3/4" Scale J1e

[Bill Shields]

knowing what you are doing (having a plan)..having the correct tools and material on hand makes a world of difference...and avoiding 'I Love Lucy' reruns...

[NP317]

Jack:
What grade of silver solder did you use on those hinge tubes and plate?
I envision 45% Ag causing major heat distortion.
Nice work, as always.
RussN

[JBodenmann]

Hello My Friends
Bill's comment about Lucy...I can picture her working at the chocolate factory, on the assembly line. All us old Bozo's know what I'm talking about. I'm sure some of the youngsters are scratching their heads. Hopefully things won't get quite that frantic here As to the type of silver solder, I have no idea. But it is the variety with cadmium. The stuff without it just doesn't flow properly. They put it in there for a reason. Had fun today putting the Franklin power reverse together. I really mean that. I designed the little bugger, made the masters and then the molds. Shot the waxes and sent them to the foundry. Then these cool little castings came in the mail. Too much fun. I kept waking last night and thinking about the reverser. I couldn't wait to get out in the shop this morning. So here are some photos and a line of baloney to go with them. First, the cylinder heads were faced off, drilled and reamed. The tiny 3 inch four jaw chuck came in handy. It's just a cheapie from MSC with a 5-C mount. Then some spindex action as #0-80 hex head brass model bolts are turned into T bolts to hold the cylinder heads on. Photo 4 shows a regular model bolt next to a tee bolt. Then it was time to make what I call the anti rotator. This is a bit of 9/16" round bronze with a 17/64" hole drilled through, and then a 1/4" square broach stuffed through. I did this in the lathe. This way everything is nice and straight. The piston rod is 1/4" diameter for most of its length, one end is 1/4" square to slide in the anti rotator. The bottom photo here shows the anti rotator in the main cylinder casting. Upon final assembly the anti rotator will locked in place with a couple set screws.

[Bill Shields]

Cheapie 5C chucks are worth every penny you do not pay for them. I bought one about a year ago and do not know how I got along without it for 40 years

[JBodenmann]

Here is a bit more. The piston rod started out as 3/8" steel. Part was turned down to 1/4" round. Then it was cut off and put in the spindex. The 3/8" round was milled to 1/4" square. This square bit fits in the square anti rotator as in photo 4. You can also see the #10-24 left hand thread. This thread is what moves the piston rod. The last two show the mostly completed reverser. The #00-90 bolts in the valve cover will be replaced with studs and nuts. The end of the piston has yet to be machined to fit the reach rod. I hope to get it finished up tomorrow and fitted to the engine. No shortage of things to do!
Jack

[Bill Shields]

Whose u joints do u use...or cook your own?

[JBodenmann]

Hello My Friends
The stainless U Joints are from McMaster. The smallest are for 3/32" rod. Which I have here. The OD of the joints is the same as for 1/8" rod. They are also available un drilled.
Jack

[Bill Shields]

Ah....have not looked there

I have used joints for r/c cars and boats in the past...but yours look nicer...but now I remember why not mcmaster... their $ is ouch...

[JBodenmann]

Hello My Friends
Bill is correct, the tiny U joints from McMaster are fifty bucks each. You want the cool bling, you have to shell out the greenbacks . The power reverse is finished up. The #00-90 studs were made for the valve chest covers. The challenge here was getting the studs uniform with the same number of threads showing past the nuts. They are still a bit long. I like to have two threads exposed. When it's dis assembled for painting they will be trimmed a bit. The power reverse is now mounted up to the running board - air tank support castings. A distributing valve now needs to be made to fill that empty spot. It never ends does it?
See You In The Funny Pages...
Jack

[Steam Engine Dan]

beautiful work jack, you are really going to town on the Hudson. hey I got these from a friend, here is a piece of detail that even my dad and I don't have with our big Hudson. it is a signal shoe attached to the first lead set of tender trucks on 5344. if my memory serves correctly and everyone can correct me if im wrong. this signal shoe would activate the brakes into emergency should the engineer disregard a signal. also some close up shots and two cab interior pictures taken by karl kantola himself. the man who streamlined 5344 into the commodore. hopefully these will help you with detailing 5344 even more.

[LVRR2095]

Dan, those bits are called the “inductors” for the automatic train control.

[JBodenmann]

Hello My Friends
Thanks Dan. Those are some very cool photos and will be useful when I get to the cab and tender.
Jack