. The important thing is that you actually make things, and that is what model building is all about. It doesn't matter if you use a pencil or a computer. Now I greatly admire talented young wizards like Anthony. He can make a CNC machine get up and dance a jig if he wants to, and I greatly envy his skill with these machines. The things he makes are truly amazing. But now me, I'm just an old Bozo with a pencil. And thank you very much Asteamhead. I truly admire you amazing work too. So enough pontificating, here is what happened here in the shop today. The cab roof for the little Hudson has five curved angle iron ribs that are riveted underneath and give it support. As I have stated before, to me its easier to make curved angle, than to make straight angle and then trying to persuade it to be curved. The first thing to do is to make some form dies. The bottom die is 5/16" hot rolled steel. This is the part of the die that the material ( .040" brass) will be hammered over to form the angle. The top die is just 3/16" hot rolled. I would have preferred 1/8" steel but 5/16" was what was laying around. This top die is just used to hold down the brass and ensure a sharp corner. The top photo shows the 5/15" steel with a Sharpie mark showing where to cut with the bandsaw. After cutting it was finessed with the disc sander. #2 shows the completed form tools. In photo #3 the brass work piece is being marked with the dividers and a Sharpie. It was trimmed on the bandsaw and finessed with the disc sander. And #4 shows the work piece clamped between the form tools ready for some hammering with the rawhide mallet. A metallic hammer will cause stretching of the brass and we don't want that so use a rawhide or wood mallet.

[JBodenmann]

Here is some more. In the top snappy here we have our work piece nicely flanged over. You will note that it's still attached to a large sheet. This is necessary when forming, as if it were a narrow piece, it would creep under the form dies when the forming is happening. Now it will be marked with the dividers and a Sharpie, and cut from the sheet as in the next photo. Now it can be finessed using a small sanding drum in the drill press. Our last photo for now shows our little gaggle of roof ribs, the radiused corners, and the cab front. Now to make the cab sides and start sticking things together. Too much fun! There will be some ultra cool little Prime ventilator cab front doors to make. The cab roof will have a lift out section to allow easier access to the controls. I haven't quite figured how that will be arranged yet. Once I start sticking things together this will probably be apparent. One last thing, I really appreciate additions and comments to my threads. Like Bill's, and Asteamhead's comments. Information shared is always good.
See you in the funny pages...
Jack

[Bill Shields]

Giggle...I always look forward to the replies I get from my sarcasm from folks that take be seriously.

Whether you use a pencil, crayon or magic marker it is the end results that matter...and anyone who has seen your end results will never be critical of how you get there.