Journal Box Cover

This forum is dedicated to the Live Steam Hobbyist Community.

Moderators: cbrew, Harold_V

Post Reply
Russ Hanscom
Posts: 1955
Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 11:10 pm
Location: Farmington, NM

Journal Box Cover

Post by Russ Hanscom »

The last step in making replica full sized steel frame trucks for the Cumbres and Toltec RPO (railway post office) was the journal box covers. The intent was replicate the pressed steel cover for a journal box, 4 ¼” brass size. Probably enough covers in the scrap pile, but since we were making a complete set of trucks, I figured I might as well make the lid too, to confirm how it was done. Some are cast, this one is a “simple” pressing of 1/8” thick steel with ½” of relief. A good die set, a furnace, and a heavy press and they could be made like hotcakes – as originally they were made by the tens of thousands.

My die set is barely adequate, a challenge to make and intended for a very limited run, the press is a touch light at 40 tons, and the furnace is hot enough but the blanks, about 9” x 10”, need to be stood at an incline to fit in – but it all worked – sort of.

It took two or three cycles of heat, red hot, and press to get each blank fully formed; the blanks cool really fast in air and the die has extensive direct contact. I started with 10, needed eight, two got mis-pressed, so finished with just the right number. After pressing, a bit of trimming, welding the corners, a little grinding, and these are almost ready – went fairly well once I got started – actually not quite as formidable as anticipated. If I were making a bunch, a few improvements to the die set would be in order, as would a slightly different shaped initial blank.

The originals had the hinge eye formed as part of the cover. I did it separately to reduce blank size, and it could be welded on afterwards.

Some of the contours on the lid are to locate the flat spring and retainer that hold the lid open or closed. Those parts are attached with rivets as a final step.
Attachments
finished inner.JPG
finished outer.JPG
first hot press inner.JPG
first hot press outer.JPG
jscarmozza
Posts: 599
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 5:09 pm

Re: Journal Box Cover

Post by jscarmozza »

That looks like a lot of hard work...well done.
John
Russ Hanscom
Posts: 1955
Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 11:10 pm
Location: Farmington, NM

Re: Journal Box Cover

Post by Russ Hanscom »

It was a lot of work, but one of those cases where almost the same effort was required whether I was going to make one or a hundred. The big chore was making the die, once that was done, forming was relatively easy. Sort of like making a pattern for a casting; with the pattern ready, as many parts as desired can be made.
Kimball McGinley
Posts: 809
Joined: Wed May 31, 2006 2:13 pm
Location: Laguna Niguel CA

Re: Journal Box Cover

Post by Kimball McGinley »

Any market for those? Maybe over on RYPN?
Post Reply