Who makes 1 1/2" scale Builders and number plates?

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jscarmozza
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Re: Who makes 1 1/2" scale Builders and number plates?

Post by jscarmozza »

First, thanks to all for the advice, I used a little from each and got one side done successfully!
Kieth and Bill, 2 bolts instead of 4; Greg, Dick, NP317 and Pontiacguy, I carefully drilled a little oversized and tapped shallow threads, in case it didn't work I was going to increase the hole size and bolt through from the inside. But plan A worked thanks to my Rube Goldberg drill guide. I was able to support and steady the drill I and get two good holes. Interesting what you learn as you do something like this, none of my punches would fit through that tiny hole in the plate. I made a small punch from a broken tap to fit through the hole to get my punch mark to start the drill hole.
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NP317
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Re: Who makes 1 1/2" scale Builders and number plates?

Post by NP317 »

Another job well done!
RussN
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Bill Shields
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Re: Who makes 1 1/2" scale Builders and number plates?

Post by Bill Shields »

rube goldberg is where you lay the loco on its side on sand bags and put it under the quill of a drill press....
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Bill Shields
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Re: Who makes 1 1/2" scale Builders and number plates?

Post by Bill Shields »

one advantage to smaller locos...you CAN get them on the milling table
loco on mill.jpg
if your mill is big enough :shock:
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LVRR2095
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Re: Who makes 1 1/2" scale Builders and number plates?

Post by LVRR2095 »

Wells-Index????
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Bill Shields
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Re: Who makes 1 1/2" scale Builders and number plates?

Post by Bill Shields »

yes...came from Redstone Arsenal, Alabama

the ground spacers the loco is sitting on came from Springfield Arsenal (Mass) by way of Jim Stuart who swears they were (at one time) used on the Norden bombsite manufacturing line that was in the same building.

Somebody broke a tap off in one, and tossed it in the trash can...from which Jim promptly added them to his collection of 'useful' bits.

I have boxes and boxes of odd ball dimension Ma-Duce cutting tools from there...every decade or so one of them comes in handy for something.
Last edited by Bill Shields on Fri Feb 12, 2021 2:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Greg_Lewis
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Re: Who makes 1 1/2" scale Builders and number plates?

Post by Greg_Lewis »

Bill Shields wrote: Fri Feb 12, 2021 2:25 pm rube goldberg is where you lay the loco on its side on sand bags and put it under the quill of a drill press....


:lol: :P :shock:
IMG_8508.JPG
Greg Lewis, Prop.
Eyeball Engineering — Home of the dull toolbit.
Our motto: "That looks about right."
Celebrating 35 years of turning perfectly good metal into bits of useless scrap.
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Bill Shields
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Re: Who makes 1 1/2" scale Builders and number plates?

Post by Bill Shields »

looks like a custom orthopedic surgical tool - from the 1890's
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Harold_V
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Re: Who makes 1 1/2" scale Builders and number plates?

Post by Harold_V »

Kudos for your success using a common drill motor. It's very easy to break small drills with them due to the offset of the handle and the limited spindle speed.

One of the problems with drilling small holes is lack of desirable spindle speed. To that end, I often use my Foredom flex shaft to drill small diameter holes. The small, light weight handle makes it easy to align the drill, and the high speed allows the small drill to cut much faster. I use this process to provide a starting hole when I have to drill larger holes by hand. If you can eliminate the area in contact with the web of the drill, it's much easier to drill holes by hand.

To keep the drill at a right angle, I'm also known to use a block of particle board (1¼" thick) with a hole drilled in my mill as a drill guide. Makes drilling a hole at the proper attitude much easier.

H
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jscarmozza
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Re: Who makes 1 1/2" scale Builders and number plates?

Post by jscarmozza »

Harold, I only have the 1/8" collet for my Dremel and 1/4"collet for my Foredom, I'm going to try to find a mini chuck so I can use them for similar situations. That drill is a Dormeyer that belonged to my father,it was old when I was a little kid and I'm 69. It's not a safe tool, it has a two prong plug and metal case, but the top is flat with a minimal offset to the center of the drill bit, so I keep it around for those special jobs. Started with a good punch mark, new bit, lots of oil and frequent clean outs, such a simple straight forward operation really caused me a lot of anxiety because this was not the place to screw up. Again, thanks to all for the good advice.
John
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