I am going to accept the challenge of caring for an orphaned project I started almost 20 years ago.
I started this HO scale scratch built (kitbashed?) K4 using a Pennline frame and drivers. Everything else (excluding wheels, gears and motor) was made using basic hand tools.
I worked on it off and on for almost 10 years. At that point, it found a permanent spot at the end of the to do list. Mainly because of its crudeness compared to today's standards.
I would like to finish the locomotive and paint it as I intended to when I started the project. (without using exotic tools and machinery) Then reunite her with her sister (an E6 Atlantic I built from scratch just before I started the K4 build).
Did you fabricate the valve gear and side rods.. If you did can you please go into detail on how you did it.. That has always been a sticking point on my builds.
My other car is a locomotive, ARHS restoration crew
e-paw Wrote:Did you fabricate the valve gear and side rods.. If you did can you please go into detail on how you did it.. That has always been a sticking point on my builds.
I built the valve gear parts by bending steel wire around jigs that I made. once the part was formed , it was soldered and filed flat, then riveted together using small brass brads that I cut and peened over.
I would probably be easier to explain how to build valve gear by posting photos of the next valve gear set I make.
The connecting rods and main rods on this locomotive were made from .015" brass sheet with brass washers soldered on to re enforce the bearing ends and copper wire soldered along the edges to form a rib along the edges the filed to shape.
Below are some parts I made in the same manor to replace the plastic parts of a Hobbyline Berkshire with a Simms chassis.
I started off by marking and drilling some of the holes for the handrail stanchions.
It's not much progress, but more than I have done on this project for years.
wire formed around jigs - - - - - I like the way those turned out. I'll have to try that method for the valve rods on the NG 2-6-6-2. Another learning curve to ride !!!
We always learn far more from our own mistakes, than we will ever learn from another's advice.
The greatest place to live life, is on the sharp leading edge of a learning curve.
Lead me not into temptation.....I can find it myself!
Sumpter250 Wrote: wire formed around jigs - - - - - I like the way those turned out. I'll have to try that method for the valve rods on the NG 2-6-6-2. Another learning curve to ride !!!
If both sets of valve gear are identical they can be made with the same set of jigs.
It would save alot of drilling, filing and time.
I made a little more progress on the K4.
I made some stantions by bending steel wire removed from some twisty ties and formed hand rails from some steel wire found at the Dollar store.
modelsof1900 Wrote:A small hint how I make good looking stanchions - http://us-modelsof1900.de/?p=1660, only with a Dremel / electric hand drill machine.
Your stanchions look good.
I like how your passenger car railings look. I need to make a few sets for a set of AHM cars I have.
I haven't made a whole lot of progress lately.
I did manage to add the headlight and bracket, generator, steps on the smoke box and smoke box front, and the hand rail on the smoke box front.
I also added the pressure relief valves, linkage to the steam dome and power reverse.
