Depressed center flat car

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Terr1bleone
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:01 pm

Re: Depressed center flat car

Post by Terr1bleone »

Some of the boards on the second side were a little snug so I decided to mill .015 off each side, this time using a mini pallet fixture plate. The board is aligned against three pins and then clamped. The fixture is aligned in the vice and the vice trammed to the head.
This setup gave me a much better quality surface finish.
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-Mike
Terr1bleone
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:01 pm

Re: Depressed center flat car

Post by Terr1bleone »

The boards have been test fit and then removed for stain and sealing.
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-Mike
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makinsmoke
Posts: 2260
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2003 12:56 pm
Location: Texas Hill Country

Re: Depressed center flat car

Post by makinsmoke »

One of the smaller gauge contest quality modelers cuts his wood to size, then places it in wire baskets in covered areas in his backyard for months. It ages and weathers then he puts the pieces together on his models. You certainly have to use stable stuff like oak, etc.
Terr1bleone
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:01 pm

Re: Depressed center flat car

Post by Terr1bleone »

Mainsmoke, I’ve done a slight scuff to them with the 320 grit, white oak was used. Leaving them outside is a really good idea. Im debating painting them red, probably not as realistic. I seen a few h.o. Models with body colored decks and it looks tidy.
Still a few little things to do on it but no need to rush. low temps and ice snow mean no running in Chicago right now anyways, luckily the shop is heated. -Mike
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Terr1bleone
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:01 pm

Re: Depressed center flat car

Post by Terr1bleone »

On projects where I’m having a hard time imagining, I sometimes make a mock up model of what I’m thinking.
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-Mike
Terr1bleone
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:01 pm

Re: Depressed center flat car

Post by Terr1bleone »

Not much work has been done lately, but I have managed to find time to assemble the coupler castings.
I was going to use superscale/Mercer style couplers, modified to solid shank.
but I had these castings and they were already solid shank so they will do for now.
The reason behind the solid shank is that the mounting points are too deep for a spring style center bushing mounting in the coupler. I did not feel like modifying the kit at the time I built it to move the location. Tom Bee couplers which it was probably designed for may be much longer but I don’t have any to check.
Here’s the rough castings
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Very rough probably hit with a belt grinder to cut down the gates.
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The first step will be to clean up the castings which will be manually and not machined.
The tools used.
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I tried to take pictures of the process but it was much to hard, maybe next time.
Rough ground casting with machined knuckle pin and bushings.
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More in the next post -Mike
Terr1bleone
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:01 pm

Re: Depressed center flat car

Post by Terr1bleone »

Onto the machining part.

Not many pictures but you know the routine drill and ream.
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The coupler was first reamed without the knuckle.
The knuckle was drilled to size, Then a tapered pin was halfway inserted halfway up from the bottom and the knuckle was floated by hand to insure figment while reaming. This was hard to photograph while doing so I simulated it in a picture.
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The pin is pushed out as the reamer goes in.
Lastly an 8-32 hole was added to the bottom which will be covered later.
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Next the pull pins will be made.
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-Mike
Terr1bleone
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:01 pm

Re: Depressed center flat car

Post by Terr1bleone »

Mill setup for machining the pin
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Tooling used to do the whole job minus turning pins.
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One done Bead Blasted and ultrasonic cleaned.
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Painted coupler and finish ground coupler almost finished.
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That’s all for now. -Mike
ccvstmr
Posts: 2230
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2003 10:37 am
Location: New Lenox, IL

Re: Depressed center flat car

Post by ccvstmr »

Mike...

A suggestion for you. If the coupler you were working on is cast iron, consider using the knuckle pin to get some anti-seize in the coupler and knuckle to minimize rust and and keep the knuckle seizing up. Have been doing this for a number of years when I rebuilt/repaint the couplers. Haven't had a knuckle seize up since (and yes, did have that before). Carl B.
Life is like a sewer...what you get out of it depends on what you put into it!
I don't walk on water...I just learned where some of the stepping stones are!
I love mankind...it's some of the people I can't stand!
Terr1bleone
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:01 pm

Re: Depressed center flat car

Post by Terr1bleone »

Thanks Carl, I actually had a stuck pin on a different car, made me think it was a dummy coupler for a second.
I’ll have to add anti seize to my maintenance list of my rolling stock in spring.
These couplers are cast aluminum/ steel pin and I was planning on using dry graphite lubricant spray on the pins.
-Mike
Terr1bleone
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:01 pm

Re: Depressed center flat car

Post by Terr1bleone »

They are mounted up
4B69CEB5-EFEA-493F-9C2B-9691A1D4D3FB.jpeg
The reason behind the 8-32 hole
A9F34C4F-4AA1-4FE6-BEF8-D167AA3A279A.jpeg
-Mike
Terr1bleone
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:01 pm

Re: Depressed center flat car

Post by Terr1bleone »

The decals have been added, pretty much done for now.
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-Mike
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