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Post by phutcheson on Jan 11, 2010 0:53:44 GMT -5
Greg Miller,
Nice ...
You are really moving along. How do you find the time to draw all the prints, layout, machine, clean up then post great pictures??
Keep up the great work and postings.
Pat H
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Post by GregMiller on Jan 11, 2010 21:23:00 GMT -5
Thanks Pat. The prints help me plan the machining steps. The 3D model helps to ensure that I modeled the part correctly. I try to keep the old digital camera in the workshop, and take several shots at once in hopes of getting a shot that is in focus. My wife works Saturdays, so that is my time in the workshop. Oh, and we have no kids
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Post by GregMiller on Jan 17, 2010 17:50:40 GMT -5
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Post by GregMiller on Mar 1, 2010 14:23:13 GMT -5
It has been too quite here lately, so I thought I'd give an update, even though these parts are not 100% complete yet. Trunnions and Expansion Links I need to turn Trunnion Pins and machine the bronze insert, but other than that, I think these are done. The Expansion Link was the first that I have machined SS. It is more finicky that mild steel. From what I read, it work hardens, so I just tried to use sharp end mills and drills and use a slow spindle speed of about 400 RPM.
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Post by pkastagehand on Mar 1, 2010 15:49:06 GMT -5
Any special reason why you used stainless?
I just used some old CRS I had lying around. I've been building as much as possible out of found scrap using cast iron for cylinders, etc. and steel for much else. Trying to keep costs down. Brass and its alloys are too dear in price right now although I'm going to have to bite the bullet sometime for boiler and related materials.
Paul
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Post by GregMiller on Mar 1, 2010 18:04:47 GMT -5
Hi Paul,
I used SS sheet for a couple of reasons: 1) Some locations that use the 0.078" sheet will be damp/wet, so the SS may be lest prone to rust. 2) It was difficult to find the 0.078" sheet in anything other than SS, and I did not want to to mill a thicker material down to the needed thickness. 3) I want to use the same material for all of the parts that require the 0.078" sheet.
Greg
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Post by pkastagehand on Mar 2, 2010 15:46:31 GMT -5
I hear you on the milling part. Seems sometimes as though I spend as much time roughing out blanks from thicker material than I do making the parts. I guess that is the price I pay for being cheap? I have more expendable time (at least at times) than I do expendable money.
Paul
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Post by Harlock on Mar 4, 2010 3:46:20 GMT -5
I like working from stock that's cut as closely as possible to the finished thing, for the aforementioned time reason and to not wear out my tools prematurely. but then I'm moving slowly enough where the materials purchases are not very noticable, heh.
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Post by GregMiller on Mar 6, 2010 19:40:12 GMT -5
I finished the Link Blocks today... Wow are these tiny parts! Also squared up the inside ends of the expansion links to allow the link blocks to have full travel. For those that have the A3 complete, or have an opinion, will these bronze link blocks wear and need replaced? Greg
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Post by pkastagehand on Apr 29, 2010 15:54:55 GMT -5
Just had the cab parts cut by laser from 16 gage CRS. Of course I may have just screwed up big time because I have not made the roof yet. Getting the roof curved to match the front panel may more than I can do. I think the book says bend the roof then use it to trace the curve for the front. For other photos see: www.flickr.com/photos/pa56/4563498311/Paul
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Post by grege on Apr 29, 2010 20:04:54 GMT -5
Very nice! It does seem to save a whole lot of fret sawing and filing.
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Post by pkastagehand on Apr 30, 2010 14:48:09 GMT -5
Very nice! It does seem to save a whole lot of fret sawing and filing. Or a lot of tedious milling and then filing out the corners. Since I don't have CNC or even DRO doing all that milling by dials is slooooow and painful. Paul
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Post by GregMiller on May 4, 2010 6:19:39 GMT -5
Great looking parts Paul. Did you have access to the equipment at work or get them done by some other means?
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Post by pkastagehand on May 4, 2010 9:43:31 GMT -5
Great looking parts Paul. Did you have access to the equipment at work or get them done by some other means? I work at a private 4 year undergrad college that has an engineering department. I am friends with the machine shop guru from the engineering shop. They don't have a water or laser cutter setup but we were talking about some students having had some parts water jet cut off-campus for a senior design project. I mentioned I was thinking about having the cab parts done for me. He said to get him a drawing a drawing and he would email it to the shop he uses. I was going to supply the metal but the laser cutter guy said he had scraps of 16 ga. CRS from other jobs leftover and big enough so the cutting and the steel together was a 20 dollar bill. I'll have to go through the book sometime and identify any other flat parts I could have cut this way and save myself some time. Paul
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Post by Harlock on May 5, 2010 0:49:46 GMT -5
Great looking parts Paul. Did you have access to the equipment at work or get them done by some other means? I work at a private 4 year undergrad college that has an engineering department. I am friends with the machine shop guru from the engineering shop. They don't have a water or laser cutter setup but we were talking about some students having had some parts water jet cut off-campus for a senior design project. I mentioned I was thinking about having the cab parts done for me. He said to get him a drawing a drawing and he would email it to the shop he uses. I was going to supply the metal but the laser cutter guy said he had scraps of 16 ga. CRS from other jobs leftover and big enough so the cutting and the steel together was a 20 dollar bill. I'll have to go through the book sometime and identify any other flat parts I could have cut this way and save myself some time. Paul That is the greatest deal ever. Also, the technique reminds me of Jan Eric Nystrom's latest engine, which was as much as possible entirely laser cut from sheets of varying thicknesses. He crammed as much he could onto each sheet. Some good articles about that in recent back issues of Live Steam magazine. His methods are exceedingly unconventional and the result looks and runs well.
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